The sun., 1900-06-11

statement It is not true. Mr.. A1dicks
has broken no pledges relative to his
Senatorial canvass; nor have the Union
Republicans elected to the Legislature OF
this State, broken anv anti.election
pledges in voting continuously for Mr..
Addicks as the Union Republican candi-
date for United States Senator. Mr..
Henry B. Thompson is distinctly mis-
taken when he charges the breaking OF
pledges to Union Republicans relative to
election engagements or legislative pro-
ceediags. "The distinct understanding
and pledge" was broken by his friends
in the Legislature. 1t was not as be
says but just the opposite. The under
standing grew out of the demand made
by the Union Republican county COM
mittee, that in consideration of common
primaries to assure one set OF legislative
candidates to be voted for by all Repub-
licans, the "so-called" regular Republi.
can candidates should pledge themselves
to go into Republican caucus and abide
by the result Of majority vote in that
caucus. The demand was that these
candidates join with the Union Republi-
can candidates in signing written pledges
to agree upon and vote for caucus
nominee for United States Senator. The
Uuion Republicans in the Legislature
had no alternative for which they could
abandon the caucus pledge. They made
that pledge when they accepted nomina-
tion under the Union Republican party
rules. This was known at the time the
nominations were made. 1t was because
of this rule that the proposition for sign
ed pledges was made to the so-called
regular Republican candidates, to make
a caucus of all Republicans possible, and
its decisions binding upon all those who
should take part in it. In no other way
could the Union Republicans elected to
the Legislature absolve themselves from
the obligation of their party rules. If
that could not be done, they could not
without violating the accepted obliga-
tions OF their party rules, vote for any
other than Union Republican
candidate for United States Senator,
chosen by Union Republican caucus.
All this was discussed at the time the
Union Republican county committee de-
manded pledges from all the Republican
! legislative candidates. The proposition
3 was plain one. Its purpose was plain
8 Ito secure the agreement of all Repub'
: cans elected to the Legislature, by caucus
, 80 that in case neither the Union Repub
7 licans or the Regular Republicans elected
! majority of the Legislature the two
Z could unite in caucus, agree upon can.
didate and elect him. When this propo
sition was made Mr.. Thompson's friends
: who were legislative candidates accepted
: the spirit of it. AT least they assented tc
t I it; but declined to give written pledges
: the distinct understanding being that al
. Republicans elected to the Legislature
e were to agree upon caucus nominee
i and elect him United States Senator, the
4 Union Republicans asserting to submit
d to the caucus decision in that matter j
e they were beaten, with the understand
= ing that the Regular Republicans would
4 also submit if they were beaten. Tha
i was the distinct understanding upor
: which common primaries for Republican
s legislative candidates were held in 1898
''TGis distinct understanding anC
pledge" was unscrupulously broken by
the Anti-Addicksites in the Legislature
s At the very opening OF the session they
e Joined with the Democrats to secure the
. election OF Speaker of the House o
! Representatives, and closed the session
e with an openly advertised attempt tt
: elect United States Senator with Demo
J cratic help.
Mr.. Thompson says: "AGdicks failed
and all efforts at compromise proved flu
: tile" Mr.. Addicks did not fail. He re,
! ceived majority vote Of the Republi
cans in the General Assembly, and the
largest vote cast for any candidate fol
United States Senator voted for during
y the session. That he was not elected il
true. That was not because of any fail
ure, or broken pledge on bis part, bu
! because the Anti-Addicksites repudiatet
> the distinct understanding upon which
1 l they were voted for and elected by thu
Union Republicans at the Novembe!
: election. The Union Republicans die
> not fail. They voted as they agreed tt
! vote. Every Anti-Addicks Republican
: in the Legislature owed his election tc
the Union Republicans who voted fo
him. Without the Union Republican
J vote no regular Republican could have
J been elected--the Republican victory oi
: '9S was simply Union Republican vic
y tory and nothing more. The failure tc
elect a United States Senator was tht
result of treason to the Republican
!, party on the part OF Mr.. Thompson
= friends.
: OF course all efforts at compromise