The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-02-23
Leads all Oher North Carolina ai88 in BMh News and Circulation

me so, ut the mercy of my onemeS, but
your Excellency, through it all. have
preserved something thar You perhaps
can never feel; that is Scrf-respect.
When you removed me rs Il Director and
caused your Board of Directors TO de-
prive me of my position as president
upon charges made by my personal ana
political enemies, and, of which
there has been but Il superficial and I'M
perfect investigation, you well knew THAT
a suit was pending against me, and thAt
Il judicial inquiry could alone determine
my guilt or innOcence, and being u law
yer of some reputation at the bar, you
were fully aware that to prejudice Il
case was in the highest sense un-
Just. You had frequently and publicly
declared your belief in my innocence
of the charges as alleged. You stated to
the seven Directors on the bart of the
State, when they were assembled in yOnr
presence at the Mansion on the II 'ght
of February 4th. 1893, that you did not
believe me guilty, and after polling the
directors, you ascertained that they were
unanimously of the same opinion. Since
that time no additional charges have
heen made. There have been no new
developments in the case. except that
your Excellency has perhaps ascertain
ed that | am not as Subservient to your
wishes as you would have me to be.
During the session of the Legislature
held in 1897, having great confidence in
your good Judgment / was of some
assistance to you in endeavoring to pro
cure legislation you desired, and several
times since my appointment as president
of the Atlantic and North Caroline
IN 4 r. IL
requests in the administration of the af-
fairs of the company. when my Own
judgment told me that the opposite
course would be in the interest Of the
company and the State.
This, together with the fact that
/ was dependent upon you for my posi-
ton, doubtless led you into the error
that no requirement of yours. however
absurd or infamous, would be disoosyed
by man bowed down in sorrow, n vlc-
tim of unrelenting political malignity,
blackmailed by personal foes, you have
been disappointed, so long as your wish
es could be obeyed without the secrifice
OF my personal honor.
Il was your servant, but when you
delivered your ultlmatum, ON the 18th
day of January, that | should make
violent assault and battery upon the
person of Josephus Daniels, editor of the
News and Observer, and retain my posi-
ton, otherwise | should lose it, / felt
that indeed you were trespassing upon
sacred grounds.
II was competed to decline to con-
tinue in position purchased at 50 great
cost. endeayo=ed to move YOU to
sense of instice because / was fully
cognizant of the effect lGy removal wouid
have upon the charges against me, but
/ have found that Your seltishnese has
destroyed your sense o. justice anu that
gratitude is a sentiment unknown TO
yOu.
Subsequently / have received several
messages from yCu iE1irccfly urging tlis
violation of law, n orL"r, douh::css,
that your private thirst for revenge
might be satisfied ana each message
contained M aSsIraLoe that this act
would be absllut guarantee Of my ~
tention II ofi.C but, yong EXceilency.
| decline to be your unscrupulous tool,
and however great the cost, am thank
ful that my manhood repelled the temp
tation-even in my present unfortunate
condition.
There is no one who knows me, your
Excellencs, will doubt my personal c0nr-
age among my own people, not one of my
enemies will believe that 1 was ever
afraid to vindicate my personal honor
with any man; $50 u suggestion of cow
ardice will not help You.
I'm conclusion / desire to say that IN
these charges / have used no names of
third parties, because L do not desire
to injure those who are my friends,
while, at the same time, they have act
ed as messengers for you: but if you
deny that you suggested the outrageous
alternative published in this Letter, l as
sure you that / have full and ample
proof to subStantiate my statement.
(Signed.) "ROBERT HANCOCK"
This letter has caused great indigna
ton here against the Governor, and
quite revolution of feeling in Han
cocks favor
There can be no doubt as to the truth
of the charges Mr. Hancock makes
against the Governor. He has it, he
says, in black and white. The Journal
tomorrow morning will say ed;torially:
In all the annals of political debauch-
cry in this or any other State, nothing APP
pr0aches the demand of Governor Rus
sell, as accused by Robert Hancock.
If such a course were pursued to- secure
revenge by the lowest criminal, it would
be shocking, but for the chief executive
of a sovereign State to descend to such
revolving depths, if the accusation is
proven true, passes human conception.
That North Carolina is to be under the
rule of such man as Russell, who would
keep men in office only upon their be-
coming thugs to MAIN or even kill at his
behest, is enough to cause social disorder
and choas, and nothing remains for the
people of North Carolina except to take
immediate action to discover the truth
or falfsity of Hancock's terrible accusa-
ton"
The best opinion is that it settles be-
yond all question the impeachment of
Russell by the next Legislature.
FRED l.. MERRITT.