The Portland daily press., 1882-04-28
THE PERUVIAN COMPANY.
An Exciting Scene in the Commit
tee Room.
MR.. BLAINE AND MR.. BELMONT Elk
CHANGE UNCOMPLIMENTARY
EPITHETS

a
stated that MIR. Evarts, in his letter of instruc-
ito ms uB q the Landreau claim, omitted the
word of cial' You will please read the letter
and yon will find that he did not omit the
word
Mr.. Blaine, in reply, read from the letter,
and pointed out that in one case he used the
word and in another he did not. simply show
ing how inconsequential was the use or disuse
OF the word
Mr.. Belmont was about to proceed when Mr..
Blaine said: "Before proceeding l desire to
make a statement Mr.. Belmont exhausted
two hours of the time of the committee yester-
day in travelling in a circle. lie repeated his
questions six or eight or ten times over. VI
course he has the right but it is all based on
the fact that he made squotations-abso-
lutte. ralpable interpretations and this course
of his is to establish his justification in doing
that. He has not yet touched upon it. While
have the largest possible stock of patience, 1
would rather that he come directly to the point.
There are many important points that would
like to be heard upon, but the iteration and re-
iteration of the same questions in order to vim
sdi.exta ~ Nslmont for having made the blum
der C. niisquote me in two particulars, is q lit
tie too exhausting." Mr.. Blaine here took his
seat.
The chairman said: desire to say that the
chairman, representing the committee, is re-
luctant to put any restriction on the course and
conduct of the examination. MI. Belmont in
sists on his right to examine in his own way. L
have no doubt Mr.. Blaine will exercise the
virtue of patience, and presume that in pur-
suing that course we shall finish the examina-
tion much sooner than If we were to restrict
either the witness or the examiner.
Belmont-Of course Mr.. Blaines object is
plain enough; that is, to avoid the direct ISSUE
Blaine Striking the table with clenched
hand)-What issue?
Belmont-The issue which must be met.
Blaine-What issue?
Mr. Belmont-I will not answer a single
question that you ask from this time to the end
of the examination. You have stated what
deem to be entirely incorrect. You have at
tempted to place me in false position. In this
YOU will not succeed. I said that the quotation
marks were the mistakes of the printer. and
your language bears the construction | put
upon it. The careful reader will agree with me
and the careless reader may be influenced by
your speech.
Mr.. Blaine Cnterrupting) which you are now
trying to copy.
Mr.. Belmont-I would not copy you or any
thing that I considered improper. The COM
mencement of this examination this morning
relieves me of all the consideration which
mentioned yesterday, which I intended to OBJ
serve to man who had held the office OF Sec
retary of State. You have placed yourself on a
level with any other witness, and l will exam
inc you as such.
Mr.. Blaine-What do you mean?
Mr.. Belmont-I mean this; that you have
been before committees before this time. You
have endeavored to threaten
Mr. Wilson Qnterrupting) II submit that this
is not in order 81
Mr. Blaine-This is intolerable. The inso-
lence of this young man is intOlerable.
Mr.. Belrnont-You have brought it on your
self.
II have no more regrrd for your insolence,'
boy on the street."
Mr.. Belmont-"Mr. Blaine has had due ex-
perience before committees, and he has en-
deavored to sthreatens them. He has done it
for the last time. He will not do it to me"
Mr. Blaine, in disguised tone-"This is too
triaing. hope that the committee will pro-
tect itself. l have no power"
The Chairman-I can only appeal to both OF
these gentlemen to refrain as far as possible
from lecturiDg each other. One ought to put
his quess lions and the other to answer them,
and the committee will allow the widest lati-
tude and exercise the greatest patience, but
these scenes should not occur.
Mr.. Orth-- The position you take, Mr.. Chair
man, will be sustained by every member OF the
committee.
After some moments of confusion Chairman
Williams succeeded in quieting atairs, and Mr..
Belmont resumed his questions.
isDid not the resolution of the House of Rep
aesentatiVes, to- which you have referred,
simply authorize the State Department to ex-
ercse the kindly offices of the Government in
ist who had been hanging around tho Capitol
who had a trumped up claim?"
At this point Mr.. Dunnell with some vehe-
mence interrupted with the protest, GAS a
member of this committee protest against this
style OF putting stump speeches into the body
Mr.. Belmo lt--Well, they have been put into
the answers.
Mr.. Dunnell-But the committee has de-
cided that we have no more Of that, that we
put direct questions and have direct answers
Mr.. Belmont--Well, you should have started
in that way.
Mr.. Williams-Something must be trusted
to the honor and discretion of the members.
The Chairman cannot commit for contempt
and I should be very sorry il it were necessa-
~.
What rights hnd Mr.. j. G. Landreau against
Peru?
Mr.. Blaine-The gentleman on your left IRE
ferring to Representative WILSON, can tell you
more of that than can. You are finding fault
with his report upon that claim.
Repr sentative Wilson-Mr. Chairman,
desire to state here that / made the report
of the Foreign Affairs Committee, and it was
unanimously agreed to by the committee, and
indorsed the validity of the Landreau claim
Mr. Belmont insisted that he was not finding
fault with the report but wanted proper an
swers to his questions Blaine by his unwar-
ranted attack on him (Belmont) this morning
had relieved him from treating him other than
he would an ordinary witness.
Mr.. Blaine-I am nothing int he world but an
ordinary witness.
as your station as ex-secretary of State merit
ed.
Mr. Blaine-You seem to treat me as an ex.
traordinary witness. 1t is no fault of mine
that have been secretary of State.
Another colloquy then took place, during
Dr.. taftu Vol tod
against the needless waste of time and the
method Of examination and suggested that the
committee go into executive session and de-
terInine upon some proper mode OF procedure.
Mr. Belr ont insisted that the fault lay en-
tirely with the witness, who was not disposed
to answer questions
Mr. Blaine-Mr. Chairman, am only toe
happy to answer to the fullest
The Chairman again expoStuiated and Sug-
gested the propriety of putting direct ques
tions, believing there should be no occasion fol
any misunderstanding.
nation proceeded for 10 minutes without fur
ther break Mr.. Belmont insisted upon the
witness Interpreting his dispatches relative tt
the Peru-Chilian affair, and Mr.. Blaine began
to read from one of his dispatches, when Mr.
Belmont interrupted with 'We have had all
those before us, Mr.. Blaine; 1 don't think il
necessary to read from the dispatches"
Mr. Blaipe--B But think it is. When an ex-
Secretary of State is being questioned in rela-
tion to his dispatches it is certainly pertinent
to the Inquiry that he should read them tC
show what they were.
Chairman Williams The witness certainly
is right.
Mr.. Blaine then read the dispatch in ques-
tion, with the remark 81 do not see how ]
could make it any palmer. There's all there
is in it. gave no verbal instructions what
ever"
Mr.. Belmont's subsequent questions were
directed to an inquiry into the true intent OF
the dispatches of instructions to Minister Hurl
but, but ELECTED nothing new or of material in
terest.
Mr.. Belmont asked If the witness had seer
the letter of Gen. Grant, in which he said
"It is about time for the United States to step
in"
81 was very much SURPRISED the witness re
piled, "'at Mr.. Hurlbut's bringing on the wit
ness stand what supposed was private let
ter FROM Gen. Grant. l think it was on thu
23d of September that Mr.. Robert Randall
showed me the letter l presume 1t was the
same letter. don't believe Gen. Grant eve
intended it should be made public"
Mr.. Belmont then returned to the Landreat
claim and asked if Mr.. Blaine believed Mr.
Landreau had the right to expect the good
offices of this government.
Mr.. Blaine-Why certainly; as any Ameri
can citizen would have. Mr.. Landreau neye
asked this government to intervene in his be
| half, and this government never sought to d.