Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-10-31
MULLEN WITHDRAWN
rFK DISTRICT COMMITTEE DEEM THIS
COURSE ADMIRABLE.
he Writes Letter Stating His Position
and Complaining Of Waddill
and Wise.

ESQ.,, chairman-met at Tammany Hall,
1905 east Nam street, last night TO con.
slider the ACCESSIBILITY Of withdrawing Mr..
William II. Mullen. their candidate Tor
Congress. This committee ID composed OF
one member from each knights OF Labor
assembly in the district, elected AT meet
Ines held after the adjournment OF the
assembly meetings, delegates so elected
from which assemblies formed the Conyen-
iion which met at Eletps Hall and nomi-
mated Mr.. Mullen.
The committee met at 8 O'Clock. and, al.
fer seriously considering the matter Tor
two and half hours, decided II wise TO
withdraw Mullen.
WISE ENDORSED.
Tammany Club, large Independent or
ganization OF Jefferson Ward, which has
been the backbone Of the Mullen move
ment, then held a meeting and adopted a
resolution endorsing the Hon. George ID.
Wise, the Democratic nomInee-only two
members voting in the negative.
THE COMMITTEE, AGAIN.
The District Committee then reconsider
ed the vote by which Mullen was with
drawn, and the subject was again opened
10 discussion. After few minutes con-
sideration the vote was retakeD, and re-
suited as before.
Mr.. Mullen was then waited upon, and
he appeared before the committee ana
acquiesced in their decision. He said from
all that he had been able IN learn he could
not be elected; that il he remained in the
canvass the chances were that Waddlil
would be elected; that this he was opposed
10. and therefore ne willingly withdrew,
fnd asked his friends TO support the Demo-
cratic nominee-IIOn. George ID. Wise.
MULLEX's LETTER.
Mr.. Mullen then wrote the following let.
ter for publication:
10 the v orItingmen Of The Third Congress
SiOnGi District:
Some time before the Convention that
nominated me assembled was waited upon
by MIR. Il. Taylor McCue, who stated to me
! that he was member Of the State Republic
can Committee, and that he had but few
| days previously attended a meeting OF said
| committee i'm Washington city, and that
| they had determined not TO put any cdnd,.
date IN the field TOR Congress IN the IhTd
| district. lie stated 10 me that he had spent
| a good deal Of money In politics In this dis
| trict in an effort TO elect Republican; that
| he had always been defeated, but was, not
| withstanding, ready to spend more IN an
| effort 10 elect an Independent candidate.
| He complimented me by saying that he be-
! lieyed me To be an honest, liberal-minded
man, and II would run as an Independent
| candidate that he would give me all the aid
| IN his power, financially and otherwise. l
! told him that | had no taste for politics
and did not desire to enter political con-
fest. He reminded me OF the fact that |
was a Young man and could not afford to
neglect the opportunity that then presented
| itself TO me for going To Congress, az such
an opportunity, perhaps, would not occur
again in my lifetime. | told him thar |
would not accept the nomination II offered
TO me: that was satisfied with my cond-
ton in life and believed was doing good
work IN publishing an independent working
| mans PAPER He then told me IL ] made
/ M my mind to run would get the entire
| Rcpublican vote, and he would see that
| cot financial aid. | still declined to say
HAT would agree to run.
Some short time after this | was sent for
| by Mr.. John :. Wise. | went To his Office
! 1t his invitation, and was asked by him
what the working people intended to do IN
regard to running a candidate for Con-
press, | told him that had no idea what
would be done. or that anything would be
none. He then told me that ii our people
| would nominate man that was solid on
the tariff and the Blair school.bill that it
would be satisfactory TO his party; that we
would get the support OF the Republican
party, and he thought il more than proba-
| BILE that he could get US some money TO as
sist IN running our campaign.
With these inducements held out by the
I Heplblican leaders the working people Of
the district were encouraged to make a
omination. not for the purpose OF break
ing I'D the Democratic party or the Repub-
lican partv. but merely to elect a working
man to Congress upon an Independent
/ platform.
After our Convention had made its
nomination the very parties that had Of
I fered us every inducement to make anoml-
na;ion-Mes.Ts. Wise and McCue in par
ticullr-bcgan 20 cllmor for Republican
nomination. Not only have they refused
/ to give us any aid in any way, but they have
/ set themselves 10 work 10 break mp our
meetings. Mr. Waddil now boasts that
they have the cOlercd vote solid, and with
the use Of Rock and Rye they can secure
/ the cooperation OF those who have
not yet fallen in line. While this l.
/ n SANDER on those OF our coIored
| friends who have stood firm, yet
! 1t must be admitted that sufficient num-
/ Der lave gone over to the Waddill party TO
| make Our success doubtful.
| when we went into this Independent
/ movement We did not do so Tor the pur-
pose OF electing Republican or Demo-
| crat. and nothing was father from orr
thoughts than taking Democratic district
I and putting it in the hands OF the Republic
can party, and we cannot afford Is work
( incmcn TO assume such responsibility
We were willing and anxious TO defeat
| both parties, but not willing to defeat either
one in the interest OF the other.
II isn now evident to me that we cannot
| be successful from the fact that very large
number OF voters who were with us in
/ making a nomination have been seduced
from the path OF duty 10y the Waddill party
and are now arrayed against Us and against
their own interest. This L regret very
much, TO. had hoped that the colored men
would stand shoulder to shoulder with the
white men in this fight and ignore party
altogether in this contest. but the Waddill
party haze shown them that ny uniting
| tbCy can elect Waddill il | STAY in the field
10 draw from the Democratic party. |
cannot consent TO murder one party in this
| district in the interest OF the other party.
cannot permit the further Use OF my
name IN this canvass in the interest OF
| either party. and therefore withdraw from
the contest and leave the field to the two
! party men now In the field.
In Withdrawing from the contest |
desire 10 express my sincere thanks TO
the many friends that have so man.
FULLY stood by me from the beginning, and
assure them that tits rhroughno lack OF in
terest in the Labor work that | do with
draw, but from the fact that il | remain in
the field | would be defeated. With this
fact before me | would be not only sane
tioning the treacherOu. part the Republican
leaders have played, hut be the instrument
Of tuning the district over to dictators. IL
must not be charged that the working
people have acted as whole In the Interest
OF any party.
TO the colored men that have remained
true and steadiast | feel deeply indebted,
and will say that they have acted manly,
and deaerye much credit for the noble
stand they have taken. To those who have
been bought with money and promises
will say that have for them nothing but a
feeling Of sympathy.
The white workingmen OF Richmond re-
fused 10 go into the Democratic Primary
because the eolored workingman was not
permitted to vote in that election. We
were willing to lay aside party for the pres
ent in order to secure recognition; we
held out our hands to the c0lOred man a'
a