New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1871-09-20
MURPHY IN SELF.DEFENSE
THE COLLECTOR OF THE PORT PLEADS TO TIE
CURRENT CHARGES AGAINST HIM.
70 the Editor Of The Tribun.

for bad have neither time nor inclination N ents, ,
controversy feel moreover that controversy with o,
who owns newspaper Il too unequal for me not h
shrink from IT, Your article this morning ipduee. m.
to break silence for the first and trust the last time
In the first place. you will permit me to advance a.
general proposition that 1t Ia not sin for Republican
to take Office under q Republican Administration Thx
seems TO have been my principal oense trustI ma,
be excused on that account by TIE TRIBUNE
With reference to your charges against me- you ssv
have betrayed the Republican party IN the Legislature
in it's City organization and at the polls You then 70 On
TO give specifications, referring b my votes tie
Senate the question Of overriding Andrew Johnsons
veto Of the Civil Rights BILL and on the District Of Colum
ba Suffrage question the creation Of the present
Tax Commission to the history Of the campaign Of 1885,
and to the passage Of the new Charter.
Now propose to appeal to the columns OF your paper
and how my record it has been made from time 70
time, has been regarded by The TRIBUNE. You judge
me Let us see how you judged mo at the time
when these circumstances fresh in your mind.
turn THE TRIBUNE OF oct. IS, 1901 and find these
words:
"Mr. Peter n sweenys candidate. John J. Bradley.
IL quite confident Of success In our judgment lie
be beaten by senator Ihomas Murphy, and We do not
s 1Hre tnht at, s &C., can BE- Gy .y one IT, c, I Mr
las done his best this Fall To unite and strengthen the
fy we Gopf anS Nat s vi" ''
A week later The TRIBUNE said:
Thomas Murphy withdraws as candidate for Sen.
atOr from tho With District, and gives hearty support
to Christopher Pullman. We thought IL wise 10
nominate Mr. Murphy believing his independent ength
great but Mr. Pullman ought % be strong ALSO and
been so generous that Te trust may be remembered "A
gratitude"
On July o. 1870 after my name had been sent to the
Senate for the position hOIi yOu referred tie
charges made against me by my opponents which
tainy were imp,acable and yindictive, and said:
"The matter is before the senate; let the complaints
be there urged, the charges there explained, and Tie
81,
quite willing to accept the Senatos verdict"
On July you said:
"Prove the things you are 50 prrsotently dining IN
our ears, and VOID ior it the Senate VII Icct Mr.
Murphys NAME"
On July 6, treating the same theme, you said:
The senators Il is said propose to make thorOusA
tons freely urged by responsible Republicans and the
WIZ st Rsu@beans isH BE- sasaSd TIGr,r SGy
NE Gnat aeiion q he Senate Q'sr "as po'se'sod "eV
Of all the Jdcts."
These charges presented to tho Senate in an
elaborate speech by Mr. Fenton. They were carefully
Investigated by the Committee Commerce. The
Senate made Its decision That decision was my cohnr
nation by vote Of AZ Senators to3 Upon this decision
you commented follows, in THE TRIBUNE Of July 2
"When Mr.. Thomas Murphy nominated tor the Col
ecorshp, and q sudden storm VI accusations against
hun broke out, urged that the Senate not the newS
was is pMIpYMf upS could be-
said there the highest doubt OF his reJos
Ii they were not sustained the Presidenrs Judgment 10
selecting hun would beyond question he Soas1 Nm s
sSs .na s sera spon s
ismom IN beiaIi 81 Murptys aeesers ,o.o.. %' ~
j"Is%snt senate as the chei Republican Oice'
Of the State, &C."
You crtice me for certain votes given in the Senate
OF New.York upon questions Of National politics. with
out permitting any discussion to my duties Sen
ator will only say that voted with many emnept
Republicans Perhaps also differed from many emil.
nent Republicans This certainly was no more a sin On
my part than it for Mr.. Greeley TO insist upon
Universal Suffrage and Universal Amnesty against the
general sentiment Of the party, and TO visit
| Richmond and bail Mr. Davis in the inter-
est Of what he regarded harmony and
structon" believe Mr.. Greeley did al honest thing
bravcly and manfully, although my judgment did not
approve what he did Am not entitled to the saus
Judgments Especially when the record shows thas
on the very day when voted Indicated seine
minor question of national policy, also voted for tho
| following resOution-a resolution embracing every
idea contended for by the most advanced and radical
Republicans:
Re'oked That It's a,o conviction that as the coul'I y.
pledged In the BEGINNING and troas o the war ., we De "a
national sny u q.
Of contaiens ..
of hh national policy and justice the constitutions, .ss
%ss sm Universal i hut the :''l Important Il" sSs
Congress all the constitutional needfa e.t.s,.
pledged to the World to humanity nd mos. OF to ie rssaea s
~ ways ass f 1 s sif
o s" T S. sas or ssaS .. tna.s n that
" S he. me-, and Ss g. e S s SJs S Its sI s, Of r.
free not only, bat equal before the law
am furthermore charged with having opposed the
election OF Mr. FentOn to the GOvcrnorshp in 1866 You
forget that in that campaign gave time and money and
my personal efforts tO the Of the general anl
local Republican ticket. So far Mr.. FentOn was
concerned followed the advice constantly given
by THE TRIBUNE. did not vote for him. believed Ito
be an improper nomination for Governor. 1t was my
right and duty citizen and Republican to vote
or to refuse to vote, according to my conscience
a right and duty which you claimed yourself waea
you voted against Mr. Roberts the regular Republican
candidate for Mayor Of NewYork, and supported An In
dependent Democrat, and by action secured tho
election OF Johu I. Hoffman, from which time inc
present Tammany Ring dates its existence 90 ho'
censure you for that. Many Republicans did lfety you
did your duty as did mine.
In this connection may add that no resoiut0n n
favor OF John T. Hoffman was ever passed ut any neet
ing ut which was present, by any Committee over
which presided. A resolution was published VINCE
purported to be so passed, but 1t was irauu
You say helped to break up the Republican lax Con
MISSION a bargain that ana MI Cro"icy eHou-
have half the patronage. say there was no euch oa
gain made with me or any one. Inc 'ourt VI Hpp
had decided the then existing Tax Commission an uneon
stitutionaJ body Legislation was necessary ana 'no
decision OF the Court Of Appeals required tnat lno
should vested in local ofncer anu 'ne
was none who was not Democrat inoueN
in the Legislature, 1 favored the DILL wiz
was passed 1t was agreed that the RepuphsHa
party should have half appointments, that IL snoe'a
be non partisan body. There was no agreement .na'
was to have any patronage, and had none though p
sons were appointed whom concurred with many ''"
ing Republicans in recommending L..
You say that tried TO break up the Eepupncau oiG
cation in this city and pitched Sinclair Tousey dc"s
stairs The latter is wholly untrue. did, however'er
desyor TO get an organization which should repesen
l,l,nan rlarIH