Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1866-09-13
Letter from Hon. Il. ID Culver.
GREENWICH, N. Y, Aug. IA, 1866

weeks Issue, renectlng ON my character
and conduct as Minister TO Venzuela. 1t
purports to be taken from the New York
World OF the TIN inst, and you omit all
that part of the Worlds article which
reflects upon and reproaches Mr., Seward
and his Consul, Mr.. Loehr and content
yourself with giving publicity TO the
charges against me. Why you should
thus have Disseminated, just at this
time, when you knew was visiting in
your neighborhood and was advertised
TO speak In your county, l leave for
others to determine. 1t shields neither
the World nor yourself that the libel is
wrapped up in letter entitled "Ven-
eZuelan Correspondence" or covered
over with the grab of "Protest" or "Pe-
tition." The authors of the correspon-
dence or "Protest" are beyond my reach,
They reside, if they have any residence
or being at all, in foreign land. can
only look to those who assume the re-
spon$bility Of retailing their calumny
here at home.
The Worlds article and the alleged
"Protest," so far as they relate to Mr..
Seward, Consul Loehr, or to myself, con-
tain but q series OF wnmitigated talsshooas.
In the portion extracted by you, am
charged with being "penurious" and
"avarlcious," so much so as to disgrace
my citizenship; also, with renting
small house" occupying a portion of
it myself, and "sub.letting the rest to
negroes and persons Of bad repute" also,
with mot understanding the govern
ment" there, and with being "wOrse than
useless to the interests of the citizens of
the United States"
Truly, 1t is little singular if all or
any Of these charges were true, that no
complaint should have been preferred to
my Government, or myself, during my
four years residence in South America,
and that these aggrieved Practitioners"
and their echoing editors should have
waited till my mission had closed, till |
had asked to be relieved, had resigned
my Office, returned home my resignation
accepted and my successor appointed.
1t would seem that these far off libelers
must have had other objects in view
than those avowed Be that as it may,
| have word TO say as to the charges
themselves.
Anu HioG3 DIS W budb VI pCu vi lOuo-
ness" That charge, have no doubt, had
it's origin in the fact that | refused to
open my parlor, and provide my table
with cards, liquors and cigars for the
accommodation Of the gamblers, drink
ers and smokers as popular Diplomats"
were wont to do in that country. And,
also, the fact that | refused to patronize
or provide boxes for my friends" in the
Sunday Theatres, the bull fights and
cockpits. If steering clear of these
Sunday amusements" made me 'penu-
rious" or "avariciOus," then l plead
guilty.
house." true, did rent house of the
usual size, in Caracas. 1t had eight
apartments, with garden, yard, stable,
&c. Two of the rooms, with hall and
corridor, opened for legation purposes,
and for sleeping, taking my board at the
best hotel in Venezuela. Some of the
rear apartments were "sub-let" to col
ored servants, who took care of my
| rooms, my stable and my horse. This,
| might remark, was not an unusual
way of living in Caracas, where q gen
tleman's family did not accompany him
so as to take charge of his house, and
where, as in my case, rooms for his
library and business could not be had at
the hotel. But that ever "sub-let" any
portion Of my house "to persons of bad
repute," or to persons whose repute was
not as good as any and better than most
| of the signers Of this Protest" | I'M
qualifedly deny. The insinuation is be-
meath contempt.
AS TO "importing crinolines and
| shoes" never, while in that country,
ordered or imported a crinoline or shoe,
either in large or small quantities, for
sale or profit, or otherwise never. An
American living in Caracas did once
attempt, without my knowledge, to in
troduce some goods in my name, but as
soon as the same was brought to my
| knowledge, | refused to receive them,
advised the government of the fraud,
| and demanded that the duties should be
| paid, which was done, and both my own
| and the government of Venezuela exon
Grated me from all blame. The editor
| in the United States who was imposed
| upon by one of the petitioners" to pub
lish that charge, afterwards published a
manly retraction of it, all of which was
well known to the getters up of this
Protest"
AS to my being "unable to speak the
Spanish language" | would reply,
could and did speak it, wrote it, read
and translated it with ease; did not
speak it perfectly, of course, being a for
eigner, nor did any of my predecessors.
My successor does not profess any &C.
| quaintaDce with it. | received all my
communications in Spanish, read and
translated them with ease.
AS to my "not understanding the
government to which was accredited"
l think did understand it. collected
of it over s350,000, more, I think, than
any Minister before me. | successfully
negotiated, after years of effort, treaty
for the adjustment of all claims due
American citizens. When that was
done, asked to be relieved. My resig-
nation was accepted. Iparted with the
government there on the most cordial
terms, and received the approval of my
own government for my course.
Thus much in relation to the