Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1883-04-24
DEMCLISaING A ROGBACX.
Senator Wallace Nails An Oid Lie.
Recoy,i

Philsdelphia Record.
Senator Wallace has had enough politi-
cal experience in his time to thoroughly
tougher him against newspaper assault.
But there seems to be limit even to his
endurance. For fifteen years past il has
been part of the current literature of the
Republican press, IN this state and outside
OF it, that as chairman of the Democratic
state committee in 1867 Mr.. Wallace was
cognizanc of an attempt to secure votes for
his party by the use of fraudulent natura-
lizatiOn papers which had been stained
with coffee to give them the necessary tint
of age. This was lie from the start. 1t
was never believed bS wellinformed Re
publicaus nor printed by newspapers that
cared to deal fairly with their
readers in a matter where parti-
sanship looked one way and truth
the other. AS naturalization frauds
were attempted and were the subject of
legal investigation in 1867 6S, when Mr..
Wallace was in charge of the Democratic
campaign, the two facts put together
were devetailed into an atrocious libel
which has Eow become So iDOssgrOwn that
perhaps it may find believers, though We
| doubt it. At any rate, Senator Wallace
has at last conIradicted the coifee-po
story in a very emphatic manner in the
columns of an evening contemporary.
| which had added to the original charge OF
forging naturalization papers The new
| crime Of forging tax receipts. Perhaps it
| was the tax receipt inculpation that at last
broke the back of the senator's patience.
We do not know whether Senator Wal
lace has done wisely OR not in attempting
| to Overtake a lie which has fifteen years
the start of his denial. Mr.. Buchanan
| went to his grave without rebuking the
Ten cent Jimmy" libslers who made
sport of his political reputation. But il,
the interest of truth We givo tho letter OF
denial q prominence which his accusers
fail to accord it, and circulation which is
impossible to them. The letter is as fol
lows
| To the Editor of The Evening Telegraph:
liz a leading editorial in your paper OF
Thursday, April 10, the crimes OF forging
| naturalization papers and tax receipts, and
of their use for political purposes, are
charged upon me, rs they repeatedly have
been by other newspapers.
have born these libelous charges in
silence us long rs my duty to myself aud
| to those who are to come after me per
mits.
deny all completely with or responsible
ty for any such action by any one. At no
time in either my professional or political
life havo l ever aided, abetted or knowing
| ly permitted the crimes thus charged upon
| me. If they were committed during my
craftsmanship Of the Democratic state
| committee OF Pennsylvania it was without
| my knowledge aud in violation OF my
| plainly defined policy as the lead of my
party. There are yet living plenty of wit
| nessas who can affirmatively prove my
| innocence Of these oft repeated false
| hoods.
In being silent hitherto l have acted on
the belief that tho people among whom
live we're the best judges Of their truth or
falsity. Since their origin in a heated po.
liticai campaign, by personal enemy,
| fifteen years ago [ have been four times
chosen to the state Senate, each time lead
ing my party, and three times nominated
and once elected to tho United States Sen
| ate. refer to these as evidences OF the
opinions Of the people among whom /
| dwell as to my personal record.
Surely. if were forger and q political
leper, as some newspapers declare me.
these things could not have happened.
If the public man, whom you say has
| been al active, able and Industrious
| legislator remains louger silent under
these baseless charges they will become
chrystall!zed into political history, false
and unfoundeG though they may be.
| Under our political system the public
man has much to bear of criticism and in .
justice from ths political press but 1
trust that the press will not deny to one
OF them who seeks to do his duty, as he
sees it, to the people of his native state
tho publication of this emphatic denial of
| a long endured calumny.
Very respectfully yours,
WILLIAM 4. WALLACE.
Continental Hotel, Philadelphia, April 81,
1888.