Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1873-03-09

L
to her in June, 1868, of my hav-
ing received a thousand dollar bill
to which she had referred especially. j
was further confirmed by the testimony
of Mr.. Mathews, that in the same con-
versation it was understood Istated that
I would send this Nesbitt remittance to
Indiana, and that the bank book shows
that the cancelled draft proved that did
so send it that very day, the twenty
second June, out of the twelve hundred
deposit This remittance of so large an
amount from a stranger, was indicated
by many as impossible, and the fact that
he was dead and could not testify as to
his own confidential donation, was
cruelty commented on. The committee,
however, after having closed the public
testimony, commenced by examining
privately my bank accounts during
other months than the seven in issue.
Learning this / notified them at once
that had received other remittances at
that session from this generous donor,
partly for personal use and partly for
political, with the distinct understand
ing that receiving them / should create
no obligation on my part, but that ms
family did not desire his letters publish
ed unless absolutely necessary, and by
the advice of counsel had not referred
1t to them, is the explanation requested
of me as to the precise sources of the
currency deposit of June %.
l placed them, however, at the disposal
of the committee, and they were subse-
quently made public. They show that
in April, 1868, he sent me thousand
dollars for my personal use as a free
gift, and that in July, in letter which
did not refer to my examination at all,
as the last letter of June did, he sent
another thousand dollars for political
use, making in all at that session, in
his April, June and July remittances,
one thousand dollars personally and
two thousand dollars politically. l
showed also, by another draft of one
thousand dollars endorsed by me July
18th to the chairman of the Indiana Re-
publican committee returned to the
bank, paid and cancelled), that had
sent his one thousand dollar remittance
of July to Indiana, as had the one in
June, and thus the two drafts eircumstan-
TALLY prove both remittances and their
dates. Mr.. ColfaX exhibited both of
these cancelled drafts of June and July,
1868, and then continued: al stated to
the committee that 1 had used still
more in Indiana and elsewhere, for le-
gitimate campaign purposes, during
that canvass, contributed by friends,
and offered to show them all that had
expended politically, personally, and for
household expenses. did this because
l did not know how far these investiga-
tions would extend, judging from the re-
searches made after my specific expla-
nation of where l got the money depos-
tied in June, 1868, but the committee
declined to inquire into those items,
hence this information has been lost to
the world. Twill not weary you by fur
ther details. You have all read the vol
untary affidavit of my lifelong friend,
Ricketson Burroughs, who, though he
had only heard of, and not seen, my
statement as to the one thousand dol
lars remittance of June from Mr.. NeS-
bitt, sWore that l told him in the sum-
mer of having received one or two thou
sand dollars from Nesbitt for political
uses, proving by his repetition Of
the larger sum four times over
that l had evidently told him OF
both the June and July remittances
from Nesbitt. He added that then l
had sent Nesbitt's certificates to the Re-
publican central committee at India
napolis, as l have shown you / did. [
will read now an extract of letter from
Mr.. Hoyt, one of the leading business
men of New York, in the leather busi-
ness, who writes me: "You will doubt
less remember that you favored me with
a visit at my house in Stanford, June,
1863, and while there you stated that
YOU would like to call on Mrs. Nesbitt,
whose husband had recently died. You
stated TO me then that Mr.. Nesbitt had
been exceedingly generous and kind to
you; that he had sent to you, unsolicit-
ed, two or three thousand dollars to
help you in the campaign. You also
stated that Mr.. Nesbitt seemed to have
no selfish end in view, that he was
deeply interested in the success Of the
| Republican party, and only desired of
you that you would feel free to come to
his house and talk moment with him.
was personally acquainted with Nes-
bitt, and knew him to be man OF large
wealth and Of generous deeds" could
read you many letters l have re-
eeived on this subject. Confidential
| friends, with whom / have con-
yersed more or less about this generous
man, but it is needless. l must read
YOU, however, brief extract from let
ter written by Hon. J. d. Defrees to A.
r. Sawyer, of this city. He says:
'FYou know that four years ago the long
and intimate relations which had ex-
| isted between Mr.. ColfaX and myself
were broken off, but my sense of justice
will not permit me to sympathise with
| the bitter and cruel denunciation of a
portion of the public press against that
Gentleman. i have known MIR. COlfax
| -, 1ox-hoo1 oud do rlnf balioNya him
to be corrupt, nor would he make q
statement under oath that he did not
| believe to be true. / know how
easy it is to influence the public mind
on any subject, and how unreasonable
it becomes when excited. A reaction,
however, always takes place, and that
reaction which is bound to come in this
instance will be more reasonable and
more charitable, and a much less vim
dictive feeling will exist toward all
these.n Need | add to this voluntary
letter that having heard how vigorously
he had defended any reflection on my
integrity and truthfulness, / was glad,
the first time | met him, to tender him
publicly my grateful thanks, and shak-
| ing hands together, this unpleasant
alienation of the past four years ended.
L would like to analyze at length,
but l have referred to those which
have excited the most discussion,
and do not wish to unnecessarily pro.
leng this statement. The falsehoods
that have been telegraphed over the
country during the investigation have
been SO persistent and malicious that ]
was astounded when for the first time in
nv life / saw the S. G. check in the
committee room, and found that it wa:
to be charged to me, and this astonish.
ment was telegraphed as the evidence o
of my guilt. Next it. was tele,
graphed that / was going to try
to prove that / received the
twelve hundred dollars from Jasper
Schremaker, Stuart and Basen, and
when it was found this was false, it wa:
telegraphed that had to change tactic:
and charge it to deceased man. WheT
| wrote to the committee in regard t
the other Nesbitt remittances, and th,
desire of his family, and the decision o
my counsel that they should not be
prosecuted to account for a depOsi
made on "a certain day in June
it was telegraphed that / had writer
to the committee that / had forgotten
them, when another falsehoOd was tele
graphed that / had, after Nesbitt'i
| death, acted as his attorney or lobbyist
The acknowledgement officially reject
ed it, and showed | had done no more
than any congressman could have don
without criticism, and no more than
can add than l have done as to an,
department OF business, which an!
constituent of my friend or foe asked /
/ have decided justly during the yea
and represented this district il
congress. could read you more LET
tiers that have received on this subjec
from confidential friends, with whom
conversed, more or less, about this gen
T erOus man.
Here | must close. From first to las
! have stated all the leading, practica