Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1894-04-05


/. WASHINGTON, March 30.-Speaker
Crisp tonight telegraphed Governor
Northcn of Georgia, declining the Sena-
torship. In sacrificing his personal in.
terests to sense of duty, Speaker Crisp
has proved himself entitled to the high
esteem with which his political associates
regard him, and has set I'm example to
Democrats which should have bene-
fetal effect. For the past two years Mr..
Crisp has made no secret of the fact that
his aspirations were in tho direction of
the Senate. The proirer by Governor
Northen of the coveted position removed
from his path every obstacle which
could intervene between him and tho
object of his ambition, but setting aside
all personal considerations Mr.. Crisp
thought only of the general interests
which he can best serve in the House Of
Representatives, and sacrificed himself
for the good of the Democratic party.
The probability of Mr.. Crisp accept
ing the Senatorship and leaving the
party in the House overshadOwed III in
terest every other topic at the capitol to-
day. II is a high tribute to the Speakers
ability that there was hardly member
on the Democratic side, not excepting
those who might naturally expect to
succeed him in the chair, who did not
hope Mr.. Crisp would decline the propo-
sition. There is no question that Mr..
Crisp is needed in the House. There Is
no other member who can so we'll CON
troll the memoirs, or who has such in
fluenCe over the Democratic side. There
nt,rIt I,nN
influenced Mr.. Crisp in arriving at a con-
clusion. 1t was not so much because Of the
good he can accomplish by remaining
in his present position as the danger to
the best interests of the party which
might result from his resignation, that
made him forget his personal interests.
With the tariff still unsettled, and with
many of the party pledges unredeemed,
to plunge the House into Speakership
contest, would have seriously compli-
Gated matters and might have resulted
in disaster.
The petition circulated among the
Democratic members of the House, ask
ing Speaker Crisp to remain in his seat,
received so signatures inside of 10
minutes. Some Democrats hesitated
about signing it, lest it might look like
an attempt to coerce the Speaker into
making the great personal sacrifice that
would be involved in declination of
the senatorship. One hundred and forty
Democrats in all signed the paper.
The petition was not presented to Mr..
| Crisp, because long before the afternoon
had ended he had intimated to his friends
that while he had not fully made up
his mind as to what he should do, it
was very probable he would decline the
| position,
THE TELEGRAM DECLINING TO ACCEPT.
Tonight he sent the following tele-
gram to Governor Northen:
SPEAKERS Room, HOUSE OF REPRESENTA-
TIvEs, u. s., WAsHINGTuN, ID. g.. March 3Oth,
lS9i-ifon. W. J. No,1hen Governor, atlanta,
Ca: have an ambition to represent
Georgia in the Senate of the United States
and appreciate most highly the appoint
ment you have given me; but for the pres
ent, at least, l must put aside my ambi-
| ton. | was, as you know, unanimously
nominated Speaker. In accepting that
| office 1 have incurred the obligations to
our party throughout the country. A very
large majority OF the Democratic members
Of The House have united in request that,
for the remainder of this Congress, con
| tinue in the position to which they have
elected me. They base this request upon
grounds which l cannot in modesty, re-
peat, but which | cannot, in duty, ignore.
As Speaker feel'to some extent RESPONSE
Bile for the action of the House. feel a
pride in its organization, and have set
| tied purpose, so far MS my influence eX-
| tends, to have brought before it and voted
upon bills which, it enacted into laws, will
redeem to the fullest extent our party
pledges Thus | think i will serve the
Interests of the people of Georgia.
am grateful to you for the honor You
have done me. am grateful to the numer-
Gus friends throughout the State who have
seemed pleased with, and who have urged
my acceptance of this appointment. and
beg that you and they will believe what |,
| in the utmost sincerity, say-that in de
clining it | am sacrificing u cherished
| ambition to what l regard as q sense OF
| duty CHARLES II. C4IsP.
WHY HE REFUSED THE APPOINTMENT.
Speaker Crisp's principal reason fol-
declining the Senatorship was his
anxiety regarding the Tariff bill. The
important duty of appointing com.
mittee TO confer with the Senate com.
mittee and arrange compromise meas.
ure which may receive the approval OF
the whole party in both houses deYolves
upon the Speaker. The selection OF
these conferees might aid or hinder the
progress of the bill, and in either event
the Speaker is responsible. lie can also
contribute more than any other indi.
vidual to the successful passage of the
bill through the House of Represents
tives, so that if Mr.. Crisp has heretofore
aided in carrying out the party policy
with regard 10 the tariff it has become
an absolute necessity that he should re-
main in his present position if the work
commenced by the Democrats of the
House is to be completed.