The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-10-25

ter controversy grew out o. IL A ,eS days
s,e-fo-s election an atsachs o. the news
zyar,er in which the letter was p1Sitsnei
was arrested on a charge OF forging u.
ard an investigation was begun oy the
court Of oyer ard terminer in New York.
The evidence produced showed that there
was no such person as n l. Morey. OF
Lynn. ard made It plain that the letter
had been concocted and q forgery COM
r1fstet for political effect The nan Vno
was accused was he'd for trial. but was
analy released. a roile prosequi having
been entered IN the case One OF the Wit
nesses who testified TO the genuineness Of
tsas letter was, however. convicted ana
sentenced to elgh; years Imprisonment
The '.Aurchlson letter" though not a
forgery. was the result Of a trick perpe-
srates1 By one George Osgco7by under the
ps@aCfony-n Of Charles r. Mnrchison.
watch acted as a sensational -oo-back
against Grover Cleveland ard ths Demo
cratic party.
On Octoher "a. 1855, there was published
Il letter yurportgng 10 be written 0y
Charles =. Murchison. OF Pomona. Cal, 20
the British minister al Washington City.
asking advice IN regard 20 the political
situation. Appended 20 this was the reply
OF Lord Sackyilie-West. the minister ad-
dressed TIE letter said that the writer
was q naturaiized citizen OF the United
States. OF English birth. but he still con
sldered England the mother land The
writer further said that the fnformatio
he sought was not for himself alone. but
TO enable him 10 give assurances TO many
other persons in the same situation ss
himself for the purpose OF influencing their
political action as citizens OF the United
States or English birth. The letter also
contained gross reflections upon the con-
duct OF the United States government N
respect 10 questions in controversy and
unsettled between the United States and
Great Britain. and Doth directly and In
directly imputed insincerity in such con-
duet.
The British minister replied that ANY
political party which openly favored the
mother country at the present moment
would lose popularity" and that the
party In power is fully aware Of that fact"
Minister Wes. further said that In respect
10 The "Questions with Canada which have
been unfortunately reopened since the re-
lection OF the tfsheries) treaty by the Re-
publican majority in the senate. and by
the presidents message TO which you
allude, allowances must be made for
the political situation as regards the presi-
dental election"
THIS letter OF the British minister was
was president OF the United States as well
rs candidate for re-clection. but proved TO
be a boomerang for Lord Sackv!lle-West
himself The president regarded the min
ister's reply TO ''Murchison'' as an unwar-
ranied interference in the politics of this
country. by giving political advice to
American citizens. and notified the British
government OF his conduct. No action be-
ing taken by that government for his re-
- nraGi1anf on her faI
him that his presence as the representa-
tive or the British government was no
longer agreeable 10 this government. and
his passports were delivered to him.
What was probably the most disastrous
roorback ever launched was the BurUhlrd
biunder. which contributed so largely 10
the defeat OF James G. Blaine, in the cam
pa.gn OF 1884.
on the afternoon OF October %. 1884, on
the very verge OF election time mass
meeting % ministers was held in the Fifth
Avenue hotel, New York. This meeting
was IN compliment TO the Republican nom
inee. and was attended by more than 1000
ciergymen OF all denoTinatons. After
Mr. Blaine had been presented. Rev. sam
Tel ID. Burchard. who had been selected
as spokesman for the ministers. made a
short address, in the course OF which ne
said: We are Republicans. and We don't
propose 10 identify ourselves with the
party whose antecedents have been rum
Rome nsm ard rebellion" This aliitera-
tive phrase was taken UP by the Demo-
Gratis with a hue and cry that resoanded
from one end OF the country TO the other.
and was written and printed and told in
all the languages used N the United States
and with telling and fatal effect upon Re
publican prospects.
The present campaign is one of large is
sues and tremendous interest. and as a
consequence many hot words have been
spoken, and calumnies of unusual bitter
ness have been blown about by the winds
OF malice. but the influence OF ante-elec-
ton sensations is not SO strong In these
later days. People have gradually learned
what roorbacks are. They expect them.
laugh al them. and vote without reference
10 them.
BY way of soothing urction for our ma
tional pride. II should be here set down
that the roorhack Is not a distinctveiy
American institution. Within the mem
DRY OF the writer the baron who FIRST
made his presence painfully felt IN Amer
lea, as has been told. betook himself to
England the "mersie" and poisoned the
political PIT OF 1881 with the punctures OF
his pen In the well remembered 'tParaeu
letter"
The British awakening TO the immense
possibilities for underhand politics. as dis
closed in the publication OF this perniclous
epistle. Was one of painful ama2Pnent.
ThA division on the second reading Of
the coercion bill was an event OF critical
Importance for Tories and Unionists. and
the London Times seized the opportun!;g
for publishing a letter alleged to have bee !,
dictated by Mr.. Parnell nine days after
the Phoenix park assassination for tire
purpose Of reassuring extremists. Ameri.
Of ax arkz fr,c rf,-~
ognIxcd in this the familiar campaign
roorback The Irish members OF parlsa-
ment promptly denounced the letter as a
clumsy forgery, devised for the purpose OF
influencing the division on the coercion
bin
The letter imputed 10 Mr.. parneil was a
surrepti,ious apology for The conduct OF
the Irish members in denouncing the
Phoenix park asSasS.ns. 1t contained Sc
cret tntima lions that. while & wls neces-
saTy for them. for the sake Of expediencv
and policy. 10 condemn he crime. tAey