The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1895-11-05
The FAMOUS
gibbs LETTER
Continued from Page ~

(CO0llQueQ from rage ID
document and one calculated to do
great harm, expressing at the same
time regret that such methods should
be pursued, as a means of party sue
cess.
1 was asked what ought TO be done
with it.
My answer was that 1 did mot know
what would be the wisest and best
course to pursue with reference to lit.
Bishop Wright thereupon suggested
that 1 should be made its custodian, to
be used should it become necessary to
use it, in justice to parties concerned.
1 emphatically, unreservedly and alb
solutely refused to be made RESPONSE
Bile, either for it's safe keeping or use,
and have never seen the letter since,
except upon the occasion to which Mr..
Gibbs refers when speaking of the in
terview between prominent Democrats
and Presidents Woodruff and Smith
and number of the apostles, of which
I was ONE, having been present ON the
invitation of President Milford Wood
ruff, at which time / again heard lit
read, but have ait no time since, saw
it.
Notwithstanding the direct charges
and insinnations as to my activity i'm
political work, I bekeve the records
will show that l had taken little or no
part in political affairs up to bhe date
ON which l first heard the Gibbs letter
read, making but one single exception,
and that was before a! large number
OF citizens from various parts of this
county, and before whom was submit
ted the proposition which had been al-
thoritatively made for the dissolution,
throughout the territory, of the Peo-
Piles party; the object of which, as ex-
planned, was that we had reached a
point when it appeared to THE best in
tereSts of the territory and hts citizens
to ally ourselves with the two great
national parties
AT that gathering, as doubtless mum
dreds of intelligent men who were
present will remember. I dispassionate-
~ and carefully outlined what 7 be-
lieved to be the Salient and important
dlfferences in the doctrine and practice
of the Republican and Democratic par
ties, and urged my hearers TO carefully
study THE principles of each and use
their influence with their metaphors tn
do likewise with the view that every
citizen might thereby attach him
self to the party of his choice
IT, on that occasion, said a word or
made a gesture that could in any sense
whatever be interpreted as partisan, it
was an error of the head. for NO such
thing had "a place in the heart.
MOSES THATCHER.
HON. GEO. ". THATCHER.
To the Editor of The Herald:
In reference to the Gibbs letter to
John f. Wright L will say: I first
learned of the existence Of this letter
during the first campaign after the
division on party lines and heard of it
through Mr.. Wright, bishop of Hyrum.
He told me, in the presence of others.
that he had received from George F.
GIBBS letter in the interest of Re-
publicanism and against Democracy.
Mr.. Wright appeared to be consider
ably worried over the matter and he
stated that he didn't know what to do
about it as he was a Democrat and
couldn't follow the instructions in the
letter Mr.. Wright also stated that he
wished to place the letter in the hands
of some one who could use it in behalf
OF his party in case opposition of that
character became general AS he did
not have the letter with him at the
time Mr.. Wright gave Robert w. Sloan
letter to Mrs. Wright requesting the
letter. Mr.. Sloan brought the letter to
me- but Mr.. Wright expressed a wish
that the letter be given to my brother
Moses, to use as he should think pro-
per. 1 held the letter several days as
Moses was, thirk, out Of town at the
time. When 1t wa learned that he was
at home Mr.. Wright called upon me and
we took the letter to Moses and al
lowed him to read it, After reading
the letter Moses handed it back saving
that, as he was not in politics, it was Of
no value to him and Furthermore that
he did not care to even have it in his
Keeping. Then Mr.. Wright gave me
the letter and said that whenever the
leaders of the Democratic party con-
cluded that the safety and welfare Of
the party demanded it the letter was
to be used. c. W. THATCHER.