The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1894-05-10
SENATOR JARVIS.
A CANDIDATE FOR RANSOM'S
SEAT.

| OLA l.
He Writes Another Letter in
Which He Says Something Con-
corning His Appointment---The
! Governor Paid No Personal
Debt in Appointing Him Senator
GREENvILLE, N. c., April "a, "a.
Capt. s. Il. AsAe, Editor Nezvs- o.
! serUe, Chronicle
SIR II beg, before leaving the
State to enter upon my duties in Wash
ington, to again trespass upon the
courtesy of the press. 1t is my habit
when | have anything to say to the
people of North Carolina to say it to
them direct.
In my letter declaring it to be my
purpose not to be candidate before
the Legislature for the place made
vacant by the death of Senator Vance,
/ simply said that if the people desired
to keep up the senatorial divisions, so
to speak, | would not be in their way;
that | did not intend to be candidate
for the short term. | did not intend
to declare war upon any one or to
throw down the gage of battle to any
one, and | humbly submit there is
nothing in the letter to justify such a
construction
1t is true | have for months enter
tanned the purpose to become candi-
date before the Legislature to succeed
Senator Ransom, and have not con-
cealed this purpose. / felt that / had
right to do this, and still think so.
1t must be remembered that Senator
Ransom is now nearing the end of his
fourth term. He has been continuously
in this high office more than twenty
two years. I did not feel and l do
not now feel that 1 am infringing upon
any ones right in becoming candi-
date for this position, and | have no
idea that the Senator, after his long
term OF service, will, for a moment,
undertake to question the right of any
gentleman to succeed him. There
certainly is no occasion for any
supposition that we are to have any
undue excitement or asperity over the
matter. | have never been disturb
ing element in the Democratic party
and I will not be now l will say in
advance that am willing to leave it
to the Democratic voters at ballot to
be taken in the primaries, under such
rules and regulations as may be pre-
scribetl by the State committee, to say
whether l shall be candidate at all
or not, and l will abide the result. Or,
l am quite as willing for the State
convention of our party to determine
that question. This is the peoples
business and am willing for them to
settle it, and in their own way. l will
so still further, and say that if at any
time it shall appear that any candidacy
will lose to the party single county
will be ready to retire.
say this because in my humble
judgment it is of the first importance
to the people that the State govern
rlent shall remain in the hands of the
Democratic party. Under the ad
ministration of this party the people
have had tranquility, peace and all
the prosperity that good State
government could give. 1t is far
better, in my opinion, that both
Senator Ransom and myself should
pass out of public life than that the
State government should pass from
under the control of the Democratic
party. l know it is better that should
never be heard of again than that the
Legislature should cease to be in the
hands of the Democrats.
| notice with regret that it is in
sinuated that the Governor has paid
off a private obligation with public
trust This charge was made, am
sure, in ignorance of the facts in the
case. l beg to state the facts, and
then l believe the unjust insinuation
will be withdrawn. The facts are
these: Just as soon as the executive
committee was organized | wrote to its
chairman, the Hon. F. M. Simmons,
rendering my services to the party and
agreeing to be subject to his orders
till the election was over. About the
18th or goth of July l received a
telegram from Mr. Simmons asking
me to come to Raleigh. | obeyed
his summons, and On my arrival there
l was told by him that there would he
no Joint canvass and that had been
selected to travel and speak with our
candidate for Governor. | repeated
that was ready to go anywhere he
chose to send me. All he had to do
was to make and publish the appoint
ments and that | would be there to fill
them.
l assisted him, at his request, in
making the first few appointments,
beginning at Whiteville on August 4th,
but after that did not know where l
was going, or with whom | was to
speak till | saw the appointments
published. From the 1st day of
August till the day of election was
subject to the control of our chairman,
and he could have sent me, as he in
fact did do, where he pleased.
now recall the fact that ne re-
quired me to make sixteen speeches in
one congressional district, | did it
without a murmur. In fact l am sure
Mr.. Simmons will say l was working
under his orders all the time II these
facts be true, then was in the service
of the Democratic party, working for
its success, and the candidate Of the
party was the recipient Of the benefits
of my labors if they were worth any
thing TO anyone. 1t therefore follows
that was not working for Mr.. Carr,
but for the Democratic candidate for
Governor. Then how absurd and