Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1890-04-26
THAT QUAY SCANDAL !
An Open Letter to President Har.
rison from Henry @. Lea,

Mr.. H. G. Lea, the publisher and
civil service reformer, has addressed
a significant "open letter" to Presi-
dent Harrison. Mr.. Lea is a relative
of Henry Cary Lea, one of the most
prominent men in Philadelphia.
SIR: No graVer scandal has dark
ened our political history than the
charges brought against Senator Quay
by the New York World in its issues
of Feb. 10 and March 2. 1t would be
useless here to recapitulate them fur
ther than to say that, with full details
Of names and places aid dates, The
World asserts him to be a man whose
political career has been Il succession
of fiagrantly dishonest acts, including
the temporary abstraction from the
State Treasury of $260,O00 in one in
stance and Of 100000 in another.
No such accusation, involving in
iquity so varied and so continuous
and supported by such an array Of
minute detail, have ever before, be.
lieve, been brought against politi-
clan 50 conspicuous. If they are true
Senator quay ought to be in the peni-
tertiary. If they are false he is a Cruz
ely libelled man his accuser is a
journal Of the highest financial stand
ing, and no jury of his countrymen
would refuse him exemplary dam
ages that would put him beyond all
future reach of want. Vindication
and profit both await him as an in
centive to prove his innocence, but
although. two months have elapsed
since the gravest Of the charges were
made public, neither sclicitude for his
character nor desire of gain has
prompted him to break silence. 1t is
his own fault if the public should re-
gard him as acquiescing in the truth
of the charges.
1t is true that the crimes alleged
against Senator Quay are connected
only with his career as Il Pennsylva-
min boss, bat your close connection
with him has rendered the scandal
National. You were duly warned in
advance from friendly source of the
dangers of such an alliance, yet by
accepting his man, Mr.. Wanamaker,
AS member of your Cabinet, you as
sumed responsibility for both of
them. In pursuance of this alliance
you have enlarged Mr.. Quay's im>
portance by virtually giving him con-
troll of the Federal patronage in
Pennsylvania, thus rendering him
the dictator of the Republican party
in the State.
He boosted Of your subserviency to
him when, in explaining his triumph
over Representative Dalzell in the
struggle for the Pittsburg Post. Office,
he publicly said that "the President
though very anxious to crafty Mr.
Dalzell, for whom he has a high es
TEEN, could not, under all the circum
stances, well avoid complying with
my wishes" Even Mr.. Quay's re-
markable silence under the accusa
tions of The World does not seem t
have leSsened his influence over you
He signalized his return from FlOri
Ola week or two since by capturing
the Pittsburg Surveyorship of Gus
toms against candidates urged re
spectively by Secretary Blaine anC
Representative Dalzell.
THE HARRIsoN-QUAY PARTNERSHIP
Indeed, his power would seem t,
be as great in Washington as in thi
State, for the party organs now tell u
that he has been endeavOring to blu,
off superfuous candidate for tn
Governorship with an Assistant Sec
retaryship OF War. In thus entering
into political partnership with MI
Quay you must share the losses a
well as the gains of the venture. |
is not Pennsylvania alone, nor eve
the Republican party only, that ha
right to protest; every citizen {
the land must feel humiliation at tn
smirch thus inflicted on the Chic
Magistracy of the nation.
As Republican by conviction, al
IDENTIFY desiring the success of tn
party so long as it deserves success
let me request you, Mr.. President,
take Il calm survey of the situatio
and render to yourself an account
your stewardship. Thirteen month
ago You entered upon the duties