Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-06-14
THE CREDIT INDUSTRIEL.
Its Attitude In the ChiII-Peru Mud
dle-mr. Blaine Again on Ihe
stand.

WASHINGTON, D. c., June 13.-The ex
animation of Blaine was resumed before
the House Committee on Foreign AT
fairs this morning. Before going into
the main subject, the investigation of the
affairs Of the Peruvian Company, Mr.. Blaine
volunteered to the committee a statement
concerning what he termed a complaint BY
the Associated Press that he had obtained OF
exercised some liberties connected with his
testimony. He said they were only such as he
had always been granted, and he had learned
with much surprise that they had led to the
removal of the late Washington Agent OF
the New York Associated Press. He then
proceeded to read to the committee copy
Of letter addressed oy him to the General
Agent of the Associated Press, in which he
stated that the corrections made by him in
the report Of his testimony were only such
as were essential to accuracy, and such as he
In common with other witnesses make IN
the official report of the stenographer OF
the House. He also in this letter, while ad
mitting the general accuracy OF the Asso-
ctated Press agents, questioned their
right to determine just what a witness said
and remarked that courts OF justice and
official committees permit witness to revise
parts of their testimony.
Mr.. Blaine further wrote: 81 have as little
desire as l have the right or power to inter
fere with the appointment and removal OF
your agents, but l protest against the as
sumption that l was accorded any
privilege with my testimony save
that which always has been
given to witnesses, and which is essential to
nefi nd al
The letter concluded with the request that
it be given to the press. Then Blaine went
on to say that no notice had been taken oil
this letter, but he had understood
that instructions had been given
to the Associated Press reporters
not to permit him to see the report made OF
his testimony. On appealing to the reporter
for verifcatiOn of this statement the re-
porter replied that he had no special in
stTuctions In regard to Mr.. Blaine's testi-
mony.
Mr.. Blaine thereupon asserted that, dur
ing his twenty years in Washington, he had
never made a speech of much importance
in the House or Senate, or ever appeared as
a witness, without having the notes of the
Associated Press reporters submitted to
him, and he protested that any instructions,
preventing such opportunities for correc
tion of errors. would be entirely unjust.
Chairman Williams called Mr. BIaine's
attention to passages in the printed testi-
mOny Of z. E Randall relative to the Credit
Industriel
Mr.. Blaine, in substance, stated that Mr..
Randall. VINO WAS an utter s'ringer to him
(witness), first approached him in February,
1881, sent his card to witness in the Senate
Chamber, and began conversation on the
assumption that he (witness) was to be a
member OF President Garflsld's Cabinet.
He (witness) waived the assumption,
however, and as far as possible
the conversation. Witness had no reason
to believe that Mr.. Randall would inten-
tioually misrepresent him, but no such con-
versstions as he (RandalD has testified In
regard thereto ever took place. He wit
ness did not look upon Mr.. Randall as a
person with whom to discuss the affairs of
the Credit Iudustriel. Count de Montfer-
rand. gentleman OF high standing, was
their direct representative, and both he and
Susrez had been very persistent in pressing
The objects Of the company upon the atten
tion of The State Department.
Mr.. Blaine then gave the purport of his
first interview with the Count DeMontfer-
rand, in which the latter distinctly stated
that the Credit Industriel proposed to fur
nish money to pay the Indemnity which
might be demanded Of Peru by Chill, and
to satisfy the bondholders Of Peru, provided
that the United State would accord pro-
tectorate which should guarantee to the
company the undisturbed right to ship from
Peru the products of guano and nitrate
beds for term of years.
"This," said Mr. Blaine, "was the plan
of the Credit Industrel. l don't think 1t
has ever been fully understood by the peo-
Pile Of the United States, or by the newspa-
pers, which were continually complaining
of the thwarted plans OF the company. l
don't see how any intelligent American
citizen could advocate the adoption of such
a pO3cV by this government. | told Count
de Montferrand that the action which he de-
sired the government to take was wholly
inadmissible. | assured him that this gov
ernment did not desire to obstruct his COM
panY If they could succeed in affording re-
lief to Peru; that the United States would
be glad to see it ACCOMPLISHED.
Mr.. Blaine then read letter addressed to
Mr. Evarts and signed by Count De Mont
ferrand and SuareZ, in which the plans of
the company were plainly stated. namely:
To pay an indemnity of $3.50, 900 sterling
also to the bondholders of Peru, whose
claims amounted to 94O,O0O,OOO sterling.
'These bonds," said Mr.. Blaine, ''were held
by citizans OF Holland, Belgium, France
and England, and this idea of
protectorate was always advanced IN con-
nection with the purposes of the Credit In
dustrial. The United States was asked to
reach out in the dark and guarantee protec-
tion to the company In furthering the in
terests of citizens of four European govern
ments, when it could exercise no control
whatever over the occupation OF this COM
pany."
Mr. Blaine fatty contradicted many OF
the statements made by Mr.. Randall He
said the witness never asked Randall II
Hurlbut, as Minister to Peru, would be ac-
ceptable to his company, and never intimat
ed to him (Randal) what instructions would
be given to Hurlbut or to Trescott. He as
serted most positively that the State De-
partment never for a moment countenanced
The idea of an American protectorate. The
idea was never taken into consideration In
the instructions which were given to Hurl-
but and to Trescott. In fact, it never had
lodgment in the State Department. Such 8
policy would have been a terrible blundeI
on the part of the government.
Mr.. Blaine took occasion to say that IL
his opinion peace would ere this have beer
established between Peru and Chill had not
Trescott's instructions been revoked; thai
permanent peace never will be secured ex
cept through outside pressure; that either
the United States must intervene or lei
European powers intervene; that In his
(witnessO opinion the United States will
soon be compelled to take much more de
cided ground than he (witness) took; that
the United States cannot play the dog iu
the manger, and say | won't intervene OF
let any one else either.
Mr.. Blaine was asked II he desired to
make any further statements, and replied
that he desired to say In reference to his
former testimony before the committee that
in his allusion to English influence he did
not mean the English Cabinet, but English
influence in the sense of British
interest. He thought the action of the
British Minister a. Lima, Sir Spencer st.
John, was responsible in the highest de-
gree, and such as, If he had been an Ameri
can Minister, would have cost him his posi-
ton. He then stated that the conduct to
which he referred was the preparation
by Sir Spencer St. John of the
bogus treaty between the United
States and Peru, which he sent to
the Chilian Government, and which
greatly licensed them against Mr.. Hurlbut
and the United States, and that Hurlbut
called him to task for 1t, and he replied
that It was merely joke. This reply, said
Mr.. Blaine, Hurlbut properly characterized
as avery frivolous and indecent,mode of get.
ting out OF dishonorable transaction.
Mr.. Blaine then added "There is one
other point In my previous testimony upon
which desire to make a correction. l ap-
pear to have spoken the words, the dirty
Democratic press l should have said the
dirty portion of the Democratic press, be-
cause all the better element of the Demo-
cratic press, in discussing this subject,
have taken high and patriotic
ground. II l had said the dirty portion of
the Democratic press and the dirty portion
of the Republican press, should have ex-