National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1882-06-26

B'ih'SN pub bhc pIopcI lnOuS VI bSeklHB
1t, viz By joining Mr.. Curtis in request
ing the President to call for it. If Mr..
Curtis wanted it, why do his lawyers
dodge away from it? Ifhe never wanted
1t, why did he falsely pretend that he did?
But Mr.. Hubbells challenge was too
broad to be thus evaded. He offered to
join them I" in any form of action ain
any tribunal" They reply to this with
the following insolent and infamous pro-
positions:
The Circuit Court OF the United States for che
southern district OF New York is now in session.
We will make n test case of any one which you
man select of the numerous payments which have
been, as we are informed, made to you IN this dis
tr.ct in response to your circular by executive
officers or employees of the United States not up.
pointed by the President by and with the advice
aud consent Of the Senate. We will, II you eon-
cur In this suggestion and sclcct The case, request
the attorney OF the United States to proceed at
once by Information against the offender
That is to say, if Jay A. Hubbell will
appear as an informcr, and falsely ac-
cuso n contributor of having violated n
law, the case can then be tried. Mr.
Hubbcll must "select the case" and then
the District Attorney will proceed Mt
once by information. But the District
Attorneys Information would have to
be an affidavit made by Mr.. Hubbell,
consisting of facts, and also of an accu-
sation that crime had been committed,
which lie denies. And this is the
way these mountebanks meet an hon
est man and his honest proposition.
They pretend to have been informed :"
themselves Why do they not use that
information, or find an informer in their
own ranks, or hire one from among the
professional witnesses of the Metropolis,
instead of inviting an honored leader in
Congress and in the Republican party to
pander to their dirty job? They thought
to seem to be accepting the challenge of
Mr.. Hubbell, while really, as the reader
can clearly see, they were running away
from it by making its acceptance condi-
tional upon that gentleman's engaging
in an infamous transaction.
But we have not yet reached the depths
of the meanness of Mr.. Curtis and his
Dodson-and-Fogg" lawyers. Address
ing Mr.. Hubb6ll they say:
You will also observe that we do not propose to
raise the question by an information against you.
The act of Congress referred to does not in terms
make IL u misdemeanor for u legislative officer to
receive the contribution which 1t forbids an cX-
ecutive officer to pay to any other officer of the
government. OF your action Congress and your
constituents can judge.
Bu wethlnk it is clear and we presume you will
n bienutp Tint n lppisniVp officer of thp
government, and that therefore payments to you
are illegal.
Mr. Hubbell is not Legislative Off
cer." lie is legislator. Mr.. Mcpherson
and Colonel Hooker, the Clerk and
Sergeant-at-Arms ofthe House, are legisa-
tive officers. This distinction has always
been maintained, and we hardly believe
that even the Reform shysters are igno-
rant of it. They are most likely deliber-
ately seeking to mislead the uninformed
and the unwary.
And now as to the law over which all
this dispute is going on. We have
quoted it in full at the beginning of this
article. 1t is directed to ereCutiye officers
and employees Jelow the grade Of such as
are appointed By The President, and cho hart
10 be confirmed by Me Senate. They are not
to collect contributions from other Off.
GERS or.employes, nor to pay any to them
They may pay to persons who are moi
officers or employees of the government
The law Is not directed against contributions.
1t is intended to prevent contributions
ln;,,o, g,l,piHnI nf c,,lND Ia,
their superiors or by other subordinates
| The law does not hint at an objection Ia
political contributions 1t has not been
violated either in letter or in spirit.
The malignants who think to deter
earnest Republicans from giving as lib.
orally rs they please to campaign fund
will find themselves mistaken and
laughed at. Republicans who feel un-
able or unwilling to give will refrain from
giving, as heretofore. No harm will come
to them from it. None ever has. The
whole army of Reform sneaks will search
in vain for single case in which any
United States officer or employe lost his
place for not having contributed money
to the Republican party. The great legal
luminaries employed by Mr.. George viii.
lam Curtis say to Mr.. Hubbell
In conclusion, permit us to inform you that there
S very general fear among employees of the gov
ernment that if they do not make the contribu-
tions you request they will be dismissed from the
service of the United States. We have been up
pealed to by many whose families are dependent
Oh them for support, who can Ill spare the pet
cent you ask, hut who cannot afford to lose theii
places and their meager income In the words OF
the late President Garfield, these requests ar,
made of employees "with the distinct understand
ing that unless they paid that ncr cent. upon thei
salaries Others will be found TO take their places
who will pay the assessment" And we believe
that very large proportion Of the money received
byyou from such ofice.holderis pnld under duress
Ifthere is any fearamong employees OF
the government" that they will be dis,
missed if they do not give, it is based
upon the mean falsehoods of the enemies
of the Republican party who seek to
create prejudice against it by wanton ac.
cusations which they do not themselves
believe. As to the use Of the late Presi-
dent Garield's name, it is due to truth to
state that in the campaign of 1880 he APP
pealed in person to the Departments to
facilitate collections among their en-
ployes. Tho work in which Mr., Curtis
and his associates are engaged would
have made him their enemy if they had
| attempicd il then, 1t is also due TO trutl