The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1883-06-02
Col. pitty to President Arthur.
Some Plain Talk on Hon. Hart B. IOI-



The letter of Col c. Irving Ditty to Presi
dent Arthur has been made public. 1t ac-
knowledges the receipt of the Presidents
order of May II suspending Col. Ditty from
the office of collector of internal revenue for
the third district of Maryland. The letter says
no cause is assigned, though the press stated
it to be supposed physical incapaclty. lie
saws the President was misinformed about
the matter when told that his health was
failing, and quotes the letter Of Commissioner
Raum to show it had improved. Those who
do business at the office and the revenue
agents are quoted to the same purpose. The
communication then says GAS therefore the
government and taxpayers have both de-
clared their approval of my management, 1t Is
manifest that my physical iniirmities have not
prevented the proper discharge Of my duties.
Nv removal then must be due to another
cause and that cause universal public opinion
declares to be the hostility, entirely unde-
served and unprovoked, except by my expo
sure of his wrong doings, of Congressman
elect Holton'' He says Mr.. Holton's oblec-
tons were due to the denunciatlon OF the
frauds by which he secured his nomination.
He declares that Holtons election was not
due to his own merits, as the latter was I'M
known until he was nominated. The causes
he declares to have been the new registration
of voters, securing a fair election for the first
| time in many years and also the strength OF
! the judicial nominees on the same ticket,
! combined with the dissentions in the Demo
cratic party. The letter then gives the details
of Mr.. Holton nomination, with It's alleged
! frauds, and concludes as follows: 81 have
never supported any candidate who obtained
his nomination by fraud, to which he was a
party. and no consideration will ever induce
me to do so. Beyond denouncing his wrong
doings. however, and Withholding my vote, |
took no other action to defeat Mr.. Holton,
because there were honorable men upon the
same ticket who would have been involved.
:'On the contrary, | labored successfully to
induce a wealthy and prominent Republican,
who, like myself had personally witnessed
the outrages perpetrated in Mr.. HOlton's in
terest, to forego his intention of running indie
pendent, and prevailed upon my friends gen
orally, and especially my colored friends, who
had been disguised by the fact that number
of their people had been assaulted and driven
from the polls by ruffian supporters of Mr..
| Holton, to postpone his punishment to a more
convenient season. | was told last fall by a
prominent Republican and ofiiceholder that
| nv standard of political ethics was too high,
and it looks as if he was right. If, however,
had been able to foresee the consequence, |
hope and believe that | should have been able
to act up to my convictions of right. Of
course, ! never supposed tor moment that
the tenure of my Office depended upon my
support of Il man nominated by fraud and
violence. of which he was cognizant, and for
which he was directly responsible. Never
theless, whether your Excellency so means it
or not, such is the general impression pro-
duced in this community by your letter sus-
pending me from office.
There are few men in this state, who know
ANYTHING at all of this matter, who do not
believe that if my physical inlirmities had
been sufficiently supplemented by moral in
trinity to enable me 10 approve or ignore Mr..
Holton's wrong doing there would have been
no question raised as to my continuance in
office. | have the consolation, however, OF
knowing that ! enjoy in my retirement Sl the e
who know the facts, and Of believing that
great as are my necessities and misfortunes
they might be worse had | been the beneli-
ciary instead of the victim of wrong"