The Rutland weekly globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1873-07-11
From the Springfield Republican,
LETTER FROM CAPT. JOHN II
DREW.
The Amss-coIfax Cheek,
WY uR DID NOT EXPLAIN BEFORE

II.
the highest order, his story does not go far
enough, therefore, to entirely dispel the
cloud that has settled down upon a reputa-
ton hardly less dear to the American peo-
ple than to its owner. II does not settle
The question whether Mr.. Colfax did or did
NOT get the $780," 1t is no part of my
duty to defend Mr.. Colfax. My duty was
done when, without fear of the throwers
of yitrol and the fingers of filth, | made
public through Judge Poland my informa-
tion in regard to the IS. c., or bearer
$1,000" check. But if | understand the
case correctly, Mr.. Ames stated MIR. ColtaX
received this $1,000 check, or the money
paid on il, from his hands. This know is
a mistake, for saw it cashed by some one
in the sergeant-at-arms Office, the money
paid to Mr.. Ames and by him LANDED to
another man-not Mr.. Colfax. 1t is not a
question altogether of memory, for my
diary of 1868 notes the interviews with Mr.
Ames on the Goth and 22d of June, 1868,
thus helping me TO fix the dates.
The incident, like a hundred others
at different times in my life, was
very firmly seated in my memory
on account of the peculiarly nervous
state of my mind at the time. During that
month of June, 1903, | had occasion to
call on Hon. w. ID. Washburn, Mr.. Dawes
and Senator Sumner, and am confident |
could relate accurately to-day the particu-
lars of such interview, even to absorption
of the rooms they were in, and in some in
stances the clothing they had on, who were
present, and the substance OF the conyersa-
ton. 1t may seem that this is remark
able memory Of events that happened five
years ago, but almost any one can fix some
particular wear or month. and sometimes
days. wherein they are so situated as to
stamp every incident firmly upon the mem
Org. 1t was the beginning of my profess
| ional life was poor, in ill health, had a
wife and two little ones to care for and my
success or failure was then matter of vi
| tai importance, so every faculty was in
tensely acute.
In another paragraph you say
From the despatch in the New York
| TINES, il would seem that, five years ago,
| Mr.. Drew was following the lucrative, but
not very reputable calling of a lobbyist
The language is: ale was attending to
several matters before Congress, in one Of
which he was especially DESTROYS of enlist
ing the Massachusetts members.
| was in Washington, attending faithful
" to the interests of my clients, who were
unfortunate enough to be creditors of the
government to the extent of nearly $780,
| UUU. L uO case WIS Ill lnC COull VI tldlHlS,
and l took it before Congress on a bill of
relief, because my clients were too poor to
pay the expenses of suit in the courts. |
called on some members personally, simply
to lay before them the peculiar hardships
of the case and its undoubted business. |
know of no reason why a CONSIDERABLY
may not attend to the interests of his eli
ents with 40 much credit to himself and the
profession by bringing his claim before
Congress, the highest tribunal in the land,
as TO bring it before some local court The
idea that, because the man is creditor of
the government, he and his attorney must
necessarily resort to disreputable means to
get payment is hardly more flattering to
the government than to the unfortunate
client and counsel. So far as my labors in
Washington in 1868 are concerned, | can
refer to Hon. w. B. Washburn of Massa-
chusetts and to Senator Sumner and Hon.
X. L. Dawes as evidence of the honesty,
good faith and professional fair-dealing ex-
hibited in all that did in regard to my
claims before.Congress. If the Republican
files for the fall of 1868, are examined, you
will find two-column statement published
in regard to these very cases, 81. Merch-
ant s. Co.." and in that article you will
read history of the case and will see one
of the hardest things we had to deal with
was to keep the "lobby" away from us and
to keep them from matchmaking onr
clients.
Again you say
at is certainly unfortunate, on all ac-
counts, that Mr.. Drew was out of the coun-
try during the investigation. 1t is still
more unfortunate that he should have kept
his story to himself until now. The public
cannot be expected to forget that Mr.. Ames
is dead"
1t was also unfortunate that, through ex-
cessive labors, in behalf of the government
mostly, was struck down with brain-fevcr
and found it necessary to change the field
of my labors, and hence went abroad
did not keep the story to myself until now.
When in Paris in January last, | heard for
the first time of this IS. G.. or bearer
$1,000" check, and / remarked to our min
lister, Mr.. Washburne, that knew Colfax
never had the check or the money. | was
somewhat guarded in my statement, for
fear Mr.. Washburne might telegraph to
Colfax or some one, and had no intention
of going home for the purpose of jumping
into the whirlpool of political excitement
when rest was SO necessary to me. l told
this more fully to Mr.. Frederick Blossom
of New York, a gentleman who was for
some time my travelling companions also,
| W II. SOOhC VI l<OluOil, luC lODlNDSllti-
tive of Fairbanks 81 Co. in England. On
my return to Washington in March, Con-
gress had adjourned, andI contented myself
with informing Mr.. Crounse of the N.
Y. Times, II. @. Bliss, my law-partner, Mr..
Byington of Connecticut, Mr.. Howe, son
of Senator Howe, who has a desk in our
office, Maj. Brelsford, Mr.. Wallace of the
treasury department, and q few others.
The reason for my asking them not to
publish my statement was by advice of
some of Mr.. Colfax's friends, who wanted
me to have an opportunity of first trying
to find out who the man was who received
the money from Mr.. Ames. | had a con-
versation in relation to this matter with
Ames, sometime before he died.
In view of these facts, all of which can
be proved, do not see anything wrong or
unfortunate in the withholding this state
ment from publication so long, since ii
was well know to several, and the whole
written out and in the hands of friend at
a time this spring when Mr.. Ames bid fair
to live much longer than the writer. 1t is
true the public cannot forget that Mr.. Ames
is dead, but the public might as well blame
Mr.. Ames for dying as to blame me for
not publishing this statement sooner, since
| took all necessary steps to make 1t pub
lie property long before Mr.. Ames died.
The peculiar misfortune in the whole mat
ter is that l am obliged to say something
good of Mr.. Colfax, instead of bad There
is always enough garbage gatherers to glad
ly pick up anything that is said to ones
injury, and to readily believe it, while he
whoEas to speak in anothers favor is term
ed Zone Joe Smith" and is asked to prove
his good moral character. 1t is no pleas
ant task TO be obliged to defend ones self
from the most infamous hints and filings
because you happen to be possessed of
evidence important to clear the character
of one grossly maligned, but it would be
moral cowardice not to do so through fear
some scavenger might fling garbage at you.
JOHN Il. DREW,
1882 +. St., Washington, ID. G.
MORE TROUBLE AT CLINTON Prison.
| We learn that on the afternoon Of the