Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1880-11-18

whether the whole letter or the signature
He said the signature was genuine. and re-
iterated it fifteen or twenty times saw MN
the next day. and he said the same thing 1
did not want to publish the letter unless !"
was genuine.
0. Your impression is that Mr.. Hewitt
said that the whole letter was genuine? A.
l am pretty positive that he did. know that
l am very positive as to the signature
saw him the same evening before the publ
cation and asked him to examine 1t carefully,
and he said he had made other comparisons
and was satisfied.
O. Was the conversation in relation to
the letter as to the whole or as to the sigma
ture? A. think as to the whole.
Q. That he was perfectly satisfied it was
Garfeld'ss A. ! think so.
The witness at this point turned to the
Court and said in lower voice which the
stenographer apparently did not catch:
He said he had examined twenty letters,
and there was not doubt about IT.
Mr.. Hart testified in substance that they
then went on and published the fac-simile OF
the letter and envelope in Truth, that they
furnished a great many copies to the National
Committee. that their orders came in for 3d.
600 at a time, and that at the time the letter
and envelope were produced at the commit
tee rooms he thought he told the gentlemen
then present how they came into his hands,
but was not positive on that subject. As
have already said, this testimony had not
been written out. and | relied upon my
brief notes of the most important points, and
led by the great anxiety OF Mr. Hart to
be assured that the letter was genuine, and
his assertion, she did not want to publish the
letter unless it was genuine" to overlook
the fact that it had appeared in the paper, and
to direct my attention to the important publ
cation of the fac-simile.
Now if it were not for the fact that Mr..
Hewitt seems to think that his character of
fifty years standing in some way depends
upon it, what would be the possible impor-
lance whether he is charged with the print
ing of the text of the forged letter on the
10th of October. or as instrumental in bols-
tering up the hesitating mind of Mr.. Hart to
have the fac-simile published and furnished
to the committee in huge numbers. to be sent
with the endorsement of himself and the
committee to the Pacific slope and every other
portion of the country: What did the people
know or care about the publication of the let
ter till the fac simile came down upon them
in an avalanche, weighted with the endorse
ments of Mr.. Hewitt and the Committee:
That was the publication that alarmed and
astonshed the country; and if the evidence
of Mr. Har, does net show that Mr.. Hewitt
was the chief cause of the forgery taking
that dangerous and effective shape, then |
am unable to understand its scope and effect.
feel justified i'll saying that but for Mr..
Hewitt's acts, the thing would not have been
done. One word from him would have Sc
cured delay, and that word repeated would
have prevented action, but he chose not to
utter it-not even to allow his friend Genl
Carfiald cbance m know what was claim ed
to be his death warrant" and much less a
chance to cross-examine the man whose Opin-
ion and character were most likely to execute
it.
But, to step aside from the testimony q
moment, beyond his strong assurance to Mr..
Hart he went that same night upon the plat
form and gave his voice in favor of the genu-
neness of the letter, being the first prominent
democrat in the country who did it, saying
rs published in his speech circulated by the
committee, "SOme people may incline to
pronounce it forgery. | have seen it. l
am familiar with General Gsrtield's sigma
ture. have compared it with his letters in
my possession and | have no doubt it is genu
ine.'' And again at Rochester, after General
Garfield had Indignantly asserted that the let
ter was base and stupid forgery, and that
he never entertained its brutal sentiments,
Mr. Hewett, if the telegraph did him no in
Justice, reiterated that the signature was gen.
uine, and in substance iEsinuated that the
deneal was only of the body of the letter.
At tine last. on the very eve of the election,
Just as the villianous forgery was at its last
gasp. after the evidence had shown the char
acter of the envelope, the Justification of the
stamps, the erasures of names and dates,
and almost as clearly as sunlight, that no
such man as II. l.. Morey ever existed, he
comes to the stand and solemnly swears that
he believes the signature of the Morey letter
to be the genuine handwriting of General
Garfield; and drags in some puny evidence
that General Garfield made mistakes in
spelling. so that the misspeling in the letter
should have no force. Apparently that this
sworn opinion may be sent all over the coun-
try by telegraph to vitalize the forged letter
and make it work still more effective.
The Court, before he left the stand, show ed
him the envelope and its srasures, and he
himself read at the end Of the place where
some name had been erased the esq" that
can still be traced, and then remarked to the
court that lit is curious fact that the Esq
can be seen better with the naked eye than
with the glass" And yet he left the Court
with no suggestion that would parry the fatal
thrust at General Garfield that his sworn
opinion might carry to the country and the
balIot-box. 1t is a great mistake for Mr..
Hewett to suppose that his testimony and his
conduct were not legitimate subjects for
judicial criticism when he appeared as q wit
ness unger such circumstances; and my
opinion in the case, for whatever it may be
worth, will stand unaltered as to him, except
in the single particular above suggested
Moan DAVIS.
New YORK, Nov. Is, 1880.