Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1835-09-24
From the Providence Journal
t.Nr. Burgess Letter in reply to ID. JPearee. ]
PROVIDENCE, Sept. 9th, 1895.


PRovIDENcE, Sept OH, 1885.
Messrs Miller g. Paine,
You have doubtless read the letter Of the
Hon. ID. J. Pearce, addressed to w. Simons,
Esqr. and printed by him, in the Herald, on
the morning of the 24th August last. That
letter was so 'rdeiiy like The tcriter Of it,, that
at once ] concluded no man, in this State or
any other, would believe it required any an
swer from me. Since then, and very lately,
have been told, that one honest man has
said he shall believe the statements Of this
letter. unless they are contradicted by me-
This man is my old, and highly respected
friend, Col. Flavel Patterson, of Scituate. If
could see the Col. which is not very prob
able, as he has become my political ADVERSE
ry, ] could soon satisfy him, that the Hon.
Mr. Pearce has this summer, in his letter con-
cerning me, fully sustained that character for
truth, which the Hon. E. r. Potter, the last
summer, proved this Hon. gentleman so well
deserved, for his public statements concern
ing the letter Of Mr.. John Lowell TO him.
Col. Patterson cannot wish me either to cali
his honorable friend liar, or to prove him one.
What must be required to tell a man he is
liar, when he airtady k,iOios it full as well as
do myself? Does he expect me 10 prOue
that gentlemen to be liar and scoundrel,
when no man in the nation has done so much
to deserve that character, and when no one
seems to question his title to the whole infa-
my of such an acquisition?
1t is not my purpose to reply at large to the
letter Of Mr.. Pearce, at this time; and should
not now, or perhaps ever, have noticed it; but
for the respect feel for the gentleman to
whom have alluded. Among host Of false
hoods, find two truths in that letter. He
says that am an old man. This is true; and,
if that be crime, am guilty. He SO freely
abuses me for this error Of my life, that, one
would think, he Intends among all his delin-
quences, never to fall into this; and, to do
him Justice, he may be assured, that if his re-
er be guilty Of the sin of old age. Should this,
however, not be the case, and he should ar
rive at the age of sxty-fve, no one, unless
he should do it himself, will ever rebuke him
for that offence; for he is, believe, the only
man alive, who ever reproached any man for
being old; and he will certainly be as con-
temptible then as he is Infamous now.
/ In relation to my imperfect health, Mr..
Pearce has accused me with much truth
When left the plough and the cooper's shop,
at twenty -one, for a course of study, the
change was so great from a very laborious to
very sedentary life, for many years my
health was almost sacrificed. While in the
practice of law for more than 20 years prev
ous to 1925, such was the force Of a heredi-
tary complaint that was compelled to sleep,
if did sleep, in my chair for ut least two
nights in every two weeks. During all that
time. those who employed ME, will remember
whether ever neglected their business, or
ever gave forked counsel, or was concerned
on more than one side ofa case, or betrayed
facts professionally committed to me in con-
fdcnce Since being in the public service,
my health has been more firm than for twen-
ty years before; and for the last two years,
have never, since twenty-one years OF age,
been blest with health so firm and continued
do not say this to palliate or excuse the
fault of being sometimes sick. All do say
is, that fully believe neither the public or
any individual, has suffered loss by my neg
lect while have been suffering pain, on
bed of sickness.
The Hon. Mr.. Pearce certainly may in this
matter have the advantage Of me. My com
plants are SO chronic as to be almost consti-
tutional; while his are temporary and merely
habitual. Mine often require the advice OF
physician and the aid of medicine; his, no
matter how bad he may be over night, are
always carried off the next morning by stifi
dose from "ihe hair ofthe same dog"
| The time when a member OF Congress
takes his seat in the House, is recorded In
the journal; and the amount, received by him.
for compensation, is recorded in the account
of annual expenditure. Both these records
are annually published; and the Hon. MIR.
Pearce can neither alter or falsify them by
certificates or afiidavits. BY the journal It aP-
pears that ION Thursday, Dec. D, 1893. from
X. Island, D,tee J. Pedrce appeared and tooe
his scat" The session commenced on Mon
day; and by the same journal Mr.. Burgess 1t
appears took his seat on that day. Mr.. Pearce
saws he did not arrive in Washington until
Congress had been IN session f,co days; nor
then until Congress had for that day dgou'7,-
ed. Why does Mr.. Pearce not say, he took
his scat on the 4th day OF the session. sim
ply,I believe, because 1t would have oeen true.
II was ut this session the Hon. gentleman
received his duplicate compensation. ne re-
cord must have been before him when he
wrote his letter; but yet he, In that letter,
stoutly denies the fact. Let MN send tn's
record to his friend Simons. lie viii there
read, that Dutee ]. Pesrce, at the first session
of that Congress, received fico hundred and
! fj,v-t,co dollars and eighty cents more than
Tristan Burgess received.
The Hon. gentleman says Mr.. Burgess
claimed the sane amount. This is not true;
but if il we're, what then? Was i dishonest
for Burgess to claim, and was It honest 10.
Pearce to receive this amounp Burges nso
attended three days more, and travelled, go
ing and returning, sixty miles iar'nsr p .na"
Pearce. The Hon. gentleman says mr. Dur
ges ought to blush when no shs nase see 40 ... Ca
/ ,i6ca,e of his own claim for this S2Sz c',; aho
ve, the Uon, Dutee J. has pocketed TINS a.
-, ub;le no either denies or justifcs tho
Jocd What now can change the eognac