Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1872-11-16
A case OF 1paccura,c mcmory,

In the course OF the presidential canvass in
Connecticut, Mr.. David Clark, one of Greeley's
prominent supporters, said in Speech that in
the spring of 1866, when Gen. Hawlcy was
candidate for governor, Gov Jewell, being asked
to contribute to the fund raised for campaign
purposes, said that she took no interest in poll
ticS-would as soon see Jim English elected gov
emor as Joe Hawley, and did not care a snap of
his fingers which was elected" Some of Gov
JEWELS friends denied that the convers alton
could have taken place as reported for this,
among other reasons, that Gov, Jewell was not
in Hartford during any part of the month to
which Mr.. Clark ascTibed it. The latter gentle
man, however, reiterated his assertion, de-
claring that his recollection was distinct
and unmistakable, and in speech made
the night before the election he proposed
as a decisive test of his veraclty and accuracy,
TO give $1,000 dollars TO any charity Mr.. Jewell
might designate, if the latter could prove that
he was not in Hartford during the month re-
ferred TO, on condition that Mr.. Jewell would
agree to give a like amount on it being
proved that he was then in that city. Mr.. Jewell
promptly accepted the challenge, and the time
and conditions of the trial were arranged with
out difficulty At the time appointed, Governor
Jewell produced the following formidable array
of evidence as reported in the Hartford Post:
Governor Jewell opened business by 1iyst pre-
senting his private letter copy book, containing
a copy OF a letter written to the Detroit partner
of his house in the early part of September, 1865
in which ii was stated that on the day of the
date of the letter he (the governor) should leave
for New York to sail for Europe, to be absent
about year. The next letter in the book was
dated in August, 1866, eleven months later, an
nouncing his return from Europe Letters from
the governor to his firm and to bis brother Pny,
and letter to the governor from his wife, who re-
manned in Rome while her husband went to Egypt
and Palestine, were also produced, all showing
that the governor was out of the country. The
governors private diary, with entries during
the month of March, 1866, dated at various
places in Palestine, was also exhibited 1t was
also shown that the firm, during his absence,
kept deposits with j. S. Morgan & Co., of Lon
don, for him TO draw on. Dates of Hartford
papers containing notices of the governors de-
parture in September, 1866 for an extended
European trip, and of his return in August,
1866, after an absence of eleven months, was
also submitted. Corroboyative evidence was
furnished by McssrS. John H. Goodwin and w.
L. Sugden, who were abroad IN 1866, frequent
| ~ met the governor, knew of his going TO Egypt
and Palestine, and met him at Vienna and
Paris in April and May, 1885, after his return
from the east. With these indisputable proofs
the governor closed his case"
This staggered Mr.. Clark, who produced, how
ever, his subscription book, in which funds
raised for election purposes were entered, and
pointed, with some msgiving, to the entry dated
March q, 1866, "P. J. & Sons, $50" "Whose
handwriting is that?" said Mr.. Clark. "Oh,
that's Pliny's," said the governor, with laugh;
and so it proved. The name of the firm had
been signed by Mr.. Pliny Jewell, the governors
brother ana partner. Mr.. Clark did not ask for
the decision of the umpireS, but acknowledged
his mistake and paid his money. The matter is
of small importance in ITSELF but it illustrates
very well truth we are apt to overlook, that in
what are called issues of veracity between men
of character, it is often not veracity at all that
is in question, but accuracy of recollection, and
that the positive man whose defective memory
betrays him into an incorrect statement, is
hardly more in the wrong than his opponent
who declares that the former is deliberate and
wilful liar.