The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-07-18

sions. They frequently attend in person
the district conventions within their ter
ritory and through their influence and
that of their subordinates effect nomina-
tions. The Hon. Thomas Settle, of Ashe-
Vile, ex-member of Congress, and the
Hon. Isaac M. Meekins, of Elizabeth City,
who have been victimized by the machi-
nations of these office holders, can furnish
you with confirmatory evidence of these
statements.
Not only are Republican conventions
controlled by this element, but the con-
ventions of their political allies, the Popu-
list, are likewise so controlled. In the
late State convention of the Populist
party many of the leading and most prom
inent and influential figures were men
holding positions to which you had APP
pointed them. While there were not as
many delegates holding Federal offices
in this convention as in the Republican
convention, they were equally as poten-
tial in shaping it's policy. and it is mat
ter of general knowledge in this State
that it is this office holding contingent in
the Populist party which has forced upon
it the unnatural compact that today
makes it to all intents and purposes a
part of the Republican party.
In every section of the State deputy
collectors, deputy marsals, deputy collec-
tors of customs, store keepers and gaug-
ers and clerks in these several depart
ments of the service are conspicuous for
their activity in local politics. Their Of
fenSive partisanship is the subject of
general remark and universal scandal.
Wherever they go in the discharge of
their duties they distribute partisan lit
erature and agitate in favor of the can
didates and policies of their party. They
attend public speakings, sometimes trav-
cling long distances to do So often go
ing out of their divisions. 1t is openly
charged that in many instances persons
engaged in the sale and manufacture of
liquor are shown leniency or treated with
harshness by these subordinates, for par
tisan reasons. Recently the Honorable
Judge of the Eastern District of North
Carolina in sentencing two negro postmas-
ters, appointed during your administra-
ton, for defalcations in office, took occa-
sion to animadvert upon the seeming eff
fort Of certain Federal officials to secure
leniency for these offenders. Since the
beginning of this campaign an attorney
charged in open court in his address to
the jury that there was an understanding
between certain Illicit distillers and the
Revenue officials, to screen the former on
account of their politics, and when the
District Attorney demanded that he give
the names of places and persons he gave
| both without the slightest hesitation.
! 1t is charged and not denied that in
many sections of the State fourth class
postmasters have been extremely and Of
fensively active in politics, discussing
! rti
fees and distributing partisan literature.
A census enumeration has just been
completed in this State. All of these
enumerators were either Republicans or
Fusion Populists. l have received hun
dreds of complaints of the offensive and
| political activity of these officers while
| engaged in the discharge of their duties
not only in the distribution of partisan
literature by them as they went
about from house to house in the dis
charge of their duties, but nfrequently in
| jecting into the inquiries which they were
required by law to make, inquiries as to
the political views and purposes of the
citizen. with reference to the political
questions now pending in this State and
in attempting to persuade, in behalf of
their party, those whose political views
they thought they might influence.
1t is also currently rumored and under
stood that the entire Federal office hold
ing body in this State, in utter disrc-
| gard Of the civil service regulations, have
! been assessed for Republican and fusion
campaign purposes. OF course / do not
pretend to know for what purpose this
money has been spent; but the enclosed
affidavit of w. Roy Somervile will show
ID,,, e l. Ill
invested. l send you this affidavit, be-
cause it establishes the charges of Of
! fensive partisanship which I have here
inbefore preferred against the Collector
of Internal Revenue and District Attorney
of the Western District, and because it
shows, if the statements Of Mr.. Somerville
| are true, a transaction not only partisan
| in it's character but, to say the least, of
! questionable morals. Your attention is
called to the fact that the affidavit shows
that they bought no interest in the prop
erty of the paper, but only bought the
opinion and conscience of it's editor.
Recently this State has been flooded
with circulars threatening the arrest of
| State election officers under warrants to
be issued by United States Commissioners,
with the approval of the Republican chair
| man as District Attorney of the Western
District and of the District Attorney of
| the Eastern District. l herewith enclose
| you one of these circulars. Strenuous
efforts have been made by the Republican
State Chairman, who is also, as l stated
before. District Attorney, to brighten
these election officers into constituting and
enforcing our State registration laws in
accordance with his views of their mean
ing, and in the interest of the party he
represents. To accomplish this result the
fact that the Chairman of the Republic
can party is also United States District
Attorney has been emphasized for the
purpose, it is believed, of suggesting the
idea that as District Attorney he could
and would invoke the authority OF the
United States Government to carry out
the threats made by him as chairman
Only a few days ago two of these regis
| trars were arrested by United States
! Marshals under warrants sworn out in
| the home town of the Western District
| Attorney and his assistant, and approved
| by the latter. When these registrars were
1 brought TO trial. although both of these
Officers were at home during the whole