Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1872-02-14
Meeting Of the General Republican
Committee.
STORMY TINE-ovERHAULISG OF GRIEvAN
ROW.

A meeting OF the general republican commit
tee If the District of Columbia was held last
uiclt az Union league Hall; j. W. LeBarnes in
the chair. and Nessrs. Cook and Coffin secre-
tariCs.
The chair 81, .ci hat they found themselves
preser. under very eNtraor binary circumstances.
He -iToJ eeded tn read the call ~ the meeting "a
~ Iljsh, q in THE STAR, and stated that some
I'll, men had called upon him a he was about
leaving the city for New York on business, and
a.ked that a call be made for a NEE ting; that he
promised Oh, m to DO on his return, If satisfied
IL at il was proper. Judge of his surprise when
De read from TIE STAR the notice of a call.
H thought he had right 10 be present when
ever meeting was TO be called Some of the
signers 70 this call had stated To him that they
had signed under a misapprehension. To this
call was appended an endorse ment by w. A.
Cook as secretary. Ii was for thu committee 20
determine whether or not this call was legally
made, and " he ther they would set a precedent
Tor differences in the PARTY.
A. Coffin submitted a resolution that whereas
the call had been improperly made. &c, that
this meeting should declare the call infor nal
and that no business but informal business be
transacted, except by unanimous consent. He
said that as secretary TO the committee he
should have been notified of il, which had not
beer dOre, and he would not, for one, consent
to being cheating in this manner.
Sidney W. Herbert moved to lay the resOlu-
ton the table.
Aaron Bradshaw said he had put his name to
the call uder a misapprehension.
Arthur Pannell charged that Perry Carson had
misrepresented the case to him.
Perry denied this, and explained thar he went
about for signers simply to get majority on the
call.
A Bradshaw said the call that he signed did
rot state any date for the meeting.
p. Il. DOwell said that he too had signed il
under similar circumstances.
John +. Cook said he had signed the call IN
derstandingly.
T. c. Connolly said his position was exactly
that stated by MIR. Cook.
SIS. Baker said his understanding OF the case
was precisely that stated by Mr.. Connolly.
Mr.. Michael F. Kelly said his understanding
was the same.
put his name down that the chairman was to
make the call.
Mr.. W. II. Chase stated that Mr.. John F. Cook
had expressed his position exactly, and he
thought the chairman had unjustly arraigned
the members Of the committee No one had
been hurt, and he now hoped to see the business
MIR. Herbert here insisted that a vote be taken
on his mOtiOOto lay Collins resolution on the
table.
MIR. John H. Brooks rose to a personal ex-
PLANTATION. They had met, it now appears, in
response 70 an anonymous call, and no business
could therefore be legally transacted.
Mr.. Ordway stated that he had received an
anonymous notice, but il was not the same as
published in the papers. and he called upon the
chairman to explain how this was thus. As
matters stood he for one was willing to go ahead
by consent Of all, although il was attended with
a risk of dissension. A very singular circum-
stance was that only particular members of the
committee had been waited on to sign that call:
and another remarkable circumstance was that
the greater portion of the signers were en-
ployes Of the Board of Public Works.
Here Sidney W. Herbert rose to insist that a
vote be taken on his motion.l
OIdway.-'l am not surprised at you Her.
bert, a. you feel anxious about your position
under the board" He thought as they found
themselves in rather singular attitude,
hat the best way is to 90 abe ad and run the risk
He would not charge Governor Cooke or the
Board of Public Works with having manipulated
this thing, but it was in his opinion some one
lar below and subordinate to them. There was
no necessity for any intrigue in the matter for
any mistake to be made, although an outrage had
been perpetrated in parading the names of the
signers to a kind of call which they did not in
reality make. IL was apparent that very little
man had something to DO with this very little
business-the attorney to the Board OF Public
Works had never acted in perfect good faith
Mr.. W. A. Cook here came forward, and said
he saw no necessity for a tempest in a teapot.
He would tell the sergeant at arms that he
Cock was a voter in the District, had ALWAYS
registered and voted at the elections here; he
had worked and labored tor the coored people
Of this District, while the sergeant alarms was
lurking about the snOw-drifts of New Hamp-
sbire, and long before he had got so far away
from home as Washington. The sergeant at
arms is a modern convert to republicansm. He
Cthe speakerl would make him fair PROPOSE
tion-he would challenge the sergeant at arms in
writing to meet him in public debate on the sub
ject OF their relative qualifications as republi-
cans.
/ MIR. OIdway explained why he had not voted
anv TN He would compare records with Cook at
wGsn hs h. The first time he ever met Cook was
| Presid, :. ~-ii-UoIn 1Ur the Second nomination,
AND :" dared hlm TO deny it.
Cook.-''I deny any and everything the
.erge ant-at- arms utteis or is capable OF utter
ing" Mr.. Cook then went onto state why and
how the call for this meeting had been made
He said there was necessarily infOrmality in the
call, a. the chairman was absent from the CITY,
but a majority of the committee could call a
meeting at any time, they having right to rule.
Sidney Herbert insisted on vote on his
motion.
Nil. Cook suggested further, as his explanation
of the call, that they adopt a resolution declaT-
informal business be transacted. and that when
they adjourn, il be to meet on Friday night to
transact the regular business.
MIR. Ordway said he had word to say in reply
10 W. A. Cooks challenge to meet him in public
to discuss their relative political records He
thought the citizens were not in need of an
emttie now, and he would leave such dose for
Cook to impose or the people.
Mr.. Coos, (in a loud voice. l--.sOh, il the ser
;m hal a.. "a d as "tshss to back down, why let
Mr.. Herbert withdrew his resolution
MIR. Joseph Williams here GOT the door and
proceeded TO take MIR. Ordway sharnIy 10 60
for insinuating that the contractors and en-
ployes TO the Board Of Public Works had
planned this call.
Mr.. Ordway said the gentleman was as tender
and sensitive on this point as when he arose in
congressional investigating committee. Hot
words here followed Tor some time; after which
MIR. Peter Campbell and D. ID. Barrett made
personal explanations as to how their names got
on the call. e
Mr. Barrett introduced a resolution that they
all agree 10 call this regular meeting.
DR.. &. G. Cox asked to explain: he and DR.
Bliss had signed for this meeting, ur der TIE i'm
preston that the chairman of the committee
was TO endorse the call.
Tie resolution was adopted.
Mr.. Barrett then introduced a .esolution IA
yoriDg change in the organic act and making
the principal officers, including the Board III
Public Works, elective.
This was discussed for some time bv Mr. Cook
and Others, Mr.. Cook defending the present gov
eminent in a forcibie speech, and replying to
frequent interrupto ns. He reviewed the poI'ti-
cal history of parties in this District and ended
by declaring that no good results would come of
The adoption of the resolution. He was in favor
OF giving The patronage to the republicans at all
events.
Mr.. Ordway remarked that Cooks platform
was similar 10 the Tammany platform, which
was 10 take all, even 10 the safes containing the
peoples money.
Mr.. Cock retorted that this was the first time
Lau even = prelS 80 $50. =. .~ -
publicans compare his own platform to Tam
many; but il must be neticed that it came from
the great. self constituted champion for colored
mems rights in this District.
Mr. n f>npn0lly rem yla1 4 hat he ,ro..,,