, 1879-05-03
PIERCE AND PRENTICE.

War-The Charge Of Bribery Against til,
| Louisville Journalist.
Eou'spfNe Courier. .Eturuuf
Coy. David Meriwether was intimate witt
George D. Prentice, though opposed to him. Il
! the latter part Of 1850, about Christmas, GOV
| Meriwether Was passing down Jefferson street
| when James Guthrie passed in carriage and
beckoued to hin. "He told me-" said Gov
alcriwether to the Cou1:er-Jo1rhali,t, "be wae
! going to call on an old friend ut the Louisville
Hotel, and requested Ine to get la the carriage
and 60 With him. In riding down the street be
informed me that he was going to see ex-Presi-
dent Pierce, and that Gen. Pierre vas at the
Louisville Hotel. registered under fictitious
name. On retiring to the room Mr.,
Guthrie remarked that lie had brought
me with him; that II his communication
was Of so strictly confidential nature as not to
permit third party to be there would retire.
Gen. Pierce replied he was glad he had brought
me With him, for had oeen confidential officer
under his Administration, and he knew would
be discreet about mntrers. lie then informed
Mr. Guthrie that be had visited several mem-
bers OF bis late Cabinet to sec if thcy could not
put 8 stop to this, the late War. H. then pro
duced the written outlines Of peace copyen
tion. He asked us how We liked it, and both OF
us ossented to the proposition. II was 5t1pgest-
cd that should call upon Mr.. Prentice, Then
editor OF the Louisville Journal, and John Il.
l' Aafosy, then editor OF the Louisville Democrat,
they would agree to support it and also the
ground OF neutrality. Both Of those editors
promptly agreed to do So and it vas agreed
that printed petitions should be sent ont and
the State OF Kentucky, praying that Kentucky
might take the ground Of neutrality between
the North and South. returned uptl Informed
them Of the result. 1t was arranged TINT I
should write to certain persons ia Indiana, and
Mr.. Guthrie should do the same, in order to pet
indiana to take the same ground That even
ing visited Judge Read, of Jeffersonyille Ind
He adopted the policy At once, and agreed to.
write to the prominent men and politicians OF
his acquaintance in Indiana. On my return to
Gathrie should write to Jesse D. Bright, SEN
ator during Pierce's Administration. t was
agreed by tile three ut the Louisville Hotel thar
lhe proposition should be made by me, thourh |
{ elnanateu from Gen. Pierce. 1t was also |
lgrced that Judge Read in lis letter. should r.
luest his friends to answer to rue. Several of [
he prominent men of Indiana did So assent,n@
o the proposition.
About the middle Of January, 1861. GOV.
hasollin assembled the Legislature OF Kentucky
house Of Representatives, could not very we'll
ubInit the proposition to the Legislature. hut
did suggest II to Mr: Hodge, member Of the
.csls!at9re ;t Of Newport, to Mr.; Jacob Of Old
udge Simpson OF the Kentucky senate. and
tiers. Judge Simpson introduced resolution
APPOINT delegates for the convention which
,as to meet in Washington. Gov. Charles A
yiekli'te, lanes B. Glay Gen William g. Rut-
forehead were appointed amoug others. TI,ev
roeccded TO Washington, but accom- olsshed
othing. ''''oD0%
F" During the summer of 1861 went sontb
nd wnie IN ifisatnond it was suggested that 1 |
deraton to throw his paper and influence fnr
le South. don't feet at liberty to mention
leir names. informed them that woulI mt
, It; and moreover That it WAS useless to try tn
uaence ar. PRENTICE by such consideration.
he cared nothing tor money. On 1ny ret1rn
'mc found that Mr. Prcuticc had taken ultra
:ound in favor Of the North, and I had
ken more decided ground iu fa1or OF the
'uth; hence we had Int little intercourse
lfns tlie war Alter tie close OF the War 7
II CLARENCE, who lived on the Ohio, below t {
9utsville, where be died, about two miles | !
low my residence. frequently visited lin
ring lis sickness. In every one Of these u-
Fvtews these subjects were canyassed By us. /:
the last interview, shortly before his death. be
oKc to ME about tile charge made against him |
Ut the North, not the South, haa oribcd lin a
take ultra ground in favor Of the War. He '
peasea to bc sensitive on the subject OF the !
Ibe alleged to have been received from The
nth. lie Informed me that, on tile breaking b
ut the War; The paper had lost its subscrip,
n In the South entirely, aud In 4 limited cx-
It in many Of the Western States, and that the
y vas upon the point OF bankruptcy; that be
visited the North for the purpose Of raising
Ids to sustain bis paper; that large contribu st
Us were made to him, not to trihc him to !, "
g the course which he aid, but to cover the | q,
ses which he had sustained during the course 4
'ch the paper had taken. aud to sustain the Jt
Der for the North, and he asked ME il his ~
mory should be assaed II I would not Yiudi- !.
G it. promised him l. would do 50. Here.
pprchen1. is where Calvert saw the money =,
never alluded to any bribe from the South, III
ausc there was then no; suca charge made
'pss NM" .1=------. to
any dentists recommend Browns Csmpho.ated