Daily national Republican. (Washington City [D.C.]) 1870-1872, 1872-08-28
The Recent Ease d the Uulted states
against CIIntsn Rice, Ksa.
tgan

Against tlnten Rice hsa.
EH'or oTRs National RspWBliruai
DEAH StR! The lengthy attempt Of z. W.
Hale to Justify himselfln the eyes VI the public
for his recent illadvised and most outrageous
attempt to bring me into disoredit In your this
mornings issue, cOmpels me TO respond. II ls
the last time shall trouble you In this matter.
He can have the held open TO himself II no de-
sires hereafter, shalt write no more-the sub
iect Is not worth II. Most Of his communication
Is uncUntrovoItlbly answered by my communica.
ton Of yesterday morning.
There was no attempt on my part to pass Col.
LOWS signature of as genuine. l signed the
warrant In accord with the arrangement made
between my client and myself when the case
was placed In my hands with several others, Il
was understood that was TO ludorso any 10.
strument whatever for the payment Of any
award 10 the premises which might be made In
the name Of my client, and for the very purpose
Of avoiding the delays and complications attend
ant upon the observance Of the act Of February
70, 1853, which know all about, and 50 did my
client, and the special letter OF authority which
hold was for tile purpose Of allowing me 90 do
that, and Ills worded for that especial result
and elect.
No one but my client had any right to ques.
ton my action; and II he had done so my pro-
lection was hls especial power 10 writing con.
Ierred upon me, which held and now have.
The complaint Of MIR. Hale was, therefore,
purely gratuitous-stimulated by desire to
get himseli Into the prints as an eXtra-dlligont
Treasury clerk.
on die for Mr. Rice, or any one else, TO act for
Col. Lewis. He must have known that l acted
authorltatiVely, else how came to have posses
sion of the waTTunt-hOw have been recognized
by the Third Auditor, the Second Comptroller,
the War Department, the Register NJ the
Treasury, and the chief Of the warrant dlyislou.
Tho tact that hsd the warrant was sutficienl
for him. II was purely = matter between me
aud my client, and not for his Oficlous aud no.
cAlled.iOT Interference,
There Is one more circumstance to allude to
and have done. lie declares that he called at
my residence (which, by the way, Il Just across
the street on q street IRON where he claims TO
have lOdgings) "lor the purpose Of having the
matter explained" and was Informed that
was not at home, and that he learned subse-
quently that lrds ut home but "srrIcied" my
self and Instructed a servant to tell him that
was absent.
/ am In the habit Of calling things by their
right names, and therefore, In respect to that
habit, declare that Edward W. Hale, whom no
states that much, falsely states H. There is
no being on the face Of this earth am fearful
Of meeting, not OAc-much less the by no means
formidable individual who Is trying To ride Into
public notice At tho expense Of my reputation.
have this day alter reading his article In
your paper, questioned every servant in tho
house whore reside, and no person bearing tho
name Of Hale has ever called upon me since /
have been resident thoro. The only preIenos
Of such call was one day, about two days after
| drew Colonel Lewis money, a servant whore
reside burst into my private rooms, whore
was bathing, With the message that . mAn WAS
ut The door who Wished to 500 me, distinctly
ntld TO him, "YOu 500 am In no condition 10 no
seen here Tell the party to sit down In the
hall aud wait til ain through bathlng.n The
! servant, | believe, did so inform him, and he
ruiely slammed tho front door amer him, With.
| out giving his name. This might have been
| II ale, and 1t might not. l am In utter lRnO-
| rance who II was. II II was him, and he really
wished To Inform himself In tho premises, he
| could, with little hardship, have called upon
mo second time. HeprObably never called Al
| Hll. Had he done 50, aud had seen him, II
would not have altered the aspect Of the case At
| all, so tar AS my position Is concerned.
In conclusion, have to state that there are
| facts 10 respect to this matter which will be
! brought out anon to show that Mr.. Hale again
mlsstates when he declares that there was nc
malice In his action, aud that both no and hii
| superior" together with the contemplate
| gone out for wool, and have come home
! shsarcd."
Yours most respectfully, CLINTON RlCE.