Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1873-02-04
Card from Mr.. hos. II. stewart.

announced and circulated in the public press /
trnst Will excuse me for making this statement.
These statements reflect upon my character as
a man and as attorney. / am called s.Iebbys.,
at one time; that had "corru ptiOn fund, in
my hands at another, and that {" could disclose
matters damaging The character Of me mbers Of Con-
gress, and high officials" in some other quarter;
and all this by strangers to me, or those who
only know me slightly, and who, if they had to
be hung or make good their gratutous asser-
tons by proof, would be doomed to the gallows.
never "lobbied" or engaged TO ''lobby" any
measure before Congress in my life, and chal-
make them good. / have acted rs counsel in
many cases before Congress, when that body
assumed to hear causes, and afford the
Court of Claims, a tribunal which / took
an active part in getting organized, and dock
eted the first case that was ever tried before IL.
This right to apply to Congress is vested in every
citizen seeking relief, and his right to employ
counsel equally clear; but ii the exercise OF this
right is to become the warrant of newspaper
correspondents TO stigmatiZe him with epithets,
his position is truly hard one, and il is time
that the citizen was provided with some other
means of redress, or relief in his dealings with
the government.
So far, however, as am concerned, 1 brand
the statements as false, by whomsoeyer made,
and call for the proof; and for fear the authors
OF such statements may not feel disposed to make
good their charge or retraet them from . sense
Justice or regard for the rrusa, will pay 81 600
for each and every case where IL can be proved
that ever acted as lobbyist" II the charge
is true it can certainly be proven, for IL involves
kind Of service that cannot be performed out of
sight Of somebody, and can easily be established.
The man does not live who has seen me in the
halls or corridor Of the Capitol ,importuning any
member for any purpose So Ear from such be-
ing true, not one member in twenty ever laid
eyes upon me until stood in their presence at
the bar of the House of Representatives on the
goth Of January, answering the charges pre-
ferred against me. Now let the accuser pro-
duee HE, or their, proof, or stand branded IS
The statement that the bonds placed In nv
hands by Hallett and Durant was for "corrupt
purposes" or was a corruption fund" is equally
gratuitOus, contemplate, and false. / can,
with just as much truth, charge the authors of
this statement with having stolen the coats on
their backs, as they can apply the charge of my
charge is made against me by the committee,
and there is not word Of proof to sustain il If
it were made. Those for whom acted as coun-
sci are satisfied with my actions, and are not
complaining i'm any way. My accusors are those
who are strangers TO the transaction referred to.
and are ignorant of everything that relates to
them, but who still presume to make and reiter
ate this SANDER and falsehood i'm whatever way il
will best serve to adorn a sensation article for
the press; and all this for no other reason than
that do not feel authorized to state facts only
known to me as counsel, about matters entrust
ed to me some twelve years ago, and which were
closed some ten years ago, and are now com
pletely at rest. Those who make and circulate
charges assailing the character OF others under
such circumstances will make any charge that
malice or any other motive may suggest.
falsehood, that / could if would disclose any
thing injurious to any 'member of Congress or
high official" now or heretofore, tcickednsss
itself, and none but a craven scoundrel, whose
desfitutOn of character is such that he is reck-
less Of that of others, would do 80. IL Is now
over quarter of a century since / became en-
gagged as attorney, and have handled q large
business, to the complete satisfaction Of nv
clients, and, so far l know, rendered my con-
duct acceptable to the public officials with
whom my business brought me in contact
and now to have the good beha vior of over TWEEN
ty-seven years as an attorney advertised into
fraud through the public press, is infamous,
1t. Nothing that could say or tell, unless
purtured myself and swore to lies, such as
see heralded with my name through the press
Der of Congress, or high or low official. and no
one need expect il. ..H
1t is not true that sought or seek notoriety in
that prepared or made set speech. How
could do 1t? The resolution directing my ar
rest was passed at p. m. on the 18th, and was
January, giving me no time to prepare anything
II is we'll known that 1 expected to return to
New York that evening, and had only come to
Washington to conclude my examination com
menced eleven days previous, and they are
wholly ignorant OF who 1 am that make these
statements.
1t is with the deepest pain that see state
ment i'm print that gave or paid certain bonds
to the Hon. James G. Blaine. 1t is false; I
never had a business transaction of any kind
honor to enter my office i'm his life. But the
charge is just about true either of the other
matters to which have referred.
As to my action in the matter of nv arrest and
confinement in the sBsstite'' of the Capitol ]
feel that am right. And womb cease to merit
the confidence Of men, as would forfeit my self
respect were to disclose the confidence or bust
hess affairso my clients however uniIpportam
that information might be to the public for
were to narrate all could say or remember,
it would be stale story OF no interest to any
one, and would be as foreign TO the object Of the
resolution OF Congress, referred to the honorable
committee 10y whose procurement l am inl-
prisoned as the Koran is to holy writ. Be it
however never SO unimportant, my knowledge
is deriv ed from the confidence of nv clients and
will not betray IT under any circumstances.
But 1 cannot stop the mouth or control the
pen Of the liar and calumniator. and can there
fore only ask those who NAV see or hear those
charges to ask the author to produce his proof,
ana the wretch will offer none, but will at once
show himself to be one of those sswho willeth
God" -'l ~
The thraldom which I am forced to en-
counter for doing what believe to be right. I
shall endure, wen I can, though disas-
trous TO my personal interests.
In my firm belief. as founded upon the letter
and spirit of the constitution, tie supreme la,o Of
the land, II the House of Representatives, in
stead of passing the resolution incarcerating me
IN this prison. had resolved that I should be 1
turned at a stake in front Of the capitol on the
fourth Of March next, to celebrate the re-inau-
gurationof Gen. Grant as President, their action
would have been just as legal and valid as the
resolution they did pass. There is as much dele
as there is for the other. But, whatever result
may follow, shall try to maintain my self-re-
spect, however much msrepresented and SIAN
dered through the public press.
Jos. B. STEWART.
AN INSANE MAN MURDERS HIS CHILD AND