Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1859-03-28
WASHINGTON NEWS AND GOSSIP.

The Hon. J. CLANCY JoNEs.-No other gen.
tleman, not even excepting the President, has
been more grossly and shamefully slandered
and maliyned in tho course of the past year,
especially by Forney's Press, that common
receptacie for all that fs false and mendacious
that the venom of the opposition can lay their
pens to. Mr.. Jones was in the way Of Forney's
efforts, first to get in the United States Senate;
next to get into the Cabinet Of President Blu
chanan; and, that scheme failing, then to OBJ
tain the editorship Of the Washington Union
Hence the virulence with which Forney has
pursued his reputation since his departure
for Europe. We do not doubt that Forney
was at the bottom of all the ''charges" alleged
against Mr. Jones before the Sherman Inves-
ugating Committee; the swift witnesses
trumped up by him being VIGOROUSLY personal
enemies of Mr.. Jones, because he was believed
by them to have spoiled their schemes for fas-
tening themselves upon the treasury Of the
United States, or in office. Their testimony
throughout, amounting to nothing whatever,
even uncontradicted, has been used by For
ney's Press, and its allies, TO blacken the rop-
utation of Mr.. Jones, as they would not have
dared to use it had he been at home to defend
himself, and in SO doing to show to the world
the extent of their malignity, by proving the
fimsy character of their pretexts.
We have seen letter from Mr.. Jones, writ
ten by that gentleman just after his reception of
the first intelligence concerning the disreputa-
bic efforts to injure him mentioned above He
diSposes of the charges SO summarily and COM
pletely as that we feel justified in publishing
what he says on the subject, though evidently
written only for the eye of his correspondent
After regretting that so far he had only been
able to CLEAN very imperfect information con-
corning the action Of his enemies against him,
he adds
This Reading Forge concern is all CANNON
In the course of five years they paid me for fees
Tor strictly professional services, in my office at
Reading, for advice, without any reference to
contracts, about S20O; and this is all | ever
had. i never made contract for them with
any man living. All the contracts they ever OF
tained they obtained by Offering bids and pett ny
them, suppose, because they were the best bids.
L recommended them, however, to every one rs a
good company, and advised those having work to
do. to at least invite proposals from them. never
went beyond this. Some of the company told me
some time ago that they We're willing TO pay for
the expenses Of getting contracts. but they never
pretended to offer me price. They were honora-
have heard that they had offered tn nay for con-
tracts, and that had received small fee or two
and this, in my absence was enough. | fear them
not You know he, and you know them"
We defy any unprejudiced and truth-loving
man to read these few brief comments from the
pen of Mr.. Jones himself upon the accusation
against him, who knowing the testimony, is
aware that it proves neither more nor less than
what he states, without being convinced of the
utter mepdacity and faIsehool Of the effortS tn
blacken his reputation.