The daily union., 1854-11-18
MR.. BELxoNr AND HIS oALUMsIAroRs

intercourse with yet certainly from the respect and conf
ience Of the high-mnded and honorable If he be not
wholly nsensbe to the good opinion OF his tellow-men
he will attempt regain The position in society which he
has foolishy and wckedy lost by apology repent
anoe and amendment As general rule it would as
if the press of this country exempt from the penalties
imposed in private for all violations of this social law In
many instances the exposure of published iasehood
affords the pretext for the uerance of second more
base and malicious, if possible, than the first As an
example we might refer to the systematic course OF
mendacity pursued by several New York journals for
the purpose of damaging the public and private rep
utaton Of the American minister at the Hague, Mr.
Belmont The Tribune AS well the Herald, accused
Mr. Belmont of combining with the duties of minis
ter the business of a bankerof converting in short
the American legation at the Hague ntoa shaving shop
to use the elegant aud technical language of Wall street
As soon as this grave accusation became known to Mr.
Belmont he promptly placed in possession such ire
agabe proofs of his entire innocence enabled to ex
pose the malicious lsehoods of his calumnators in all
their naked deformity. The Herald partially retracted
but retracted without apology explanation. The Tr-
bune more hardened in guilt and rendered bold by the
Quasi liberation of public long accustomed to its nsolenl
course of vitupcraton and asehood cooy turned round
when detected and blusterngly observed Well, if Mr.
Belmont has banking at the Hague did he not
as the agent of the Rothschds negotiate the late Russian
loan? Explain that away, if you cam We have already
given plain and unequvoca denial to this last accusa-
ton and it gives much pleasure to add that we
have the necessary documents before which entirely
eve himnot from the suspicious Of his friends for they
have not for single moment doubted his high sense OF
honor and inherent dignity of characterbut from the
saf ntinpD
When this story about the Russian loan reached Mr.
Belmont he naturally enough felt indignant at this
newed evidence of malignant prosecutions and prop
ery adopted such at his command to place
himself in true position before the country whose nation
alty he represented at foreign court He promptly ad-
dressed letters to the American consus Rotterdam and
Amsterdam and to Col Bohen the latter being the only
American gentleman at the Hague who did occupy
official position and whose political predictions
known to Mr. b. In these three letters, Mr.. Belmont
peats the infamous charges preferred against him by the
New York Tribune and Herald and asks for plain cate
gorcal answers their truth alsiy These gentle
men answer follows:
ROTTERDAM Oct 10, 1854
My DEAR SIR have seen the article in the New York
Tribune received by the last mail At ts malicious PERSONAL
tiles cannot wonder that you justly annoyed These
charges with which you have been recently distinguished
from my own ample opportunity of knowing the con-
rary have only regarded simple absurdities but
void Of truth and absurd they they cacula
ted to the dignity of country abroad by being
directed against of It's representatives and agree with
you that they ought be noticed and refnted To this
| end bear cheerful and willing testimony
That since your residence in Holland have not known
suspected yop Of having transacted any CONNER
ca banking business whatever and much less 70 have
opened Office for that purpose
That during my frequent visits at the office of the ega-
tion have perceived anything that would warrant
the suspicion that you occupied with any other
than the legitimate duties Of your Office the reasonable
and usual attention to ordinary personal matters and that
except Mr. Prime your aache have never seen or known
of any other clerk at any time in your employment;
That the charge of connexon or agency in the ne
gotiaton Of Russian loan s in my opinion, utterly
founded truth and that with ample opportunities and
among the commercial and other circles here have
heard the rumor the expression of suspicion Of such
agency of yours with Russian or other
European government loan.
Yours, very truly, w. s. CAMPBELL.
| Hon. A. BELMONT,
Minister Resident of y. S. Of America at the Hague.