Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1882-04-27
.BADGERING BLAINE.
Further Examination of the Ex-Secretary
Before the Foreign Relations COM
mittee-The HonOtony Of the
Proceedings Broken by Lively Tilt Be-
tween Witness and the Kindergar-
ten Member from New York.

Mr. Blaine this morning, who said that he
had examined the diary OF the late president,
who hrd been in the habit for years of keep
ing a minute account of his daily transac-
tions, and found that Deither Shipherd, nor
Hurlbut, nor the Cochet claims of the Peru
Wan Company are mentioned; neither does his
private secretary remember ever to have heard
him mention them, and none of these South
American dispatches were prepared during
the presidents sickness
Mr.. Blaine mentioned the fact of certain
dispatches which were blocked out before
the president was shot, but which remained
in stdtal quo until after the succession of Pres
ident Arthur. In explanation of President
Garheld's views upon the subject, Mr.. Blaine
said that President Garfield, ina conversa-
ton with him, said that Mr.. Lincoln directed
Secretary Seward to bring all foreign dis
patches to him and not to the cabinet, unless
he SO desired. Continued Mr.. Blaine
From that time forward L never submitted
anything to the cabinet which involved a
permanent policy or a change OF policy. No
step which would involve a change of policy
on the part of this government was ever
taken by me without first submitting it to
the president and receiving his entire ap-
prevail and direction"
Mr.. Blaine alluded to the efforts which
had been made to put upon him Blaine1 the
responsibility for a certain policy toward
the South American States which was calcu-
lated to involve this country seriously, and
continued: / don't desire to assume that
President Arthur is responsible for any such
effort; acquit him entirely, but | desire at
this time 10 place this matter before the
committee correctly. Mr.. Blaine then in
troduced the original draft of instructions
which were given Prescott, and which he
read, and pointed out corrections which had
been made by the president, some of them at
his Blaine'sl suggestion, and commented on
the corrections and their wants and dement's.
He added: do not by any means find fault
with the president for changing his mind,
but this is the original draft of instructions
to which President Arthur gave his consent,
and which, following precedent, | kept.
desire TO state most solemnly that the as
sumption that / ever interpolated a line or
syllable in the dispatch after it was agreed
to by the President is false the lie that
was circulated over the country that / was
during the presidents sickness blocking out
a foreign policy OF my own.
At this point Mr.. Belmont proceeded to
PROFOUND a series of prepared questions,
mostly directed to an inquiry into the policy
of the department in the Chili-Peruvian
trouble, and the instructions given Prescott.
The witness, In reply to questions,
stated that he had never made an examina-
ton of the merits of the Cochet nor Lam
Landreau claim as rel judicata.
Belmont then propounded series OF ques-
tions in regard to the terms good offices"
and officially" and somewhat lively
talk ensued between the examiner and the
witness, which was suddenly brought to a
close by Blaine remarking with some en-
phasis: 81 hope, Mr.. Belmont, you will be
gentleman. / shall be one, and shall treat
you as such. am not in a police court to
/
in my own way, and you must not undertake
10 correct me"
Belmont disclaimed any lack of courtesy
or desire to badger. He entertained the
highest respect for the witness, both on &C.
count of his age and the high position he
had occupied.
The examination for some time was pur-
sued in the direction of repartee and retort,
the examiner persisting in putting his
own construction upon the tenor of Blaine's
dispatches, while the latter as persistently in
sisted upon their meaning as written.
Blaine, addressing the chairman, said: 81
must confess this seems to be a very extraor-
binary examination"
Witness then explained at some length
just what instructions were given to Hurlbut
IN relation to thu Landreau claim-that he
should simply use his good offices to secure
a hearing for Landreau in the courts in
Peru. II was adventuresome enough, added
Blaine, to ask foreign government to give
case was not fairly arbitrated, and properly
has gone the way Of all the world. England
has gobbled up the guano, and 900, 900 tons
of it are now advertised in London, worth
probably S60,000,000. Blaine continued,
with much earnestness: ."The English bond
holders put up the job of war on Peru, and
it was for loot and booty. They make mis-
take who speak of this war CHILEAN war.
1t was an English war on Peru, and / take
the responsibility to so put it. l dared to
ask that hearing be given to an humble
citizen of a government that hardly dares to
be out over night, and my foreign policy, to
quote an expression, would have driven this
country into a war with Chill, had it not
been thwarted.' Why is it believed all over
Chilli that the United States got out just in
time to save a sound thrashing; that her
hair-brained secretary of state was just about
to involve her in var when she was saved by
his removal, and we are laughed at and car
TONED in their papers? A little gathering
Of l 900, 900 people on the west coast of South
America would have given US a terrible
thrashingl If, sir, we let the ACKNOWLEDGMENT
of Peru 90 on aud allow Engi and to bag the
spoils [rising and adding with much emphs-
sis history will hold the United States re-
sponsible for it."
EXAMINATION proceeded LOT some time
and lapsed into a continuous rattle of
repartee and retort, which frequently con-
vulsed the spectators with laughter and left
it a matter of some doubt which was exam
liner and which was witness.
Blaine asserted that neither the Landreau
claim nor the Cochet claim had anything
more TO do with the policy of this govern
ment toward the South American republics
than did barnacle on the bottom of the
oh1 1vubi .hh nr lhut tn
Belmont had net concluded the examina-
ton when the committee adjourned till to-
morrow.