The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-05-31
BLATNE,S Defence,
His Suspicious Efforts 10 Prevent the Intro
tucfion Of Evideuce-A Witness with n
Very Treacberous Memory oncI asious.


tuction Of Evideuce-A Witness with n
Very Treacherous Memory Conci asions.
To THE EDITOR or THE SUN-Str. As you
so kindly gave me space In THE SUN to review
one OF Mr.. Blaine's so-callcd vindications OF
himself, win you permit me now to show what
his conduct has been In regard to the charges
made against him In relation TO the Little Rock
and Fort Smith Railroad bonds7 After the
resolution was introduced by Mr.. Tarbox to In
aure into the story Of the t75,000 bond transact
ton, interviewed two members OF the Judici-
airy Committee OF the House, and furnished q
list Of witnesses who, was Informed. could tcs-
tify to Mr.. Blaine's connection with the Little
Rock and Fort Smith Railroad. In that iist,
among others, the names OF A. p. Curry and A.
p. Robinson were included, because bad been
told that Robinson had stated to Curry that he
(RobinsoD) delivered a package OF bonds to
Blaine. At the same time l asked Gen. Eppa
Hunton, Chairman of the sub. com mittee OF the
was broad enough to oover the facte expected
TO be proven by these witnesses, the sube AN CO
OF which ated To bin. He thought u was,
and though | differed with him, l did not ex-
press opinion.
judge Mcclure was the nrst OF the Arkansas
ten,Sn from whom o6tined most st" Of ia the Elm To-
formation possessed. He proposed to testify
as to what Josiah Caldwell told MN (uoClure).
have been tertimony IN court ~ Justice, but
when the effort Is oeini m.de to arrive at all
Iedged oOrTuption, the reception OF such testi-
munv " about the only means to I'm the legal
evidence. Mr.. Blaine, instead Of showing HIM
self anxious, a. an innocent man would be, to
tring Out ana fetuto everything CHARGED asdiust
HIM. awaited himself OF the strict rule sp-
Iheh In courts Of law, end objected to
Mcclure being examined. THIS did not look
like the act Of an Innocent man, DESTROYS of
fieeing himself from au unjust effort to stain
Nr. Robinson arrived here on Tuesday even
ing, and testified on Thursday. lie swore that
b. did not know and had never stated what
were the contents OF the package tntrusted TO
him by Air. q .ldwell Of Boston, to deliver 10 MIR.
III Zoe. but he desert sd u package, winch would
answ er precisely 10 the description OF package
Of coupon bonds. such az those Of tue Fort
Smith iilrOdd would have made VI rolled no.
When inquired OF ~ To whom he had cobversed
since lis trivial In this city, Mr.. Robinson said
he had talked with Col. Curry, Gov. Hadley, aud
some one else whose name l have forgotten, and
WITH these only. Subsequently he vas asked IL
he had seen Mr.. Blaine, and be said he had.
When asked where aud when, he answered "at
Mr.. III Ines residence, tue previous evening"
In answeI to the question whether he had con-
versed with MIR. Blaine on the subject of the
swered that he bad. TINS shows how tre,cher-
Gus IL the memory OF Ropinson. He had forgot
ten on lnursday that ne talked with blaine on
Wednesday evening about nis testimony until
asked the direct question. Yet he remembered
talking with Curry and Hadley about 1t on We'd
When Col. Curry was put upon the stand he
swore that Robinson told rim that he delivered
Rssk1pse r t , oi I R 81 me
Blaine, which package was sent from Boston bv
JOSIAH Caldwell. Mr.. Blaine became excited
was acting With disreputaole gang VI Arkansas
politicians, who were endeAvoring " snircn
toid by JUDGES sowsS sna Mccss ,Sa os sbe
bonds Of the company had been used to IN
nucnce OF procure legislation, aud sr: Maines
lawyer, Mr. Frye Of Maine not only objected to
the testimony, but INDUCED In suon abuse OF
the wit mesa that he was reprOyed oy tue Chair
IN n Of tue committee. while Mr.. Biaiue loudly
him Of selling $s5,OV0 worth Of bonds to he
union Pacific. tie said, every day TINS inves-
tigation IA prolonged Is doing me injustice"
II seems to me that Mr. Blaine does himself
injustice, VI be Is innocent Of tue charge III de
against him In regard To his having received tue
bon.s OF tue Fort Smitn COMPANY for his aid In
procuring LEGISLATION for that company. In
my former review OF Mr. Blaine's viDdica-
ton. l showed that according to his own
statemcnL ne became possessed OF some OF the
bonds OF that eonpanY between the passage of
the acts In pril. 1869, and In NJ rch, 1870, DO
II which were LEGISLATION in aid OF the Little
Rock and Fort SAITH road. IL Mr.. Is ane &C
CURED these bonds honestly. by purchase, he
could easily prove 1t, and the charge OF his cor
ruptly receiving Them being proven false, would
rebound greatly to mis- benefit But inste d ~
allowing TINS examination tO proceed and pro-
duJ;ii. the witnesses to exculpate himself from
the charge, no s.,ics ne inve-::. ALTON and stun
ply denies the ALLEGATIONS az. inst him. The law
rule, tnat han before convection must be
proven guilty, ID reversed IN these Investigations,
ana man like Mr.. Blaine, seeking hign once,
must prove himself Innocent. Since the days OF
Credit Mobilief and Schuyler Colfef uenials do
not count for much.
when one rem. 81, oers the date alleged for
M "s's -etion-, and reads the letter OF Mr..
AZ -."o published IN HB sun OF Saturday, In
which ne cautions warren fishcr not 70 tell any
one except Q ildwen" OF hts proposal TO sell
an Interest IN the Northern Pacific: and when IL
Is also remembered that this 10 tne same Cald-
well who sent the pack re by Robinson. and
who told Mcclure and others Of his having To
use bonds TO secure legislation for the Fort
Smith road, people who are not exceedingly
charitable Will be inclined to make unfavorable
comments.
Bu: though should like TO analyze the letter
to Fisher, ana r. Baine's exclamation OF IL, In
THIS mornings Chronicle, shai refrain for tho
present. hupe YOU Will pardon a remark pure
~ personal. do not know whether MIR. Blaine
intended TO include me IS one OF the oisrepu-
table gang OF Arkansas politicians who are en-
deavorinR TO smirch him" suppose not, as
am IA very Insignificant individual. At any rate,
sire To state tnat In wat l am doing as 20 Mr..
B me, am working In gang" by myself.
l neither seek nor take advice from any one on
the subject, though | do hunt for information
lie. IN kepu olican, and expect to advocate
with tongue and pen the candidates onlinated
at Ciaciunatt, and do not want To be put on the
defensive; do not want to have TO be clearing
hcans W II have to do II Mr.. Blaine should sue
coed In his efforts TO secure that nom nation.
Asa Republican, Informed of the conduct of
MIR. Il aine, and believing the charges against
him 10 be true, have endeavored to defeat hs
ambition, because | believe that should IL bs
gratined, II would result In the defeat OF the Re-
publican q rty. hese are my MOTIVES for what
nave done, aud consider them ample justid-
cation. ARKANSAS
WASHINGTON. NAV es 1870