The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1882-07-08
TELEGRAPHIC
HUBBELL TO CURTIS.
jay seOrehes George William.

Chicago. 7.-Washington special;
Hubbell, Of the congressional committee
gets back at George William Curtis In
the course of long letter, Of which the
following are paragraphs:
You continue to assert the circular
sipned by me virtually threatens with
dismissal officers an employees to whom
addressed should they not surrender
mart Of their wages. There is no excuse
for such Misrepresentation. The phrase
olopv of the circular shows the absolute
Absence Of all the language OF threat.
It also afirmstiYely shows the request IS
for voluntary contributions. Your mis-
representation is, therefore, without JUS
LITIGATION in the language OF the circular
il is Equally without justification in the
nqrpose of it. That is proved by the
fsct that, although like circulars have
been issued bienDially for at least sixteen
years by republican congressional com,
mitlees, and many persons have refused
to respond TO them. there never mas 0een
single removal from Office or employ
ment fer that cause. The other accusa-
ton in the circular is an invitation to the
commission of what is made crime OY
section Of the act of the 9th OF august,
1875. As q matter of law this IS absurd
There is no difficulty In the point as
YOUR lawyers will find out ID cue time,
if they have not already. Ine law
does not apply to members OF Con,
gress in any Of its terms, but IS confined
in all its parts to executive ofheers
and employees. This, iIs language shows,
and ali the circumstances surrounding 1t
prove your construction involves the so-
surditv that members of Congress are
executive officers, and the further a5sur-
ditv that it is crime for man holding
an Office to freely contribute OF his iunds
to a politicala cemmittee. Of course, &C
cOrding to you, civilian may contribute
of his funds as of right, but d citizen bs-
coming an official loses the right TO help
an organization whose principles he may
support, and whose policy he may deem
essential TO the prosperity OF the people.
In other words, under cover of protectlng
that official you degrade him. You ask
me to unite with you in starting an ex-
periment in q criminal prosecution
against an officer or employee IN New
York for having complied with my re-
guest for aid for the republican canvass.
! will not do this for several reasons. 1t
would be an act Of dishonor In me to
punish any republican oficisl who thus
contributes; besides, it is needless, as
means of testing section six In my
opinion neither the Encouragement or
district attorney require Instructions
either from you or myself as to the
meaning OF the laws or their duties IN
PROSECUTIONS for violating themI and l
therefore leave the subject with them.
You having declined to unite in making
q case against me 90 long as the rec
ords of Congress show through all
The gulf states the systematic use
of tissue ballots for the purpose Of fraud,
the systematic throwing out Of ballots,
the systematic defeat Of the exercise
rights ofsutfrage, and every conceivable
tbwarting the expression Of the popular
will, and so long 80 it can be proved I'm :
possible to have a fair election and an
honest count in any portion of this eoun-
try, I propose to help maintain the re-
publican organization which shall be
strong enough to prevent these outragesI
or when their commission cannot be pre-
vented, to punish criminals, and to that
end l propose to ask all good citizens,
office holders or otherwise, to supply the
congressional comm jtlee with the neces-
sary means for shifting this crime against
ovr common liberty. To the extent thAt
you in the roll you are now playing, may
succeed in crippling operations OF this
committee, you become the.most efficient
of all Of the southern bull.dczers, and the
most powerful promoter OF their invidl-
Gus and destructive methods, ald there
leave you.