Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-03-03
The MeeLlenburg TronbleS.
BOYHTON, February ., lSS,


To the Editor ofMe Dispatch
There appeared in your issue of the
Goth February communication from
GAINESVILLE, signed by Thomas Williams.
in which Mr.. Williams. though living
twelve miles distant from this place. un-
dertakes to enlighten the people of Vir-
ginia as to the manner in which ! was
appointed postmaster here in January,
and in his letter throws out certain gen.
eral insinuations which in my Judgment
neces state statement from me. He
does me the justice, however. to say
that the Executive Committee of this
county, at its meeting here OH the 9TH
instant, did nothing to reflect onme per-
sonally or politically but he might have
gone further under the facts and added
that several members of the committee
took occasion to say that they believed
me to be a competent person and a good
Depocrat. And now. Mr.. Editor,
ask the courtesy of a short space in your
columns to state the facts which connect
me with this matter.
As soon as it was ascertained that
Mr.. Cleveland was elected it became
known that there would be several ap-
plicants for the post-office at this place.
Local petitions were circulated by the
different applicants, and mine received
nearly one hundred Democratic sigma
lures, which gave me probably the
longest petition in the field. Thus mat
tiers stood the first of January, when it
was found out that the old postmaster
wanted to open a store here and for that
reason desired TO resign as postmaster.
saying that he knew he would be re-
moved, and that he preferred to resign
and open business at the beginning Of
the year rather than be removed.
] was then approached by friend Of
mine, who is himself Democrat, and
asked if | would accept the office il
voluntarily rendered me by the present
Administration. | replied that had
not thought Of it, and must have time
for consideration and consultation with
friends. After consideration and con-
sultation | answered that | would ac-
cept the Office if voluntarily rendered
me, but that | would do nothing to Sc
cure the appointment that would
not surrender or compromise single
principle, and that the appointing power
must understand that he was appoint
ing Democrat and not Republican.
A few days later an appointment was
sent me through the mails, which ac-
cepted, and under which have since
acted. The above are the facts con-
Meeting me with this matter.
There are some insinuations in Mr..
williams's letter which | am reliably
informed are untrue in point of fact,
and TO which | beg leave to make reply.
His assertion that the resignation of the
old postmaster at this place was effected
through Radical trickery," taken in
connection with u rnmor which has
been industriously circulated here, and
which came to nv ears only day or
two ago, to the effect that the Republi-
can leaders Of this county held a meet
ing for counsel and consultation. at
which it was determined that the former
postmaster here should resign and some
Democrat acceptable to their own party
should be appointed for the purpose Of
defeating the wishes of the Democratic
patrons Of the Office and the further
purpose Of forestalling the incoming
Democratic Administration, has ucau-