The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1876-06-06
the future and admonition of my chldre Not
one particle more.
The Letters Produced.

the future and admonition of my childre Not
one particle more.
The Letters Produced.
But am about to show the letters, (holding
them up in his hand). l thank God Almighty
that L am not ashamed to show them. There
they are. There is the very original package.
With some sense of humiliation, with a morti-
fication which do not pretend to conceal, with
a sense of outrage which | think any mani in
my position would feel, L invite the confidence
of forty-four millions of people and L will read
these letters. (Applause which the Speaker
pro tenn endeavored TO suppress.) Many of
these letters have not the remotest bearing on
the subject, but some of them will require a
little explanation. Some of them may posi-
bly, involve humiliation, but l would good deal
rather take that than take the evil surmises
and the still more evil differences that might
be drawn II did not act with trankness
MIR. Blaine Reads the letters.
Mr.. Blaine thereupon proceeded to read aud
to make passing comments upon the explana
tions of various points in the several letters.
AUGUSTA, Me-, Aug. 81, 1872.
Nv Dear Mr.. Fisher
receive your last letter until it was several days DID,
When last wrote you expected to be in Boston on
political conference about this time but found it
impossible to be there and it is impossible for
me to leave here until our election, which occurs on
Monday week the 9th. will try to meet you at the
the first possible moment for that purpose. l
not, however, allow remark in your letter to pass
without comment.
You say that you have been trying to get settle
ment for fifteen months. You have been trying to
induce me to comply with certain demands which
you made upon me without taking into account any
claims have of a counter kind. This does not fill
my idea OF aeettlement for a settlement must in
clude both sides. No person could be more anxious
for settlement than am, and it upon our next
interview we cannot reach one why then we may try
other means. But my judgment is that shall make
you SO liberal on offer of settlement tibet you
possibly refuse. As one of the elements which 1
wish to take into account is the note of 900 given
you in 1868 for Spencer stock, desire that you will
furnish me with the items OF interest that note,
which you still hold, that you did not charge
interest on, possibly emitting one two years. 1
will be obliged if you will give me information on
this point, tor intend to submit to you full and
explicit settlement, and in making it up it is neces-
sary that should have this information. Please
send it as promptly as you may be able to give it to
me. In haste,
Very truly yours,
Warren Fisher, Jr Esq.
The allusion to the Spencer contract he ex-
planned by saying that in the summer of 1861,
two years before he first came to Congress-, he
had been asked if he could not get an oppor-
tunity for the inventor of the Spencer repeat
ing rifle to bring that new arm to the attention
of the Secretary of War He said he thought
he could and he had come on to Washington
and had an interview with Secretary Cameron.
NIL SdnOIOu udu SlNcu OTuoVS W nave III t6SUeu
by the ordnance bureau. 1t had been thor
oughly tested and the experiments were so sat-
isfactory that a preliminary order for 20, 900
rifles was made. The company had immed-
ately proceeded to erect an armory in Boston.
He had been paid not an extravagant but
moderate fee for his services, which he had
just as much liberty to take as any lawyer or
agent had to take fee. Subsequently he had
taken and paid for $40, 900 of stock in the COM
pany which had since been merged in the Man
oh a. W.
There are five letters. There are the whole of
them and here is Mulligan's memorandum
keep it as protection for myself to show the
identity of the letters in every respect.
AUGUSTA. Me-, July ., 1869.
My Dear Mr.. Fisher
You ask me if L ain satisfied with the offer Won
made OF a share in your new railroad enterprise. OF
course am more than satisfied with the terms of the
offer. think it a most liberal proposition. If L
have any hesitation all it is from consideration no
way connected with the character of the offer. Your
liberal mode OF dealing with me in all our business
transaction Of the past eight years has not passed
the 9th was intended to bring Caldwell to definite
proposition, that was all. I go to Boston by the
same tram that carries this letter, and will call
your office at IL m. IT you don't happen to be in,
matter. Don't put yourself to any trouble about it.
Yours, j. G. B.
Mr.. FISHER, Jr.
My Dear Mr.. Fisher
You must have strangely misunderstood Mr.. Cald-
WellS statement 10 his paying me all but
$25OO borrowed money which loaned the company
through him and you last January. Mr. Caldwell
paid in June $500 and in July $2500 more, accept
ing at the time draft for $500 July 10TH on
ten days. which draft remains unpaid. Therefore
received but $4,000 from CALDWELL leaving $4,000
besides the interest due me todoy. For that $500
cumstances L think that you and Mr.. Caldwell
ehoud regard it honorary debt and you should
not allow me to suffer for money which raised
been used with positive druelty in regard to the
bonds. have your positive written contract to de-
liver me $l250 land bonds and $32, 800 first mort
gage bonds The money aue you on thecontract was
all paid nearly year and half ago. OF that whole
amount of bonds due me have received but $4,000
of land grants, leaving $4,000 OF them and $32 500
OF first mortgage bonds still DUE know that you
are pressed and in trouble, and do not wish to be
exacting Rather wish to be very liberal in SETTLE
ment.
Now 1 make this offer. Pay me the cash due on
the borrowed money account call it 49, in round
numbers, and $4,000 in land bonds and will call
it square. Mr.. Caldwell has repeatedly assured me
that L should be paid all the bonds due me under
contracts with you and outside of that $250OO due
me from him now. l Voluntarily offer to make
very large reduction if have the matter closed
l am without doubt the only person who has paid
you will agree with me that have Jared pretty
roughly. 1t would be immense, immeasurable
relief to me if could receive the money in time 10
pay off the Indebtedness here within the next six
weeks so can go to Washington this winter with
the load taken off my shoulders. 1t was placed
there in the fullest faith and confidence that you and
Mr.. Caldwell would not let suffer, and still
Cling to that faith and confidence. You will much
oblige me by showing this letter to Mr.. Caldwell.
Yours truly,
JAMES G. BLAINE.
WASHINGTON, May A. 1870.
My Dear Mr.. Fisher
think on the whole that I had better not insist
on the 900 additional bonds at the same rate
My engagement is not absolute and can break out
of it with honor. would rather do this than seem
to be exactng or indelcate besides have always
felt that Mr.. Caldwell always manifested most gen
tlemanly spirit towards me and desired to treat me
sn of PERHAPS let things wnGs as Se1
are but will follow your Judgment in this matter,
j. G. BLAINE.
My Dear Mr.. Fisher
On my return home yesterday found your favor
Of the 9Th. from Stonngton asking for my notes of
Element of our matter would only lead to future
trouble, at all events, to mere postponements of our
present difficulties. deem it highly desirable that
we should have conclusive settlement, and have
been eager for that for three months. The account
which you stated June 90 1872 does not correspond
precisely with the reckoning have made of my in
debtedness. On the note you hold you credited me
April 49, 1885, with $685. 900 dividend from the Spep-
Ger Company but there were two subsequent dfVi-
dends, one Of $3.50 the other of $780, of which no
mention is made in your statement, though receiv-
ed in june 1870 your check for $1,000 $780, which
was part of those diyidens. believe. think my
cash memorandum of Jnne Is, 1869, for $2500 with
which you charge me. represented at the time part
of the dividends, but being debited with that an
10 u circuit Oh In6 UlVlU6uu.
In other words as reckon it there are dividends
amounting to $3.50 due with interest since June,
1870, of which have received only 5000 or $780,
emitting thus to a credit of some $500 besides
the cash memorandum Of Jan. 0, 1864, for $780,
which, with interest, amounts to $9O4.10 included in
the consolidate note which given to represent all
my Indebtedness to you, and which you repeatedly
assured me would be met and lquidated in good
time by Spencer dividends.
You will thus see that we differ materially as to
the figures OF course each of is aiming at precise
ly the facts of the case and If am wrong please
rect me. am sure that you do not desire to pay
dollar that is not due and am equally that
am more than ready to pay every cent owe you.
The Little Rock matter is perpetual and never
ending embarrassment to me- 1 am pressed daily
almost to make a final settlement with those who
still hold securties-a settlement am not able to
make uutil receive the bonds due your article of
agreement with me. That is to me by far the most
urgent and pressing of all the demands connected
with our matter and the one which I think in all
equity should be first settled, certainly settled as
soon as any. If the $4,000 cash is SO important to
you would be glad to assist to raise the same for
your notes. using Little Rock bonds as collateral at
the same rate they used in Boston, four for one
1 think could get the money here on four or six
months for these terms. If I had the money my
self would be glad to advance to you. but am as
fray my campaign expenses.
Very sincerely yours,
j. G. BLAINE.
Warren Fisher, Jr. Esq, Boston.
AUGUSTA, Me-, Oct l. 1871.