Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1896-11-09

|
es during the campaign for Bryan and
Sewall, and was summarily removed
the day after the election, has wtten
the following letter to .ecretary Car
Isle:
WASHINGTON, d. c. Nov. Z.
Hon John g Carlisle, Secretary Of the
Treasury, City.
Sir: Our government guarantees to
all its citizens the privilege OF free
speech, so that every American has the
uaturaI right to express in proper
manner his political opinions. In &C.
cepting office the citizen forfeits neither
his civil nor his religious liberty. The
civil service law was intended not 10
destroy these rights but to protect them
so that the minor official should at least
be as secure in defending the creed and
nominees Of his party as would be cab.
met officer iu exercising the same in
alienable rights.
No objection on your part to my &C.
tivity in the campaign which has ust
closed was ever made known tn me
pending the campaign. On the con-
tray, | was informed that you held TO
the view that you could not consistent
| ly remove any man from Office for ex
ercising the same rights which you were
exercising. My removal from office, the
first intimation of which was obtained
from the newspapers while on the train
on my return to Washington from my
home, was therefore complete surprise
to me. No on knows better than your
selfthe long friendship had manifested
| for you the interest / had taken, al d
| he sacrifices of time and money made
by me in promoting your ambitions.
In view Of all the facts, it seems to me
that l was at least entitled to some
warning and notice before being kicked
out of office, without even the oppor-
tunity of declining to resign.
Had l known or suspected that !
could not hold office under the admin
istratiou and at the same time exercise
the rights of an American freeman, |
would have promptly rendered you my
resignation at the opening of this cam
psign.
Inasmuch as other appoiDtees OF the
present administration, including many
in your own department, have been
permitted TO take an active part against
Mr.. Bryan in the campaign, not only
on the stump, but in the work oforgan-
| iZation, without reDuke or removal, it
is evident that the cause of my offend
ing lies not in my actions, bat in my
convictions. 1t follows, therefore, that
you have used your great office to sup
press freedom OF thought aud action,
and 10 punish those who dare to differ
from you-a thing insupportabe in free
government-by terrorizing over the
weak and humble. For such abuse of
public Office, which is a public trust,
you cannot but be held accountable at
the bar of public opinion as well as by
the verdict OF history.
In conclusion | can only say that,
humble as am, would rather be
discharged employee of the Treasury
Observation-Disclosures for doing my
duty as see it for my people-than to
be Secretary of 'he Treasury with 8
record of self-stultifcation, such as you
have made for yourself, staring me in
the face.
This much OF protest l deem it
| proper L" LldhV dG"'"Su SOui tiOoSbSi
Gus and tyranuous action. Very truly
yours, w. b. FLEMING.
Judge Fleming gives some interest.
ing facts regarding mis- connections with
Mr.. Carlisle, of whom he has been
a warm friend and admirer for years,
Judge Fleming received the first init
nation of his removal from the news
napers. and saws he would not have be-
iieved it except for the fact that he had
been under orders to proceed to Savan-
nah on business of the Treasury De-
partment, and he had received Il tele-
gram ncelng the order.
81 have been assassinated in the
house of nv friend" declared Judge
Fleming. "Nsture has given the most
yenomous reptile rattle, and ordain-
ed that it shall give warning before 1t
strikes; the dog growls before it bites,
but | have been struck blow in the
dark, and without sound of warning"
According to Judge Flemiug's state
ment he hasworked tirelt s'ly to advance
the political aspirations of Mr.. Carlisle
for years. He organized the Watterson
Club in Kentucky, and declares that be
now has in his possession letter
from Mr. Carlisle addressed to him
about the time of the Kentucky State
convention in 1892, asking him to use
his Influence to see that the delegates
TO the national convention went COM
mitted to MIR. Carlisle's cauddacy for
the Presidential nomination. When
Mr.. Carlisle was rendered the Treasury
portfolio be gave Judge Fleming the
position from which he has just been
dismissed, without solicitation on the
part of Judge Fleming or anybody else.
Judge Fleming is warm friend of
Hon. Joe Black burn as we'll, and when
the Kentucky Senatorship fight came
up the question as to what course Judge
Fleming would take on the currency
question arose. Judge Fleming says
be first asked whether Mr.. Car
Isle was candidate for the
ISenate, and upon being informed in