New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1872-01-20
MR.. A. B. CORNELDS "FACTS."


"In tue Custom house investigation, yester-
day. the following fact, developed the testimony
OF Mr. A. b. Cornell Surveyor Of the Port which will not
afford entirely pleasing reading TO Mr.. Greeey That in
1866 when Gov. FentOn renomnated, thirty-three
delegates TO the Convention officials In the Custom
house, that at tho last Convention six only were dele
gates and tho witnesses opinion forty or fifty were
present and that according to hs belief patronage
or promise Of appointment threats of removal were
employed control tho action OF the Conventon that
Mr. Creeley's statement with regard to four hundred
Custom men, whom he has met travelling over the
State on political business, is totally naocurate that
with regard to Mr. Greeloys statement that sixty en-
norfs OF the Customs wero at Albany aiding in the cleo
ton of Speaker the records show that only seventeen
were away from their posts during tho time referred TO-
OF whom two opposed to Mr. Smiths election that
the absence counted on their regular Vaca-
ton" -
l. There was no opposition in tho Repub-
lean ranks to the denomination of Gov. Fen
ton in 1866 so that the presence or absence
of Federal officials at our State Convention Of
that year was of no consequence whatever.
Tom Murphy and dozen more Johnsonltes
were then hostile TO Gov. FentOn; but they
went TO the Democratic, not the Republican
State Convention, and nominated Hoffman, not
Fcnton.
III. That few or many Custom-hOuse officers
were delegates to the last Republican State
Convention is of no consequence. 1t was TO
their efforts to elect delegates of particular
stripe to that Convention that objection was
taken.
iii. Mr.. Cornells "belef" that Custom
house patronage was not employed to control
the doings of that Convention, is, we must
presume his belief; but it is the belief of no
other human being on earth.
". Dir. Greeley has not stated that he metfour
hundred CustOm-house officers travelling over
the State drumming up delegates to that or
the preceding State Convention. AS he was
mainly confined to his house by sickness in the
Fall of 1870, and was a thousand miles away in
the Northwest for weeks preceding as well
as during the State Convention of 1871, he
could not have met them as asserted. What
Mr. Greeley did state was, from information
since obtained by him in travelling over our
State, and by conversations with friends from
several different Counties, that not less than
four hundred Federal officers traversed last
Fall nearly or quite every County Of our
State, drumming up delegates to the Re-
publican State Convention in the "Conk-
cling" interest, so callcd-that nearly or
quite every County was thus infested and
dragOoned-and that the rejection of the regu-
lar Union Republican organization in this City
and the recognition of the Custom-house or
ganizaton instead, were achieved by this
Federal invasion, but for which it would have
been signaly defeated. Such was the sub
stance of Mr.. Greeley's testimony on this
point; and it was based on abundant facts.
But every County was not thus dragooned
from this City; the Buffalo, Dunkirk, OswegO,
Ogdensburgb, Pittsburgh, and other Custom
houses, doubtless did their part. The essential
fact is not disturbed by evasive pettifogging
deDials.
V. AS to the late contest for the organiza-
ton Of the Assembly, the number of Custom
house officers present is immaterial. The fact
that they controlled the result was understood
on oil sides. The Editor of The Commercial
Adrertiser, who was present and an active,
efficient co-wOrker with Mr.. Cornell through
out, thus testified in his next issue:
"The OF Henry Smith Of Albany for Speaker Is
great triumph for the Reformers. This triumph strange
1t may seem 70 some people, brought about by
what THE TRIBUNE is pleased to call the Custom house
crowd II Is true. there delegation here from the
Cusombouse and every did what he could to
the success Of Smith, Mr. A. u. Cornell,
who acted as the head and front Of the opposition 10 Mr.
Afford inspired every around him with confidence
that Smiths certain. To him aud Mr. Napal
OGcer Ldin the Rt(orBers indebted for TIE
OF heir candidate"
Need anything more be said on this point
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