Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1881-06-21
An interview with Garfield.

An lnCerVloW WITH 60fnel0.
OF THE REPUBLICAN EXECU-
TIVE COMMITTEE GAIL UPON THB
PRESIDENT.
A delegation of Virginia Republicans,
members of the State Executive Com
mlttee, called by appointment upon
President Garfield Friday afternoon.
The delegation consists of General w.
G. Wickham, chairman of the commit
tee; Arthur A. Splitter, secretary John
Callahan, Second district; L. Bibb
(colored), Third district; Representa-
tive Joseph Jorgensen, Fourth district;
J. B. Work, Sixth district; J. w. Coch-
ran (colored), Seventh district; R. T.
Tancil (colored), Eighth district, Colo
mel C. G. Tompkins, Ninth district;
Captain J. F. Wilson, Lynchburg; }.
w. Poindexter (colored), a presidential
elector at the last election; o. II. Rus
sell, collector internal revenue; w. d.
Lester (colored), and George 8. Arnold
(colored), members at large Of the COM
mittee; and Albert Bennett, of Buck
ingham county. Upon arriving at the
White House, the delegation was intro
duced individually to the President by
Representative Dezendorf, of the Sec
ond district.
Formal addresses were made to the
President by Gen. Wickham and Poin-
dexter, opposing the policy of coalition
with Malone. The President stated
that he was a Republican and opposed
to reputation, and that it was for the
Republicans of this State to determine
the policy that should be pursued, as
they were better qualified to judge than
himself who was not a citizen of this
State.
Mr.. Splitter stated that certain gentle.
men in Virginia who differed with the
delegation in this matter had made
many threats as coming from him (the
President) of removal from office fol
differing in opinion from them on the
coalition question in order to intimi
date the class of Republicans, and te
compel them to support the Readjustel
ticket. 1t was the desire of the Repub-
licans of Virginia to know through theil
committee whether this was done with
the Presidents sanction or not.
| Mr.. Splitter then called upon Mr.. AL
bert Bennett (colored), of Buckingham
county. to produce letter written tt
him as member of the State Contra
Committee by Hon. John F. Lewis
present candidate for Lieutenant-Gov'
ernor on the Readjuster ticket, ant
chairman of the Republican State Cen
trail Committee. The letter read as fol-
lows:
| LYNNwooD, June 10, 1881.
Albert Bennett, Esq:
NY Dear Sir,-I have directed the
secretary to call meeting of the State
Central Committee to meet in Rich
mond on the 21st day of June. 1 hOpt
you will be in attendance, as business o
Importance will be transacted. I have
seen the President. and he is in favor o
a coalition with the Readjusters to bea
the Republicans this fall. Yours truly
i JOHN F. LEWIS,
Chairman State Central Committee.
After reading it the President handed
it back, with the remark that he hat
not seen that gentleman since the Con
vention.
In further replying to Mr.. Splitter tn
the President said that no one was au
thorized to promise appointments TO
him or threaten removals that in max
ing appointments to Office at all time
he proposed to use his own judgment
and not to be dictated to by any man
and that his appointments should al
ways be made-filst, with view to tn
public good land second AS TO the capac
ity and character of the applicants. HI
was opposed, he said, to the ''boss" sys
tenn in politics, and did not propose t.
give the patronage of any State to any
one man.
In reference to the current rumors IL
, Virginia, he added: "You know, gen
tlemen, how many false statements ge
into the newspapers, and how impossi
BILE it would he for me to follow then
up"
General Wickham then said: 'Mr
President, will you not 60 a step fur
ther, and say that you will not allow
men to be removed from Office because
they are staunch Republicans, who de
sire to stand squarely on the Republican
platform as they believe to be right
ask you this because it is currentl,
, stated that these removals are bein,
made and Democrats appointed"
t The President instantly replied tina
, there could be no instance mentioned il
, l int IN bod M 10
mocrats to Office, and that his whole re
, cord as a Republican should be sufh
! cient guarantee. The interview thel
terminated.
A STRAIGHTOUT TICKET.
, In reply to inquiries as to the proba
!. BILE action of the Virginia Republicans
General Wickham said that the Stat
Central Committee had been called t
, meet in Richmond city on Tuesda,
the 21st instant, at which, no doubt,
would be decided to call State Con
vention for the purpose of putting
straighout Republican ticket in tn
field. Mr.. Bennett, of Buckingham
states that at meeting of over clever
hundred colored Republicans of Buck
ingham Courthouse last Monday it wa
decided to await the action of the regu
lar Republican Convention, and tina
the colored voters will undoubtedl,
abide by the action of that body.
ADVICE TO VIRGINIANs.-The Phil
adelphia Times, in an editorial OH tn
influx of capital into Virginia, by whicl
railroads are being built and its minera
industries developed, says: eff Vii
| pinians however would rean the ad