The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-05-27
STOCKTON LANDS A SCoRCHER
CHIPLEY's ATTACK BRINGS A RED
HOT REPLY.


The Bankers Reply and the TRAY
Letter Spread on the journal of
the HOuse-Mr. Stockton Denies
That the TRAY Letter Was Sealed
and Says 1t Bore No Postage Stamp.
He Also States That 1t Was Handed
to Him without solicitation on His
Part-Scathing AIIusiOns Made to
Col. ChipIey Throughout the
Statement.
Tallahassee, Fla, May 26-At the OPEN
ing of the afternoon session, Mr.. Stockton
arose to a question of personal privilege
and read the following statement in re-
buttal of the charges made against him
yesterday by Col. Chipley. After a long
and stormy debate it was decided by
vote of 81 to 27 to spread Mr.. Stockton's
rejoinder, including Mr.. TRAYS letter, on
the journal.
Mr.. Christie moved to strike out this
letter, but the motion never reached a
vote. Mr.. Christie claimed that Mr.. TRAY
said the letter was sealed. to which MIR.
Stockton replied that if he had
said it, he was a liar.
The debate was participated in by many
members, and factional lines were close
| ly drawn.
The statement is as follows:
Mr.. Speaker: 1 rise to a question of
| personal privilege. In doing so l beg the
indulgence of the House, that 1 may add
| a little history that will open the eyes of
an already outraged people, and add ;m-
/ pf n oil fol
men Of the methods used by corporations,
their candidates and henchmen.
"A member of this legislature, who was
recently candidate before the people of
| the state for the high office of United
| States senator, has seen fit in the hour of
! his chagrin, disgrace and sad disappoint-
ment to use his senatorial prerogative to
| reflect upon me: and in doing so he dis
regards all parliamentary usage, and pro-
prieties of gentlemanly conduct
But Mr.. Speaker, have no i'll feeling
| towards this creature, who has used every
| mode purchasable by money, or money
| itself, to debauch the Florida legislature,
| but / simply pity him. God grant that
| all good men throw around him the man
tie of charity Let us be content; men of
his ilk will find their level. Let me say
to the late corporation candidate for the
/ United States Senate, these words: BE sure
your sin will find you out
| NOW in this statement, made by this
| creature, he has the audacity to acknowl-
| edge close personal friendship with the au-
| thor of q certain letter, and by so doing
| convinces all fair-minded and honest men
/ that the writer of this letter was not only
| his agent, but was acting by his direct
/ authority. Now, Mr.. Speaker, l will read
| the letter that has caused the defeat or
! this creature, and saved the fair name of
! Florida from disgrace.
'Leesburg, Fla, Feb. 10, 1S97-don. w.
| d. Chipley, Pensacola. Dear Colonel: In
! dications from Lake are promising so far
as the votes of McI4in and Owens. The
| last named is certain. The former has
| under advisement the situation you sug-
| gested He is painfully hard up Mr..
| McNamee indorsed his note for sixty days
| for 500. Capt Baker, 1 am informed,
| can be influenced favorably in this way
| or his son Matthew, civil engineer, well
educated and of good address. married
| Senator e. N. Dimmicks s daughter.
/ suggestion from you at the proper time
| to appoint Matthew Baker your private
| secretary, if elected, would induce Capt.
! Dimmick to work on Capt Baker and
| land him TOO. More particulars as to Lake
| in few days. Either by letter or inter-
| view l reach home this afternoon. Have
been in this section since 3rd instant. viii
| next take IN 1uludNls w III ittidAh az
| home until Feb. "A.
Yours ETC., e. ]. TRAY
CThis copy was sworn to as being in
| Mr. TRAYS handwriting by a local no
tary public9
1T has been questioned how I came
into possession of this letter. Well, my
| friends, every man and woman in the
state Of Florida knows that / was firmly
impressed with the fact that the election
of the party to whom the letter was adj
dressed would be not only blow to re-
publican form of government, but dis
grace to the intelligence, manhood and
honesty Of the people, and especially the
Florida legislature.
Think of the methods used by this can
| didate for United States senator. Free
passes, free kilograms, free whisky free
cigars, free hotel bills, free qualification
of the sensual appettes of weak men, to-
gether with powerful corporation infu-
ence. not only in this state but through
out the nation, backed by unlimited
money, and promise of future political
preferment until wei nigh every office in
the gift OF a United States senator, and
even the gift Of the people themselves,
had been parceled out in advance 10 the
hungry horde Of political mercenaries
with which this man had surrounded him
| self. This letter was handed TO me with
out solicitation on my part by a party
who had been In sympathy with thl mem
bcr who made the statement rejecting
upon me- This party stated at the time
that he did not believe IN such methods,
and felt Il his duty to put the letter In my
hands. The letter was handed TO me
without a postage stamp, and was unseal-
ed It Is ridiculous to assume that the let
ter was the property OF this member, and
his presumption In claiming this Is sim
ply characteristic OF his insatiate greed for
the property and rights OF others Where
ever the words candidate for the Uni
ted States Senate ARE used. they refer 90
that arch enemy OF the people, william
D. Chipley, ana IN closing / beg to say,
Whom the gods would destroy, they first
make mad