The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1868-05-05
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w. II. BE WARD.

VIM. Il. Seward, Secretary OF State, mus
share with Andrew johnson the infamy o.
the most infamous administration the United
States have ever known. Mr.. Johnson's vii.
iainy has been like Falstaff's lies, '.gross Il
mountain, open, palpable." Mr.. Seward i
has been that of rhistopheles-an imp.
.sh, cunning, secret yillsiny. Mr.. John
son 10 the meanest man that has ever been
President; Mr.. Seward is the meanest man
that has ever been Secretary OF State. It's
now known why Jerry Black refused to be
one ofMr. Johnson's counsel in the impeach-
ment: it was on account of the Alta Nela
case; it was because Seward was a so much
greater scoundrel than Jerry Black, that Jerry
quit Mr.. johnson and Mr.. Seward in DISGUST.
A correspondent Of the New York Tribune
writes up Full history Of that case. It is
TOO long for repetition here. The facts are
briefly these: Il is law Of the United
States, passed in 1858, we believe, that If a
citizen, or citizens of the United States,
discover guano island, unclaimed by any
other nation, it shall, upon notice and oeeu-
cupancy for a limited PERIOD be considered
as belonging TO the United States, and as
the property of the parties discovering it and
opening the mines. In 1860 or 81 Balti>
more firm, Patterson & Murgiendo, discov-
cred in the caribbean Sea, the island Of Alta
vela, south of ST. Domingo, and containing
rich deposits of guano. They took posses
sion of the island, gave the proper notice to
the Government, and commenced work in
the guano trade. After several months
DOMINICAN cruiser, with full knowledge of the
rights Of Patterson l. MurRiendo, under
American Law, landed at Alta Vela,
took forcible possession Of the island, tore
down the American flag, took Patterson and
Murgendo prisoners, and kept them some
time in custody; and shortly afterwards sold
the island to Thurlow Weed, Clarence Sew
ard and other of Mr.. Seward $ personal and
nalitical chnrns in Nov York. The latter
commenced work at once, gathering, carry
ing away and selling the guaao of the Bats-
more owners, with full knowledge that the
property lawfully belonged TO Patterson 4
Murgiendo. 1t was the basest kind of vii
lainy and robbery on the part of Weed, Sew
ard & Co. Mr.. Black is the counsel of the
Baltimore owners, and has vainly tried to
get the Secretary Of State to do Justice in the
premises. Mr.. Seward has used all his arts
to second the villainy of his nephew, Clar-
enee Seward & Co., and enable them to make
fortune by robbing, Patterson Il Murgiendo.
He has acted throughout as the counsel Of the
New York company, and has invented innu-
merable lodges, to neglect doing Justice to
the rightful owners of Alta Vela When Mr..
Black applied to him. on behalf Of his Bal
timore clients during the war, Mr. Seward
put him off by saying that any interference
would beget troublesome complications, and
that the Government was not in a condition
to resent such outrages. Upon this pitiful
plea he let boatful Of black robbers insult
the American flag, and imprison citizens of
the United States guilty Of no wrong. AZ
forwards be tried to pettfog the case, and to
show that the island really belonged to the
Domingaus, and that they had right to sell
it. So he put Jerry Black and his clients off,
from month TO month. Meantime Mr.. Sew
ards New York friends we're rapidly carry
ing away and selling the guano of Patterson
Murgiendo. Only few days ago they had
a quarter of million OF dollars worth OF /,
for sale in the markets of Baltimore, the
home of the men whom they are robbing.
Tired out, at length, Jerry Black appealed
directly to Mr.. Johnson for Justice. He
showed Andrew the villainy Of Seward, and
claimed that justice shonld be done his clients
and Seward be kicked out Of Office But
Andrew Isl too greatly taken in the tolls OF the
willy Secretary Of Stste-he refused to inter,
fere, and SO Mr.. Stewards friends are getting
rich BY robbing Jerry Blacks clients, and
Jerry refused to be counsel for man that
would knowingly tolerate Seward 5 rascali.y.