The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1880-10-16
Colonel Popham's Letter I'm Reference
tn The SO-CalIcd Garfield Letter.


HIS UNSATIsFA Glory EXPLANATION-.wHY COL
ONEL POPHAM WROTE SUCH A LETTER TO
THE DISPATCH.
HARRIsONBURG, October 13, 1880
| Editors Richmond Dispatch:
Dear Sirs,-I have Just been shown let
ter from Colonel John X. POpham which
appeared in your paper OF the 9th instant,
In which he attempts to explain what you
were pleased to term the "mysterV" OF
what term The so.called " Garfield letter
which Colonel POpham Informed Captain
John S. Wise be had received from General
Garfield announcing TO him (Popham) that
| he (Garfed) was not candidate for votes
| so far as Virginia was concerned.
There are two or three remarkable things
about this letter which ! merely wish TO
touch upon without extended comment,
and then leave Colonel Popham's conduct
in this little affair 10 the impartial judgment
of an intelligent public.
In the first place, Colonel Popbam ac-
knowledges that he allowed Captain Wise
to make oUer and orer again statement
which he (Popham) not only knew to be
untrue, but which he himself had induced
Captain Wise to believe toaS true.
From this conduct it seems plain TO me
that Colonel PoDham must have intended TO
entrap Captain Wise into assisting him and
his paper in discouraging Republicans in
their attempt 10 carry the electoral vote OF
Virginia for Garfield and Arthur.
Those who believe that everything is fair
in politics, no matter how undetermined or
how indirect, and those who admire one
who attempts to deceive bis professed party
friends into voting for Hancock, will
doubtless think this very smart in Colonel
Popbam, and will sincerely sympatbize
with him 10 his iI.concealed chagrin when
forced by General Garfeld's letter TO tell
the truth about this matter.
In the second place, you will observe that
Colonel Popham's letter to you was written
on Friday evening the Sth instant, and that
the correspondence between General Gar
field and Mr. Bolts was published in the
Valley Virginidn Of the 9TH instant. Now,
when you remember that the Virginian
reaches Richmond on Thursday, and that
Colonel Popham's letter reached you late
on Friday evening, it seems TO me that you
and your readers will find no very great diff
Guilty in making tolerably accurate guess
as to whether Colonel Popham would ever
have explained the mystery OF this $50
called" Garfield letter bad IL not been for
tween General Garfield and Mr.. Bolts.
And, this being as 10 is, the wonder is why
Colonel Pophsm insists upon calling what
be added TO his letter after he signed his
name postscript" Is II not clear that
Colonel Popham's postscript" ought TO
have been the beginning OF bis letter? lie
states in this addition to his letter that since
writing his letter he had been shown the
correspondence between Mr.. Bolts and
General Garfield above alluded 10. Now,
does it not look like Colonel Popbam's let
ter was written because Of The facts stated
In his so-caled "posfscript In other
words. does 1t not look like Colonel Pop
hams letter was written because General
Garfield had denied emphatically ever wri.
ting such letter as Captain Wise asserted
he had seen in the hands OF Colonel Pop
ham? And does it not look as II Colonel
Popham was thus forced 10 make some eX-
PLANTATION or TO leave Captain Wise In the
false position OF having made Intentionally
an incorrect statement2
Then, again, in this postscript" Colo
mel Popham attempts TO ridicule Mr.. Bolts
for "trying TO surprise sleeping enemy
through the agency OF brass band" and
again speaks OF him as blowing tin horn.
(By the way, in this elegant simiie, why did
not Colonel Popbam stick to his favorite
metal brass, mud say "brass horn " rs
we'll as "brass ~ Now, all this only
goes to show that Colonel Popham feels
that be Is placed in very awkward posi-
ton, and that he is trying to divert atten-
ton from himself by an il-natured and fee
BILE attempt at witticism at Mr.. Botts's ex-
pense He chooses to assume (which Is not
the fact. as 1 know that Mr.. Bolts was
trying to carry Virginia for Garfield by a
sort OF still-bunt," and at the same time
that Mr.. Bolts hadn't sense enough to keep
from alarming the enemy with ga brass
band" and ga tin horn"
Now, happen to know that Mr.. Bolts
was never foolish enough TO think for mo-
ment that an effective and successful can.
yass could be made Ia Virginia by the Re-
publicans without the Democrats being
aware that canvass was going on.
1t IL true that Mr.. Bolts Is not disposed to
give the Democratic party credit for az over.
supply Of sagacity, but he surely knew that
We could not make fight here In Virginia
without Its being known to every one--even |
10 Mr.. koiner, the chairman'of The Fupder
party.
And Just here I will call Colonel Pop
hams attention TO the fact that General
fairfield evidently agrees with Mr.. Bolts,
nd that II Mr.. Bolts is ameuable to bis
EIlleisms about surprising sleeping enc