Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1890-10-30

GETTYSBURG Pa, Oct. 23.-The pop /
ularity of Captain William H. Barclay,
the Democratic candidate for Secretary
of Internal Affairs, as developed by his
presence on the tour through the State,
has been thorn in the sides of the Re-
publican managers, who have striven to
obtain something that might be moulded
into charge affecting the Captains
record as public official. AT last, after
four weeks work, they have induced the
Federal Administration to take the in
itiative step, and, in consequence, re-
port has been put in circulation that the
Captain would be removed from tho
office of pension agent at Pittsburg be-
cause of his absence from the office
without leave.
To-day Captain Barclay addressed I
the following letter to Green B. Raum, I
commissioner of pensions at Washing
ton, which explains itself:
SIR: beg to acknowledge the receipt OF
your telegram of the 10th or 2lst instant,
| in which you say; II am directed by the 4
Secretary of the Interior to order You to
assume Immediately charge of your agency
and transact such business as may require !
| your personal attention, and which may be:
| DELAYED by your absence. 1t is expected this
order will be promptly obeyed, and that
| you Will not again leave your agency with \
out permission from this bureau. Wire
me by telegraph Of your return to duty"
Permit me to inform You of fact of
| which you may not be aware, that have
| been nominated for the office of secretary
of internal affairs of the state in which
| reside. That distinction was conferred
| upon me unsought. On the 4th Of Novem-
| her next the people of the state will pass
upon my fitness for the position and the
desirability Of my being placed in charge
| of it. In the meantime 1t is necessary for
me to be absent temporarily from the office
\ at Pittsburg, which is in my charge as
pension agent Allow me to assure you,
| however, that no business requiring my
personal attention has been delayed during
| my ABSENCE nor will the public business
suffer nor be neglected. The faithful dis
charge of my duties of the office of pension
agent by me is amply secured 10 the United
States by the bond which have given.
1t seems to me you have as 1atch reason
to assume that public business suffers
through your own absence, or that public
interests were imprrileti5by the absence Of
the President of the United States in his
late visit to Pennsylvania and the western
country, as Won have 70 ointer tllat the busi-
ness Of my Office has suffered when / am
in daily comm uncation with il. The
directions of the Secretary Of the Interior
conveyed by YOU indicate that yor have
forgotten fact of which personally APP
priSed YOU, to w.t. that III the early pNft
of September rendered my resignation to
the President Of the United States in writ
ing, and handed il to one Of the United
States senators from this state for delivery.
presume it will be tif il has not already
been) presented to the President, and
have hitherto been awaiting It's acceptance.
have the honor to remain, Yours respect
fully, W. a. BARCLAY,
q, S. Pension Agent.
An attempt has also rsen made to
create the impression that the captain
has not filed a bond at Washington for
the faithful performance Of his duty.
The fact is that he has had on file in the
pension bureau ever since his appoint-
ment a bond wherein the sureties iusti-
fled in sum exceeding 100000 Last
June Congress passed an act directing
agents to file an extra bond of $4,000,
by reason Of the change in the law per-
mitting agents to designate a clerk to
sign all official checks in their name.
Captain Barclay took the ground that
his bond was ample and sufficient to
cover all his liability to the government.
He informed Commissioner Raum that
he would not give the extra bond, and
of his willingness TO retire from the
office sooner than do so. He maintained
then, as he does now, that he was actu-
ated by principle in refusing to give
the extra bond, and sooner than sacrifice
his principles he rendered his resigna-
ton, and has been awaiting its accept
ance ever since.