The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-11-11
SUMMERS RECORD.
Ex-sECRKTAnr FISH RETICENT-HE ''NArrs
FALSE COIN" on TWO OF PHILLIPs'-xR.
CURTIS DECLINES TO TALK


FALSE COIN" on TWO or PHILLIPs'-xR.
CURTIS DECLINES TO TALK.
Ex-secretary Of Stats Hamilton Fish was visited
yesterday at Garrsons, N u for the purpose OF OBJ
tanning his reply to Mr. Wendell Phillips last state
mont The writer, who drove up his pretty, COSBY
country house, OF rod BRICK the arst storm OF
the season, found shs cxsecrstary deeply engaged In
writing, aud decidedly d,snclned to be interviewed
on the subject Said he. With much energy
II DO not want TO be involved IN quarrel with Mr.
Philips The HEaALDs editorial, which consider
very good shows OF tsof that - unnecessary for me
70 answer Mr. Phillips. But have objection 70
your stating thar Mr.. Phillips Is only rhetorician
and that while would nail any Of his dozen false
coins on the counter no would be inventing dozen
others The hxkALD's editorial shows as well as
could 10 Il that have presented ISSUE Of facts In
support Of General Grants Edinburgh statement, and
that Mr. Philips has avoided that ISSUE
Mr. Fish took IN q copy OF the HgRAl.D OF yesterday
In the course OF iu conversation and said be- never
theess desired to point out tho ialsity OF MI Phil.
lips statement that Bon Perley Poore had contra
dctcd General Grant 10 the iaLers conversation with
Sumner, Of which he (Poore) Was q witness IL was
Mr. Fisn's strong impression that Ben Perley Poore
himself In letter, had testified that during tho
greater part OF the conversation between Grant and
Sumner he was not In the room, and before believing
that Ben Perley P0ore contradicted Grant he would
ike TO have the precise evidence quoted.
THE PIGEoSHoLEp rRxArIgs
IA 10 the charge of Sumner having neg eced to dis
poseof or consider number Of treaties, Mr. Fish ener
getically denied that II an "aiisrthought." On
tho contrary, II was published at the time It was
made uso Of in the campaign OF 1872 and was not
new point a. all. As 10 Senator conkiins making
mention oft In his speeches. as Mr. Phillips avsrred.
Mr.. Fish believed, on the contrary, that he did
ton 1t. In no sense OF the word this charge an
''afterthoughIn 1t was 80 little OF aferthuught
that General Grant mentioned 10 TO George William
Curtis the summer oil 1871 when the latter visited
him at Long Branch.
''But, Mr.. Fish, Mr.. Phillips Claims the fact that
Mr.. SUMMERS successor able dispose OF
these treaties as proof that Mr.. sumner must have
prepared and dlsested them beforehand
.Ihats logic worthy OF a Wendell Phihps,n Dir.
Fish replied, with certain bland smile vi contempt
500 the contrary ne mad pigconholed those treaties;
he would pay no attention TO them wnatcver'
Ills II true that MT Motley was really removed be-
Cause OIL summers opposition 10 tho ST. Domingo
treatyW
"Wcl, that IL a questionyou ought to put TO Gem
eral Grant and not TO me. He removed Sir. Motley,
not l. kept him Ia oihce ten months alter General
Grant had determined upon removing him."
HOW SUMNER CUT FISH.
"How came u that you were not on speaking terms
with SUMNER"
~ had two hours cordial conversation with MI.
Sumner, and parted from him the steps Of his
US ever. Two days after received letter from hun
winch convinced me that the man not OF his
right mind -was crazy. On tho following thursday
met nm ut dinner party, and tnere without any
prov0caon further than my reply IN a 10
Tue ssr =, ne haa .o Written RI s ne refused
Senator'S that he had met me and cut In this
manner, but afterward, when his conduct IN this
particular was made the subject OF comment, he
denied that he had oused TO speak to me-"
''And how came y that Sumner and Grant wore not
on speaking termsy
"Well, sumner boosted In the Senate that he would
not call upon 10 President and Of course these
ports came TO Grants ears. 1 don'i think General
Grant ever lost much by summers refusal call upon
HIM, and don't Mink he was very sorry about it,
II see Mr. Philips quotes despatch Of yours,
praising MI Motieys tation Of the OF
government to the British Cabineto
'li that is an Official despatch as wrote II should
want stronger proof than Mr.. Philips word for It,
But concedng that the extract is correct. It not
already intimate that nc had gone outside his nstruc
tionss was Mr. Aotlcys friend, aud had 10 sugar
coat any rebuke had to administer TO him."
While Mr. Fish made many other interesting state
menls IN connection with the subject he laid upon
yet take his own time ana his way in giving to
The public what moro he had TO say in reply to Mr..
Pnilpa
Mr.. George William Curtis was called upon at his
residence Staten Island and questioned concerning
the conversation which he held with General Grant.
in tho interest oil Mr. Sumner soon after the latter
had been lett of the Committee ON Foreign Relations
In 1870 Mr.. Curtis declined 10 relate what occurred
on that occasion on the ground that II would be
breach oil confidence.
he conversation to which General Grant refers,n
said he, ''was entirely confidential according TO my
views OF such CONVERSATIONS IL IL impossible for me
to say nything IN regard 10 what said Prssi.
dent what ne said TO me- because II felt myself at
liberty 10 give IN account Of what transpired my
visit in regard to Mr.. Sumner should feel my sell
equally at liberty TO relate other confidential
sations held with General Grant about other per-
sons / could not enter upon the subject without
stating great many things which, III my judgment,
It IL not lair should be told and which do not, In any
sense, concern or interest the public"
Mr.. Curtis declined TO offer any opinion upon the
discussion between Wendell Philips aud those who
assail Mr.. Summers character. lie did, however,
comment upon the action Of General Grant in talking
oil the deceased statesman to the HERALD representa-
tive In Scotland
II was astounded," said Mr. Curtis, "when saw
the report OF that conversation, aud l have not
changed my opinion that II exceedingly
wiso statement that General Grant madc at that
time.n