Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1895-11-01
An Open Letter.


ROCKVILLE, Md, Oct. 80, 1895.
Hon. Hattersly W. Talbot,
Sir A few days ago the Baltimore Sun
published the statement from me that |
would not support Mr.. Hurst at the APP
preaching election. In connection with that
statement, the Baltimore Herald of the 2Sth
inst. published an interview with you, in
which occurs the following:
II wouldn't be bit astonished," said
Chairman Talbot, of the Democratic State
Committee, who is fellow countyman of
Mr.. Laird, "f Lloyd Lowndes has promised
to keep Phil Laird in the Land Office. l
know that close friend of Mr.. Laird came
to me and told me that we could get Mr..
Laird to take the stump for Mr.. Hurst if we
would promise to keep him in the office he
now fills. | said that could give no such
promise, and the next heard was that he
was against the Democratic ticket"
Immediately upon reading this, wrote
you demanding the name OF the "close
friend" who undertook to make engage
ments for me, and requesting prompt re-
ply. My letter was addressed to you at the
Carrolton Hotel, Baltimore, marked per
sonal," and mailed at the Rockville post
office shortly before noon on Monday last,
the 2Sth inst. 1t should have reached you
that evening, or at the latest, Tuesday morn
ing
1t does not speak well for you or for the
cause you are supposed to represent, that to
a dignitled expression of opinion upon the
political situation you could find no better
reply than hasty and unmanly suspicion
of double dealing and dickering on my part.
l do not propose to follow you into the
realm of PERSONAL---VERY. region which brave
and self-reliant men avoid but do not in
tend that your insinuation, publicly made,
shall remain uncontradicted, and to all that
your words were meant to imply, here
give the most positive, direct and unquali-
fled denial. | have never had political deal
ings of any kind with Republican politi-
clans, great or small, and beyond possible
casual remark, have not discussed the pres
ent contest, in any of its phases, with Mr..
Lowndes or any of his friends
AS a matter of fact, | can recall but two
opportunities when it was possible Tor me
to make political dckers, and both of them
were afforded by the men with whom you
are identified. The first was in 1899, at the
time | offered in the House OF Delegates,
the Cleveland resolutions A person in close
utilization with the ring came TO me with the
statement that "our friends" recognized my
services and were anxious to do something
handsome for me, "but," he said, they don't
like your resolutions" The hint was I'M
mistakable. The only proper answer was
to press the passage of the resolutions, and
that course was pursued with vigor and sue
cess. The second occasion was in the spring
of 1895, when a similar hint was conveyed
to me, that in the event | should withdraw
my opposition to one of the candidates Tor
the Democratic Gubernatorial nomination,
| might, if he should be successful IN his
aspiration, retain my position as Commits
sioner of the Land Office did not with
draw my opposition. The entire correspond
ence upon the subject is in my possession,
and is open to your inspection at any time.
| cite these facts as the best answer | can
give to your attempt to place me In false
light.
/ have only to add, that in the public ex-
preston of my determination not to support
the Democratic State ticket, spoke as |
believed it was the duty OF every citizen and
every true Democrat to speak, in view OF
the grave crisis that is upon us, and entirely
without reference to my own fortunes as an
office holder or an Office seeker. The opn-
ion was mine alone, deliberately uttered,
and with full appreciation of all the respon
sibilities, personal and political, which it
involved.
PHILIP ID. LAIRD.
S.-October 81, 1896, Since the above
was WIltlCIl duh 'JPNt hh'S 'hip
morning, at 7:15 O'clock, while on my way
to board the train for Annapolis, received
your letter OF the Goth. 1t had not reached
Rockville al p. M. yesterday when called
for my mail, and the envelope does not bear
the stamp of the Rockville postotiice show
ing the time OF its receipt. The Baltimore
post-mark is imperfect, and am unable to
determine its date.
In your letter you say that the Herald did
not altogether quote you correctly, and add,
"However, in the main the HeT0td is correct
in substance as to what | said, but not in
the way said it," Further on you claim
that my letter to you and its demand is on a
false basis. In this connection | have to say
that it was based upon the article In the
Herald, and | do not think there can betwo
opinions as to the inference to be drawn
from what is there said, and which you ad-
nit to be substantially correct. | am not
responsible Tor the reporters mistakes.
What am chiefly concerned in is TO show
that you had no foundation for giving the
impression that | had bargained with Mr..
Lowndes, or that had authorized any one
TO intercede for me with you to be kept in
the Land Office as the price OF my support OF
your ticket. This | am glad to have you dis
pose of in the following words, quoted from
your letter of the 29th mo one approached
me as from you, and | neither said or intl-
mated anything of the kind. If you will
read what the UeraId said you will find no
such intmation." Since you exculpate me,
| am ndisposed to contend about intima-
lions, but | will say that every one with
whom have talked upon the subject ar
rived at the same conclusion
1t is just to you that what you say in reply
to my demand for the name OF the gentleman
who spoke to you on the subject, should be
ii ven in your own words, and quote them:
"While your whole letter and It's demand is
on false basis still have no objection to
giving you the name Of the gentleman who
stated TO me that we, not he, in his opinion,
could get you to take part in the campaign
by promising that you should be continued
in the Land Office, but | do not feel like do
ing so until first see him about it. | will
see him as speedily as possible and whether
he consents or not | will then let you know
who he is"
In reply TO your suggestion that | cannot
mount pinnacle and criticise other people
and then expect TO escape criticism myself, l
have only to say that studiously avoided
comment upon the conduct of any indi-
vdual, and impugned no mans motives,
and repeat what is said in the body Of the
above letter, that / stated only an opinion
of the political situation 1t was my right
to do so, and | exercised 1t.
p. d. l..
Deserved Compliment,