Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1859-03-24

therefore wrote the C0muittee %
that this more thorough andmethOdica earseN
taken With this letter enclosed hastg pri-
vate note to Mr.. Reemelin in answer to one l
had received from him l refer to it here, as l
understand it is published with the report as
containing strong evidence of something know
not what The Commissioners eremptorily
refused to comply with my requests insisting
that they should take the testimony in taeir own
way. After this l paid no further attention to
the COMMITTEES, nor they to me, until some time
IN December last, when two Of their number
Messrs. Reemehn and Morgan came to Elyria 10
take my testimony. l then considered the
question whether I should submit to such an ex-
animation as they proposed, or still insist on my
former requirement. On the whole I thought
it bestto submit to them, and my testimony was
taken in such haste that beforei It was completed
their carriage arrived at the door TO take them
to the railroad station; and without reading
over the testimony at all, 1 unwisely signed il,
on the assurance, from Messrs. Reemelin and
Morgan that it could be changed if should dis
cover anything wrong in it. l afterwards visit
ed Columbus, but was not allowed to make anv
changes IN my deposition, save such as could
make by additions. / am satisfied it is by no
means as full or clear as it would have been
had been permitted to reply to written inter
rogatUries as proposed; and | also know that
IN many parts of the deposition, the phraseOlogy
would have more clearly expressed my meaning
had l written it myself It is probable, too,
that in my answers TO the Committee I made
some minor errors Of fact, which would have
been avoided, if could have had more time
Now, as to my refusal to appear before the
Committee, with this statement of facts l am
willing to leave it.
But visited Columbus so soon as I heard of
the defalcation. This seems to be regarded BY
the Committee as conclusive Of nv connection
with the defalcation; it is nevertheless suscep-
tible Of different explanation. I had other
business in Columbus at that time, but 1 admit
that l felt deep sympathy for both Mr. Breslin
and Mr.. Gibson, and intended to express it. l
was quite unwen when / left home and was
sick at Columbus, and only saw Mr.. Breslin as
he called once at my room. should certainly
have called upon both Mr.. Breslin and Mr. Glib
son had been well enough to do so. The Com
mittee have taken the testimony Of my physician
to learn what my symptoms were and what con-
fessions may have made to him in the fear of
dissolution. They have taken also sundry 9TH
er depositions tofthrow light upon that visit
What facts they have ELECTED 1 do not know
but the visit was neither mysterious nor i'm
portant.
That felt some solicitude after Ilearned the
objects and aims Of this committee, l admit.
], Of course, knew their power for injury.
Must man be indiferentto the persistent efforts
of such men to work his ruin2 III was not indif-
ferent was it evidence Of guilt, That have had
some occasion for anxiety in my affairs, aside
from any consciousness Of undiscovered guilt, is,
l think, apparent Whatever amount of means
I bavro folra,, with mo 70
quired while there, it is susceptible ofproof, that
at the close of my term, after had paid my in
debtedness had nothing left 1t is not, be-
ieye, pretended that had made any unfortu-
nate investments. The discovery to me of the
deficit Of $65, 900, the mystery attending it, the
necessity of paying it, the protracted efforts to
discover its origin, the difficulties, delays, per-
plexities and diseouragements which ensued,
have given me very great anxiety. But could
not this be without consciousness Of guilt and
fear Of disclosure.
The report contains multitude of other state
ments, all eYincing sufficient malice, but unim-
portant, and too numerous to be answered sepa-
rately. l viii however allude to the fact that
the committee have placed at the head of their
column Of defalcations the item of 81 500 which
they say is part of my acknowledged defalca-
ton. They place it there without there being
anywhere the least breath Of testimony connect
ing me in any way with any such deficit and
without showing, or attempting to show, that
any such deficit exists. And yet it is placed
conspicuously at the head Of the list where it
will be read by all, evidently for the purpose of
inducing the public to believe IN the truth of a
charge against me, which they must know to be
untrue.
They also insinuate in several different places
thatthere is probably $15O,00O more, for which
am responsible in some FORM and this is stated
from no other evidence than Mr. Breslin's state
ment that there is that amount of money which
he cannot account for. They take Mr. Breslin's
statement as true, in all cases where they ina
gine it viii aid them in carrying out their pur-
pose; but cast his statements unhesitatngly
aside, when they tend to relieve any personfrom
the odium they seek to fix upon him; as, for ms
tance, they imagine that his bare statement, that
there is $3.50, 900 that he cannot account for, to
be evidence that l have not paid him in full,
but where he states explicitly, that the whole
of the $65,0O0 was actually paid him in cash.
they do not believe word of it
/ allude also to the persistent efforts the Com
mittee make, all through the report, to show that
that Intentionally led hin into all his Difficult
ties. Do they show anything that makes it ap-
pear even probable that merit this accusationi
Is there any evidence of it whateYer2 know the
delay in receiving the full amount of the $65, 900
was cause of trouble and perplexity to him,
which have always most sincerely regretted
But would that be likely TO cause his other diff
eulties? Even should any one consider me in
any respect blameable for his loss by Mr.. Chit
tenden, how for does that 20 to Justify their as
sertions2 In what other matter do they even
pretend to correct Mr., B, and myself togetherf-
I - Al. Il. "a =
any sense.
here leave the subject In making this reply
to so much Of the Report as concerns myself, /
have endeavored to present the facts, and the
facts only. A, A, BLISS
Elyria, March 81, 1853,