New-York tribune., 1882-04-28


mittee room. as it took place, could not have been
photographed for the country, which must take its
impressions through the dense medium of routine
report and in part from the statements of the rabd
anti Blaine press. member of Congress said rs he
came ont of the room that he would give great
deal if picture of Mr.. Belmont and bis insulting
manner could go to the country at the same time
with his utterances The matter of the examination
grotesque the manner.
To give one example-Mr Belmont asked Mr..
Blaine to swear how Mr.. OConnor, the law officer
of the State Department, "could prove" certain
things regarding the Landreau claim from certain
data. In other words Mr.. Blaine was asked TO in
form the committee by what mental processes MI
OConnor reached certain conclusions from certain
premises Another illustration of the pueriity OF Mr.
Belmont's reasoning in this whole Peruvian busi-
ness and the character of his mind was given when
the fact that the Landreau claim had been COM
mended unanimously by the House of Representa-
tives was alluded to- He said at once in
his pert. arrogant way, that it slipped
through the House." "Pve asked good
many of them about it," said TINS
experienced young statesman. " and they don't re-
member anything about it," He seemed to think
that this assertion, based on random conversations
with members in House about half composed OF
new members would be taken as conclusive against
all official documents Right next to him at the
committee table was Mr.. Wilson, who made the re-
port on the Landreau claim in the last Congress-
and to whom Mr. Blaine turned with a smile at TINS
amusing statement. Mr.. Wilson at once sad-what
Mr.. Belmont. of course, knew aready-that the
Committees on Foreign Affairs of two Congresses
had examined the Landreau claim ana reported
favorably upon it.
But Mr.. Belmont gave it as his opinion, in an airy
wav several times III the of the day, that
there was nothing in the Landreau claim HIS iavor-
ite expression is II think" Not long after MI
Dunnelps interruption, another member OF the com
mittee intcrposed. This Mr.. Walker
of PENNSYLVANIA, who demanded with
good deal of heat that there should be
some relevancy in the questions. Mr.. Orth also
showed impatence, and few moments later su9-
gested an executive session. being evidently anxi-
ous to end the scene; but Mr. Belmont said he be-
lieved the objection of any one member would pre-
vent this, and he objected. The point was allowed
to drop but il was Intmated to him. later on,
that he was not right even in that opinion.
Further objections were made to Mr.. Belmonts
method of ross-examination by other members.
until every member present except Mr.. BelmOnts
fellow Democrat, Mr.. DeusteT of Wisconsin, had
entered protests; but Mr. Deuster did not open his
lips to help Mr. Belmont at any time, and Mr..
Blount of Georgia, another Democratic member,
who is very regular in his attendance at meetings
and who was present yesterday, was conspicuously
absent.
Some of the things done by Mr.. Belmont would
seem almost beyond belief 1t is charged In the
anti-Blaine newspapers. for example, that MI.
Blaine was very unfair toward Mr.. Belmont yester-
day. How far the truth was the other way may
perhaps be learned from the fact which appears
in the regular report. that Mr. Belmont tried
aiu md lin N
from reading the very dispatches by himself upon
which he was being questioned. 1t would be diff
cult to conceive of more absurd situation. Here
was an ex-Secretary of State being attacked by
que ytons on various features of his policy. As
the best answer to the misrepresentation OF the
question, he would offer to read the very passage
the published correspondence ON which IL was
evidently based. Surely nothing could have been
fairer and more straightforward than this but Mr..
Belmont with stupid nsisence repeatedly objected.
He persisted that he wanted "the mean
ing" of the dispatches. not the words, and actu-
ally tried a number of times to prevent
Mr. Blaine from reading them. Surely ignorance
and puppyism could no further go. Before this
branch of the subject is dismissed il may be a well
to direct attention to the fact that Mr. Belmont dd
not, in two days boring. develop single fact IN
this business not known before. He did not
bring out a thing which is not in the
official correspondence, and did not make anything
remotely resembling a point, for the reason that
there were no points to he made
The final and consulnmate exhibition OF Belmont
ism came at the close. Shortly before II o'clock
Mr.. Kasson, who is one of the polltest OF men,
felt forced to intimate to Mr.. Belmont that
ne was trstfng m cc nr came ao S1o t an rpG
Then Mr. Blaine took up the examination where 1t
had begun, and called Mr.. Belmonts attention 10
the misrepr csentation which had been the subject
of discussion between them at the outset, and WHICH
Mr.. Belmont had not yet corrected 1t may be
as well TO explain this point Mr.. Blame
10 Il ofcbo IN Dut ali lrip
that if" the Landreau claim should be adjudi-
Gated in favor OF the claimant. 1t should be treated
as a lien on the territory TO which 1t attaches
(which was likely to be taken by Chilli, and that
Chill ought to accept the position with that con-
dihon annexed. Mr.; Belmont quoted Mr. Blaine as
saying in effect" that there shall be no treaty
OF peace until the Landrean claim is recognized.
Any intelligent child could see the wide difference
between these two statenents--the one respectful
suggestion based upon contingency the other
threat implying war based upon no contln-
gency at all. This is good illustration
OF the misre representations TO which Mr. Blaine has
been subjected in this Peruvi IAN business. Done un
intentionally this could, perhaps, be excused done
deliberately, and adhered to, 1t is as much of an u
truth Shipherd himself ever swOre TO. MI Blaine
now called Mr.. Belmonts attention TO II, saving,
with some sternness but in entirely parliamentary
way that 1t was not the truth that 1t WAS without
any semblance of truth that lie had always supposed
Mr. Belmont to be gentleman, but If he refused to
make this correction at this time. he should be com
tempted to turn the point by saying that Mr. Blaine
holding him responsible for the quotation
marks of the printer. "AhW. said Mr.. Blame, but
the passage l am quoting from now has no
quotation marks" THIS the fact the misrep-
iesentation having been made twice. Mr.. Belmont |
looked very blank at this Both men were now on
their feet standing facing each other Mr. Blaine be-
ing at the head of the committee table, and Mr..
Belmont at the slde-perhaps six feet away. The
room crowded. The specta ors were
conscious of an impending scene
ana the members of the committee
were in flutter of excitement. Mr.. Wilson began
to say something wait minute; this is my
AFFAIR." said the,polite MIR. Tappertit, sterny Mr..
Blaine now began to say something. Wait
"A minute" cried Mr. Iapperit. Wait a
m,nuten Mr. Tapperrit now entered a
fresh course of snecring, growing more pale and
angry as he went on. He spoke very slowly and