The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1898-01-12
The Strong Flight Made Against The Ap-
p0lntnent of Mr.. Burroughs.
some VERY SPICY LETTERS IN THE CASE
Addressed 10 National Commltteenan
seOts and TO President mckinley
Tho Certain Charges ns to Charac~
ter and as 10 Inhuence-sIr. Bows
dem VIII Have Hard Tnsk to Pull
HE MAN Through.
Washington. D. Z, Jan. Ii, 1898.

Is Ex-Congressman Bowden, while he
has been eminently successful SO far in
banding his candidates sor Office in the
Sencond Congressional DISTRICT may
strike snag in the matter of Mr.. Bur-
roughs, his candidate for postmaster o.,
Portsmouth. AT any rate the oppos l.
tlon to Burroughs is not weakening but
seems only to have bucxled on their
armor for fight to the finish.
Recognizing, as all must, that Inter
national Revenue Commissioner Scott,
who Is also National Committeeman
< from West Virginia, and had charge Of
the Virginia campaign for Mckinley, is
+ consulted by the President on Virginia
appointments, the opponents of Mr..
Burroughs have appealed to Mr.. Scott
TO defeat his appointment, as is shown
by the following letter received by Mr..
Scott this morning. 1t makes racy
reading:
Portsmouth, Va, Jan s. 1898.
no the Hon. N. b. Scott, Washington,
Il D. G.
Dear Strive, the undersigned,
residents of the City Of Portsmouth,
and Republican voters, understanding
that matters relating to Federal pat
ronage in Virginia are submitted to
you and generally, If not always, dis
posed Of in accordance with your con-
sympathy with that sentiment which
pervades the best element of the party
throughout the country. viz: that no
man should he appointcd to hold office
who will, not only not cast n stigma
upon, but none the less vigorously,
protest against the nomination for up
pointnent of Samuel L. Burroughs as
postmaster OF this city, as man with
out character OF standing In the COM
munity. with no reputable endorse
ment and utterly distasteful to all
good people, without regard to party
q man whose appointment would he
promptly resented, and would work to
the serious and lasting injury here and
around us. of the party appointing him.
In support of our protest we beg to
submit the enclosed list of charges, the
truth of which, and others equally as
serious, can be easily verified by n
causal investigations; but which we
and many of our most honorable citi-
/ gems stand ready to substantiate by the
MOST positive proof before any impair
tial individual or committee.
In conclusion we would state that tho
charges above referred to have been
submitted to four distinguished NOM
6ers of the United States Senate, two
of them being Republicans and two
Democrats; who being thoroughly con-
WINGED of their truth, have declared
their Intention to exert their most Wig
orous opposition to the confirmation of
said Burroughs, should his name he
presented to the Senate.
Respectfully
WILLIAM T. DOLAN
THOMAS O. ROURKE,
p. J. LYONS,
WM. T. SPIlLERS,
c. G. CANOVAN,
-. ]. f. FRAIVELEY,
J. T. MURPHY,
J. +. REAGAN
Committee
Not contented with laying their case
before Mr.. Scott. the opponents of Mr..
Burroughs have addressed the fouu
tain head, and sent n letter to the
President, which is now on file with
Postmaster General Gary and will fig
ure in the record when the Portsmouth
postmastership is taken UP for appoint
ment and In case Burroughs name Is
sent In, will figure in the executive ses-
sion of the Senate when his name
comes up for confirmation. In this let
ter much dirty linen is washed in pub
tic 1t reads:
Portsmouth, Va, Oct, =, 1897.
TO His EXcellency, VIM. MCKINLEY.
President of the United States, Wash
ington, D. c.
In the matter of the Portsmouth, Va,
postinastership and the appointment OF
a successor to the present incumbent
we, the undersigned, who are Republi-
cans, and also residents OF this city,
without intending malice or injustice
TO anyone, but simply that Republicans
OF oil grades of prominence generally
inside and outside of Virginia, and the
appointing powers especially, may
have, before taking action. a true
statement or facts before them. and I'M
derstand the case as It IS, and thus
avoid doing grave injury, not only to
the party at large in Portsmouth. as
we'll as to the community by allowing
hr. Samuel l.. Burroughs q persistcn I
candidate for the position to take IN
unfair and unjust advantage of alleged
claims and circumstances which are in
the main utterly untrue, and to which
ne would not he entitled, IL true. re-
spectfully desire to lay before you the
following statement of facts:
l. Personally, the standing OF Mr.
burroughs in the community is indif-
ferent, TO say the least. He is utterly
without credit in the community. and
lacks the confidence Of the people by
whom he Is surrounded, having been
repeatedly warranted without success.
Cor small claims, and the judgments
stand against him. Hence 1t is impossl-
Die for him to get any kind of certifi-
cate OF character from any reputable
person here. irrespective of party or
politics, nor has he attempted to do so.
z. politically, Gir. Burroughs Is a
man OF little or no standing or in
fluence, either within his own party mr.
out of 1t. He has not and cannot yet
endorsement from the active, intelli-
gent influential and reputable members