The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1880-11-13
GOOD BYE BARNUM.
The Last Expiring Groan Of
the Democratic Committee.
ITS DEATH-BED DISTURBED
BY THE CHINESE FORGERY,
A Feeble Defence of that Rascalit,
AND A FEEBLE CRY OF FRAUD.

NEW YORK, Nov. 1.-THE executive COM
mttee of the Democratic National COMMITTEES
has issued the following address:
In response to inquiry the National Demo-
cratic committee make the following state
ment in reference to the socalled Morey letter:
lst-Nelther the committee nor any sub
committee thereof has ever taken any action
in reference to the letter.
2d-Ihat 1t was first called to the notice of
the chairman of the committee on the night
before its publication in Truth Oct goth.
3d-Fhat the chairman thereupon requested
Mr.: Smalley, member of the committee, to ex-
anime the letter, but permission to do so was
refused at the Office of Truth.
4th-That no member of the committee ever
saw the letter or any copy or portion thereof
concerned therein, or gave advice III reference
thereto.
5th-That Mr.. Hart. the publisher of Truth
brought the original letter to headquarters on
the afternoon of Oct. 10th, when it was seen
for the first time by any member of the COM
mittee, and then examined by several men,
bers "f the committee and other persons. All
those who were familiar with the handwriting
OF Gen: Garfield thought the letter genuine.
6th--The committee decided to purchase
reasonable NUMBER OF electrotype plates of the
fac smile which had already been prepared by
Truth.
7th-That no denial having come from Gen.
Garfield of the authenticity of the letter not
withstanding the Geographic demand of the
New York Herald and a very sharp lead er in
that paper the committee decided to give out
the e'ectratype plates. The propriety of this
action was not doubted by the committee as
the letter seemed to be in harmony with Gar
fields views upon the subject covered by the
letter gathered from public records of I'M
doubted genuineness.
Sth-That the first complete denial was not
published until four days after the original
publication In the Truth and to this denial
unsupported by any other evidence the COM
mittee in view of Gar6eld's connection with
other scandals attached no weight.
9th-That there fore when the evidence
was offered to show that Morey was not a
myth the committee called for its publication
as they were bound to do, in order to arrive at
the truth.
1Oth-That if the letter had been forged or
anv fraud committed in reference thereto, or
any false evidence given, it has been without
the knowledge, consent or prlvity of the COM
mittee or any member thereof.
Finally, the committee approves all honest
measures to punish any and all persons who
committed any violation of law, and have no
interest in the matter but to arrive at the very
truth OF the affair. That there should be
doubt as to the authenticity of the letter is
due to the failure of the prosecution to put
Gen. Garfield ON the stand.
BY order of the committee
WILLIAM II. BARNUM, Chairman.
FREDERICK 0. PRINCE, Secretary.
The following was adopted:
Resolved, That this committee has no juris-
diction over local violations of election laws
but it recommends the committees of States
where frauds have been committed to investi-
gate them with view to the exposure of the
violations of law and their punishment In
relation to the duties of courts or Congress in
the premises this committee is not and cannot
be charged with any responsibility.
"A resolution o. thanks to Chairman Barnum,
to the advisory committee and to the officers of
the committees was also passed.