New-York tribune., 1886-04-24
THE LOUISVILLE POST OFFICE.
AND POSTMASTER GENERAL vlLAs'S WAY
OF SETTLING POLITICAL DEBTS.

PROM REGULAR CORRESPONDENT of 'ihh ii1i"oNhi
wAsHiNoToN, April 23.-rhe disgruntlcd Demo
Gratis OF Louisville are holding their Congressman. N.Y.
Willis, responsible for the appointment OF Mrs. Viz
pinia c. Thompson as postnist ess OF that town, lie
undoubtedly exerted himself Ia Mrs. Thompsons be-
half but other influences at work also to bring
about this appointments. Captain Thomas H. Shsrley.
of Louisville recently spent several weeks here and
while in town actively championed the cause OF Mrs.
Thompson before the Postmaster General. Captain
Sherley is a merchant of large means politician OF
infu ence IN Kentucky and chairman of the dele
CATION from that State in the last Democratic National
Convention. There reasons why Mr.. Villas should
have gone out OF bis way to obge the captain ana
while the appointment of Mrs. Thompson was un-
doabtedy bitter pill for the author of the offensive
partisan circular to swallow he was enabled at least
to liquidate thereby political debt.
1t was Captain Sherley who at Chicago IN the sum-
mer Of 1884 sought to make Mr.. Villas the candidate
for yice-Presdent the ticket with Mr. Cleveland
The story told for the first time. but of ts truth
there can be no doubt How near the effort came to
succeeding can ouy at this day be matter of conect
me but certain it is that Captain Sherley was most
sincere in what be did and deeply regretted the failure
OF his undertaking. 1t faued largely because OF the
excitement that prevailed at the time, during which
Captan SherIey and many others lost their heads.
Mr.. Hendricks was not popular with the Kentuck-
toward Mr. Tnden and to the scathing denunciation
of II by Henry Watterson in the columns OF The
Courier-Journal, Mr. Watterson was savage In his
attacks upon Hendricks. He regarded him as the
SEphram Smooth" of American politics. specious
and cunning but neither wise, resoute or grate-
full man. Hendricks affected to treat Wattersons
onslaughts with contempt and spoke OF their author
AZ bumptious individual without authority to arraign
party leaders. After the Chicago Convention Mr.
Watterson in spirit of party discipline, wrote pleas
antly of Mr. Hendricks. but what he said seemed 10
lack sincerity In connection with this record pre-
v,ously made Mr. Hendricks made himself addi-
tionally odious to the Kentuckians The delegates
from that State had been instructed to vote for ohn
| G. Carsle for President. That. however was simply
a move TO keep the vote Of the State In hand The
heart of the Commonwealth was for Mcdonald
and il was fond hope at that time that the honest
old Hooser would secure the prize. There were
those of the delegation who from the beginning only
saw disaster in Mr. Hendricks championship OF their
candidate, and when they heard le haiIheariea h%s
| II was in their opinion the basest betrayal slnee
the career of Judas They delighted therefore,
when after all Of his plotting MI. hena,leas was
| for second place astonished nobody Inc impression
which be artfuly nnrsed that he was the only Demo
crat who could carry Indiana had great weight with
some of the delegates but none at all with the Ken
| tuckians They about to beat him.. -
In looking over the field they espied Mr. Was. VINO
| was presding over the convention. MIR. Villas was
| known as Democrat of the Northwest with some
pretence as an orator. Hls friends claimed that
with him on the ticket at least Of the Nor Invest
erp States could be carried Among those truly eager
to believe this were the Kentuckians They saw a
chance to pay Hendricks for his treachery TO Mcpon
aid The Hendricks were giving 1t out that u1i
| less the nouinaton came to IL cir candidate unani-
| mously he would not accept IT. The silver salyer
willing to receive the prize on hickory chip. What
dismay therefore would be created by an adverse re-
port from of the candidates nearest neighoors
The effect would be to hold the Hendricks people
strictly their word and start stampede Tor the new
man. The impression would be produced that the old
feud haa broken % out nn
the Tlden quarter, necessarily fatal to the lndiana
man. -. A.,
States begun One of the secretaries OF the conven
ton Thomas Petit prominent In the politics OF
Kentucky and now one of the reading clerks OF the
House Of representatives He had charge Of the roll
cali State after State voted Hendricks" When
Kentucky reach ed the cheering and confusion
| was very great 1t seemed useless 10 attempt d.
version in favor of another candidate. Overcome ny
his surroundings Captain Sherley announced tie vote
| of Kentucky for Hendricks. The announcement was
received with renewed cheering Delegates began
paradng around the hail. All business was suspended
In few moments Captain Sherley recovered HE pres
| ence of mind and sent the following note hastily
scratched piece Of paper, to Pettit
DEAR Tom: Change four ~ Of those votes to
Villas, and announce it: THOMAS n. SmhEkLtr, m,
| Chairman Kentucky Delegation.
| Petit WAS in doubt what to do. The regular pro-
ceedpn would have been Tor the chairman to rise and
| announce the change. The Northwestern States,
where Villas was strong yet to be called as were
| New-York and New England, where Hendricks was
weak. II seemed still possible to stem the hde IN
favor of the Indianan. Petit recognized the import
too. had apparently lost his head He turned to the
chair man and handed him the note fol advice MI
took it, 1Ssd It, ssd s to ss paTnr
above his head. He looked at Petit ana inquired
aWellW
Petit asked. What ought to dop
can't advise you," replied Villas.
The cheering stip continued and 50 DID i, psttit.
dilemma He turned to CaTss i, c showed Tue mote
GTomv said he al can't advise you, but know
you and III stand tor the integrity OF whatever you
Left thus to himself, Petit put the note in b h'
pocket and determined to await developments The
heard from the aoor aud mono was made BY Captain
Sherley Petit looked in vain In the direction OF th'
Captains seat. Its occupant made no & sign in, fn
Hendricks. AS Villas rose TO announce the result
there was Just a tremor in his voice. and his fac'
have been closed forever. He turned to Petit "a A,
an officer OF the Convention do you certify that this
| q correct returnp
Gr. Villas could not have forgotten the name o
shsr Nc s U3sf msp ssa Of
he received the Captain with great coroiality IN
Captain was not asking for much. And, besides th
enthusiasm of Mr.. Vilss's admirer must be fed OF
something If il is to last until the next convention
meets Who knows but what lightning viii srik
Mr. Villas then' TIE Postmaster-G General Is loskni
to the future and diligently scanning the poiitica
horizon for the faiptest speck OF cloud Which VII
osrry him to the goal Of bis ambition. The question
Of tho hour, however. is what will the Kentuck,
Bourbons say to Captain Sherley for conspiring wit
Villas to keep Mrs Thompson, Republican, In office
SENATOR BECK IN FAVOR OF MRS THOMPSoS
LOUISVILLE, April % lSpeciah.-A letter ha
been received In city from Senator Beck in answe
IN the storm of indignation the reappointment
Mrs Thompson Ho says that he merely approved VII
, | iis's recoDiine end alton
7ur WEATVER REPORT