The bee., 1883-02-17
ROBERT PURvts


DEMOCRATIC gAUCUsEs-HIs RE-
VENICE AGAINST THE REPUBLICAN
PARTY AND EX-sECRETARY ROBE
SON-HE'S KNOWLEDGE OF THE
CIRCULAR-A MOST DASINABLE
OUTRAGE IN THE HISTORY OF POLL
TICS BY A SUPPOSED LEADER-THE
CORRUPTION OF FORTUNE AND HIS
! INDEPENDENT PARTY-THE DIS
COMMENTED OFFICE SEEKERS, GRUM-
BLERS AND TUMBLERS DEMANDED
FOR C0WARDICE-TuE FLIGHT OF THE
GREAT INDEPENDENT PARTY-PUR-
VS. CHESTER SPEECH H-SwEENEY
AT LIBERTY HALL-PURYIs AND
STILL APPLAUDS THE CONDEMNA-
TION OF LINCOLN-R. C. o. BEN
JANIN SENT FOR-HE CANNOT DO
ANY GooD-SWEENEY'S SPEECH
DEFEATED THE MOYEMENT--PoLITI-
CAL CORRUPTION EXPOSED-"DIA-
MONDS ARE TRUMPS AND THE BEE
PLAYS HIGH, LOW, JACK AND THE
GAME.
The BEE hearing of Mr.. r. c. o..
Benjamin, the late editor, of the Pitts
burg C0loTed Citizen, and an associate
of Mr.. Robert Purvis in the Indepen-
dent movement, being in town, BEE
reporter called Monday morning at the
residence Of Mrs. Levi McCabe, where
he was stoPping, and asked for the
particulars of the Independent move
ment in Pennsylvania. He being busy
at the time, told the reporter of the
BEE that he would send a statement
to the paper and any thing that the
BEE desired to know about the move
ments and policy Of the Colored indie
pendents of Pennsylvania according
to promise. Nr. Benjamin, who is well
known throughout the country, sent
the following statement to the BEE,
which will benefit the colored people
throughout the country to read. 1t
shows the corruption Of the whole OBJ
ject Of the so-called Independents of
Pennsylvania:
WASHINGTON, Tuesday, Feb. IS.
To the Editor Of the Bee:
SIR--A few days ago was visited
by reporter from your paper and
asked to tell what l know about the
independent movement in Pennsyl-
vania. l was busy when your reporter
called, but promised him that would
send to your columns a summary of
what know about the movement. l
have learned Though the daily papers
(and since I saw the reporter) that
Mr.. Robert Purvis Of Philadelphia has
brought suit against you because you
accuse him Of 'infidelity'' to the Re
publican party, call it by whatever
name you please. but that gentleman
did certainly take an active part in the
Independent ranks, and did his utmost
to establish Democratic ascendency in
the State and SO did all who was ident-
flied with the Independent movement.
Mr.. Editor, every member Of the In
dependents knew that their success
was impossible, they knew also that
remaining in the field would prove
i disastrous to tSa Republicans. The
sole object of the movement was to
defeat the Republicans, that object was
accomplished the overthrow of the
men who desired the "bOss and spoil"
system were among the richest in the
State. Some OF them had never before
taken an active part in politics, there
fore they furnished the money but re-
mained dormant. l believe they were
sincere. Another set of men, who acted
| for these rich men, were q set of
shrewd local politicians, very poor, and
was ready to catch at anything in the
shape of dollar, they reaped the bene
fits of the movement financially. J.
From the point on which was perched
| (edit0r of an Independent paper one
of the vice-presidents, and also one of
the men who stumped the State), l had
an opportunity of knowing the differ
ent men who were interested in the
movement and those who did not
meet personally, I knew of their ma
MOWERS throught the various commit
tees. The Independents was well or
ganized, Eastern Pennsylvania was
managed by State Senator J. D. Nc
Kee, with Mr.. Frank Willing Leech as
Secretary. The Western part by c. D.
Scully and John C. Shunid Kerr. The
colored men who was most conspicu-
Gus, were, in the west T. J. Smith,
Paul J. Carson, J. D. Mahoney and
myself; in the east W. Allison
Sweeney, Wm. Still, Robert Purvis
and Ii. Price Williams. The last
named was a sort of an independent
Democratic Republican Greenbacker
and had to be watched as he is exceed
ingly tricky and advised all who may
come in contact with him to watch
him. All of the colored men named
(perhaps with the exception of Mr..
VIM. Still believe that gentleman
to have been sincere IL say they all
became interested in the movement
with three fold object, 1st notoriety.
2nd money. .9rd the defeat of the re-
gular Republicans. For instance
Sweeney wanted notoriety. You re-
member his famous speech at Liberty
Hall, in which he DETAINED the char
acter of the immortal Lincoln. Liberty
Hall is owned by Mr.. Still. On the
night that Sweeney made his speech
both Mr. Still and Mr.. Purvis were on
the platform. Of the others, Price
Williams wanted money, notoriety, or
anything he could get. Mr.. Purvis