The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1872-08-06
Washington. not Grant, Never
Told a Lie.
Gen. PieaSOntOn RefreSheS UIySs-
eS's Memery--ReCaIling Ad Hn-
terin Lies.

SIR; The statement 1 made in mwl
speech at st Louis concerning the pat
ronaoc in connection with the Santo
Domingo business has been represented
as incorrect in dispatch of the Asso-
ciated Press, apparently inspired by the
President hlmstl" 1t is now proper
that l should give my authority for
what said
The letter quoted in my speech as
coming from the gentleman who had
with me the conversation referred to,
was addressed to me by Gen, Alfred
Pleasonton, late Commissioner of In
ternal Revenue. 1t was written in reply
TO note from me, of the contents of
which / have e memorandum, which
reads as follows;
ASK Pl. whether he remembers con-
versation he had with me concerning
Santo Domingo, in which be said that
if would support Pres. could have
all the patronage I wanted, etc. And
ask him whether he was Authorized b.
Pres to say 80
Gen. Pleasanton's letter in reply to
this is quoted in my speech, and is as
follows:
New York, Jan Is, 1872.
DEAR GENERAL: Regarding the con-
versation you refer to in your note, l
remember it was with the knowledge
and consent and after had eonver-
sa:ion with him { the President) that ]
called upon you and had the converse
ton you spoke of. My impression at
this Time is, that the President desired
your support for his San Domingo
scheme, and wished to be On such terms
with you that your support could be
obtained. do not now remember any
particular language ased atfny interview
with the President, and would not haz-
ard doing him an injustice by attempt.
ing to quote from memory, but the inn
preston made upon my mind by the
interview was fixed and distinct. Truly
yours, in haste,
A. PLEAseNFoN.
have since received from Gen. Pleas
OuGpu luc lollOWiuS hotc
New YORK, July 25, 1872.
DEAR GENERAL: Of course I have no
objection to your giving my name to
the public. In explanation of the facts,
I would say that. being friend of the
President as we'll as of yourself, / de.
sired YOU should be on good terms, and
you should understand that there was
no personal feeling in the way of rela-
tions mutually satisfactory. Your state
ment is correct that the President wan
ted your support for his San Domingo
scheme, and that you could have
the patronage of the government for
giving it. That was the distinct impress,
ion the Presidents conversation made
upon my mind, and l communicated it
to ycu at the time. If the President
positively denies having had any such
conversation, I regret it. / may con.
sole myself with the reflection that this
is the first time that any statement of
mine has been questioned, while the
President has had occasion before this
to distrust the accuracy of his recollec-
! tions.
Truly yours, A. PLEAsoNTos.
In justice to Gen. Pleasonton, must
add that the drift of what he said to me
is correctly stated in his note When
he found that I had conscientious oh.
jections to the San Domingo scheme, he
urged me no further to support it. He
desired me to 60 and see the President
to which / replied that if the President
| wanted TO speak with me on public hu.
siness, ] should consider it my official
duty as Senator to respond to a note
from him requesting me to call. And
that was the end Of it.
Ny recollection is that Gen. Pleason
ton iDtimated to nae at the time that ht
spoke with the knowledge and consent
OF the President. / inquired about il
afterward in writing, Tor the purpose oi
either strengthening or correcting my
impression concerning that fact.
Although the President recently con.
descended, in an interview with Her
aid reporter, to say that my opposition
was owing to an unsatisfed desire fol
patronage, or words to that efect,1 had
as will not now be denied, some excel
lent reasons to think that if wanted
patronage I had very good chance tc
obtain it, at the expense Of my convic
tons of duty.
Truly yours, CARL SEIZURE.
New York, July 80, 1872,