The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1875-10-08
A CONFLICT OF ASSERTIONS
MR.. 4. G. BUELL's REPLY TO SEM
TOR MATT CARPENTER.

Prom ne Cincinnati CONNER cfdi.

NhoutUr bttOFt " WHh m Gpt-
thet to be Applied at short Hanae Only.
Prom ne Cincnndn Commercial.
An article in the Commercial of Thurs
day, the ed inst, relative to question Of ve-
racity between myself and Senator Carpenter,
invites attention. l will briefly set forth the
facts.
About the 18th OF March, 1874. went ono
night 20 Carpenters room, at the cotber OF
and Thirteenth streets, Washington. While
there had a conversation with him on the re-
la,ions OF the press to public men. MIR. Cafpcn-
ter said had grossly lbelled Senator Chandler.
said that had sent to the Detroit Free Press
q special despatch concerning Chandler, which
despatch had based upon the statements of
another Individual. Carpenter said that individu-
al had misled me. said did not know as to that
Then Carpenter said ought to be ashamed OF
myself for attacking an old man In that wav. l
said was a little ashamed, on second thought,
OF having assailcd Chandler upon the ground Of
his innrmities, when there were so many other
points salient In HE character and public career.
SO much for Mr. Carpenters statement that
confessed to gross libel on Chandler, &c"
Then we began to talk about the attacks
which whiteaw Reid was then making on Car
penter through tue NcO York Tribune. Here
Carpenter got very much excited, and talked
about the lcentousness Of the press, and the
necessity " cutbinG its tendencies; and he dis
tinctly declared himself In favor OF legislation
vii Ch would impose upon the press stronger
restraints than those already imposed 10y the
libel laws OF the States. Ho spoke Of the i'm
possibility OF securing Justice In the state
courts, and distinctly fDrcshadowed a national
law OF libel - the only means II remedy'ns th c
dim Guilty. lie also indulred IN some strong talk
of the shotgun variety, and cried aloud for tho
blood II Rand I'll, who had maze some ooscrvi-
ti'ns, " my memory serves me, upon the II
atot's department at Long Branch. There was
much more talk of the sa.uo sort.
A few DAYS nfterward wrote a lcttcr 60 the
st. Louis Rtptbc1n, IN which, 10 the extent "
two columns. prounesied an attempt on the
muzzle tue press. In tn letter, which wna,
think, daten March - or % 1874, rrcited what
C,rpen' rr had said but did NOT give his n mo
stating In the letter Itself that the occasip was
one OF private conversation rather than Of in
tefNiew, and that did not deem II prorcr to
give the name OF the senator, thOuch claimed
the right to quote what ho had SAID, and to
ascribe 1t indefinitely To "a prominent Rcpub
lcan Sc atur, fur the purpose Of sii uwinr wnat
the tendency of the party was. or rather what
were the designs ~ IT, leaders ~ Congress.
private note to Mr.. williem Hyde. the editor of
tue II, publican, stating that the senator quoted
was Carpenter. aud also IN the same views ID
been substantially Expressed iu my hearing by
another senator, whose name II ~ not ncCcs-
ssrv To- mention here. The Republican then
published the letter, and acc"m auicd it with
an editorial In Ia issue, Us nearly as | can re-
member of ron -, 1874.
something Ike two months afterwar1 Senator
CARPENTER attempted to pass, ana did pass in the
Senate a oil emoodyinG thc policy which lac h ID
foreshadOwed In his:cOnV sltion with me, tut
the intent Of tue hill WIS exposed by Senators
Thurman and Wadleigh, aud also, ! believe, ~
senator bayaIr' the result being that II was
liear in m'nd that Carpenter introduced this
bill. the effect Of which would have hocn tn
OF a national law OF libel. nearly two months
after had written my letter TO the RcIublscIn.
reciting his threats III tnat direction.
About six months aiter all these things trans
pired was carrying on correspondence with
the Hon. Charles A. Dana cf TuH sUN, and in
ntat aI4llH lt.saa.. In .f
bim that had had this interview With Catpcn-
Ter, p'ior 10 his attempt 20 gag the press. Mr
Sos. hunted up the back number of the "a
pdA,Sdu containing Il, cut II nut and sent IL q
Nr. ID ma, aud in the ptiNate letter with which
accumpanicd II sti said that desired
Carpenters name 70 he withheld for the rea
SONS that have already set forth. Nj. Dana
| tnen repuhlished the interview, and aooompi-
| niei 1t with an editorial, slip of whioh hero
| with enclose.
This interview. accompanied by the enclosed
| editorial, WAS printed ia lnE Sun Of August
10 lSii and YOU VIII see that It cais fcr de.
| nial from Carpcnter. But Carpenter dil not
deny At until lac a heard that 1 was guin2 to
| take the stump IN OhIn.
To sum up LEI mc Gss these questions:
How could have known iu Maroa, 1874 that
Cafpen9r we lld iuiroducn = press q nul NO
| design, 10 me as no did2
Way did Car enter wait a year before he came
to the front ~ itu his denial after TIE SIN h4d
expressly called hi, attention 10 the iu.erstew
| why did lie select this particular occasion for
| his Genillf
A. TO Flagg tho value of hls tcstimony and
his status ns witness are easily ssocrt.ined ana
| Defined
lie IL Senate clerk, beneficiary of Cafpen-
| teT's patrons ge, dependent unOn Cirpeuttr's
influence and striker Tor Carpenter m tho local
| politics of Wisconsin. do not care 81 leik ~
Tlagg with acrimony, for his share In tho matter
| is an affair Of bread and hutter and the labofer
should make himself worthy N hii hire. But IT
does not stand TO reason that his recollection 0f
| "A cOnveTeation a year aud seven months after IL
occurred SHOULD be a. accurate mine wa a
| daV or two after heard IL, even were there
| extraneous circumstances 10 initiate against
| his CreOiOilitN ~ "A witness.
| NJ ftots can be verified by william II, de and
| BY MIR. Dana.
| As to the coarse epithets employed By Mr. Car
pointer, have only a word To say: " Liar IA an
epithct that never andy Ht any range too long
tu loo measured bN the arm of tho party to whom
Il Il applied. If Sir Carpenter desires to avail
himself Of the space intervening hetween Mil
| W ukee aud ONO, for the purpose Of calling me
| an indicted liar" can only say that his shot,
Tor the time being, falls short but Mt some time
when the range may he conveniently close,
| sh all try TO return his compliments in manner
appropriate to their character and the character
| of their source AS well.
| AZ present, however. must connne myself TO
the theory either that Senator Carpenters vera
city Is at "A discount, or his memory Desperately
| Shorthand the latter would seem To lie the
preferable n.y. Othosis, In view OF the fact that
we have his own word for II that " Desperate
Shortness" Il condition to whivh the Senator
is not altogether stranger Nery. truly,
A. q. BUELL..
CosHoCToN. Ohio, Sept 25, 1875.
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