Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1881-08-11
Bret Harte and George Augustus sala.


Jennie June writes from London this
bit of gossip: 1.-The gossip of clubs and
dinner tables this week is in regard to
little scene which occurred at a recent
DINNER, and in which Mr.. George Au-
gustus Sala and Mr.. Bret Harte were
participants. Years ago in San Francis
co, Mr. Bret Harte attacked Sala in an
unprovoked article, it is said, and with
a venom which Sala never forgaye.
They have never met since until this
dinner at the house of Mr.. Firth. Miss
Firth, who acted as mistress of the cere-
monies, was made acquainted with the
feud between the two gentlemen; but,
with girls want of tact and expert
ence, thought it would be good fun to
send Mrs. Sala d0wn'tO dinner with Bret
Harte as escort. She also introduced
him for that purpose. Seeing this, Mi.
Sala stepped forward, removed his
wife's hand from Bret Harte's arm and
told him he could not take her to dim er
unless he would first offer an apology
for the insult offered years ago. and for
false assertions which had never been
retracted. Mr.. Bret Harte declined to
retract or apologize, whereupon Mr.. Sala
took his wife upon his arm and left the
house."
Mr.. ]. B. Work, of the Virginia Re-
publican State Executive Committee,
having been accused of weakening" in
his advocacy of straightout ticket,
sends to the Lynchburgh Vlrginian an
emphatic denial of the story, and incl
dentally makes such a sound and vigor-
Gus argument against the proposed Goa
lition with the Readjusters that we can
not forbear to print it. Says Mr.. Work !:
"The Republican party has success
fully established the financial system of
the government which is the pride of
every American; it has withstoOd all the
heresies of fiat money and greenback-
ism; it has restored prosperity and con-
fideDce in business, and has administer
ed the laws without partiality to any
class of citizens. To maintain this poll
cy and these principles, favor the NOM
inatien of a 'straightout' ticket for gov
ernor, lieutenant governor and attorney
general; favor nominating 'straightout'
candidates for the legislature in every
county of this commonwealth, and L
urge that Republicans sustain the nsm-
inees by an aggressive CANVASS and by
their united votes, thus standing by
their principles and rights. If there are
any who doubt the wisdom of this policy,
let me say that in my judgement there is
one ground, and one grouHd only, for the
Republicans of Virginia to stand upon
the credit of the state. The support,
enlargement and Improvement of the
public schools, the repeal of the capita
tion tax, the whipping post, the petty
larceny laws, will sooner or later rest
upon us as a party. The power of the
state will not long be ours, if we gain it
by 'expediency' or an alliance with men
or measures not able to bear the scruti-
ny OF the intelligence of the times"
Yes, and we may add that they will
not deserve to retain it. The day that
witnesses the substitution of expedien-
cy for principle as the controlling mo-
tive in the Republican party of Virginia
will mark the beginning of its downfall,
just as surely as similar abandonment
of its faith by the national party would
open the way for the triumph of the
Democrats. Ideas, not men, hold par
ties together, and the remuneration of
ideas dissolves them. And this is as it
should be, for when the Republican
party recants its republicanism it will
not be worth saving BALTIC. American.