The Washington bee., 1886-06-19
York, held Monday June 7th, an

should be no miStaklng the attl-
tude of colored republicans who
oppose the confirmation of j. @.
Matthews. We desire to say that we
make no war upon colored demo
Gratis as such, believing that color
ed citizens, like white citizens, are
entitled to hold and excuse for po.
litical preference for whatever par
ty that suits them, and that they
should not be called to question
touching such preferences; but we
protest against a republican Senate
voting to confirm an offensive
ring partisan, who stands repudiat
ed BY his party, and distrusted by
his race and all republicans, at
his home, where he is we'll known
The address to the Senate gives
further reasons why Mr.. Matthews
should not be confirmed Because
we know that, apart fro n bis edu-
cation, he is in every way unfit for
public trust, and that be will as
suredly disgrace the party that
stands sponsor for him at his polit-
ital confirmation, and we do not
mean, if we can help it, to bear any
part of the responsibility. Mr..
Matthews was appointed by I'll Q
President to reward him as color
ed democrat. Democratic Sena-
tors, and his party at large repudi
ate him why should the republl
can Senate throE defiance in the
faces of colored republicans? The
address, if true, makes serious
charges against Matthews and is
signed by II representative repub-
licans of the state. On the sixth
of May Mr.. Riddleberger sent the
following letter to Mr.. johnson of
Albany:
Committee of the D'ct of Columbia J
United States Senate,
Washington, d. g., May 5, SO. )
w. FL. Johnson, Albany, ~ Y.
Dear Sir Under date April
23rd, 1886. communication was
addressed to the Senate, signed by
yourself and others, protesting
against the confirmation of j. G..
Matthews, as recorder of deeds for
this district, in which, among 9th
er things. you say, "The unrefuted
but we'll attested fact that Mr..
Matthews, at the recent municipal
election in this city, in keeping
with his old practice, went into
ward other than his own, and by
threats, intimidation and bribery,
sought to coerce colored republi-
cans to vote the democratic ticket,
has brought down upon his head
the just indignation of all good cit
izens regardless of politics"
Tue investigation of the charge
here made of intimidation and
bribery of electors, has been en-
trusted to a subcommittee, of
which I am chairman and by
which am instructed to call NJ BON
you for specifications +; giving names
of persons intimidated or sought to
be intimidated, bribed or sought to
be bribed, with names of witness
es. We wish to go thoroughly in
to the matter, but we wish oily
definate information which can be
sworn to by witnesses. We desire
to prevent any unnecessary delay
and request your immediate atten-
tion to this matter. Respectfully
yours, HI. ii. Riddleberger,
Chairman subcommittee.
To this Immediately answered
as follows:
Albany n. Y, May 6, SO.
Hon. FL. II. Riddleberyer,
Dear Sir Your favor of the 5th
inst. is at hand and contents noted.
Have to say that the charges re-
fered to were general in their char
acter, as showing the bad chsrac-
ter of Matthews, and can readily
be sustained. He, on two different
occasions, attempted to bribe me
to join with him in corrnpting COL
ored voters, this was six and four
years since. l am prepared TO sub
NIT my sworn statement of the
facts. Matthews and | reside in
the 18th ward in this city, cOnse-
quently | was not present at the
polls in the eleventh. He was on
election day. 1t is said that on
that day Matthews personally at
tended the polls in the eleventh
ward and that he caused Matthew
Cook, OF Third street, to be impor-
tuned to vote the democratic tick.
ct. Cook is porter on the new
Capitol. Matthews is known to bt
the 'sgo between aud the "poweI
behind the throne" Cook was i'll
timidated aud threatened with dis
charge from his work if he vote(
the republican ticket. Cook, T.. j
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