The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1893-10-18
CASE FOR EXTREME JUNCTION

THE TRAILS AND TR1BULATIoNs OF !
CONGRESSMAN.
Able and Jealous Efforts to Get Post
officers Have Been Unavailing =
And He il Unable to Deliver th'
Goods-The People Must be Patien
and Indulgen:.
Colum bla Register.
Editor Register: There has been grea
deal said In South Carolina papers win re
gard to the Federal patronage and predlcllon
made with regard to the same. There was {
decision reached AT the Postoffice Department
Yesterday and appointments made IN tns
Third District at three offices, and also seve
ra previously, all contrary 10 the recommeD
dations made by me as the Representative O
that district, and / feel that IL is incumben'
upon me at this stage Of the proceedings &c
make known 10 the people of my district the
course which I have pursued In this patron
age matter, that they may be able TO ORA"
THAR own conclusions AS TO wether have
tried To represent their interests or not In the
premises.
During the discussion of the Wilson bill in
the House, some three weeks after had
reached Washington, at the urgent request o.
some Of my friends with regard TO postoffce
appointments in my district, called on the
Postmaster General, who received me very
kindly and asked why had not been around
earlier. stated to him that from the state
ments had seen In the newspapers. claiming
10 speak for the administration, supposed l
was TO be ignored on account OF the resolu-
tions which introduced and had passed In
the May convention.
He stated that such was NOT Inc case, tnat
he said to me In the investigation which was
held In his office that he did not propose TO
hold any one responsible for utterances MADE
prior to the nomination of Mr.. Cleveland.
entertained with regard to the repeal Of the
purchasing clause Of the sherman ACT ana
the free coinage of silver. he stated TO me tnat
any man who denounced Mr.. Cleveland on
the floor Of the House would put himself out
side the Democratic party. then and there
stated frankly to the Postmaster General my
opposition to Mr.. Cleveland before his nomi-
nation and gave him my reasons for The same,
and also stated that II never got pOstoff1ce
appointment in my district that / would
stand by the pledges had made to my peo-
pie and vote for the free coinage or silver at
the ratio OF l6 to l, and against the repeal OF
coupled with the repeal
The Postmaster General gave me every en-,
couragement that could be expected, and
stated in that interview that he had not met
any member Of the House with whom he was
better pleased, and that he enjoyed discussing
those questions with me.
AT his invitation went back to the depart
ment and discussed the matter with Mr.. Max
WELL and he said to me that IL would get q
letter from Senator Irby and Senator Butler.
stating that they would not oppose my re-
CONNIE en- dations as they had made some en-
doraements in the district, that he was ready
to take up the district and proceed with the
appointments.
that requirement and went TO Senator Irby g
office and be drew up the letter which ! here
10 I Senator
Buffers Office and stated TO him the request
made by Mr.. Maxwell, and asked II he was
willing TO sign the letter. He read 1t and
without making any reply signed 1t ia and 10
The Hon. Fourth Assistant Postmaster Gene.
raj, Washington. D. T..
Sir: I have the honor to notify your de.
partmept that I am in favor Of all the nomi-
nations TO postofflces made by Hon: A. c. Lat
inner, member from the Third South Carolina
District, and that do and will endorse the
same, Very respectfully.
M. Z. Butler.
I stated to my colleague, DR.. Strait, what
Mr.. Maxwell had required Of me, and suggest.
Sena tors Irby and Butler. He went to Sena
tor Butler, and Senator Butler stated to him
that George Johnstone had just been In his
that letter, and that he had written letter to
Mr. Bissell Withdrawing his endorsement
from me, copy OF which herewith submit
Washington. d. c., Sept. !, lSS3-
Hon. w. s. Bissell, Postmaster General.
Sir: signed letter this a. M. for the Hon
A. C. Latimer OF the Third Congressional Dis
trict OF South Carolina, saying that would
not oppose his recommendations for ofnce
this.
On reflection desire to withdraw my sigma
ture from this letter and leave the RESPONSE
bility for these appointments with the de-
fhor hati irrna nor he In
clination to interfere In such matters, and
shall only express my opinion when papers
are submitted TO me TO be filed, or when It Ii
asked by the department.
Very respectfully your obedient serya1it. e Hn1isr
When DR.. Striat In formed me what Genera
Butler had said, wrote 10 General Butle
the letter l hereby submit, and also his reply
TO the same, which will explain itself:
Washington, d. c., Sept. !, 1893.
General Nj. C. Butler.
Dear Sir: l have just been informed by
what consider good authority that you have
written a letter 10 the Postmaster Genera
withdrawing the endorsement you gave nj
this morning in a letter 10 that official, say
| ing you would endorse my Recommendation
for postmasters In Third District. desire L
such action. Yours very respectfully,
Washington, D. c., Sept. l, 1893.
My Dear Sir: ! instructed my secretary L
the Postmaster General, and I supposed b.
had done SO until the receipt Of your note
few moments ago. After rejecting on tn
matter, determined TO have nothing to d.
with the ;postoftice appointments except II
the Black district, and then only when re
auested. The Postmaster General has pail
10 little heed TO my suggestions ! have mad
In regard to such matters that have though
IL best TO leave the responsibility with him
where IL be longs, so far as am concerned.
| regret the enclosed copy did not reach yo
earlier, as 1t wou Id have obviated the neces
sy Of ySIr note e,sI inormeu Dr. Stra
ter similar to yours, and now that the way
clear trust satisfactory appointments ma
be made. Very truly yours, = ,.,o.
Hon. A. c. Latimer, House OF Represents
Taking Senator Buffers letter to mean tha
he would have nothing further to do with tn
postoffice appointments, took the letters
Mr.. Maxwell and claimed that had com
, piled with the request which ne had mad
He read the letters, after which he said
: was nothing but an underling and that ha
better 90 and see Mr.. Bssell.
( went to Mr.. BisseIl's office and. after ma
ing statement " him with regard to whi
Mr.. Maxwell had requested and what ma
done, he asked me TO leave the letters viii
r him and call on him again on the Saturda
q following.
b did as he requested, and as l entered h
office there were several members OF IN
House who had preceded me. He asked the
TO excuse him. and called me TO his chair ar
= stated that he had not had time 10 exnmil
the letters, and would do SO on Sunday, al
asked me to call on the Monday following,
. went to his office the following Monda
He stated that he would like to discuss th
matter freely with me, and repeated the stal
ment that he did not propose TO hold me
J sponsble for anything l had done or sa
- prior to the nomination. but that he had be-
informed that made speech in my distri
lust before came 10 Washington In which
stated that the resolutions ] introduced
= the May con vention were being verified al
that | denounced Mr. MIR. Cleveland.