New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-04-29
lBr TELEGRAPH TO ruR rRDuSE.I

Haughb with mystery. He absent
from his seat IN the House. and the fact
that he had been seen last night in the railroad
depot just before the departure of the New
York train led to a rumor that he had gone
there to throw himself under the wheels of
the engine. This report, however, proved to have
given him credit for keener appreciation of his
position than he really has 1t was also reported
! that ne proposed to resign his place tie
| committee, on the ground that the committee dIl
lot support him properly. There is every reason TO
believe that such conclusion TO this whole matter
would have been received with satisfaction in the
Foreign Affairs Committee, Que of whose members
was led by bis natural disgust 20 say IN the hearing
OF several persons, as the committee broke up
yesterday that Mr. Belmont was an lass" But
none Of thee reports were true
Now came The sublime touch OF Tappertit Mr..
Belmont, after having .A biood-curtl'lg tones in
formed Mr. Blaine again and again that he
should hear from him in private" allowed Mr..
I blaine to hear from him first through the evening
newspapers and by means OF 4 letter to the Foreign
Affairs Committee. which according to the under
standing Of members of the conmi tee was given
by Mr.. Belmont 10 the before it he'd Chair
man Williams The following is the letter, which
was addressed to Mr. Williams. the charm an:
IL the eXamioa alton Of yesterday the days i'm
mediatelv preceding piovocatou gross ana Trrsis
tent wa offered 70 by TIE witness tciymg before
although uEpar.iamcniary dd properly describe his
conduct and my appreciation oth.s character.
The witness under examination had criticiso
other witness; frst because quotation marks
questions, The responsibility which 7 disavowed,
calling attention the -ine time TO the fact that the
form OF qucs ion negauve the idea thai quoting
from those die, aches AMI secondly because OF The in
depreciation placed BY me on those dispatches This
was properly matter Tor argument ana the witness
had every opportunity 10 present ami explain his con
siFucnon u the dispatches signed by NM lie
chose rather to Insist upon change Of my
opinion respecting the meaning Of the
di-patches' ana #hen declined 70 make me
chaugc-tny belief being positive and We'll founGed-Ae
persolr oa,nslye il wa. INV desire and purpose YES
teray put end 90 any farther continuance 81
ferred to les public treatment thereof by myself
Having been surpri-e into making reply in the pres
my deliberate Judgment w0ul1 have been elsewhere,
under tue circumstances entirely proper and which ex
nature OF private peTsOlal Of witness il
required o. me- These unpbrlanientaiy personal ties
should have place Tine records OF tue Committee,
and cheertuJ leave the method Of dealing with them
10 the direction OF your body
The situation is a ridiculous one. Had Mr.
Belmont applied to a fellow-mem5er Of tie
House, however obscure. the language which
be applied 10 Mr. Blaine he would have been
compelled 70 take his choice between an immediate
apology and an aualgnment at the bar Of the
house, and perhaps even expulsion from the body.
But Mr.. Blaine though of the most distin-
guished OF living Americans, and for many years a
member and Tor a number OF years Speaker, of the
House, Is now private citizen and. under tie con-
struction OF their authority b., the House Committee
on Foreign Affairs, may, when appearing before
them as a witness, be subjected to any insult
by a member without remedy. This phase
Of the question has been the subject Of
good deal If discussion here to-day. Ii is the
highest duty and the first of every tribunal to
protect witnesses testifyng before it. If Mr. Bel
h.. al, Ill Al
Blaine, what guarantees have the COM
mite that he will not insult other
witnesses. or for that matter, TO pnt
the illustration to ITS extreme limit that he will
not insult all witnesses What guarantee have
other witnesses who may be called to appear before
that committee that they, TOO viii not be called
"bulii4s and towards" by Mr.. Belmont when
ever he chooses TO 90 SO
Lastly Is such 4 situation as this consistent with
the dignity OF the committee or the sef-rcspoct of
the House These questions that frequently
asked. NJ Belmont ia his letter refers 10 gross
proyocauons' he had received A gentleman Of
long experience and much reading said to-day that
Dee had heard every word ot the co'loqIy ami that
there was not IN DC one word which was not entirely
parliamentary under all The rulings of the House Of
Commons and tie American Congress.
1t is not pretended thai Blaine treated Mr. Bel !
mont with tenderness That, under the cir,um- |
stances was hardly TO Dee expected. Every question
Nh Belmont had asked Of witnesses for weeks be- |
fore Mr. Blaine appeared upon the stand was an At
tempt to throw suspicion of corruption upon hm, !
and Mr. Belmolt'5 manner, from the moment Mr.. |
Blame made his first statement, was diarespectful |
and vulgar and often positively insoIent |
lie had evidently been inspired by others with a
foolish hatred Of Mr.. Blaine, which, with a boys !
lack OF selfrestraiut and native want of courtesy
D. al fr no ba
Mr. Blaine sneered az him, tauuted him and shook
hls long penholder in his face to show itself in
every look and gesture Under these circumstances |
it was MIR. Blames duty, OF course, TO treat Mr. |
Belmont with the same kIudliness he would show |
to his own son. But if Mr. Belmont will 60 on |
writing letters no further comment on his con- |
duet viii be necessary. His letter shows |
that after having taken twentyfour hours to reflect
upon his conduct in fiingiug into the face Of man
old enough to lie his father the epithes of bully"
and coward" he Is proud of 1t, and does not even
ask that his language be expunged from the records
He leaves" that to the committee This furnishes
a portrait of Mr.. Perry Belmont, which he |
that runs may read.
One thing in Mr. Belmonts questions yesterday
attracted attenton-the fact that he appa-
ren,ly IN receipt Of private hints from the State
Department Such was the statement, for example,
that Mr.. OConn0r, the law officer of the State De-
partucut, had changed nl7 mimi aDOut the strength
oil the Landreau claim. This fact II II be
one, has been officially stated,
aud Mr. Belmont simply asserted n on his own re-
sponsimIty. There were other indications of
secret prompting from the state Department. here
il is known thai there exists "A bitter hostility 10
Nh Blame. 4 prominent officer OF the Department
was seen in company with Mr. Belmont on Nednes-
day afternoon, and 1t is inferred {. at this official
was then rammlng down tie charge which, the
bore being too small, aiteTward burst the gun.
The committee have taken no a ton regarding
the mat er, and apparently propose none beyond
considering the Belmont letter anu the question OF
eXpunglug. The letter was not received by Chair
man llliams until about the time The House was adj