The native American., 1839-02-09
i,HE NATIVE AMERICAN.
ICoMMuHICATEr


,,bl;sbed an answer 10 it, in which mere was
orea, Injustice done me. Not doubling LOT d ii'o-
mont hut the Editors would allow me an opPof'u-
nitv of placing myself in my true posi'ioh Deioie
the nubc. | wrote reply, and carried itlnperson
~ them After leaving il with them SUM-
c;ept time to make up their minds whether
to pubsh it, and not receiving satsiacto-
rv answer, withdrew it. l have since applied
to the Editor of another paper in Baltimore to
publish it, who, for satisfactory reasons, declined
doing SO, and thinking that an application to any
other paper in Baltimore might possibly be attend
ed with a similar result, have concluded 1t best
to publish nv vindicaon in one OF our own pa
pers, and as the controversy originated IN the Ma
tive American, ] send it to you for publication.
TO the Editors of the Baltimore american:
Gentlemen: The remarks made by you, short
time since, in reply 10 what had appeared in sew
era] newspapers relative to the raising of the
Statue of Washington on the Monument, compel
me to come before the Public, and state facts OF
which find You are perfectly uniformed. 1t Is
a duty | owe myself to do so, and it will afford
me much pleasure in laying before you all the
particulars connected with the elevation of the
Statue, to make matters plain. shall therefore
get my ship under way from point A, and bring
her up all standing in the harbor Of 4. where
hope to hear that all those who have inspected my
Log-Book, will do me the justice TO say its con-
tents were essentially necessary, having for lis
object naught but justice to myself, and all who
had any connection with the affair.
Early in the month of October, 1929, Mr.. Ro-
bert Mills, mol resident Of this City, called at
the Office to Which | was then and am still at
tached, to see a friend of his i'll the same room
with mysef; after having passed the usual COM
plimens, Mr. Ms friend asked him where he
was bound? His answer was, 10 Baltimore, 10
procure person to get the Statue of Washington
on the Monument. Mr.. Mills friend then OBJ
served that lie had better take the Captain with
him, pointing to me at my desk, saying that if
any one could get it up, could. Mr.. Mills then
addressed me upon the subject, and | asked him
whether he had devised any plan for raising the
Statue? H said he had, and opened roll of
paper presenting draught of his plan, which
condemned, and in a few minutes convinced him
that it was entirely futile, presenting as ii did,
not the smallest prospect of accomplishing he
object he had in view. | then made rough
sketch in pencil Of the plan | made use Of for
elevating the Statue, not knowing at the time that
it was in three pieces On my arrival at Balti-
more, found it was, and consequently made use
of smaller blocks and fails than those brought from
the Navy Y ard at Washington. When asked
Mr.. Mills what he supposed it would cost to get
the Statue up, he answered $500. told hlm he
had better say 81, 500! Mr.. NJ. startled at the
enormous estimate had made, and left this City
for Baltimore in hopes to procure person 10 I'M
dertake the task, hut without success. Mr.. NJ.
returned in few days, called Oil me, and observed
he had made arrangement with the Sculptor to
get the Statue up for $3.50. | told him he had
made bad bargain of it,, and would inevitably
sink money Mr.. M. then asked me if ! would
90 and put i,up-my reply was this: as you are
an old acquaintance Of my fathers, I will, as
friend, 90 to Baltimore, and place the Statue on
the Monument, you to pay me $500 ana my eX-
penses-beng under the impression that Mr.. NJ.
was to receive $3.50 from the Sculptor, instead Of
800, which found to be the fact on my arrival
at Baltimore. Previous 10 leaving this City, l
asked him for money to pay my expenses to b.,
and the freight of the blocks and falls. He said
he had no cash TO spare except three dollars; but
when he got to B. he would have all the cash ne
cessary for the job. | am very sorry to say that
this also was not the fact for when III Is. found
he had to borrow, know not where, or of whom,
cash sufficient to pay the workmen. AS proof
of which, when asked him for the means to pay
them, to my utter establishment he Observed can
they not wait until the Statue is up! then told
nm plainly, lllal Ill he dlu MOI supply me Will
cash to pay the Riggers every Saturday. would
drop the undertaking. Mr. Mills, through the
assistance Of some friend, did make out 10 supply
me with money enough 10 pay the workmen every
Saturday. As regards myself, | paid my own
expenses out Of $500, which is all that | received
from him: but not until the job was complt ted.
few days after / had commenced my opera
tons, my friend, the late James Ramsey, Esqr.,
OF Fel's Point introduced me TO one of your
most respectable citizens, the late Robert Barry,
to whom am much indebted for his unlimited
friendship during my stay in your City. Mr.
B. observed .'lhat if he had been acquainted with
me, he would have written to me to come to Bal
tmore with my plan Patented for raising the Sta
tue, and would have insured me 7, 10, yes, 81 o.
600, as all the plans presented, excepting my
own, had been condemned; FOR the citizens of
Baltimore would have the Statue up. cos, what it
might ! have not the pleasure Of know ing the
Gentleman with whom had long conversation
in describing the plan | was about 10 pursue for
getting the Statue on the Monument 1t afforded
me pleasure to explain my plan 10 this stranger
10 me, (but citizen Of your City, as found him
to be Gentleman possessing much mechanical
bts 4 4