New-York tribune., 1879-10-29
LETTER FROM TIE HON. JOHN JAY.

ment worth mentionns
A LETTER FROM THE HON JOHN JAY.
ENQUIRIES As To MP. CpRNrLfs POSITION N RE-
GARD 10 TIE CIVIL SERVICE DECLARATIONS OF
TuE CINCINNATI PLATFORM -wHAI LEADING
EFPUBLIC,Ns SAY ABOUT TnF IETTrR.
The following letter in reference to Civil
Service Reform in connection with The support Of Mr.
Cornell. has been written TO the Republican State COM
mittce b, the Hon. John Jav:
10 The Republican Committee of he state Of Nec York.
GENTLEMEN: The notification OF NY appoint imcnt as
vice-presdent Of your ratification meeting. with e.
quest FOR advice in should object, did not reach
until after the meeting and the announcement that
had serXed M that cauac ~ induces me 10 say TO you
that before udorsug the cset would be glad 10 know
anu think that thousands 81 Rpabicans would well
the assuruncc-that the Hon. A. b. Cornell. Inc
candidate for Governor. has iakeu his stand
upon the National platform adopted at Gin
ciunatl. and that. IL elected lie Will, so far
may properly belong to his office, assist
the National administration 10 carry i,s principles and
pledges INTO th"rt. Without questioning the ncht oi
Mr. Cornell or # any oth.r rcutleman 20 rernd"' IN
whole or n part Toe National doctrines of our party.
bui looking simply at the r.ht of voters % know he
attitude ~ ipe nidafe- proposed for their adopt ON,
a. reh. md duty ~ which vc have been reminded oy
NJ Erl~s Bee leave 20 u--t-t with ail respect and
irln.ue.. fc reason, wnt a simple declaration on
tn- f1, ,hc iar col li. C,rlei, and Jei -l' also
ol tle .u u.,isn. tuur coft rc, Woil' ll.'r Ok 9l-
r. ,I.i..n- iUr. pa. I,au4-eng.. Or not essential %
t. un O. of te paris Zoo n the state ami P'csid"n-
tai contest. WMfcvr our iilf rcnces oi opinion "e
are doau s r-r.ed upon thc vita importance of The
vote of Nru-Y .r 300 te latter canvass 10 prevent Tire
Government from falling iufo The hands Of those VINO
SO tclr iid tcir best 20 destroy H. and who II now
,s. hy dcHryug the freedmen ~ their voics IN
obtaining tine supremacy which they failed To acheve
m WAY. viii come 20 washington, Colonel Mo-hy has
tfI IA ora
posing To recover from the North, in tho shape OF
Southern claims, an that they lost IN the htAeinon'
even L. the value of their slaves.
We are l-o aercea iu importance OF the hearing OF
our election the Presidential canvass ana the
question which mas arisen is not whether Mr. Cornell
shall Ice elected for that we told, already secured
by the division IN the Democratic ranks.
Tre dfth and SIKH sections Of the National platform
embodied these three separate branches OF reform
First. That Senators and Representatives," for the
Const tutoual therein given, should not die
tat" appointments 10 Office II has not been
suggested ty Mr.. Cornell or his supporters that
his nomiun-ion based On his approval Of tnat
rule. The next was " the invarlabe rule IN appoint,
ment should have reference /" the honesty ndeiv ana
capacity OF the appoiutees' the third Was, We re-
ing pohugal nar-, aud vi hold all public officers TO
rId responsibility and Will engage that the piosecu
uou ana punishment OF an VINO peTaa' on.Vi.' 'us'S
shal Dee swiil. thorough aud un,pdrlnr. -,
II would Ice useless 10 multiply references 70 the
printed testimony; bhl tleI occurred pFhulhE tn' III
Vcsugaton. ami after the first report OF the "Oilis-
worthy oi note by any politician VINO thinks that
for the Republican party 10 APPEAR as the
apolocSt ana ally Of the OH Custom House
The wife Of Of the Commissioners, the Hon.
Lawrence Turnuro. whose mercantile shI aud familiarity
with The business had been of signal service III the
Investigation, and whose character ANA experience gave
weight to their condemnation Of the sNsien arrived
rom turopc IN the Gernanic on ne 25d oi Sn' % ihe
steera.c; eighty-thrcc made baggage declaration ani
eight were found to have duimbe eoods Tue total
amount OF duties assessed was e2jS2 75 oI winch MS
Turure charged - 5jl 90, ava her sister S9Oo;
making together S2.23l 50 leaving the amount paid by
II H. hardly conceivable that among large number
OF passenger more than eight-tent- o thc duape ~
tclps were fairly chargcabe to MI. lurnuie i1r MS
wife and sister; and hc oihcial hgurcs may H"lNe 10
show The extent to which tie levymg OF duties could be
Influenced by fees aud favor or by hostility and re-
respectfully submit gentlemen. 10 your earnest CON
sdertion that these doubts and dangers when seem
smple declaration from Mr.. Cornell aud hi- ass"ciate-
and ais, from your com9ee hai Iqn one ana T s are
ana to hold faithfully To ia prncuics and pledges.
have the homer 10 be, gentlemen, faithfully yours,
kdtOndh. " T., Oct. ~, 1873 JOHN JAY.
COMMENTS ON TIE LETTER.
The letter Of the Hon. John JAY printed in part as
above was largely circulated yesterday afternoon in
proof slips. from what source was unknown
though 1t generally surmised that they
were printed and circulated by the young
sera,chers" neral Arthur. chairman Of the
State Committee, said that Mr.. Jay had been nOmi-
nated by some Assembly District Committee rs one OF
500 vice-presdens OF the meeting. II was customary
IN such for the Assembly committees To send In
list Of names and they accented and notice sent To
each that in case he did signify his dissent, his
name wuuo used Such l. the practice Of all polit-
cal organizations. Mr. Jay did not send his declinaon
III tine and his name was printed one Of about 500
vlcc-pres dents.
oThe whole pith OF Mr. Jays letter" said another
prominent Republican, is the inquiry whether Mr. Cor
nell STANDS on the Cincinnati platform. OF course he
1. ls.1r. .ftf,s
H. and mas always been warmly in favor Of IT, There
has been no possible difference between him and Mr..
Hayes or any other member Of the Republican party,
a. To the principles of the platiorm although there
have been differences IA TO the mode o. carry
Ing II ont Mr. Cornell has not believed in com
retitve examinations the best mode e. tat end any
more than any banker merchant believes IN competi-
tive examinations as q means of selecting his cerks;
nor has Nj Cornell believed that II Is necessary that
man alter accepting once should aoucale HIS PN-
Mr. Cornell. in tact, ~ violated the Presidents
pohcy 'or carrying all tie principles OF the Ciclu
IN ycr," was The reply. ABSOLUTELY al that lie dii
was discharge his duty ns chairman II the old Rrpub
cau state Committee bv calling thy state Convention
order duty " lch devoVed upon him before Mrlayes
Iuaugurated and when ne c'nlN nut lr"ptrN nave
neglected iIe b.iieScd niwsei warrani@d in m. ~
Presdcurs Cabinet toa Wisconsin oii'e-huder had eX
plouy stated that similar course IA his ease would
"Do You know" interrupted the Hon. J,hn d. Law
that plank civil Service was introduced IN the Cin-
/ cmuaii patiOrui'
Noi the secret hi-tOr' ." was the response.
"Wcn carried 1t TO Cincinnati. II written by
Dorman b. Eaton. suppose he r. a scratcher now.
! bar he was president. or chairman. a. lie
was called Of the Civil Service Commission
/ thcr-aid he came 10 with 10 Thinking was Ills
Representative Ia Com though 10y CHANCES O the
dis rict really was not But carried Cincinnati.
had referred 10 the proper person II the delegation
from NeWlOrk who presented II To the convention and
II wa~ adopted The Unanimous vote of the New-York
delegation oi which Nh. Cornell was a member. beag
cast fOrit"
MR.. SCHROEDEKS SUPPORTERS.
Notwithstanding the fact that William w.