Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1880-12-30
BLACkMAIL AND FORGERY.


ConcerninE the Fishery Statistics.
The following is the full text Of the let
ter from Prof. Hind, MENTIONED in dis
patches from Halifax yesterday. 1t is ad.
dressed to the Rt. Hon. Sir John A. Mac.
donald, premier of Canada:
SIR: A telegraphic report of your
speech in the House, on the 21st instant,
imputes to me disreputable attempt to
levy blackmail in relation to certain gross
falsificatiOns in the fishery statistics pre-
sented to the Halifax commissioners in
1877, and certain forgerics in the trade and
navigation returns of the Dominion, ,to.eth-
er with the use of these forgeries and false
statistics for state purposes. You are also
reported to refer to my character i'll terms
which demand instant reply, more especial
ly because you defame an honest man. far
distant from the scene Of your unmanly
aspersions.
You are aware that I have persistently
and most earnestly sought an open inquiry
into the whole matter since the summer Of
1873; also that such inquiry has been ill.,
variably Stunned. Hence, l may safely
| leave the question of blackmail for future
consideration. Meanwhile, since you dis
honorably refer to my character where
had no opportunity to reply, will you per-
init nlc to ask you two or three questions,
which otherwise l would gladly have
| avoided?
First-What relation did tho govern
msnt over which you presided in 1873 bear
, to the subjOined official statement in rela-
ton to the British case which is recorded
| on page "A of the commissioner of fisheries
report for 1878? The case and its sup
ports had been arranged by the undersign-
ed in accordance with official instructions,
and were submitted for tho information of
the present government (the Hon. Mr..
Mackenzie's).
| Sccond-The fish trade tables in the SO
cret appendix, referred to in my letters to
the governor general Of tho 18th and 18th
Of December, 1880, cover a period of TWEEN.
ty-six years. Were these fish trade tables
from 1854 to 1870 used by you ilurn..
your prolonged stay in Washington when
negotiating the fishery clauses Of the
treaty Of Washington?
If you cannot answer both OF these
questions without elf-cOndemnatiOn, what
4 fearful motive you must have for burk
ing inquiry ard showering aspersiOns,
apart from the fact that you know that
my allegations arc true, and that you are
afraid to have an open and impartial par
liamentary investigation, and to put mo in
the witness box in fair and open court.
Allow me further to ask Does the false
cry Of blackmail shelter you from the re-
sponsibility of thorough and public in
vestigatiOn into the extent and ramiica-
tiOns Of tho grossest corruption among the
subordinates in the several departmental
Offices of the government, to wit: In the
forgery and Justification of the fishery sta
tistics in the presentation Of these forged
statistics to 4 judicial tribunal upon oath :;
in reproducing these forged statistics once
again in 1880, under your own eye and for
a special purpose? These are facts which
shake the honor and the credit Of the
country until atOncd for facts which can
not be rcfuted, which are vastly injurious
to the maritime powers, and which, ii
passed over, mock at all honor in tho gov
erEment and all faith in law.
Will you now afford me at once fair
and open opportunity for proving my
statements before parliamentary CON-
mittee, where you can disscct my charac-
ter and examine my motives to any extent
you choose. The first consequence of your
unmanly words is the immediate publica-
tiOn of my letters to the governor general,
and the public announcement of the exist
encc OF 4 secret appendix. with all of its
weight Of shame. hold you responsible
for the nervcless character of Captain
Kidd's reply. His excellency, we know, is
Il man of honor. l shall como early in
January to Ottawa, and invite manly
critics to measure your case of blackmail
with the rivers of black dishOnOr and
crime which my papers and printed docu-
ments reveal. l have the honor to be
your Obedicnt servant,
HENRY YOCLE HIND,
Compiler OF the Analytical Index to the
| Documents of the Halifax Commission.
Windsor. Nova Scotia, Dec 90 1890.