Daily national Republican. (Washington City [D.C.]) 1870-1872, 1870-04-09

,In,s,t,oa. canIyibutsrS will therefore preserve
gpi0 -. -.,....
- An communications. Whsihsr on ssn"
for publication. should he addressed 70 w
s,.,r p,,pri.tor NlTtouAL kHFupLInAE,
ssAIntleas O.
ma. a1ssIas Governments And the
PcrEIns CIsIms-A Reply 20 the
letter OF mr.. CatRcasy 90 Mr.. clay
from enc OF the AttorneIa fer MRS.
PsrkIns-A strong VIndIcatIon of
Perkins Pressnted-The Friends of
tho Old Sea CaptRin Ready 60 Tes-
tITy In Hts BEHALF
We have heretofore published tho letters
Of Mossrs. Clay and OataoaEy, assaillng
Perkins, and the letters Of Mr.. Tasistro,
and the daughter Of Captain Perkins ropcll-
ing the reflections made upon that gentle
man by the Russian Minister. We publish
a letter from Joseph D. Stewart, one Of tho
attorneys Of Captain Perkins, which pre-
sents a calm statement Of facts utterly In
consistent with the assumptions set forth In |
the letters published by Mr.. Catacazy. We |
arc also advised that the matters stated |
in the letter Of the daughter Of Captain |
Perkins, few days since, has moved =
host of his friends, who are ready 10 meet
his assailants In whatever shape they may
come. But no one can read tho following
letter from Mr.. Stewart without being i'm
pressed with Its candor and truth;
III. Eaao, q, a" s slgS%f .p aRSls Is
The publication Of the correspondence be-
tween his oxcellency, q. Catacazy, and the
Hon. Cassius NJ. Clay, In the ChroRiels Of the
18th, and republlshed In the REPUBLICAN on
the 18th Of March, ultlmo, In reference 10
the claims Of the late Capt. B. W. Perkins
against the Russian Government, and the
illusions made to his character, has caused
his family and personal friends to earnestly
insist that /, having full knowledge Of all
the facts involved, should seek to correct the
prejudicial illusions made to Capt. Perkins
before the public by Mr.. CatacaEy. never
allow myself 10 appear In print In reference
TO a matter In which am counsel Of record,
and Il is with the greatest reluctance yield
TO the pressure 70 do so 10 this instance.
1 was struck with equal surprise and re-
gret when saw the letter OF his excellency,
Mr.. CatacaEy, TO Mr.. Clay, and could but
think that that distinguished gentleman had
been led into q serious mistake In seeking TO
combat the claims OF Perkins against the
Russian Government; not by setting forth
any facts bearing on the case as proven, but
by casting reflections on everybody con-
cerned with the claim, whether dead or alive;
and II is only In connection with this view OF
the subject that feel II TO be my duty, In
obedience to the urgent request Of the fam
lily and personal friends Of Capt. Perkins, TO
make any reply.
The statement in the letter Of Mr.. Gaia
cay that Perkins himself offered or author
lied any one else to dispose OF his claim,
'amountlng to upwards Of $500, 900 for SlOO
or even less, as pretended by his excel.
lency's Massachusetts correspondent "of the
highest respectablllty," Is false. l do not
gay that merely believe II TO be false, but
em a, 6 she hSi and for these reasons was
brought letter OF Introduction anu Iooam-
mendatlon as 10 character, of rights and per-
sonal respectability Of himself from the late
Hon. Edward Everett. agreed to examine
inc case, and Tor that purpose visited New
York, Boston, Hartford, sT-iDanplI. Thin~
pee Falls Capt. Perkins went with me and
paid the expenses, which alone cost near the
sum OF twice 500.
In the course of examining the case for
proper action had occasion to learn about
the amount Of money Capt. Perkins had ex-
pended up to that time, which by actual
vouchers produced was proved TO exceed the
sum Of 5000. think the real amount was
about 81, 800. l also know that after the
year 1887, and up to 1851, he expended over
81, 900 In personal outlay In the prosecution
Of the claim, which was independent Of the
expense OF taking proof aud printing the
L
made up he was offered, through the late
Hon. James Cooper, 5000 in cash for one
fourth part Of the claim which offer was
declined by Capt. Perkins. | also know
that after the date Of this offer Capt. Per.
kins raised about $4,000 for the purpose OF
consolidating aud perfectlng his claims, and
which he expended for that purpose.
also state II as a fact, that during the
seven years that Perkins lived after I was
employed as his attorney, he was particular
TO the last degree, that should know all he
did, abont hia claims, and 1 never heard
him oflpT 20 sell his claims or say that he
had done so, and have made inquiry Of the
other attorneys and counsels employed, and
neither Of us ever heard Of the like until 1t
appeared In Mr.. Catacazy's letter to Mr.
Clay.
Upon the above facts I pronounced the
statement OF "the gentleman residing in
Massachusetts, that Perkins offered to sell
hls claim, amounting to upwards OF $500, 900,
for 800, or for even less" to be nothing
more or less than sheer fabrication and false
hood, an imposition upon Mr.. CatacaEy,
ard fraud upon the heirs Of Perkins. This
will be demonstrated whenever occasion shall
require 1t.
The statement that Perkins was a man Of
"lntemPerate habits" 10 equally cruel and
false. During the seven years Of my init
mate association with him as his attorney
never knew him TO be drunk or unit TO at
tend to his business. Ne was a man OF sea-
faring hablts-frank, open, and generous In
his disposition, and quite intelligent; and
found, while taking proof In his cause, that
his Oldest acquaiutances were his waTmeat
friends. Such is not likely TO be the case
with a "man Of intemperate habits" as
stated In the letter Of Mr.. CatAcazy. But
the statement that "Perkins avowed he had
written letters endeayorlng to entrap the
Russian agents In this country" is false
hood Of the blacklist cast, and challenge
the production Of any such letters, or the
person to whom he "ayowed" he had writ
ten such letters. This "volunteered" wit
ness is prudent enough TO put his gratuitous
falsehood upon an aUOiodl made by q dead
manjnot only dead man, but one who, while
he lived, 1t Is alleged, trusted this "highly
respectable gentleman" with his business.
The dead cannot speak, but the living can,
and call upon this gentleman" to prove
his Btatement-his cord cannot be received.
Captain Perkins was an old sailor, of that
frank disposition that never took pains TO
write letters 10 entrap anybody, and will
give one thousand dollars apiece for the
production Of any such letters; but want
no mans word who says he was trusted by
Perkins, and then betrayed him after his
death. No such man is worthy OF belief
under oath.
In reference to the "aiIldaylts" which
Mr.. Catacazy says he has, deem II proper
TO say that soon after that distinguished
gentleman's arrival In this country, /, on
the part OF Mrs. Perkins, made a written re-
quest through L. F. Tasistro that II he de
aligned 10 take any proof or afiidavits that
Mrs. Perkins, by her counsel, desired to
have notice, and would unite In the taking
OF such proof, so that she could cross-ex-
anime the witnesses, and offered to repro
duce any Of the witnesses on her part that
were allyei but his eIcellency, Mr.. Catacazy,
said to Mr.. Taslstro that he did not propose
to take any proof. | was Of course sur.
Prised TO learn that secret or pdrts affidavts
had been procured by the Russian Minister,
and no opportunity afforded to Mrs. Perkins
TO be present by counsel and cross.examlne
the witnesses, and this the more so In view
to the fact that Perkins had at all times
notified and extended that opportunity to
the Imperial Legation.
And the grounds upon which II Is reported
A.