Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1856-08-07

which have been delayed an entire week be.
cause of the absence of Mr.. Burlingame, (who
left this city on the evening that his publica.
tion was made, and has not yet returned, are
made in justice to ourselves and gentleman
who, at different times, has been guided by
our counsel. As far as relates to the obiec
bile portions rf Mr.. Burlingame's speech
our connection with the matter has termin.
ated. TH. s. Bocock.
JOSEPH LANE.
AUGUST 5, Tuesday evening.
A CARD.-No man could be more ayerse
than l am to appearing before the public in
relation to matters personal in their character;
and nothing could induce me to do so in this
case but the conviction that justice requires it.
Mr. Burlingame, Of Massachusetts, in the
card which he published in the National In
teiligencer of the 2Sth July, commits several
errors, one of which seems to demand correc-
tiOn from me.
He attempts to produce the impression tha
1, in behalf of Col. Brooks, of South Caro-.
| lima, and at his instigation, endeavored by
means, sometimes confidential, to persuade
him to make some explanation which would
| satisfy Col. BrOOks's friends with his failure
to call on him for satisfaction for the offensive
language used in his speech Of the 2lst of
June last. ..
To show that have not mistaken his pur-
pose, make the following quotation from his
card, Speaking of Language cut out of a note
OF mine to him, he says: "These few words
disclose the desire of Mr.. Brooks, through
persuasion, to get something which might sat-
isty his friends for neglecting me in his liberal
calls on gentlemen for personal satisfaction.
NOW: assert that nothing could be more un-
Just to Mr.. Brooks, and nothing more untrue
than such construction Of what passed be.
tween Mr.. Buriingame and myself
The communications which J made to Mr..
Burlin2ame from Mr.. Brooks were Ist, His
desire to know whether Mr. Burlingame would
accept call for satisfaction from him ID,
That he Nr. Brooks was satisfied with Mr.
Burllngane's explanation made in answer to
the first question Sd, That Mr.. Brooks de-
sired to have written statement, containing
the substance Of that explanation, to be used
In his own justification f; and that, on failure
to obtain such one, he would take some de-
clded step III relation to the matter
Now, 1t never occurred to me that these
communications, though made with all the
courtesy with which 1 was capable, would be
regarded rs particularly persuasive in their
character or in the circumstances under
which they were made. Let the public judge
When first waited on Mr.. Burlingame for
Mr. Brooks, my personal acquaintance with
him was very slight, and the accounts which
mad reached US Of his views and expressions
on public questions were not such as to COM
mend him to southern men. I certainly had
no thought of offering him persuasions as to
his personal affairs. I had simple question
TO PROFOUND, and all l sought was to do it in a
courteous and becoming manner. 1t seemed
to me proper that it should be done prtpatefy
and quietly, rather than with a flourish Of
trumpcts and in tho midst of a crowd That
1t was to be entirely con nfdenttal did not
dream, because such an idea was inconsistent
with the object Of my mission. 1 had come
not only to bear a message, but TO carry
back an answer. That answer might have
been as plain ard brief as Mr. Burlingame
chose to to make it. He might have said sim
ply that that he would accept, or that he
would not accept But, instead Of this, he
chose TO enter at large into en- exposition of
his feelings towards Mr.. Brooks, and of the
views which governed him in making his
speech. In doing this he requested that many
things said By HIM should be considered con.
flential, and these have therefore not made
pubic. L will say, however, as he seems to
think that their publication would benefit
him, that he can remove the seal of confidence
whenever he chooses. All that was said by
either party, with the times and places Of our
subsequent meetings, may all come forth at
his call. L know no word that spoke which
now, as a gentleman and as friend of MIR.
Brooks, l would not be perfectly willing
should be known to the world.
In his last card Mr.. Burlingame has said:
" owe 1t to truth to say that, from what /
had heard and seen of him prior to his assault
on Mr Sumner had formed high opinion
of him; and that act, which L have properly
stigmatized, l did think must have been ab-
hOrrent to his better nature. In remembrance
Of my opinion of him, and feeling that through
his cODdnnt + cauld afiI1 dataot troaac Of r,a1-
lantry which some day might cause him to
condemn, as heartily as others do, his assault
on Mr.. Sumner, had larger charity for
him than did most of my friends. Indeed L
have been blamed for intimsting the opinion
that in spite Of that act, he was yet brave
man. Even as late as my conversation with
Gen. Lane, when he stated that Mr. Brooks
desired speedy meeting, felt glow of ad
miration for him as a gallant foemsn; but /
was wrong. The expressions Of kindness for
him in which, following q proclivity of my
heart, | had INDUCED, were entirely mis-
placed
1t was these "eapressiOns Of kindness" for
Mr.. Brooks now publicly avowed by Mr. Bur
tngame, which in our first interview tended
so much to satisfy me that there ought not to
be q hostile meeting between them. Then It
was that 1 suggested to Mr.. Burllngame the
proprioty of saying nothing on the subject, be-
cause false rumOrs in relation to settlements
often reopen difficulties.
As Mr.. Burlingame admits that ON our first
interview propouuded a question from Mr..
Brooks which was categorical in its character,
it clearly follows that the door was open for q
categorical answer on his part. He, however,
voluntarily chose q different course. What
his answer in substance, was, appears to me
to be conceded in the cards both of Mr.. Bur-
liDgame and Mr.. Brooks. He said " that he
Mr.. Burlingame] had no unkind feeling what
sOever for Mr.. Brooks, but on the contrary,
regarded him as a man OF courage and a man
of honor; that while he disapproved of the
assault on Mr.. Sumner, and felt bound
as Massachusetts man to condemn it, he
had designed to discriminate between the
man and the act, and had said no more on the
subject than his sense of representative duty
required. Under these circumstances he was
surprised to find that Mr.. Brooks had taken
exceptions to any thing which be had said.
In relation to the boasts that had been thrown
out in his name, he stated that they had not
been authorized by him but, on the contrary,
har ,ok~ -, ,oI 10th fhav