The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-11-12
THE FISH-PHILLIPS CONTROVERSY.
TIE Ex-sEcRETARY IN RESPONSE TO THE
ORATORS DISCOURSE IN PHILADELPHIA
MEASUREMENTS CORRECTED.

TIE Ex-sEcRETARY IN RESPONSE TO THE
ORATORS DISCOURSE IN PHILADELPHIA
MEASUREMENTS CORRECTED.
GARRsoS's, Nov. lo-EveninG
To EDITOR THE HERALD:-
One OF your reporters called me this afternoon
toward dusk, as l was on the point OF going to the
railroad station 10 moot one oil my family who was ro-
turning, unattended from visit to sick and suncr-
ing relative.
had read In your paper OF yesterday the report OF
Mr.. Wendell Phillips discourse 10 Philadelphia tho
evening Of the Sth inst and had found In u nothing
sustain his previous charges against General Grant and
myself beyond stale repetition OF what had been dis
proved and a fresh batch OF vituperation ana loose
talk An editorial in your paper Of this morning fur
nshed all the reply or notice which seemed to to
DO needed. have dosired, since Mr. Summers
DEATH to escape tho necessity o any allusion the
cstrangement which, 10 my great regret unfortu-
nately existed between him aud myself during the
last two or thrcc years OF his life. si cherish that
desire, and had seen nothing In tho report Of Mr.
Phillips Philadelphia speech that seemed TO call Tor
any notice from me and supposing that his address
last evening IN New York was bat repetition I had
not thought II worth the time OF careful pcrusaL
It's heading captions had mainly attracted my notice.
Pressed for time to tho lady who was about to
arrive aono In a snowstorm, and at dark whom your
reporter called, desired to avoid any 'sintervewn
He asked several questions, and simply authorized
him to say that having nailed to the counter some OF
Mr. Phihps false coins, felt necessity Of doing
any more. as Mr.. Phillips was to coin and put IN
circulation others oil equal alsy faster than or any
ono DISC could nail them beside tho former.
MEASUREMENTS CORRECTED.
Your reporter, either during the tow minutes that
he was at my house or while riding with mo to the
station, called my attention to lotter cod by Mr.
a .ld "A hv Mat ph
OF the letter familiar to me. but was not aware
OF tho use which Mr.. Phillips had made OF IT. re.
Piled that probably such letter had been written;
that II had been officially published, md Its accuracy
could DO tested. l am under obligation to your re-
porter Tor bringing It to my notice. Since my return
homo have carefully examined tho report of tho
speech as published IN tho HERALDiof TINS morning
Mr. Phillips says ~
But, again, how much can Grants memory DO do
pended on alter seven years The General says that
In juno, 1870, he every angry with Motley and
wanted TO dismiss him, aud Fish should have
done So but for fear OF SURFING sumner they de-
caed only 10 'ccnsurc hun severely" ana order MN
TO abstain entirely from doing anything more, and
Fish wrcts and sent such letter. Now we have
that letter, published by tho government Il reads
thus
subject. discussed IN that ncrvsw with the English Min
Then follows exception and tho despatch con-
ciudes:
In the meantime you may be well content to rest the
Of American sias OF the question Il was strongly done
aS tn Y osr a,sa . were r.
rcc,ion and stopping where they do and they
woii DO hoped that they tend Impress
the with the OF our appreciation Of the
grievances We nave sustained
Tho letter from which Mr. Phillips quotes was pub
lished in January, 1871. IN Senate Executive Docu-
ment No. II, OF tho third session OF tho Forty lrst
Congress, pages 10 ana II. l send you u copy OF
that document for your examination. The letter
bears date June %, 1860; but suits Mr. Philips
purpose TO fasify the date and to represent
Ing boon written Juno 2S, 1870. Tho use which he
seeks to make of tho lclter prccudcs tho possibility
OF any charity TO save tho iasihcation OF Its date
from tho charge OF wiltui misrepresentation.
IL may be worth whilo IN this connection 10 refer to
tho fact In his citation OF letter ne suppresses
tho following passage
He tho Prcsdcnt) wishes that whonoyer necoto-
lions or discussion The subject of the "Alabainu
clanis (o-callcd) shall DO thcy
III the United States ana lie desires that at tho proper
tiine you should convey this wish 10 the Minister or
Foreign Anairs.
refer to this simply TO show that at that early date
doug before any "sI Domingo treaty" exis;ed) some
thing had occurred winch induced tho President 10
withdraw tho future discussion Of tho alabama
caims question, which had been Entrusted 10 tho To-
CATION At London, from that legation 10 Washington
Again Mr. Philips says
1t Is admitted that lew days after Its 1.-THE ST. Do
mingo treaty. defeat Motley asked to resign and
ut the opening OF the very session sumner was
refused that Craftsmanship which no had filled ten
years
Tho treaty defeated In June, 1870 The next
session Of the Senate opened In December 1870 when
Mr. Sumner was again appointed chairman OF the
Committee on Foreign Relations. This disposes at
Of another Of Mr.. Philips mistatements and
OF tho idea that Mr. Summers failure to DO reap
pointed in consequence of his opposition to tho
St Domingo Treaty Had that opposition been the
It would have boen in December, 1870, when the
committees wcro recognized for the first time after
the defeat Of the treaty. Mr. Summers failure to be
reappointed did not take place until the succeeding
session Of the Senate, which began in March. 1911.
Evidently, accuracy OF statement and q regard for
truth must DO casscd among Mr.. Phillips .lost
arts.n Very respectfully, HAMILTON FISH.