South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1879-07-25
Letter from Col. Mosby.

er One-The Col after American Besthens in
China-The Alleged Corrup,i9us in the Con-
sula;es, &c.
WARRINGTON. July %. Col. Mosby's
brother. Mr.. W. III. Mostly. Of Lynch.
burg. was in Washington today. lie
has "A letter from the colonel giving a
full explanation OF the story which went
the rounds OF the newspaper press 10
the effect that he had refused To wear a
dress suit at an entertainment given by
Mr. Hennessey, the British Governor
GeHersl OF Hong Kong. and was guilty
or many other acts which were a gross
violation OF social and Official etiquette.
Col. Mosby incloses to his brother u let
ter addressed to him by Gov. Hennessey
touching on the subject, in which the
Governor SAYS:
~ have read with asionishment paragraph
from m American paper about your COS tune a,
government House, &c, and hasten to answer
!os sn",as Jar as ! know, The paragraph is with
OUT the slightest foi ndauon. You have often
done nae the honor Of being a CUES, at my table.
and need hardly say there is no one in this
community whose social qualities and high char
seter more fully apPre eiate"
The following is a cops Of hat the Col.
himself has To say on the subject: The
City OF Peking arrived yesterday, bring
ing my mails. Nearly every letter re.
ceived had newspaper slip stating |
had been guilty of 4 gross social and
official breach o! decorum in refusing 10
appear In dress suit at an entertain-
ment at the Government House. Per.
sonaliy care nothing for this ridiculous
story, but | do care for the concern i,
seems TO give my friends. There is not
the shadow of truth in il, but, on the
contrary. exactly the reverse is true
arrived here on February the ID. On
the next day, in compliance with official
etiquette, L called on the Governor. |
spent very agreeable half-hour with
him, and when l rose TO leave he said.
Col. Moseby, Mrs lIennessey will have
some friends 70 dine with us to morrow,
aud want you TO be one of the party
| replied, You will have to excuse me.
Governor; | did not bring dress suit
with me, but as soon as 1 provide my
self with one | will take pleasure in ac-
ccpting such an invitation. Next day
ordered suit, and in a few DAYS after
wards dined with him, and have done
SO frequently since. ] also called on
the British and Russian admiral and
commanders, and also on other officials
and have dined with several. diued on
the flagship Iron Duke with Admiral
Coates during the FIRST two weeks was
here. also attended two large balls
and tho races. | have accepted numer-
Gus invitations since | have been here.
70 be sure | do not set up To be q soci-
ETY. man, and accepted these invita-
ms for Of ~
they were great bore to me- but he.
cause l regarded them simply as my OF
hclal duty rs representative Of our
government. Ny relations with the
Governor are not only cordial, bur init.
mate. In the paragraph published it is
SAID that leading American merchant
wrote the staten ent from here TO Wash
inSton. The truth is there is only one
American firm here. / know these gen.
tIemen well, have dined at their houses
and am intimate with them. OF course,
they never wrote any such thing. The
Islander comes from Loring, the vice
consul, whom dismissed on my arrival
here. Just before | LETT
Washington / met Minister Seward and
his clerk Bradford. You remember tha'
they were then undergoing nm investi-
CATION by Congress.
had on new sIouch hat that had just
bought. bradford asked me 'ir | was
going TO wear SLOUGH hat to China? 1
replied that | was. lie said, That wont
do /; the English newspapers will ridiculo
you felt indignant. uf course, at the
impertincnce OF The fellow. and / repli-
ed that i would dress in China Just rs
dressed in Washington, "a pleased and
as suited rae. You may rely on one
thing, they may object TO my dress, but
they will never accuse me Of stealing
anything. lie felt the cut gave him,
and of course that angereG him, and he
and his crowd have been doing every.
thing in their power to annoy me ever
since II is hintcd Mt the department
Of State that Mosby will resign his 20,
sition rs consul TO Hong Kong next fall.
and tbot his return is likely TO open up
again the whole scandal Of the Chinese
mission and the Hong Kong and Shan
ehai consulates. 1t seems that soon ar
ter Mosby got in China he reached tho
conclusion that forty thousand dollars
in consular fees which should have been
turned over to the government had no,
'NNhN NA'ttA why III bbhb NA4lGCtiOll. anu
that at least 100000 OF the fees collec.
ted in the last seventeen years, under
the law regulating Chinese emigrGnts 10
procure the consufs certificate before
cmbarking, has never been turned into
tho treasury. These charges Mosby. it
seems, sent to the Secretary Of State i'm
the form Of dispatch, nearly four
months ago. and it is said at the De.
partmcnt Of State that as yet no reply
has been sent Alosby by the secretary.
This failure Of Mr.. Evarts to promptly
respond 20 Mosby5 charges it is thought
has led the latter to believe that bis
course has not been approved or and
hence his desire 10 resign. IL is under.
stood that Gen. Grant reviewed the
whole situation while in China. and that
secretary Evarts will take no action in
the premises until Grants return. whom