The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1875-12-08

IF Minister Sehenck. is the honorable
and high minded gentleman his country
men once supposed him to be, he is one of
the most unfortunate of morta.s. Upon
the heels of the Emma Mine disgrace fol-
lows another scandal, worse in some re-
spects than that deplorable affair "a scan
dial of such character that it seems to
make Mr.. Schenck's retirement to
private life necessity of the most urgent
kind. Documents have recently been pub
lished which show that in July, 1871, Mr..
Norman Wizard, who was at that itime a
partner of Gen. Sehenck's in the business
OF manufacturing ordnance, and held pow
err of attorney from him. entered into writ
ten agreement with Juan A. Machado to
use his best endeavors to procure the
settlement and payment" of a claim of
$350,000 which Machado was urging
against the British Government. What
sort of 'endeavOrs" Wizard was expected
to use may be inferred from the stipulation
of the contract that il he succeeded in
securing such settlement during the time
Gen Schenck should he the Minister Of
THE United States to Great Britain"
Wards compensation should be one-third
of the award, less certain legal expenses;
but if the settlement should not depend
upon the negotiation of Gen. Schenck,"
''Or should not be concluded during his
ministry, then Ward should get nothing.
In plain English, Wizard, trading
upon the basis of his partnership
and intimacy with the American
Minister, proposed to sell the diplomatic
services Of that high official, taking for
his pay one-third of all that Schenck could
get out Of the British Government. Of
course it was nowhere said that Wizard and
Schenck were to divide the profits. On
that subject Mr.. Machado doubtless drew
his own conclusions.
Having made this disgraceful contract,
what was Mr.. Wards next proceeding?
Why, he sent copy of it to Mr. Schenck,
with the necessary papers for the prosecu-
ton of the claim. Did Mr.. Schenck pro-
test Indignantly at such an affront to his
honor? Did he refuse to be party to the
bargain? Not at ALL He wrote back:
II will see what can be done. have the
greatest confidence in you, but am sor-
ry my name was put in. Neither Mac
"hado nor his attorneys should have had
writing with my name mentioned" And
he concludes: This letter is for yourself,
"and to be burned when read, | shall burn
what you have sent except the briet of
'Machado's American lawyers" We print
the contract and the letter in full, and leave
our readers to judge for themselves wheth-
or there was an understanding between
Schenck and Wizard, and what its nature
was. 1t must be clear, however, that
courtesy to the British Government re-
quires our administration to reLall Mr..
Schenck without further delay, unless he
can satisfy the world that the documents
now published are forgeries.
From tie Net0 York Sun.
How did the Wizard agreement with
Machado and Poker Scheuck's letter get
into print? Schenck said be had the most
unlimited faith" in Wizard, ard added
this letter is for yourself, to be burned
when read" Wizard, however, had better
use for the damaging missive of heEmma
mine diplomatist. He slowed it away in a
pigeon hole, and at the proper time-four
years after it was written-lt was given to
the public. This shows the danger Of
partnership with disreputable fellow, and
putting unlimited faith in a shyster.
Not long ago, in lawsuit to which he was
perty, a host of witnesses swore that
they would not believe Poker Schenck's
confidence friend on OATH Has the bank
ruptcy of Wizard broken the cordial bonds
that bound the dipiomatist to the champion
un-burster? And what does Secor
Robson say to it all?