The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1882-10-28

Done up IN q rag,
That most un- American
Presidents nag.
How the ssvoluntary Contributions
Are Spent.
Jay Hubbelrs recent circular, prod
ding the delinquents, is Q sign of des-
perate weakness after all his boasts that
the 'svoluntary contributions" were
coming in better this year than during
the Presidential campaign. Strange as
it may seem. the most determined resist
ance to this Matchmaking is found among
Stalwart subordinates at Washington.
They are protected by their politics, and
are notin awe of Hubbell. Some of them
are bold enough to denounce the assess
ment system as infamous. Others MAIN
tain that this being an off year they
hould not be called upon for the party
tax. They are disinclincd to give money
to elect members of Congress- in whom
they feel no interest, and who. if sent
to the House of Representatives, might
displace them.
The Half Breed clerks, all those who
are suspected of being Democrats, the
neutrals, and the needy without in
fluence, are the victims of the assess
ment system. 1t disgraces the public
service and is standingTeproacht to the
Administration. 1t is made worse this
year for the helpless clerks, because the
State Committees are demanding con-
tributions in addition TO the exactions of
the Congressional Committee.
Malone exacts five per cent. from all
the Virginia officeholders. Refusal to
pay is followed by instantaneous dis
missal. Mah0ne's order to that effect is
law in all the departments. No matter
how loyal Republican the recusant
may be, or how excellent an officer he
is, if he fails to answer the highway
mans call, removal is the penalty.
Don Cameron's State Committee ask
for two per cent. from the Pennsylva-
MIA officeholders. without distinction of
sex, or as between soldiers and civil
ians. How hard these exactions fall on
those least able to bear them is Illus
trated by the case of q clerk with 81, 900
year and a family of five children to
support He received Hubbelrs circu-
lar and borrowed $50 to pay the assess
ment from one of the Shylocks that
prey on the poor. Hardly had he paid
Hubbell, before circular came from
Don Cameron's committee, calling for
$40. Unable to meet this second de-
nnand, he went to Hubbells headquar
ters, disclosed his poverty, and asked
that half of the extorted money should
be sent to Pennsylvania in his name.
He was told that the Congressional Com
mittee had no connection with State
committees, and he was advised to sspay
up at any sacrifice"
1t is alleged that Hubbell has made
some bad Investments in the South.
which have provoked much indignation
among old-fashioned Republicans. He
and the other managers have devoted
much energy and no little money to
breaking up the solid South, expecting
to gain a sufficient number of members
to control the next House of Repre-
sentatives.
Among Hubbelrs enterprises was a
plan to carry North Carolina by Demo-
cratic detection. It was known that
several Bourbons, who had failed to get
office from their own friends, were in
market, and had frequently visited
Washington to exact terms from the
Democrats, or, as an alternative, to sell
out to the Republicans. Itappears that
Hubbell was caught in this trap. Two
thousand dollars were transferred from
the contribution box into the pocket of
one of the North Carolina men. who put
the money where it would do him the
most good, and left the movement to
shift for itself.
The Republicans of Virginia, who
gave character to the party. feel out
ragged ct being cast aside by the Admin
istration for 3 jobber ike Malone, who
tomorrow would betray the President
for higher price, and who desp;ses the
negro. except az the slave Of his pur-
poses. The tissue ballot, which the
Republicans first introduced in Florida.
was adopted by Malone in Petersburg
a. . weapon to fight the Republicans
with when he was q Bourbon. His fol- |
lowing is getting small by degrees and
beautifully less, and, when the spoils |
are distributed, there viii be nothing
left of him but played-out trsfficker,
who pro6ted BY his opportunity. and |
who deceived all that trusted him.
The Republicans of Mississippi rebel |
at the adoption of Chalmers as an Adj |
ministrati0n candidate for Congress.
For sixteen years he had been de-
rs the author Of tho massacre
OF the Union soldiers at Fort Pillow. He |
was held up as the incarnation of inf3I- |
my and all that was horrible in the no
bellion. He was charged with pollut- /,
ing the ballot box at three Congressiorl-