The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1871-07-28
DIR. RMMEN,S DENIA-. ;,


DIR. NEWMkNS DENIA-.. IL
The following letter has been pub .
lished by some of the papers, as having
been written by Rev. j. T. Newman,
pastor OF the Metropolitan n. e. church
in Washington, ID. c., and chaplain OF
the U. S. Senate The letter bears date
Washington, April 25th, and is marked
confidential:
DEAR BROrHER:-As a mutual friend, II
drop you q few earnest words in behalf OF SER
ator HarIan's reelection TO The United States
Senate You know the importance OF aearty
and earnest action. The members elecned 70
the next legislature elect the next senator. II
is, therefore, necessary that the right men be
nomin ated, and hence attention must be given
to the primary elections.
am glad TO say to you that senator HaFi ian
isreguiari in his attendance on Church, and his
influence is in the right direction know per-
sonally that he stands high with the Admins
tration, and has influence with the President
and is held in high esteem by his fellow sena- |
tors. His speech on San Domingo has given |
him an elevation few senators enjoy. Hoping |
that YOU will in all suitable ways interest your
7o-- Up. NEWMAN.
We understand DIR. Newman pub |
fishes card in the Methodist, stating
that he never wote such letter, nor
authorized any one else to write it for
him; and that he had no knowledge
whatever that such a letter was in exis-
| tence until he saw it in print. Sosthat
the papers which have criticised him
so severely for writing such letter,
have expended their wrath for nothing.
Assuming that he did write the let
ter, what harm is there in has doing SO?
DR.. Newman has ample. opportunities
to know who are the good men in the
Senate, and who the bad ones, and we
see no impropriety whatever in his
using his influence with mutual friends
to secure the election of good men to
that body. The notion thaS-a, min
lister cannot use his influence in pol
litics-that he mast not even talk poll
tics-is an old and very ridiculcus one.
1t exploded some years ago. Men cry
? against the corruption of our politicians,
and vet if the minister of the gospel,
whose duty it is to work against sin,
wherever found, raises his voice in poll
tics, or attempts to use his influence for
the election of q man whom he believes
to be worthy of position, these same in
dividnals raise their. hands in holy
! horror, and cry, "church interference"
, ItgiIl be seen that there is not one
{ sentence in the above letter from which
fair minded person can arrive at the
\ conclusion that it is proposed to use the
n influence of the Methodist church fol
EMr. Harlan. If he or any other influen'
tial person in that church, should at
n tempt that kind of work, we should
G condemn as loudly as anybody. Blu
o this is simply letter to. a mutual friend
h No aid is asked for from Methodists
and none promised. A man who know
if what the corruptions of politics arc a
g the national capitol writes to friend il
d Iowa that Mr.. Harlan is regular in hi
E. attendance at church, Etand his infiuene
le is in the right direction ;" and in cons'
q quence of this he feels interested enoug
Of in the public welfare, to ask his mu
2, tual friend to work for the re-electio
< of Mr.. Harlar. If there is anythin
70 wrong in this, we fail to see it. w
Ct learn that DIR. Newman used his intiu
~ ence in a similar way for the re-ele'
n ton of Senator Wilson, who is not
d Methodist. We learn, also, that on
l. certain occasion he visited Presiden
~ Grant, and plead with him not to Al
C. tend horse race, and that he inhueI
- ced the President not to go. All til
IL simply proves to us that DIR. Newman
,c- occupying as he does, national pos
to Ition, is using his influence, whatever
d. may be, for the good of the country,
vi rebuking wrong in high places, and
n; trying to secure the best men for hig
le- and responsible offices. He has as muc
to right to do this as any other man in Il
he nation. He is too pure and noble
'er stoop to anything wrong, in his endea'
Is ors to purify politics, and too INTEL
*, gent to entertain, for q. moment, tt
idea that he can WELD the influence
the great church, of which he is an hun
BILE and devout member, to advance Il
NO interests of any man. If he shou
* write such letter he would only clai
- to speak for himself. How anybot
4, could see in this letter an attempt
I1v "turn the great Methodist church into
:, gigantic political machine" is a mystic
To rs