Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1890-10-16
A Letter to Harrison.

The Lincoln Independent Republican
Committee, of Philadelphia, has adj
dressed the following letter to President
Harrison
To the President.
SIR We respectfully ask your consid-
Grafton of the accompanying appeal and
of matter relative to the same, addressed
by the Lincoln Independent Republican
Committee to the people of Pennsylvania,
which in our Judgment involves ques-
tion of national importance. This ap-
peal calls upon our citizens to vote for
the Democratic candidate for Governor at
the approaching election as a rebuke to
the Republican party of this State, which
has in its platform of principles fully en-
dorsed the public character of our junior
Senator, Matthew S. Quay, and has ac-
cepted candidate for Governor of his
choice and at his dictation. The request
is extraordinary, but the reasons for max
ing it are still more so, and they are of
such Il nature as, in our opinion fully to
Justify us in presenting it to the public.
The pamphlet to which we ask your
attention contains statements of undis-
puted fact concerning Mr. Quay and un-
answered, and as we believe, unanswer-
able charges against him. The facts
and charges are so grave as to render
Senator Quay's control of the political af-
fairs of his party in this State and of its
national committee hurtful to the IN
terests of this commonwealth and inju-
rious to the reputation OF the Republican
party throughout the country.
Our pamphlet shows, first by quota
tions from Mr.. Quay's record while a
member of the Pardon Board of Pennsyl
vania that he defeated the ends of JUS
tice by securing the speedy release from
prison of men who had been duly con-
victed and sentenced by the Court for
bribing members of the State Legislature.
The audacity of this act called forth at
the time the indignant protest of the Re-
publican press of the State, of the min
isters of religion and of good citizens
generally. This charge, being matter
of public record, admits of no question or
doubt. 1t alone should have relegated
Mr.. Quay forever to private life. 1t did
not do so; but it has, of necessity, made
every honest and courageous man, who
is cognizant of the facts, his enemy so
long as he retains control of public af
fairs.
Second, still more serious charge,
which is fully stated in the accompanying
pamphlet, arraigns Mr.. Quay for various
embezzlements of the funds of the State.
This charge is so specific, it has so re-
peatedly been made and it is so widely
believed that, under normal conditions of
public sentiment, Mr.. Quay would have
been compelled to answer it or fail under
its whitening assault. He has done
neither. 1t it be true as has been openly
asserted by distinguished Republican,
that the decalogue has no place in modern
politics Mr.. Quay's silence is justified,
but as we are of those who still believe
that the common code of right and wrong
covers all human action, and that politics
are not excepted from this rule, we assert
that he should show that he is guiltless
of these charges, or promptly retire from
public life.
We ask the people of Pennsylvania to
vote for the Democratic candidate for
Governor--a man of tried and unimpeach-
able Observation-Disclosures his opponent, by
the circumstances under which his nomi-
nation was secured and by the clear de-
claration of the platform on which he
stands, is the representative of Mr..
Quay. His election will be accepted as a
vindication of Mr.. Quay in the eyes of
the State and of the country.
| The issue is plain. In the interest OF
sound public morals and of primitive Re
publican faith we seek the political down
| fall of man whose public record dis
honors himself, his party and his State
There is but one alternative-either Mr.
Quay must be shorn of political power OF
the Republican party must lose its high
name as the party of progress and the
representative of great moral ideas. II
must accept the ignoble title of the party
! of immoral ideas, whose claim to power
is no longer right, but might, and whose
appeal is not now, as in the days of Lin
coin, addressed through lofty and legiti
mate argument to the reason of the peo
| pie, to their native sense of justice anC
/ of truth; it will then become a party
whose youthful aspiration is sunk in
! hopeless corruption and whose purse
strings have strangled its patriotism.
To avert such catastrophe we appeal
to you, as the Chief Magistrate of the
nation, to aid us in this struggle by with
drawing from Mr.. Quay the patronage OF
Pennsylvania, the responsibility fol
which has been placed by the constitution
in your hands. 1t is in this delegated
! power to give and withhold office, to brib,
and punish, that Mr.. Quay's strength
largely lies; withhold it from him anC
his political power will cease to exist.
The address is signed by Joel j. Baily
Chairman; II. Welsh, Secretary ant
Treasurer, and by forty other members
of the committee.