The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1892-08-06


COUNTY.
Pursuant to Resolution Adopted at the
Meeting Of the County Committee. heid
in the Court House. Mauoh Chunk, Pa,
on July 10th, 1899, the County Committee
Issues the Following Address,-
1t is now almost year since divi-
sion sprung up in the Democratic
party of this county, occasioned by
the arbitrary acton Of the preliminary
chairman of the county meeting, last
fall, in deliberately attempting to
suppress the wishes of the majority of
the Democrats present at that meeting,
by not allowing a free, full and fair
vote on the question of who was to
act as permanent chairman of that
meeting.
1t is immaterial now what prompted
his action, the vote at the following
election clearly demonstrated that, but
the result Of it is, that there are now
two organizations in the Democratic
party of this county. The one headed
by Mr.. Cassidy, as an excuse for their
existence, claim that they are the re-
gular organization; First, because
they are the offspring Of that portion
OF the county meeting presided over
by man whom Mr.. Cassidy declared
to be the Chairman of that meeting
Second, and chiefly, because their rep
resentatives have been recognized by
the State Convention.
To this we say, that under the rules
governing the party in this county.
majority of the Democrats present at
county meeting can alone elect the
officers of the party, aud that the com
mittee headed by Mr. Cassidy was
chosen by very small minority of the
Democrats spresent atlthat meeting: that
their organization being illegitimate
in its birth, no action of the State Con
Ventlon afterwards, can give it legal
standing. The proposition, that re-
cognltion by State Convention can
confer validity on an organization that
has been so signally repudiated by its
constituents, has so little of merit, as
to be almost unworthy of notice We
deny the right of the State Convention
to act as arbiter of our differences.
But, granting they had the right the
assertion, that the State Convention
passed upon the merits of our case. is
absolutely untrue, and its authors
know it to be untrue. The only hear
ing both parties had was at the Con.
Vention of County Chairmen. held at
Harrisburg last fall, when the Com
mittee on Credentials, before which
the hearing was had, reported i'm favor
of our admission. The State Conyen-
tions that admitted the others, did so.
not because they thought they were
the properly accredited representatives
but because they thought they would
vote with the majority. 1t is idle to
assert that any other consideration
governed them.
For our part, we claim to be the re-
gular organization of the Democratic
party of this county, because we were
regularly elected as such, by a large
majority of the Democrats present at
the county meeting last fall. and that
such is the case, will be proven to a
demonstration, by a mere glance at the
returns of the election held last fall
We were confident then, that we had a
large majority of the Democrats of the
county behind us, and we are more
than confident now. Yet have we been.
all along, willing to conceed anything
in fairness and honor. in order that
the party might again be united At
our first meeting last fall. when we
organized by electing Mr.. Sharkey
Chairman, we appointed a Committee
of five, with power to act with any
similar Committee from the other side.
in order to adjust our differences
Again, on July 10th, 1892, was another
Committee of five,with similar powers.
appointed. Both of these Committees
were appointed by authority, not of the
Chairman, but of your Committee
This last Committee, by appointment,
met a Committee appointed by Mr..
Cassidy, ON his own authority. We
said to these people, in substatce, here
is a split in our party, if both organi-
cations are kept up, we shall both lose
Let us then abandon both organiza-
tions. Let Mr.. Cassidy and Mr.. Sharkey
both stand aside. Let us agree upon
some impartial Democrat, in whom we
will both have confidence, who will
call the county meeting to order, and
let the Democrats at that meeting. by
their votes, settle it. Can anything be
fairer than that proposition? But
what is their reply to it? We can only
gather it from an article that appeared
in the Mauch Chunk Democrat a few
days after the meeting. An article
principally devoted to giving Mr.. Cas-
sidy character, but in which thew
rest their right solely on the recogni-
tion given them by the State Conven-
ton. In this article they say, we must
submit to have Mr.. Cassidy to call the
county meeting to order; we must. in
fact, acknowledge that we have been
wrong and they right; we must con
eeed everything and they nothing.
tellow Democrats That is a step fur
ther than our self respect, our conf.
dence III the justice of our cause, and
our sense of the duty we owe to you,
as your representatives, will permit us
TO go. We are confident that the ar
tlcle expresses the opinion of but
very small and irresponsible number.
even of those who have been opposed
to us. The time for compromise is now
past. Our chairman has called, under
the rules, the county meeting, to be
held at the Court House, Monday. Au-
gust 10th, at l o'clock. Let every Dem
ocrat be present on that day, to attest
by his voice and presence, that the
time when trickery and fraud are to
dominate the election of your repre-
sentatiyes and nominees, is past.
This Committee has, upon all occa-
sions, endeavored TO ascertain and
carry out the wishes of their consti-
tuents, and we only ask, that on the
day of the county meeting, when our
duties shall be ended and we shall step
down and out, all Democrats through
out the county, who appreciate our
eHorts in this behalf, will attend and
see that their wishes are respected.
Carbon 90. Democratic Committee.
FRANK p, SHARKEY, Chairman.