Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-04-26
TIE PERUVIAN INVESTIGATION LIVELY
TILT between Mr.. BLAINE AND Mr..
BELMONT.
PRESIDENT GARFIELDS DIARY AND PRESI
DENT ARTHUR'S POLICY.

In attendance at 10 O'Clock, but Mr.. Blaine was
little late In arriving, and the examination was
not resumed until q quarter past ten. In the
meantime the room rapidly filled up with men,
bers OF Congress, press representatives and
others Mr. Blaine began by saying that he de-
sired to correct the press report that he read a
letter from ex-senator Eaton He had no CORE
spondence whatever with Mr.. Eaton upon the
subject.
PRESIDENT GARFIELD's DIARY.
Mr. Blaine then stated that he desired to make
another statement, which appeared to him very
strong negative evidence against the claim OF
Shipherd that he had an interview with the Presi-
dent (Garneldl on the subject OF the Cochet claim.
| the late President who had been In the habit for
years OF keeping q minute account OF hts daily
transactions, and he found that neither MI. Ship
nerd nor Mr. Hurlbut, nor the COchet claim nor
the Peruvian company are mentioned; neither
does his private secretary remember ever to have
heard him mention them.
MR. BLAINE ON PRESIDENT GARF1ELDs VIEWS.
In answer to an inquiry by Mr. Williams, witness
| said none OF these South American dispatches
| were prepared during the Presidents sickness 81
| am glad this question was put, because the Amer
ican press have widely stated that /, as de Jacto
which might plunge this country into @ war. al M M.
Blame, IN Illustration OF the point mentioned the
sn hen o
In Stdtu quo until after the succession OF President
Arthur. In explanation OF President Garfeld's
GARFIELD, in conversation with me, said Mr.. Lincoln
directed Secretary Seward to bring ali foreign mat
% NJ sst hs
forward @ never submitted anything to the Cabinet
which involved q permanent policy or change OF
OF policy on the part OF this government was ever
taken by me without first submitting 1t to the
President and receiving his entire approval and
PRESIDENT ARTHUR AND THE INSTRUCTIONS TO Mr..
TREsCoTT.
Chairman Williams then asked Mr.. Blaine in
| regard to the Instructions which were given to
| Mr.. Trescott
In reply Mr. Blaine alluded to the efforts
which had been made to fix upon him (Blaine)
responsibility for certain policy toward
lated to involve this country seriously, and con-
| tlnqed "l do not desire to assume that President
him entirely; but1 desire at this time to place this
matter before the committee correctly"
~, MI Blaine then produced the original draft Of
| which he read, and pointed out the corrections
| which had been made by the President, some OF
m tnem I'm at ms IBla1nes) suggestion and commented
| tionS and their wants and demerits He added:
81 do not by any means find fault with the Presi-
dent for changing his mind, but this is the ortgi-
nal draft OF the instructions to which President
Arthur gave his assent, and which, following pre-
| that the assumption that ever interpolated q
| line or syllable in the dispatch after it was
agreed to by the President is as false as the lie
i
during the Presidents sickness blocking out
e1gn policy OF my own"
MR. BELAoNT's EXAMINATION OF MR.. BLAINE
Mr.. Blaine at this point put himself I'm the hands
| OF the committee, and Mr.. Belmont proceeded to
PROFOUND series Of prepared questions, which
were mainly directed to inquiry into the policy
| OF the department in the Chili-Peruvtan trouble
and the Instructions which were given to Mr. Tres
cott
Witness in reply to questions stated that he had
never made an examination OF the merits of the
COchet nor the Landreau claim. He had consid-
cred the Landreau claim as res adjudtcdt0.
A LIVELY TILT BETWEEN THE Examiner AND THE
WITNESS.
Mr.. Belmont then propounded series OF ques-
tions In regard to the terms "good offices" and
"of11cally," and somewhat lively tilt ensued be.
tween the examiner and the witness, which was
suddenly brought TO climax by Mr.. Blaine's re-
marking, with some emphasis, 81 hope, Mr.. Bel
| mont, you will be gentleman. shall be one,
court, to be badgered. 1 must answer my ques-
uons IN my own way, and you must not undertake
Mr Belmont disclaimed any lock of courtesy or
desire to badger. He entertained the highest re-
spect for the witness, both on account OF his age
ana the high position he had occupied.
Mr Belmont-Did you not, in your instructions
to Mr. Hurlbut, ask him to bring to bear upon Peru
cognhe that claim Of Landreau7
AnsWer.l did not do not think you will find
anything 9hi1Ig OF that hat kind in, in my dispatches
| procure the prompt adjustment OF the Landreau
clatm7
If you will read from the dispatches you win find
just )S,S1,idI what instruction r. ta was was given
xnswer-It did not, in the Opinion ra Of Mr. T Evarts
and of myself.
Mr. Belmont propounded series of questions in
regard 10 the views of former Secretaries Of State
upon the Landreau claim, and another scene be-
tween himself and witness seemed imminent,
81 must confess this seems 70 me very extraordi
nary examination" Witness then explained at
some length just what instructions were given to
MIR. Hurlbut in relation to the Landreau claim
that he should simply his good Offices to secure
hearing for Landreau in the courts OF Peru.
| courts >- '''''0 "-'''' '''''' "e'' Nv
Mr.. Blaine.-Oh. no! Stop right there Not that
hear him, The courts Were in abeyance. 0'O07u ~
The examination, for some time, pursued the
direction OF repartee and retort the examiner per-
SlStlng In putting his own construction upon the
tenor Of Mr.. Blafnes dispatches, while the latter
as persistently insisted upon their meaning as read
remember that shall not forget the consideration
state correcfy an ouoe me "
MI. belmont then pursued his questions relative
TO the Landreau claim. asking what status it held
and how it was that Mr.. Blaine could give the in
structions he did relative TO the Landreau claim,
Mr. Blaine explained, at length, that the Lam
dreau claim was owned by an American citizen,
who was an American citizen when he obtained
In regard to 1t; that while this government would
not undertake to cOnstrue the contract between
the Peruvian government and j. C. Lendreau, he
Hur1buC was to cali the attention Of the Peruvian
government to the injustice OF not according Lam
dreau hearing I'm the courts, and to ask that
some means be taken to AFFORD him hearing. 81
was adventuresome enough" added Mr.. Blaine,
ITO ask foreign government 70 give an American
hearing In its courts"
"You VIII ind further" !" he continued, '.that the
instructions to Mr.. Hurlbut say that In the event
his Nandreaus) claim is fairly arbitrated In his
1avor that It i ought to be treated as lien on the
difficulties with Chill involving accession OF Peru
Wan territory Wen, it was not fairly arbtrated,
England has aobbied up the cSano AN and al 10000
tons Of It are now advertised In London, worth
probably $4,000, COO"
AN HNGLsH WAR ON PERU.
Mr.. Blaine continued with much eaYnestness:-
1.-THE English bondholders put up the Job OF war
upon Peru, and 1t was for boot and booty, Just as
Give and Hastings made war upon India An
English neet was upon the west coast Of South