Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-02-10
Refuses Virginians Permission
to Use Name as Presidential
Candidate.
OUT OF POLITICS, HE SAYS,
| IN LETTER TO Mr.. SLEMP
Also Denies knowledge of Alleged
Hitchcock Activities Among Old
Dominion Republicans.

Justice hughes of the Supreme Court
of the United States has written a let
ter to Representative Bascom Slemp
Of Virginia reiterating his former de-
nand that his name shall not be used in
connection with the presidential nomi-
nation. The letter was called forth b."
4 communication from Mr. Slemp, in
which he charged that Frank H. Hitch
cock, former Postmaster General. was
"ounding up delegates for Mr.. Hughes
in the south and incidentally was en-
barrassing Mr.. Slemp by placing him
in the attitude of seeming to oppose
Mr.. Hughes.
MIR. Slemp. who is chairman of the
Virginia republican state committee.
wrote to Mr.. Justice Hughes as fol-
lows:
II take the liberty of writing to you
in regard to political situation that
has developed in the state of Virginia.
Conventions are called in the state to
select delegates to attend the repubi-
can national convention at Chicago
June Z. The state convention is called
FOR Roanoke March 90, the district con-
ventions at various times and places in
| respective ulStrlCCS.
For Unrestricted Delegation.
There is general feeling in the
state that the delegates in the state
should go to the national convention
unnstructed. and there, with the re-
publicans from the other states in the
Union, assist in selecting the most
available man as candidate. / am
of n
member of Congress from the only re-
publican district in the state.
About ten days ago movement
started in the state. directed from New
York city. by Frank II. Hitchcock. former
Postmaster General, favoring you as a
republican nominee. He has secured
around him in our state few of his
old appointees. r. f. Cabell. former
commissioner of internal revenue. now
living at Richmond. Va: Il. A. Davis.
postmaster under Mr.. Hitchcock. at
Rocky Mount. and S. Brown Allen,
former postmaster at Stanton. va.
1" II inclose you copy of a letter writ
ten by Col. S. Brown Allen, to one OF
my friends, who forwarded the same to
ME. In this letter is explained move
n@nt by Mr. Hitchcock. and 7 have
other letters of similar character.
Dispenser of Patronage.
js'You will observe 1t advocates an at
tack on me. as state chairman, and the
organization, generally. with the state
ment that Mr.. Hitchcock is to be chair
man of the national committee. and
again Postmaster General. therefore
the dispenser of patronage, and that
those who indorse his views and sup
port you as presidential candidate will
receive commensurate consideration
afterward.
II am not willing that I should be
placed in the attitude of opposing you
as a candidate for the presidency. and
that is the view of thousands of re-
publicans in our state; neither do
think it Is right for a fight to be in
augurated in our state against mo and
others, upon the supposition that we
oppose you.
II am writing you at the earliest
moment to acquaint you of the situa-
ton that has so recently developed
under your name, and at the same time
to assure you that there has been no
where j.: our state. but. on the con-
trary, the greatest admiration and
friendship exists for you.
VERY respectfully.
February 3, 1915"
Justice Hughes Reply.
JUSTICE f1uSae6 replied.
my Dear Mr.. Slemp: Your letter OF
February has been received. I am
entirely out of politics, and know moth
ing whatever Of the matters to which
you refer. I am totally opposed to the
use of my name in connection with the
nomination, and to the selection or in
struction of any delegates in my in
terests. either directly or remotely.
VERY sincerely yours.
CHARLES E. HUGHES"
The letter which Representative
Slemp Enclosed in his communication
ito Justice Hughes, which was written
to an unnamed friend of the Virginian
by g. Brown Allen. former postmaster
at Staunton, was also made public. AL
len wrote that he had been called on
the long telephone from New
York by Mr.. Hitchcock and advised fo
go to Richmond to confer with Mr..
Cabell.
Col. Aliens Letter.
Mr.. Cabell laid before me the cam
paign." Aliens letter said, (which is
as follows:
THE friends Of Justice Hughes. with
Gov. Whitman at the head. got to-
gether and sent to Mr.. Hitchcock, who