Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1854-06-24
LETTER FROM GEN. B. N. EDNEY.

SIR: received last evening letter from the Sec
rotary of State informing me that your attention nad
been called to letter bearing my name dated Lou
isyille KY. 22d of September, 1852. The Secretary
adds that he is directed by your Excelency to IN
form me that to afford me an opportunity of Offering
explanations in reference to the same, the final
consideration of my appointment Charge de AT
flares to Guatemala is postponed till Monday next at
half past ten o'clock, A. M.
I regret Sir, that the Secretary of State did not
also think proper to inform me in what manner and
by whom your Exceencys attention had been called
to that letter Some Of the facts which am about to
state may however furnish explanation OF his rca
sen for withholding the names of my accusers ana
the precise form of their attack Though lett IN the
dark these points by the Secretary, am not
fortunately without information derived from other
sources. / have been given to understand that iast
week, three of the North Carolina Representatives
were engaged in demanding my recall on account Oh
this letter 7 refer to the Hon. Edward Stanly, the
Hon. Alfred Dockery, and the Hon. james l.
Morehead.
The first of them, was informed had prepared
letter to that effect containing as an exhibit the fag
letter Though 1 do not know that this paper has
been presented to your Excellency, yet presume
such has been the fact AT any rate can do no IN
Justice to these gentlemen if should treat thcm as
nv accuserS on the present occasion.
/ desire, however Mr.. President, (before entering
into an explanation of the circumstances under which
/ addressed letter to John A. Fagg) to briefly ad,
vert to some preliminary matters, whlch occurred
during my stay here last summer, and which In my
Judgment have given rise to all the charges that have
been preferred against me.
After nv return to this City from the Baltimore
Convention in the latter part of June, and after
had visited Philadelphia, New York, and Brooklyn,
where had made public Speeches in favor OF Gen.
Scott and William A. Graham-my friends present
ed my name to your Excellency for the appointment
of Charge, some time in the early part OF July.
Some DAYS elapsed without any action on your part,
during which time my immediate personal friends
were acting in my behalf At that time there was
and excited contest going on in North Carroll
ma between John Kerr and David s. Reid for Govern
or in which portion of the North Carolina delega-
ton took deep interest viz the Hon. Edward
Stanly, the Hon. Alfred Dockery, and the Hon. JAS
r. Morehead-all of whom urged me warmly from
time to time to give up every thing that detained me
here, and go Immediately home and enter the can
vass in Clngmans District that could render more
efficient aid than any in the whole State. L
replied had every disposition to do So yet could
not as my name was before your Excellency for an
appointment, but the moment my fate was decided
would 60 directly home and make as bold a canvass
as could. On one occasion, in conversation with
those two last named gentlemen they suggested with
q view of facilitating things, and to enable me to
leave at once that if they would join in recommen-
dation in my behalf to your Excellency it would be
of service to me. Accordingly Mr.. Morehead sat
down and drew up handsome and complimentary
letter. recommending me to your favorable considc-
ration for whatever Office my more immediate friends
might suggest The Chargeship to Rome was talked
of it being supposed there would be removal of
the incumbent. Though my preference was for
Rome, Denmark, some other European appoint
ment yet was willing to accept that to Guateuiaia
Thus it that he left the matter for the eonside
ration of my immediate friends. When the letter
prepared he signed it and read it over to GenI
Dockery, who signed it also, and afterwards the
names of some others of the delegation prOcur-
ed. Each of them then urged me to act promptly,
and have the matter decided as possible, for
it was all important should be off home, and that
they would have prepared some four or six bags OF
SCOTS Pictorial Lifc-that might hire wagon at
Raleigh, and have them distributed advantageous.y
rs I passed up through the State. ! co-operated
with them for several days. and backed documents,
and furnished them many names in my region of the
State, to whom they sent SCOTS life.
All three of these gentlemen, every day I met
them, urged me to go and enter the canvass that
Kerr needed help, particularly in Clingman's Dis
ric that his depended on that District; and
that if would go and enter zeaousy into it could
carry every thing before me, as was Delegate
just from the Baltimore Convention. That Clingman
would not render them any aid nor furnish them
with his list of names to enable them tie send docu
ments to the District that they had mainly to rely
upon me- and that must not linger longer here.
still replied the could find out my fate as
to my present application would comply with their
request, for was anxious any of them to get
off home and enter the canvass. Some days after
mentioned to Mr.. Morehead that had made up my |
mind to press for the Office at Guatemala and that
the Hon. William A. Graham could be of great SER
viceto me if he would interest himself in my behalf
with the President as he member of the Cabi-
net Vie said he would go and see Mr.. Graham and |
ask him to aid me, which he did the next day. as he
informed me, and walked from his room with |
Mr.. Graham up the City, and that Mr.. Graham pro-
missed him he would do so Immediately. The mat |
ter went few days this way and was still aid |
ing and sending documents, and made an effort at |
their request to procure Mr. Clingmans of Names
who told me to say that his District had been food
ed from time to time with attacks on him franked by
of these gentlemen and that such lists onames
as they already had that enabled them to do this
must answer their present purpose and that there
fore he refused to lend them his list of names.
They became more and more impatient for my de-
parture but remarked them in several converse
tons that had lived just long enough to know that
If did not attend to my own business one else
would for me.
One evening, after night, I met the Hon. Edward
Stanly on the Avenue between the National and Mrs
stopped me and said, if would go
home, eleconecr and the District thoroughly
or Kerr, the Committee would raise three or four
hundred dollars and give to electioneer on told
him would go soon got answer from your
Exceency. | made reply to his proposition to
give me money to electioneer upon. He said he
would see me again. A day two after, Gen. Dock
Try made the same proposition, saying the committee
would raise money enough to bear my expenses and
Jay all charges, if l would go home Immediately
hat he had just gotten letter from my brother-in-
aw, asking for documents-that Kerr would sweep
very thing, and that must be right off. In the
anne conversation Mr.. Stany urged me to accept
he money-that there was nothing wrong in it
hat he had had his expenses paid in canvassing,
nd that must do it. replied in most emphatic |
nd positive terms to both of these gentlemen at the
me IN Gen. Dockerys room, that would not accent |
dolar-that had worked hard as Wing for ff-
zen years OF my life, and bore nv own expenses |