Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1880-02-04

GOVERNMENT AND DISTRICT OFFICIALS CHARGED
WITH ATTEMPTING TO CAPTURE THE DELEGA-
TON.
Under call tby poster OF Mr.. George Holmes,
signing himself Chairman of the Republican
General Committee District Of Columbia, to
the stalwart republicans to assemble last night
to right the great wrongs and frauds whereby
men not hitherto known as republicans are
seeking to misrepresent the republican party OF
this District in the Chicago convention" and
charging that the recent meetings for the Sc
lection OF members to the central committee
were packed "by the Office holders from the
Treasury department and the employees
under the board of Commissioners,
last night. The attendance was small
MIR. Holmes took the stand and said
that more than three years ago they had placed
in his hands, as chairman of the general COM
mittee, the grand old banner that has so often
been trailed in the dust by false friends. Since
that time he had carried it aloft, and the hand
of no traitor to stalwart republican principles
has been allowed to defile its folds. He had it
with him now, and asked them to aid in its pro-
lection. Within the past few weeks they had
witnessed strange sights. The hard hand of
political power has been laid upon those who
attended our republican meetings, and the
honest Will OF the voters has been suppressed.
The old and well tried veterans have been sent
TO the rear, and most audaciouS attempt made
to push suffers and bummers to the 'front.'
President Hayes got sick OF this style of things,
and issued absolute orders that Office holding
suffers should not go into primary meetings.
He would like to read the departmental orders
TO some of John Shermans reformers, who
openly and ShameleSSly put the strong hand OF
official power upon good republicans, thus CON-
Polling them to change their votes last Tuesday
night after they had been once given In, thus
enabling them to count in as chairman of your
committee man who had never been
seen in republican meeting. He hal
called them together to hear the charges
he had made against those who are
seeking o get control of the COMMITTEES to mis-
represent them at Chicago, and he stood ready to
prove the outrageous manner in which official
70 IL,
as chairman OF the general committee, to cap
ture the delegation to Chicago. For himself
personally he cared very little, and was quite
willing TO waive his own feelings to secure the
election OF two good and true republicans to rep
resent the District there. He also read copy
of a letter which he had sent to President Hayes
describing the gross and wanton violation of
his civil service orders by government officers
and employees of the Treasury department and
under the District Commissioners stating that
the new committee met on Tuesday evening
January p, for the selection of a new chair
man. At several of these meetings there have
appeared numerous officers under the District
Commissioners and the Treasury department
bringing with them democrats, and this
thwarted the will OF the honest republican ma
jority. At the meeting Tuesday, there were
these government clerks and employees. claim
ing to have been elected delegates there, bring
ing men to cheer on the leaders in this move
ment and intimidate the weak. After the roll
had been called to elect chairman ard dele
gate whose vote. it was understood. had turned
The scale in his (EIolme's) favor, DR.. Tindall.
private secretary OF the District Commissioners.
approached the delegate named, and after an
earnest whispered conversation this del
egate arose and changed his vote for
William b. Reed an appointee of the
Interior department for fire commissioner,
who now claims TO have been elected
The assistant secretary. Philip Julian and Tom
Scott private messenger to the District Com
missioners, were also VIGOROUSLY leaders in con-
trolling the votes of other delegates. Immedi-
ately after these diSgraCeful proceedings the
federal office-holders forced through amid the
cheers of their claquers, an order to elect dele
gates within ten days. The honestly elected
delegates protested against this unseemly
haste, and left the hal exclusively to the Office
holders. who boasted that they would control
chief-Secretary Sherman. The following Of
stockholders appeared conspicuously in the list
OF so-called delegates: John F. Cook. collector
Of taxes; his two assistants, Richard TOmpkns
and d. Warner; William Tindall, secretary
to the District Commissioners, and Tom
scott, messenger; William Tenney, mesSen-
John T; johnson, State Department.
Arthur shepherd, Pension Office, and j. H.
Smith, H. G. Roudinot, Commissioners Office
T. A. Julian, clerk to Secretary Tindall, and
from the Treasury department. did the work
required of them by their Chief with alacrity
and boldness, and controlled the meeting In q
shamefaced manner. He placed these violations
of civil service before the President, and asked
that they be dealt with in the same manner
that collector Cornell and other ofticehoders in
the states have been dealt with, who refused to
IT,,
the executive, civil service reform and Justice
have been buried forever. simply to enable a
cabinet officer TO obtain two votes at the Ma
tional republican convention.
At the conclusion OF the reading OF the letter |
10 the President, Mr. Biddle offered a resolution
that, as President Hayes has Issued his decree ;
That Federal oflce-holders shall not interfere |
with or attempt to control caucuSSeS and prima- !
~ elections or manipulate political committees.
and as government officials, high in authority
took possession OF the meetings recently held In
n
honest republican voters and as those claiming |
10 be elected have called meetings In unseemly
haste looking TO The selection OF delegates to the
nStIonal convention, resolved, that George |
Holmes, whose election as chairman of the gen.
eral committee has remained unquestioned for
the last three years. be directed to express, in
writing, to the various meetings called for |
Thursday, February 5th, the earnest wish of this
meeting that the election of delegates to
the national convention be postponed one
more harmonious action; that while they
will bow to the majority, they assert the grand |
old legal maxim that fraud and coercion binds |
Will not be misrepresented by democrats in dis
guise at the Chicago convention; that when the |
meeting adjourn it be to meet Monday evening, |
February 9th, and that the republicans In each |
legislative district be requested to send dele !
gates OF stalwaFt republicans, authorized to |
speak and act for them. The resolution was |
adopted.
Mr. W. C. Chase offered the following: |
Whereas the late chairman OF the central re- |
publican committee, Mr.. George Holiness was |
iully defeated by the republican delegates at |
the late meeting, and the said George Holmes |
has desire TO make a division in the republi- |
can party OF the District, by attempting to bolt |
therefrom; Resolced, that this meeting don't ex- |
press the sentiments of the party, and we do |
hereby condemn the action Of this meeting, and |
the motion for the CALL that We recognize the |
election OF Mr.. Reed, as chairman OF the central
committee, over Mr.. Holmes, and shall endeavor |
to maintain and promote the interests OF the |
party, irrespective Of the bolt made by Mr.. |
Holmes |
During its reading by Mr.. Chase, Mr.. Holmes |
declared it out OF order and adjourned the meet |
ing.
AmUsements. &cs
NATIONAL THEATER.-Mr. Emmett appeared In |
Fritz In Ireland" last night before large au- |
dience. His entertainments are very ENJOYABLE