The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1874-08-24
mcnasters Flres on FISH.
New YORK FRERMAN's JOURNAL OFFICE,
August 20, 1874.

n Ett4 .sss :
McMasters Fires ON Fish.
New YORK FRERAAN's JOURNAL OFFICE
August 90, 1874.
To the Editor of the Herald:
One OF your excellent Washington corre-
sropdenss Yesterday succeeded in catching
MIR. Fish, the sged gentleman VINO is IN the
rhatr Of .Secretsry of State. TO him Mr..
Fi,h stated that, in his opinion, any man
vas damned TOOL" and he did not wish to
no understood as using these words in pro-
fame sense. Gwho would pen such an article
IA that in the Freemdn's Journal" OF this
week in regard to the intrigue for the trans
fer1ipe of Porto Rico to the German Empire
by the Serrano usurpation of the govern
ment at Madrid.
! am willing that the old gentleman may
abound in his own opinion. Nor, on the
other hand, can help it if even his son-i1-
law. Mr.. Sidney Webster, and bis envoy, US
American Minister to Berlin, Mr.. Bancroft
Davis. join in the general opinion OF their
countrymen that Mr.. Hamilton Fish may be
s blessed fool, but IL, certainly, damned dl.
plomali>t. Dir. Secretary Fish has denied
nothing that / have asserted. even sug-
oe,ted that MIR. Hamilton Fish was uncon-
scious that he was drifting our country into
a war with the arrogant ard top.heavy Ger
man Empire, without knowing what ne was
doing.
Mr.. Hamilton Fish is, even in his advanced
age, better judge than am OF the value OF
houses and lots in the Seventeenth Ward OF
New York, but God never made him for
statesman or diplomatist, or even for po-
itician. He draws on his diplomatic expe-
riepce for the assertion that " no minister
representing European Government would
have dared to use in IN official dispatch the
language attributed to Admiral Polo" Mr..
Hamilton Fish's reading of diplomatic cor
respondence of European Powers, Ia the
past times of European grandeur, is fur less
than his reading of the New York real
estate market, or he never would have writ
ten that.
Besides, were old Mr.. Hamilton Fish's
knowledge of European diplomacy more ac-
curate than it is, could it reach time in
which an old "sea-dog" of the Spanish
navy, dragged away from the ships he had
commanded for nearly quarter of a century
and thrust into diplomatic position for
which be had no desire, found himself re-
presenting not even shadow of Spanish
royalty, not even shadow OF Coftes re,
presenting Spanish nationality, but usurped
u'ctalotSuip VI tuo thiiSe PeiJ"tN~ >N'
Serrano!
AS the late Mr.. Lincoln would have said,
&" IL reminds me of little story" 1t Is, If
I mistake not, Of the reign Of George III. OF
England. The proud family OF the Percys
was extinct. The last remnant, female,
was married to rich burgber, who bought,
or some way gained, the old title of Duke OF
northumberland. He asked some favor or
other of the Court, was snubbed, and ap-
pealcd personally to the functionary King OF
England. "IL is, think, the first time,
Your Majesty, that Duke Of Northum5er-
land ever asked so small favor Of royalty
and was refused" The reply is said to have
been: .sVery possible, sir. L think. also, it
i. The first time Mr.. Smith has been Duke OF
Northumberland I"
There seems to be some persons near Dir.
Hamilton Fish who profess to be better
Judges of style than he is; and some of these
saw that the ring OF the dispatches Is other
than the gallant old Admiral Polo would
have given 10 his writings. The question is
not as to the style, but as to the signature.
But zee nothing in the style not IN the
competence of an old wary officer OF Spain,
goaded 10 esl.eraton by the imbecles OF
Madrid.
But, with style, or precedents, or works of
internal evidence, / have nothing 10 do.
hold the transcript Of the dispatches on the
evidence on which have received them. l
do not hold them subject to the call OF MIR.
Hamilton Fish. nor of any one occupy ing
public place. Had the people of the United
states, as government, had men fitted for
their places, either in the Department OF
State at Washington, or at Madrid. or at Ber-
lin, would have had no revelations posi-.
Die for me TO make. The matter was |" on
the cards "a year ago.,
| have only to say to the Herald, whose
forecast AZ this matter was correct, That am
certain oP my information, and that ought
not and, therefore, will not betray the source
whence | have gained it. The New York
Tribune one day says it does not doubt my
honesty, but may be the "dupe" OF some
Carlist. Again, with remarkably bland
air it invited me to produce my documents,
because old Mr.. Fish thinks they are not au-
thentic The Ecening Post on the fact
that these documents, so interesting to the
American public, need further Authorization
because they have been given by paper OF
ayowedly "Papist and Carlist sympalhles."
At first I thought the suggestion intended
to be offensive; but, on second reading,
see that the Post, being Puritan and ''Ply-
mouth" considers any amount of false as
sertlon and, perhaps, false swearing as alto
gether in order for the promotion of the
cause one has at heart. decline altogether
that Puritan code of morals. Following the
code was reared in and have made my own
| do not seek to promote my dearest case by
any lie.
| stand defiant in community that knows
me, and declare that the overtures of the
wretched Spanish Junta at Madrid and the
responses OF Admiral Polo are such as Ihave
stated them to be. l will compromise no
one by revealing my sources of information
at present. In a short time-it may be some
montbs-when King Carlos VII. will be in
the Escuria, and hold Madrid and all the
Spains, for their honor will, perhaps, tell
who my informants have been.
The Herald has had the kindness short
time ago to say the story of my being made
Cardinal was, as I,called it, an egregious
humbug; also OF my looking after any other
Papal honor. Please, then, let me say that
your humorous suggestion as to my being
the plenipotentiary of King Carlos VII. of
Spain is equally absurd. The true Spaniards
that hold with their king are a very noble
people, but they are the most
Jealous of nations. All they ask is 10 be
let alone. This done, King Carlos
will soon settle with the foes Of order in
Spain. All have done has been, as pri-
yate in the st. MichaePs Association Of New
York. to help in sending a little aid to the
Pontifical Zouaves in active service in Spain
for hospital purposes-aid (under her Royal
Highness Donna Biapea, wife of Don Al
ionso, brother of the King as freely used
for the unhappy conscripls of the Madrid
dictatorship as the Cariist wounded.
But, coming, some months ago, into
| accidental knowledge of the inlrigues of
! the oYergroWn and insolent German En.