Goldsboro weekly argus. [volume] (Goldsboro, N.C.) 1885-1909, 1893-12-07
VAN ALIEN DECLINES.
He Cannot Accept the Post of Ambas-
sador to Italy.
New York, December 3

New YORK, December 3.
Mr.. J. J. Van Allen has declined
the italian Mission. His decision
was made known to Secretary
Gresham in a letter from Newport
under date of November 20. In
the beginning of his letter of decli-
nation Mr.. Van Alien requests
Secretary Gresham to officially
notify the President of HE dec 81 n
and expresses the sense of honor
he feels in the tender of the position
of Ambassador to Italy to him by
President Cleveland.
THE CHARGE AGAINST I'M
Mr.. Van Allen goes 90 to say:
Among the comments upon my
nomination which appeared in
the public press one charge only
merits attention, not because it was
tue, but because it was, and | sup
pose still is, believed by many per-
sors unfamiliar with the individu-
ais concerned and the essential to
formation of an accurate Judgment.
The charge was that ] received the
| appointment in return for a contri-
button OF fifty thousand dollars to
the Demo cratic national campaign
tnnd.
While my nomination was pend
ing in the Senate it did not seem
fitting and proper for me to offer
more than an explicit denial. l
was aware that, as an interested
party, my statement would have
little effect beyond the limits of my
personal acquaintance. Now, hows
ever, wien my action cannot tie
ta.rly attributed to purely selfish
motives, it seems to ne that a re-
petition of that denial, which l
make without qualification, should
be sufficient for any honorable
man. | have never denied, and
do lot now deny. that | contrib
utcd to the campaign fund-not
fifty thousand dollars-but yet a
considerable sum OF money.
REPUBLICAN SUPREMACY A MENACE
Sincerely believing, as I { did, that
f a continuation of Republican sup-
remacy would be not only a binds
rance to national progress, but in
t time a positive to the suc~
t cess of popular government, and
having large interests at stake, l
was impelied by both patriotic and
selfish reasons to aid the Democrats
ic cause.
!, I did not do so until | had maze
myself familiar with the methods
of the campaign as conducted by
the national Democratic commit
tee. | visited the Democratic heads
quarters, and was astonished at the
great work being done. An ex,
penditure, vast in proportions, was
n being made to bring home to the
t American people the truths npor
which | believed the welfare Of the
country depended. Hundreds o
speakers, too poor to pay thier owl
expenses, were being helped to d,
e a patriotic duty by the nationa
st committee, and a vast amount o
lie literature was being distributed
free to awaken the public mine
ON the questions peuding in thu
campaign.
- The Democratic party had NJ
Is favored interests to assess and wa
1t obliged to rely upon individuals TO
re necessary financial assistance
t. Hence my contribution. 1t wa
by no means the first time | hat
assisted the party since Mr.. Clev-
lands aggressive leadership arouse'
"a my admiratis n. and / do not hest
ID tate to say that if it shall agai'
seem to be my duty as a citize'
DESTROYS of best government, it vii
ot not be the las.
"a EXPECTED NO REWARD.
Or So far from attaching undue i'm
- portance to it, | was fully awar
that the contribution meant ia
On less to me than the time and effor
a devoted by thousands unselis
to cit'zens to the came campaigr
70 Nor did | believe that it shoul
ey entitle me to any more considers
ton. On the contrary, I have nc
only admitted but have poi
ey itively insisted at all times ths
p it created no obligation to N
whatever, and / feel confident tia
w the President. who's y We
kind enough to say to !. mt
acrats OF Rhode Island that his pei
sonal acquaintance with me enable
him to consider my candidacy solel
lis upon it's merits, will bear me OF
at in this assertion.
ue On the other hand, l frank
e. admit that, until after the appoin
lS ment had been made, it never ont
- occurred to my mind that my con
w tri5ution could be used to my il
~ Jury. l may add that, although
he have endeavored to study withol
bias the arguments which ha,
been advanced, l cannot even no
he perceive that it is any less credit
of able or patriotic for one to aid wit
en- his means a cause in which he b.
he lieves than with his voice or pen.
Nv But. whatever may be the co
SITS rect conclusion regarding the ethi
OK of the case, the fact remains that
large number of my fellow citizil
en- have been led. either by coinc
dence of circumstance or by fall
Ill - ---s-