The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1877-06-16
Butler on Wayne MVeagh.


ened letter in answer to Wayne Nc
Veagh, of Pennsylvania, to get into
print. 1t is a long and extremely
personal letter. His letter to Mar
shal Pitkin was personal. The facts
therein recited were stated specifi-
cally to be from information which
he had received from a creditable
source, Then he says, eff you had
addressed me even a printed letter,
or one couched in the ordinarily
courteous language which passes be-
tween gentlemen, especially when
the one who uses it, it is rumored, is
expecting employment in the diplo-
matte serviceof his country, should
have very promptly, upon being set
right, made reparation Sc far as in
my power for any injury arising
from a publication even for which |
was not responsible. Inever thought
of charging you with using your own
money, of which you declare you
had none to spare, in paying the
mileage of the deserting Legislators
of the Packard House. You will
observe by reading my letter more
carefully that | did not even allege
that ''it was asserted that any money
was paid" l frankly confess that l
had no evidence then, and have
none now, that you paid any money
to these deluded men, after it had
been promised them. / desire in
the most solemn manner to acquit
you of ever having paid away any
money. l knew, as you say in your
letter, you had "none to spare" and
| believed if you had you would not
"spare it."
In reply to Mr.. MacVeagh's asser-
ton that sit is only military COM
mandant of New Orleans in time of
war who can safely appropriate any
considerable quantity of the property
Of Others to his own use," the Gen
eral shoots back in this style: "Do
| understand you correctly, that it
was the want Of ability to do it safe
ly that has prevented you from ap.
propriating a considerable quantity
of the propertyiof others to your own
use? However, shall not affect to
misunderstood the allusion which
you thus make, but attribute it to
the apparent loss of your temper,
which makes your writing at once
unjust, illogical and unsperspicuous.
Then, regarding the charges of brib-
cry, Gen. Butler says: 81 would
suggest to the Senate committee to
ask, certain members of the Packard
Legislature, whose names | will give
whether, after the efforts to demora.
lize the Republican members, and
get them to go over to Nichols by
the Commission acting together had
failed. selected portion of that Leg
islature were requested by Colonel
Wharton, friend of Packard, to
meet Wayne McVeagh and did so
whether he addressed them. saying
that the President would not recog.
nize the Packard Government; that
the troops would be Withdrawn the
next day; that he had telegram to
that effect that if they would go
over to the Nichols Legislature they
would be recognized and seated, and
get their mileage; but if they did
not do so within twenty four hours
their seats would be declared vacant,
and they would lose all. If the
committee push their inquiry
firmly believe upon evidence they
will find what | have suggested to
be substantially true. | read in your
letter that you say Wharton did not
manage or transact any kind of bus
mess for me. Certainly not, bless
your soul? You do not call such
tricks as these business, do you
They are not business, even if you
should get that foreign mission for
doing them, which l hope you will.
You further say Wharton was a
friend of Packard's. All the better
instrument, therefore, to get Pack
ards friends away from him. 1t was
well done, and does credit to your
training. You say further, strange
as it may seem to some of them, po-
litical results are still attainable in
this country by straightforward and
honest methods. True, it did seem
strange to me for more than thirty
years experience in the ways OF
Pennsylvania political "methods''
and politicians in bath parties. 1t
did seem strange to some if this
transaction was either straightfor-
ward or honest. You made a good
point on me there, if you believed
what you are brave enough only to
insinuate, because although you were
young and able bodied, fail to re.
call the number of the regiment in
/ Il \ r