The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1874-06-04
JAMES WASTON WEBB AS
MINISTER SO BRAZIL
CHARGED WITH
FRAUD.
From the Plovid Journal.

OSASS LOuoly ALL JOOCu uPOu, AOAh'oA
Minister of the United State to
BRAZIL perpetrated,1 while in that
county, one Of the grossest frauds
ever known in diplomacy. This
Minister is General James Watson
Webb, of New York. lie presented
a claim against the Government OF
Brazil without being authorized to do
so by the Government Of the United
States, and obtained the payment in
peculiar circumstances and in a mann
er offensive to both Governments.
Having received the money to the
amount Of 9l4,252, he paid over to
the treasury only $4,000, giving no
account and making no mention
whatever of the remainder, and leav-
Jag the STATE Department Ito believe
that this was the whole amount. On
the receipt of the money, the right
fulness of the claim was referred to
the proper officers, and by them it
was decided to be not lawful claim
and the Brazilian Government was
immediately informed that $4,000
would be refunded. 1t was then for
the first time that the Department of
State learned from the Brazilian
Minister at Washington the full
amount which had been paid to tue
American Minister. The sum of
IS, 900 was all that had been re-
ceived by the Government. This
took place in 1867, and Mr. Webb,
soon afterward ceased to be Minister
and went to reside in Europe. Since
that time many efforts have been
made to obtain from him an explana-
ton Of what had. become of the
remainder Of the money, but wholly
without success. The amount had
been paid by the Brazilian Govern
ment In three several drafts on Lon
don-one Of $4,000. which was in
dorsed by the Minister directly to
the Government of the United States;
a Sc cond of f3. 352, which had been
discounted in Brazil, and third of
IS, 800 had been paid in London to
the order of the Minis ter, and
apparently OIL his private account.
No satisfactory explanations of the
transaction have ever been received
by the Government, though repeated
ly demanded.
The affair has lately been brought
to the attention of the House tf
Representatives by Mr.. E r. Hoard.
by DIGESTION Of the Committee on
Foreign Affairs, as a matter OF
necessity in explaining an appropria-
ton asked for by that committee for
refunding Brazil $4,000 that was
enormously claimed and received by
the United States. MIR. Hoar was
very reluctant to go into the details
of the case, and asked the House to
allow HIM to stop with the general
explanation. The members, howev-
er, were not satisfied with this, and
insisted that he should naryate the
whole transaction from beginning t.
end. 1t is one at which, Of coulse
,he Government is exceedingly
mortified and annoyed, as the claim
was pressed, not only without its
direction, bit III circumstances which
made us appear to have taken adyant-
age OF a crisis in the affairs of Brazil.
The claim, TOO, was of a class which
our Government itself never allows,
and in no circumstances whatever
would Brazil have been forced to pay
it. 1t is a transaction in which
both Governments have been trif1ed
with and defrauded by a Minister Of
the United States, who has sever
since returned to the country, and
from whom IL appears to be now
impossible to obtain indennitica ton
or even explanation. The Govern
ment has nothing to do but pay back
the money, and to lose 99,252
with interest for six or seven years
AS has been sta 81. mr., Webb
has been III Eurepo ever since he
ceased to be Miniserin Brazil. "a Ills
sons, who reside IN New York, have
published a card with reference to
those disclosures, asking suspension
of the public Judgment till their faith
er can return to this country and