Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-04-27
PERU INVESTIGATION SENSATION.
EXCITING SCENES TO-DAY.
Mr.. BLAINE AND Mr.. BELMONT At WAR;
THE LATTER CALLS THE FORMER BULLY
AND COWARD.

eign affairs committee this morning quite crowd
had assembled outside Of the committee room de-
| string to obtain admission, but the rules were
rigidly adhered to, and none but members OF the
| House and of tie press were permitted to enter
At ten O'Clock every seat In the room was occu-
pied. and even standing room was at a premium.
AT ten minutes past ten Mr. Blaine arrived, accom-
| panied by his young son, and Mr.. Belmont re-
| sumei the examination with the remark, ST de-
| sire to call your attention to your answer to
question yesterday, in which you stated that Mr.
Evarts, in his letter OF instructions upon the Lam
dreau claim, omitted the word 'official' You Will
please read the letter, and you will find that he
Mr. Blaine, In reply, read from the letter, and
pointed out that in one case he used the word and
In another case he did not, simply showing how in
consequential was the use or disilSe of the word
Mr. Belmont was about to proceed. when
SOMEWHAT REMARKABLE SCENE
| ensued Mr.. Blaine said: "Before proceeding
| desire to make q statement Mr.. Belmont ex-
| hausted two hours OF the time Of the committee
yesterday in travelling in a circle. He repeated
! his questions six or eight or ten times over OF
course, he has the right but it is all based on the
fact that he made two misquotations-absolute
palpable Interpretations; and this course OF his is
to establish his justification in doing that. He
| has not yet touched upon it. While 1 have the
largest possible stock OF patience, 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 reiteratiOn and
the iteration and reiteration OF the questions
| In order to vindicate Mr. Belmont for having made
the blunder to misquOte me in two particulars, Is
little two exhausting. He has made two palpa-
| be miSquotatiens and has made an explanation of
| them, when as gentleman, as understand him
to be, he ought to state frankly that he did it."
mr. Blaine va who 81 had been stanang and speaking
and Mr.. Belmont jumped from his chair, but be-
fore he could reply the chairman broke in and
| said: 81 desire to say that the chairman, repre-
senting the committee, is reluctant to put any re-
strlctlon on the course and conduct OF the eXami-
natlOn. Mr. Belmont insists on his right to exam
| inc In his / have 0OHhf hat Mr.
Blaine will exercise the virtue of patience; and
presume that In pursuing that course we shall
! nnSh the examination much sooner than II we
were to restrict either the witness or the exam
| tner."
plain enough, that is to avoid the direct issue"
WITH Mr. M Elaine ng and stirling the table angry
Mr. Belmont.-"The issue which must be metz
Mr. Blaine.-"What issua?n
~, Mr. Belmont (also rising angrily and striking
question you ask from Met this time to onRe ihe
end OF the examination. You have stated
what deem to be entirely incorrect. You have
attempted to place me in false position. In this
| you will not succeed. / said that the quotation
marks were the mistake OF the printer; and your
| The careful reader will agree with me and the
careless reader may be influenced by your speech"
M MT Blaine, dnterruptinglt lt Which you are now
| thing that considered improper The commence
OF all the consideration which mentioned yester-
| day, which intended to observe to q man who
placed yourself on level with any other witness,
and wi vii examine you as SUCH"
Mr Mr Bane DO you
before committees before this time. You have en-
| deavored to threaten"-
MI Wilson. qnterruptlng., ,-"I submit that this
Mr.; Blaine" Thlsis intolerable The insolence
OF this young man is intolerable."
Mr.. BelmOnt-s' You have brought it on YOUR
| SELF"
"Ihave no more regard for your insolence," re-
torted Mr. Blaine, than have for that Of boy
Mr.. Belmont-"Mr Blaine has had due expe-
rience before committees, and he has endeavored
He will not do 1t to me-"
Mr.. Blaine lin dlsgusted tone )-'sThis is too
trlfling hope that the committee will protect it,
SELF have no power"
The Chairman.-.I can only appeal to both Of
these eminent gentlemen to refrain as far posi-
BILE from iecturing each other One ought to put
his questions and the other to answer them and the
committee will allow the widest latitude and exer-
clse the greatest patience But these scenes should
Mr.. Orth.-''The position you take, Mr. Chair
man, VIII be sustained by every member OF the
OIL ON THE TROUBLED wATERs-MR. BELMONT RE-
SUMEs HIS QUESTIONS
After some moments OF confusion, Chairman
Williams succeeded In quietlng the troubled
waters, and Mr.. Belmont resumed his questions.
"Dld not the resolution OF theHOuSe OF Represen-
tativeS to which you have referred simply author
ize the State department to exercise the kindly
Offices OF the government in behalf OF this Iandre IN
claimant? this lobbyist, who had been hanging
| around the Capitol who had trumped up
Claim"
PROTEST FROM Mr. DUNNELL.
At this point Mr.. Dunnell, with some vehem ence,
| interrupted with the prOtest:-"As a member of
this committee, protest against this style of put
ting stump sp eeches into the body of question
Mr.. BelmOnt-"Well, they have been put into
| the answers"
- put fbo ro1t<o
that we have no more OF that; that we put direct
questions and have direct answers
MT Belmont-"Wel, you should have started
Mr. Williams" Something must be trusted to
the honor and discretion OF the members. The
chairman cannot commit for contempt, and
should be very sorry II it were necessary"
MR. BELhoNTs QUESTION AND MR. BLAINE's AN
SWER
Mr.. Belmont then resumed and asked what
rights had Mr.. j. c. Landreau against Peru.
Mr.. Blaine.-"The gentleman on your left ire
ferring to Representative Wilson) can tell you
more OF that than 1 can. You are finding fault
with his report upon that claim"
Representative Wilson-"Mr. Chairman. I de-
foreign affairs committee, and 1t was unanimously
agreed to by the committee and endorsed the va
ldity OF the Landreau claim.n
Mr.. Belmont insisted that he was not finding
answers to his questions nr Blaine, by his un
had relieved him lBelmohtl from treating him
other than he would an ordinary witness.
ordinary witness'
Mr.. Belmont-"I endeavored to treat you as
your station as an exSecretary of State merited."
Mr.. Bla1ne.-"YOu seem t01reat me as an extra.
ordinary witness 1t is no fault OF mine that I
have been Secretary OF Stat."-
ANOTHER ooLLoQuY.TooK PLACE,
during which Representative Walker protested
against the needless waste o1 tine and the method
OF the examination, and suggssted that the COM
mittee go into executive sAssf0n, and determine
upon some proper mode Of procedure.
Mr.. Belmont insisted that staas fault lay entirely
with the witness, who was NOS disposed to answer
questions.
MIR. Blaine.-"Mr. Chairman. Tam only too happy
to answer to the fullest
The chairman again exp0stuaated, and suggested
the prOpr1ety OF putting Huesti0nS believing
there should be no occasion aa0r any misunder-
standing.
Mr.. Belmont then resuahsd, and the examina-
ton proceeded for fifteen nillses without further
break
Mr.. Belmont insisted upon ne witness interpre-
ting hts dispatches relative TO the PERU -Chfilan
affair. and Mr.. Blaine be9aa - read from one OF
his dispatches, when Mr.. BeluDnt interrupted with
| "We have had all these bsfoye us, Mr.. Blaine
don't think 1t necessary TO read from the dis
patcnes-"
ne