Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1878-10-30
MorsHalL's Blast at JVas7t6HrJi.
To the Editor of the Pioneer Press:

"
I notice in your paper of this morning two
letters, one from DR.. Keith and the other from
Mr.. Lorin Fletcher, of Minneapolis, defending
the recent action of the district committee,
which seem to demand a reply from me. Dr.
Keith say:
's7'he Pr ,:lentia1 aote is certainly the .faiyest
possible test Of the true political ueacs Of the peo-
pie, and it arets so considered By Con. Marshall
till he found that some other tote 1could be little
more Favorable to his county,"
Mr.. Fletcher, in his letter referring to the
resolution offered by Mr.. Mccain fixing the
basis of representation on the vote two years
ago, says:
''No word Of dissent no iatinaatio,s Of anything
acrorg or Unfair tras suggested by any member Of
The c0z7enaittee.'
These statements are unqualifedly false.
Of course, fully known to be SO by Mr.. Fetch
er. and in DR.. Keith's case there can be no
excuse, for he had read the report in the Pio-
neer Press, where it is fully stated that 1 did
object at the outset to this basis, going back
two years, when we had general election last
year. My objection was discussed and argued
against by Mr.. Fletcher, Mr.. Mccain and Mr..
Webster. Mr.. Searles, also, I think, taking
part in the discussion and favoring my view.
suspected there was an unfair advantage
sought by the resolution, in departing from
what believed to be the usage, and to test the
matter asked Mr.. Fletcher if he had COM
pared the votes of 1876 and 1877, to see
what difference there was. He said he had
not, and didn't know that it would make any
difference Except as to general fullness of
vote,) innocently believed him; and then
said 1 would waive the objection. Afterward,
during the proceedings, the legislative manual
was produced from Mr.. Fletcher's drawer, and
upon glancing at the votes of 1876 and 1877, I.
saw that to depart from usage and go back two
years, Hennepin county would have twelve
more votes in convention than Ramsey county;
while to take the vote for Governor last year,
Hennepin would have but six more delegates
Then, in the light of what had transpired, I
knew the value of Mr.. Fletcher denial that he
| had made any examination or comparison of
the votes, NOR was informed of the difference;
and moved q reconsideration.
| Moreover, the resolution offered by Mr.. Nc
Cam was not drafted by hint was not in his
handwriting. It was prepared beforehand.
When Mr.. Fletcher proposed that the basis of
representation, ETC.. be first acted upon, Mr..
Mccain fumbled in his pockets and produced
this resolution. (The secretary afterwards in.
formed me that the resolution was in Mr..
Fletcher's hendwriting.)
i Livery OLucI IuCIuUCI VI tuc COulLllULce Will
sustain me in the fact that I positively and
strenuously opposed the basis adopted at til.
ae1y outset. s
THE SECRET COMMITTEE CALL.
Now, as to the notice I received from Mr.
Fletcher; it was not addressed to me as mem
Der of the committee; it was not signed by
Mr.. Fletcher as chairman of the committee; i
did not say there was to be a meeting of tn,
committee, st did not mention the committee
I never before knew OF heard of notice TO
the meeting of State or district committee O
this kind that did not in some way indicate it
official character; certainly ,ras ,nisled, an
thought it was meeting of prominent Re
pubicans to consider the questions in the in
terest of harmony. did not recall that Nj
Fletcher was chairman of tho district commi
tee; set out to ascertain whether Sam. Mel
{ OILS. Gen. McLaren, Capt. Blakely or other R,
, pubicana had been invited. No one knew an,
thing about it: Gen. McLaren was the first 1
suggest that it was meeting of IL