The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-11-04
GOTHAM ANDA RECOUNT.
SECRETARY NOBLE IRRITATED BY
GRANTS SUSPICIOUS.

Makes curt Reply.
WASHINGTON, Nov. 3.-The following
correspondence passed today between
Secretary Noble and Mr.. Kenney, who re-
presents Mayor Grant in the matter of a
recount of the population of the city CT
New York.
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR. Nov.'3, 1890
1o AT. w. j. kenneD, arlington Hotel, Wash
SIR-It is my expectation to commence to-day
an examination of the books and papers mem
TONED IN Mayor Grants letter of Oct 80. with
a view OF determining my course of action. AS
you have retained in your possession part of
the documents, you will oblige me by delivering
tnoSe you have at the department, to-day at 10
O'Clock, to Chief Clerk Dawson, who is in
structed to receipt TO you. Yours respectfully,
JOHN W. NOBLE, Secretary.
MR.. KENNEY's REPLY.
Mr.. Kenney replied as follows:
Hon. John W. Noble, Secretary of the Interior:
SIR have the honor to acknowledge the re-
celpt OF your communication of this morning
informing me that IL was Your expectation to
commence to-day an examination of the books
and papers mentioned in Mayor Grants letter
OF Oct. 30, and requesting me TO deliver such Of
the documents as have retained in my posses
SION to Mr. Dawson, chief clerk of your depart
ment. The only documents have in my posses
SION or the lot indicated by Mayor
Grant, are the police enumeration books
and the affidavits of the several
policemen who are responsible for the records
contained in them. You will remember that
when called on you last Saturday, told you
could not surrender the custody of the books,
but that would take them at any time to any
place you might designate for examination and
comparison with your records They had been
IN my custody since they were completed by
the police, and it was especially fit
having been verified by oath aud
made part Of the Official records of the city OF
New York.
You will remember that you then agreed with
me. and said that whenever you needed the
books you would send somebody to assist me In
carrying them.
cannot, therefore, surrender the books to
Mr., Dawson, substituting him for myself as
their custodian. l will present them to him
for examination or to anybody else you may
hereafter designate, and shall continue to do so
from day TO day, in Office hours or out, as may
be necessary until the work OF examination
and comparison Is finished. 1t must appear to
you from the lstter of Introduction from Mayor
Grant that / have not come here merely to
carry his official communication and tue books
IN question, but to act for his (Mayor
Crafts Office in the matter of my (his)
communication to you Secretary of the In
ter1orl regarding the comparison of the police
enumeration with the federal census, and to
assist you (the seer etary) W tn he material at
his (my) disposal | feel, therefore, that it is
my duty TO continue TO keep the books in my
custody, but to place myself with them at your
Sdh duu QlspOSltlOD. L nave Inc nOnOr 10 be
yours, very respectfully,
w. J. K. KENNEY.
MADE THE SECRETARY MAD
In reply to this letter Secretary Noble
sent the following letter:
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, Nov. 8, 1890.
M. W. j. keHney, Washington:
SIR-Your note of this date has Just been re-
ceived; 1t was said by me that would read the
mayors letter which at the interview which
you refer to did not even open, that whenever
found need of the books aud papers you have
| would let you know, and il you wished
1t would send a messenger to aid you in carry
ing them to the department. But it was not
then In my thought. nor can consent that you
are not to leave the books you wish me to CON
slider in my sole custody. Gov Hills letter and
Mayor Grants instructions to you, alike, ildi-
cate spirit of suspicion against this depart
m mt that can no longer tolerate IL YOU are
unwilling without further delay to comply with
my request, communicated to you this morning
in writing, you may take the books and papers
away with you, and l shall proceed with the
business without them. Yours very respect
fully, JOHN W. NOBLE, Secretary.
NO IMPUTATIoN INTENDED.
In reply to this letter Mr.. Kenney ac-
knowledged the receipt of Secretary Mobiles
second communication, disclaimed any pur-
pose to intimate suspicion against the de-
partment or responsibility for Gov. Hills
sentiments, and said: SIT seems to me that
I was sent here as the custodian of the police
books, and most respectfully ask you not
to assume that | intend to do you any in
justice i'll insisting that must act in ac-
cordance with that theory until otherwise
advised from New York. Your letter
practically dismissed me, 10 seemed, from
the performance Of the functions imposed
on me by my superior. In view of these
matters. You will, am sure, give me time
TO procure final instructions by not insist
ing on an immediate compliance with your
demand OF this morning."
NOBLE WRITES TO HILL.
Secretary Noble to-day mailed the follow
ing letter to Gov. Hill Of New York:
WASHINGTON, Nov 3, 1890.
To Gov Ddutd B. HflI, Governor of the state
Of NetC York:
SIR-Your communication of the 31st ult was
duly received. There had already en- deiiv-
cred to me letter from the mayor of the city
of New York on the same subject-the claim of
that city to a recount Of its population by the
United States census authorities. While you
have added the weight OF the governors Office
to the complaints, you have failed TO add
to those already presented by the mayor
single suggestion Of the slightest value
1t was wholly unnecessary for you to remind
me Of the provisions of the constitution OF the
United States relating to the enumeration and
apportionment Of representatives, or the cleo
torai college; or that provision Of the census
law allowing amend ments and recounts. All of
this was very familiar law to me and your
quotation Of it might have been copied from
my last opinion delivered to the mayor,
and which YOU state you had read in the news
papers. Neither does this department need any
exhorUation upon the subject of fair apportion-
ments as an equal apportionment throughout
the United States and perfect freedom and
equality Of the individual elector is q reform TO
which | have given my earnest support and
which is worthy that of every public officer and
every individual citizen Had you read my
correspondence with the mayor, whose imme-
diate concern this business has been you
would have found your topic already
exhausted. Such an apportionment
you may however, be reminded
would certainly and permanently promote the
success of the party to which you Incorrectly
say all the enuHneratOrs of the city of New YORK
belong. 1t is much to be regretted that in
letter to me when acting upon purely official
matter, you as governor should speak as a
census enumerators to secure party advantage
by diminishing the count of New YORK city
Your imputatlons against the enumerators and
census work is so entirely gratutious and
unfounded as to be slanderous; as you should
know that your abusive course could not tend
to promote that fair and judicial consideration
l have been disposed to give T. the application
of the mayor. Your charge. imputing fraudu-
lent motives 10 others, rather suggests that as
your party thinks an increased population
would inure to its advantage the count Of the
police taken as It has been since
the police board OF New York has
been made partisan) needs tie very closest
scrutiny and analysis. The charges now being
made in New York against the city governments
by democrats are not Of kind TO relieve any