Norwich bulletin. [volume] (Norwich, Conn.) 1895-2011, 1915-04-23

Aoy 1dCuSS, N. II April ZZ.Dlu6U
dore Roosevelt, former president of
the United States, spent five strenuous
hours under cross examination in the
court here today. He admit
ted without any hesitation that he had
verbally and in writing discussed with
bosses" the questions of securing the
nomination for governor Of the state
of New York
He identified as being his a letter
he wrote to Lemuel E. Quigg of New
York, republican leader, and now a
delegate to the state constitutional
in Quiggs' assurances to Former
United States Senator Thomas c.
Platt that he would, in the event of
his election respect the senator's po-
sition as head of the republican party
and would Consult with him freely
Quigss' Letter.
Mr.. Quiggs' letter to Colonel Roose-
September 10, 1898.
Hon. Theodore Roosevelt, Camp
Wickof, Montauk, N. Y
My Dear Mr.. Roosevelt: The SEN
ator (Plat0 thinks that you should
come to New York on Wednesday or
Thursday of next week. The senator
says that he is going to make one
more effort to induce Governor Black
~ "4Il1O1 el"s I1S dOSS IiOI lIlc1l
he will offer him any terms. but SIM
ply that he will try to convince him
that in justice to himself, not less
than the republican party, he should
get out of the way. All these stories
that you may have read about at
tempted dickers with Black by which
as the price of withdrawal, he is to
be sent to the senate. are falsehoods.
No other consideration has been at
any time suggested to him than that
he is not the man for this particular
occasion.
And now he CPlatt) has made up
his mind and is ready to take his po-
SitiOn. Perhaps since interview
with him is so shortly taken place
with him. it might be well for me to
repeat to you precisely the report 1
made him of your attitude on my
return from Montauk.
What Would Be Expected.
81 told him that you said that you
would like to be nominated, that you
understood perfectly that if you were
nominated it would be as a result of
his support; that you were not the
sort of man who would accept a nom
ination directly out of the hands of
the organization without realizing the
obligations thereby assumed to sus-
tain the organization and to promote
and uDhld 1t; and that you were per-
fectly prepared to meet the obligation
and to discharge it justly; that If you
were governor, you would not wish
to be anything else than governor;
that you would not wish to be a fig
urehead or accept any position before
the public or in your own mind which
was not in keeping with the dignity
Of the Office or which would not al
low you to discharge your duties in
the light of your judgment and con-
science but that you would take the
II Q1sL II,
to act the part of his friend personally
and politically, to acknowledge and
respect his position as the head Of
the republican organization and as the
republican senator from the state of
New York: that you would not be led
into any factiona1 opposition to the
organization, but that on the con-
trary you would aim constantly to
make your interests Identical with the
public interests; that you would con-
suit with the senator freely and fully
On all important matters.
Consult to Preserve Harmony.
II said that you would adopt no
line of politics and agree to no i'm
portant matter or nomination without
previous consultation and that you
wanted him to agree to the same thing
on his part, so that both you and he
could meet in consultation with minds
free and open. each intending to reach
a conclusion satisfactory to both. and
in that way to preserve absolute har-
mony in the organization and among
the supporters of the party.
IT told him that you said that you
did not mean by this that you would
have everything that was wanted pre-
cisely as it might be originally sGg-
gested, but that you did mean in good
faith and honest friendship to enter
with him upon the consideration Of
all matters proposed, without preju-
dice and without intention to reach
a conclusion with the senator no less
than yourself would deem wisest and
best. 1 told him that you said that
Mr. Odell or some man of similar po-
sition near you in Albany. in order
to facilitate intercourse and for the
purpose of supplying general infor-
nation about the conditions of the
state and finally that while in the
have to act on your best Judgment
and in the light of your OATH. you
would seek with him to keep the par
ty united and the organization intact.
Sort of Warning.
please not feel annoyed with me if
I do little preaching. Even in my
short period Of observation, have seen
so many able men who have brought
themselves forward to important and
powerful positions finally down and
wander off into political retirement
that have looked into the cause of il
and have always found substantially
the same state of facts. They have
been brought forward by the organiza-
ton, promoted by the organization
supported by the organization. Until
the idea became virtually fixed in their
minds that they were the whole
thing This notion, first inspired by
mugwump fattery and then expanded
by their own ambitions. has carried
them into nnnositian with Senator