The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1900-11-02

n " NNI me- Va
the senate finance committee.
With reference to this statement of
Mr.. Vance, i wish simply to say that
1 received these papers through sem
ator Ransom by express in September,
1894, with the following letter from
Senator Ransoms's private secretary:
United States Senate,
Washington, D.. c., Sept. 20, 1894
Hon. T. NJ. Simmons,
My Dear Sir:-I send you by express
today a package Of papers which Gen
eral Ransom requested me in a letter
of yesterday to send to you.
With best wishes. 1 am
Truly yours.
(Signed) "A. BARNES"
Concerning what Mr.. Vance has to
sslcbout my not being for silver until
the people of the state became
va only wish to say this: That I
made my first speech for silver in 1891
at a public gathering in Craven county,
at which were present, among others,
William H. Oliver. of New Bern, and
nSheriff w. B. Lane, of Fort Barnwell,
SKhO well remember this speech. Since
then 1 have advocated silver in every
campaign in North Carolina. In 1892
l. was cr1J1ClSSO Tor DelnR more pro-
nounced for silver than the national
platform of that year. In 1894, at a
state executive committee meeting in
the senate chamber, 1 made a speech
in which I stated that We would not re-
gain possession of the state until our
national platform declared ~unequivo-
ca1ly for free silver. Governor Jarvis
and the Hon. Samuel F. Patterson have
a distinct recollection of this speech.
Mr.. Vance intimates in his letter that
his fathers opposition to me was based
upon grounds rejecting upon my per-
sOnal character. In answer to this, I
beg to say when l was first offered the
position of collector. L stated to SEN
ator Ransom that l would not accept
1T if there was any opposition on the
part of any member of the North Caro-
lima delegation in congress-, and was as
sured by him that there was no oppo-
sitiOn. On the night of that day l Wis
tied Senator Vance at his house. I'm
mediately upon his coming into the
room, he remarked to me: I'VE are
all for o for collector or anything
else that you want in North Carolina.
Your services to the Darty entitle You
to it,"
Some time after my appoin ,ment. Il
began to be stated in the papers that
'0 ERS1A-S A8I 49,
frmatiOn. I made q special trip to
Washington to see him In a conver-
patton with him in the Marble Room,
stated to him that / had seen some
limitations in the papers that he was
syPosing my confirmation: that in view
hat / had heard from the MORT:
carolina delegation ana from What he
had stated to me in his own house. I
could not believe it. and would not pc
lieve it until / heard it from him. He
answered. "sSimmOnG am M On
p1sed to you. but Ransom is fighting
Nmy choice for the collector in the west
ern district and L am bound To figh-
baC If you Will get Ransom 40 with
draw the name of KOBE Elias and let
Gudger (meaning Hezekiah A. Gudger)
be appointed collector in the western
district, you can be confirmed in TWEEN
ty-four hours" I-told Senator Vance
I could not control that. but l would
4 report what he had said to Senator
Ransom, and this / did.
Every member of the North carolina
delegation knows that Senator Vance
was in favor of my appointment Up to
the time of the differences between him
and Senator Ransom with reference to
the appointment of Mr.. Gudger. Sen
atOr Vance's opposition to my confir-
nation, so far as 1 have ever known
sprung out OF these differences be-
tween him and Senator Ransom. Sen
atOr Vance never filed under his owl
signature any charge whatever againS
me. If he or any one else had any
charges affecting my personal charaC-
ter they have never been made known
although in a letter which ! published
abOu this matter, after the confess
over my confirmation arose, I asked
that every charge against me be made
public. and the charges on file were
published and none others. AMI ! nov
ask if Mr.. Charles N. Vance. OF any OF,
else, has any charge or knows any
thing against my personal character
that he make it public. to the end tina
the people may pass upon it and that
may have an opportunity to answer il
denounce as cowardly any intima
4tionS that there are charges against m,
Aersonal character without stating tn
VNharges specifically.
The only charges made against me il
connection with my confirmation as col
lector are q charge flied by ). 9th,
AWilSon, chairman of the Peoples part.
executive committee in 1892 j.. F
Wray. member republican executive
committee OF the fifth district, Thoma
s. MaIloy. member of the county re
publican executive committee of Rock
ingham county Of that year. by Johl
B. HusSey, then and now a republican
and by Major E. ]. Hale. The charge
of all of these persons except Majo
Hale We're Of a purely political charac
ter and related entirely TO a circular is
sued by me as chairman of the execu
tive committee in 1892. with referenc
to the decision OF the supreme court :
the case of Harris rs. Scarborough
The charges made by Major Hale re
ferred to certain differences betwee
him and myself with reference to tn
platform OF the democratic congreS
sional convention of the Third distric
Of which / was a member, and 70 tn
correspondence between MIR. Harrit.
chairman of the national Democrat
executive committee. Major Hal, an
myself with reference to thai CONVEX
ton. =
The statement made by ]. F. Wra
is addressed Ito the Hon. John She
man and other republican seaato.s
The statement made by Thomas
Malloy is addressed Ito republican SCI
ators, Washington. L. c." The afids