New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-05-07
Still oUEs1IONIyG SENlr0R BLAIR.

WAsHINGTON, May Ex-senator Blair was under
examination an hour and more this morning and
must appear before The committee On Monday for
the ffth time, when, so the committee PROMISE lac
Will he released The examination, as conducted
by Mr.. BlOunt to-day, was so rambling and fruit
less that even one of his feIiowDcmocrats Mr.
Wilson, of West Virginia. felt obliged to interfere
before the hour was over with the suggestion That
the Investigation was far outHic its proper limits.
To give one example the early part Of to-dags cy-
animation was devoted to questioning Mr. Blair
with regard TO the relative populations debts rail-
road systems etc of Chill and Peru. II - rot under
stood that Mr.. Blair was ever in those countries or
that he has any information the subjects, except
such as he has derived from publications Silch are
as open to the committee As to him.
Mr. Blounth avng before him Mr. Nponord's Amcrl-
can Almanac and the State.man's year Book would
axis Mr.. Ba,r what he understood the population of
Chill to be- and the latter probably feeling that Il
wa not his place to suggest that Witnesses not
usually put upon the stand in Congressional in'est-
cations to swear to the contents Of almanacs, would
give his impressions: and then Mr. Boun' would
say. Mr. SpofIord gives it at" etc. Other subjects
were covcredin somewhat the same manner Among
other lhiuc, Mr. Blair asked to give ms UNDER
standing l. gardng HE systems governing the move
ments Of the English and American file IS, and to
Is innate the difference between English and Auci.-
can trade with Chill and Peru The perinence Of fact
like these IN the committees report might Do clear
but TO call upon witness to furnish tn m who has
no personal knowledge of these matters, aLd 20 oc-
envy the time Of the committee by drawing them
out by question and answer. Is waste OF time, 20
say the least. Finally, when Senator Blair hal given
his views al some length in response to question
AS 10 what he "would do to enforce the Mon
roe doctrine" in n certain contingency. Mr.
Wilson suggested that the committee had got away
entirely from the matter under investigation. Sir.
Bloun showed some feeling this critcisn,a and said
tha.. as there seemed t. be general assent TO it, he
would retire from further examination. Mr.. Bel
mont spoke up and sid there assent from
| him. Other members endeavorcd to assure Mr..
Blount that they had personal criticism to make
| but that they Object To the course the colloquy
between examiner and witness had taken 10 Use
Mr. Lords expression, they were travelling over
the whole continent of south America. Mr. Rice
expressed a fear that the committee might get Lost
in the Caribbean Sea. 1t is really a wrong that the
| time of the committee should have been occupied
with taking such testimony as WAS Tor the most
| part taken to-day, aud that the pdblic money
should be wasted in printing it.
| Mr. Wilson asked two or three direct and perth
| uent questions. In one he asked Mr. Blair if he
| would produce his correspondence with Mr. Ship
| herd The witness replied that he had none that
was not professional aad II was not Of interest 70
| the committee. he had no CORES pondenco tending
| 10 show that one more " of Ministers We're
interested in business transactions in which Aucri-
| can intervention desired and nothing relating
| 10 the loss of papers from the State department.
These were the two subjects which the committee
were originally instructed TO investigate. Mr. VII
son, evidently merely for the purpose Of getting in
| formation embodied in Mr. BelnOnts famous mis-
| construction of Mr. BlIlne's dispatches asked Mr.
| Blair in substance whether be had any know gc
| that the ground ha0 ever been taken by our
| Government that there should be- no
| peace unless the claims against Peru
we're recognized. Mr.. BLAIR said very positively
! that be did not know anything "Of any nature
| whatever that tended to pTOVC-nor did he know
| that there had ever boon u design--that the United
states should be callec upon TO interfere To prevent
Chill and Peru from mak ng such terms of peace AS
| they chose.
| In one Of the general discussions that took place
| Mr. Blair e. pTessed tie opinion that IN thus and
other matters relating To foreign trade the majority
| of the press of Ncw-lork were governed by Euro
| pean influences. He dlSCalned any charge of cor
| ruption but thought their ideas and course anti
| American.