The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1900-11-01
Letter OF Mr.. SIMMONS IN REPLY
TO ATTACK OF MR.. C. n, VANCE
Exhibit Ct Charges Against Mr.. Simmons bys. Ohio Wilson
end John B. Hussey-Endorsemen of Mr. Simmons
by Supreme Court, Members Of Congress, Etc-Inter-
views with Senators Vance and Ransom

have ..rn shown letter written
+. W.. t.. n Vance. in which il is init
ua.-d -.ar tin" papers in the matter OF
M c1HHr.u@ non as Collector, which are
now III a.s pu>SeSSion. had been improp-
rrlg distracted from the files of the
senate Finance Committee.
Win reference to this statement of
NJ Vance. ] wish simply to say that |
lrrei'cj these papers through Senate:
Ransom Iy express i'll September. 1874,
with r.r following letter from Senator
Elu-pH'~ private secretary:
United States Senate,
Washington, sept. %, 1871.
Hon T. NJ. Simmons.
NJ Dear Sir: | send you by express
TO-DAY package Of papers which Gen.
Ransom requested me III Il letter of yes
trrlay to send YOU.
With hest wishes, | am. truly yours,
t<iucII \. BARNES.
Concerning what Mr.. Vance has 10
say about my not being for SILVER until
af;,- the people of the State became for
it. only wish to say this: That | made
my first speech for silver in 1851 at Il
public Gathering in Craven county, at
wnic. were present. among others. VIII
liam II. Oliver. of New Bern. and Sher-
if ". Il. Lane. Of Fort Barnwell, who
have advocated silver in every cam
paign in North Carolina. In 1892 l was
criticized for being more pronounced fer
Siiyc~ thIn the National platform of that
wear. In 1891. at a State executive COM
mittcn meeting in the Senate cham
her, | made a speech in which / stated
that we would not regain possession of
the State untIl our National platform de-
Jared uncruivocally for free silver. Gov.
JARVIS and the Hon. Samuel F. Patter-
s,r 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 m! person
ii character. In answer TO this, l beg
tinn Of Collector, l stated to Senator
Ransom that l would not accept it if
there was any opposition on the part of
any member of the North Carolina. d. le-
gation in Congress. and was assured by
him that there was no opposition. On
the night of that day | visited Senator
Vance ut his house. Immediately upon
his coming INTO the room. he remarked
10 me We are all for you for collector
or ANYTHING else that YOU want in North
Carolina Your services to the party
entitle YOU to it.
Sometime after my appointment. 1t be-
gam to be stated in the papers that Sen
ator Vance was opposing my cOnhrma-
tinn. | made a special trim to " ashlnS-
TON t0 see him. In conversation with
him in the Marble Room | stated to
him that L had seen some lntimatlons
in the papers that he was OnDOSlng my
confirmation: that in view of what L
had heard from the North Carolina dele
CATION and from what he had state! 70
me in his own house. | could not believe
j., and woald not believe it until | heard
il from him. He answered simmons
am not opposed to you, but Ransom is
f.hrinc nv choice for collector in the
Western District and | am bound to
f@ht back. If You will get Ransom to
withdraw the name of Kone ELIAS and
L. Gudgpr (meaning Hezekiah y. Gud-
-"rl he appointed collector in tn" West
"n District. YOU can be confirmed III
tw'ntyfonr hours
told Senator Vance I corld not con
tro that. hut I would report to Senator
Ransom what he had said, 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 difference between HIM
and Senator Ransom with reference TO
the appointment of Mr.. Gudger. Sena-
Tor Nance's opposition to MY contlrma-
ton. so far as | have ever known.
him and Senator Ransom. Senator
Vance never filed under his own sigma
tlIrc any charge whatever against me.
II he or anyone else had any charge
affecting my personal character. tn Y
have never been made known. although.
in letter which l published about this
natter after the contest over my con-
frmation arose. | asked that every
charge against me be made public. and
the charges on file were published. and
r.nr others. And l now ask if Mr..
Charles y. Vance. or anyone else. has
any charge or knows anything against
nv personal character. that he make It
public. to the end that the people may
pass upon it and that | NAV have an
opportunity to answer it. ! denounce rs
,oNardly any limitations that there are
c..a,-CS against my personal character,
without stating the charges specific.
The only charges made against me in
connection with my contrmatlo as CO..
.-.n~ are a charge fled by :. Ohio
Wilson, chairman of the PEOPLES party
Incentive committee in 1892, j. +.
WAY. member Republican executive
committee of the Fifth district. Thomas
:. Nalloy. member of the count Repuh-
l1Hn executive committee of Rocking
hHm county of that year. by John Is.
iiHS.ey, then and now 4 Republican. and
Icy Maj +. i. Hale. The charges of all
"' 'hc~c persons except Maj. Hale We're
q ruralv political character and related
entirely to Il circular issued by me as
,H"Irman of the executive committee in
lNA2, with reference to the decision IF
the Supreme Court in the case of Har-
ri, v. Scarborough. The charges made
by Maj. Hale referred to certain d fer
'nre> between him and myself with re
terence t. Tn" platform of the Demo-
cratic Congressional convention Of the
| hird district. % which | was a member.
and 10 the correspondence between Mr..
liAr"lty. chairman of the National Dem
orratic executive committee. Maj. Hale
end myself with reference to that con-
vontion.
The statement made by J. +. Wray
j. addressed TO the Hon. John Sherman
AMI other Republican senators. The
>i3tement made by Thos. S. Malloy is
a!ire>sed to the Repuhllcan Senators,
Washington. D. c. The affidavit of S
OHIO Wilson sets forth my circular let
!" referred to above and charges that it
VAS The means of suppressiug large
number of Populist votes. The state
me0t> Of Wrav and Malloy also set forth
charges that this circular was the means