The New York herald., 1869-11-04

20 WEST TwENrY-FrRsr SrRERr,
NEW YORK. Nov. 1. 1850.

NEW YORK, Nov. !, 1880.
JAMES GORDON BENNETT. Editor and Proprietor New
York Herald;-
SIh-I should have remained In ignorance OF the
dact that Mr.. James A. Hamilton had done the world
the favor to write book but the notice taken OF
IL In the columns OF your paper in the issue OF Sep
tember "a. l believe very lew would have known
OF the existence OF his "Reminiscences" but for that
notice, aad therefore beg OF you the favor to have
inserted in your journal the enclosed letter OF my
brother. exposing the falsehoods and 0aumnies con-
tained IN the book so favorablY noticed in the
HERALD. Mr.. Hamilton ia informed that the sons Of
the gentleman he assails arc ready to maintain what
Is stated In the letter Of Mr. Charles Rhnd. Respect
fully your ooedent servant. A. U. RHlND
Commander United States Navy.
No. Al EAST TurIrDsa srasgr.;
NEW YORK, OCT. 80, 1869. !
To JAS. A. HAMILTON, Dobbs' Ferry. N. vi
SIR-My attention was lately called TO a notice In
the New YORK HERALD OF September "A, OF tho
"Reminiscences OF JAS A. Hamilton, . and refer.
ence 10 what the writer pleased TO formulating
his cue from your statements-'Lhe Rhind squabDe
about the Arabian horses" In the preface to these
written with the object OF indicating the memory
OF your father, you devote some SIX or
anS 70 ne YOU S
publish several letters taat had passed be-
tween President jackson. Mt. Van Buren ana
opinion OF y0nr own as District Attorney on the
"case.u On the one hundred and forteth page or
your "reminiscences you profess suilicent mouesty 10
declare that you had "never boon proficient even
IN the ordinary course OF the profession and the
opinion just referred to proves you to have been as
deficient IN logic as in law, for you omit the ohtef
points In which tho 'Rhnd controversy hinges,
and that is, that the refusal to surrender the horses
because there was no provision made FOR the reim-
bursement OF the heavy expenses incurred IN their
transport and keep; and yet your correspondence
with the President and Secretary you roaecv on Mr.
Rhlnd's course and character In terms which you
would not have ventured to publish were the sub
ject OF them still living AS the son OF one whom
you have thus calumniated, pronounce. from my
own intimate knowledge or all the facts III the case
that your statements are garbed and falso aud
che language you use In regard to my father
vile SANDER. utterly unwarrant0d by tho clrclm-
stances and unworthy OF gentleman-espcoalIy
unworthy OF Que who has nantes ed SO laudable
foul aspersi0ns. You show little consistency In thus
traducing the memory Of the dead. In MIR. Rhnd's
Letter OF tne iotn Docemoer 1880 addressed TO the
iresdont to which you REFER you yourself quote his
language, IN which he states "that tue horses were
In possession OF the conslgnees OF the vessel, and
tnat II the United States show claimcr the valuo
presume those gentlemen Will pay Hover should
they sell for more Than the expenses attending tnem
CARDS myself am ready TO transfer TO the United
States any right te or interest may have in Lhem
should 1t be requlredn In your statement you care
fully withhold the lact that you as the agent OF the
government sought to obtain possession without
paying the charges incurred. In seeking
nifty 10 making these asporsions / can
only como to the conclusion that 1t was excited by
MT hHlDQb ueCeriulucu uolcuce Of his rights, aud,
assumption. lie felt himself compelled to taSe the
stand he did, not only Tor reasons above stated but
that out vi the ptance he received for his services
he could not AFFORD to bear the loss, which would
have fallen upon him. by surrendering the horses
without the liquidation OF the expenses incurred
ana his treatment by government was not such az 70
encourage INN to be q Suppllant for his reimburse
ment. % You were given 70 understand that II the
pevined, and you were consequently compelled to
aoquesce IN the arrangemenL by which 1t was
sgnees in the presence OF the Marshal and that any
surplus should te paid over to the government. The
result Of the forced sale at auction was 81 9oo while
balance OF upwards OF 5000. which Ar. Rnind paid
TO the owners OIL the vessel from his own POCKET,
and which he IN vain sought TO recover from the
government.
When the Secretary OF state proposed to Mr..
Rhnd to undertake the negotiation With the Porte
he assured him that In case OF success, his remu-
nerati0n would be very handsome; both the Presi-
dent aud Secretary expressed themselves moro than
satisfied with the result, aud the former rendered To
Mr. Rhlnd the post OF resident Minister at COnstanti
nope, which 1t was his intention to recommend to
Congress to establish which tender declined by
Mr.. Rhnd. This fact shows the opinion entertained
by the President OF MS character and conduct and
priated oy Congress tor the expenses OF tie nego-
tiation was sent In Dy the Secretary OF State, he
made out the amount Of Mi. Rhinds compensation
at only S4, 500 per annum, tue salary OF q charge
daliaires, instead OF $4,000 per annum, which was
the compensation properly due to commissioner
plenip0tentlary. The difference, amounting to over
81, 900, Mr.. Rhind clancd but never received. II
was understood that this was cut down IN conse-
quence OF the attacks OF the opposition, owing to
the great increase OF the expenditures OF the JACKSON
In one OF the letters OF President
Jackson to you, which You publish dated April O.
1881, he says, In speaking OF Mr. Rhnd, II respect
ana esteem HIM.
This statement which I anlrm of my own know
LEDGE sufficiently rebuts your malignant calumny Of
s.avarce and untruthrulnessn Those VINO knew Mr..
Rhind are aware that no charge could be made so
repugnant to his character. On various occasions
he rendered important public service without
requital. There are probably some Of his cOntemp0
rare5 left who know that more than half century
since he was prominent and respected merchant Of
New York, and WIS well known to have sacrificed
his fortune and the interests Of his family to point
or honor Though address this letter to you, the
chief object OF my writing 1t Is to have It published
in the Journal 10 whose notice alone may be attri-
buted any notorlety that your. book Is likely to
obtain. with due consideration, dc,
UdAS. RHIND.
P.RSGNAL MOVEMENTS.