Fort Worth weekly gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-06-26

| mltlee. IL correctly reported you assert
that your letter to the Corsicana OBJ
| server, IN answer to questions asked an
| expression from you concerning proper
| standard of party fealty for those desiring
| to participate In Democratic primaries,
was read, discussed ana considered by
| the executive committee at Lampassas
at its meeting April 1. Are you not
mistaken in this? Does not my memory
serve me right in saying that no such
letter was read 10 the committee? Is it
not fact that you merely mentioned
having written such letter, giving the
committee in substance what the letter
contained, as your views on the subject
treated therein, taking it for granted
that the respective members of the COM
mittee had read the same? If not please
correct me. Was not the motion put
and carried ''to ind0rse your letter as
published i'll the C0rsicena Observer, -
upon your statements alone?'
Now the facts. At the meeting of the
committee at Lampasas, April 1 1 called
TO the notice of the committee the letter
in question. l told them that heretofore
l had enjoyed no opportunity of confer
ring with them on matters of concern TO
the party; that l had shouldered the re-
sponsibilIties of directing the party af-
fairs alone, since the creation of the
COMMITTEES; that among other things 1
had written that letter; that it involved
a serious matter and l wanted the COM
mittee to consider and discuss il without
any embarrassment on account of
my presence, and if there was any
thing wrong in It to point it out and cor
rect it as that would be the last occasion
of the assembling of the committee until
the meeting of the state convention.
then called on ] L. Burgess Esq. mem
Der from the Fifteenth senatorial dis
trIct, TO present and read the letter,
knowing that he had printed copy,
which he did. l do not now recall how
many expressed their views upon the
matter; 1t was discussed, however, and
l remember among others that Mr.. Bur-
CESS said in substance that it was OBJ
jected to by some good Democrats in his
county as being too liberal, but that 1t
met his appreciation. After all had the
opportunity of speaking to the question
the proceedings of the meeting show:
"'Upon motion of Mr.. Smith of Hill
county, it was unanimously resolved that
the committee fully and heartily endorse
and adopt as its expression the letter of
Chairman Finley addressed to the editor
of the Corsicana Observer of February
8, $780, L can not with certainty say
that Mr.. Leasing expressed himself in a
speech, but can and do say that the
opportunity was given him, and if he
did not avail himself of it, then it was
about the only opportunity which he
let pass during the session of that body,
and L felt sure that he did not let it pass
out of any consideration of deIicacy or
want of confidence in his own wisdom.
As to that portion of Mr.. Lessing's let
ter wherein he assumes to declare me in
opposition to the commission amend
ment, aud then calls for my opinion
upon the ACCESSIBILITY of party platform
enunoiation on that issue, L have only to
say: A sense of propriety, or supposed
propriety at least, has caused me TO re-
frain from any public expression in ad-
vance of the primaries upon the issues of
men and measures to be settl ed within
the party, realizing that nv duties as
chairman lay in the direction of organ
ization, preserving the party in its
strength and integrity, and not in the
line OF advocating either men or meas
ures in contest within our own ranks.
shall not be induced to depart from
this course, but will say that Mr.. Les
sing does not state correctly my views
upon the commission amendment.
n. W. FINLEY,
Chairman State Democratic Executive
Committee.