Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1882-03-23

which he is the agent, had or wanted to
get big hold on the rich guano piles of
Peru: They saw millions in them, and
recognized the loss of their prospective
fortunes in the exactions Of Chill from
her PROSTATE foe in the shape Of surren-
nered guano, land and money. Hence
their anxiety to secure the interference
of our government in the adjudi
cation of terms of peace between
the victor and the vanquished state.
Quite naturally it did not occur to Ship
herd and his associate Spectators, that
when they invested their money or cast
their fortunes with Peru, they shared
it's lot and took their chances of its sue.
cess or failure in war with Chill. But
it is not so easy to understand why.an
intelligent state department could not
discern this and the additional fact that
our government had no moro right to
interfere in the settlement ::of the rela-
tions of these states than the Chi!ians
would have to lombard New York be-
cause they were not pleased with the
passage of the anti mormon and anti
Chinese bills.
The frankness of Mr.. Shepherds ras-
cality will go very far to explain why
our diplomats took such an interest in
an affair that was none of our concern
He had, from residence in Gen. Hurl.
butts district, "become pretty thor
oughly familiar with the public senti-
ment rs to Gen. Hurlbut's ideas of what
was proper in public officer" Further,
he says;
About tho time Gen. Hurlbut's appoint
ment to 60 to Peru Refreshed my memory
considerably in what was then ! matter Of
public nOtoriety in those years. con-
suited with gentlemen who were very in
innate personally with Gen. Hurlbut, who
were Of the same political party, but who
were personally on good terms with him.
l consulted with no one, I think, who was
considered as hostile to him. The impress
sion which was strong in my own mind
was confirmed by all the advice I sought,
and was this That Gen. Hurlbut did not
consider it improper that he, at least,
while holding public Office should be con.
cerned, either directly or indirectly, in
business interests of which he mig have
more or less official knowledge. The
opinion which was most clearly in my own
mind was thus phrased at that time by one
gentleman whose advice l sought. He
said "Steve will block you at every
point if there is not something done for
him Or provided or suggested to be pro-
vided for him You can count on it. It
makes no difference what arrangement
you make at Washington, something has
got to be done or promised or suggested
for him."
The guileless Shipherd, who knows
nothing about the methods which are
recognized rs usual and more or less to
be winked at, perhaps, among politi-
cians," became &c clearly of the opinion
that there had got to he a tub for this
whale in some form that there had
got to be something said or suggested
which should at least stay Gen. Hurlbut
from setting himself absolutely against
us at the outset" So his first move
was to offer Hurlbut and his friends
S2jO,0oO worth of stock in the company
whose int6ests he was to serve as min-
lister from United States to Peru. The
next step was to engage, as attorney for
the company, Senator Blair, whom he
knew was particular friend of the
secretary of state.'' And, thus heeled,
he proceeded in several long and inter-
esting interviews with Blaine to lay the
scheme before him. He found him an
attentive listener, and his account Of
how he received the tale Of the attempt
to bribe Hurlbut is very interesting
mentioned the fact that Gen. Hurlbut
did not come to see me in New York, as
he had promised to Do before sailing, al
though, as understood, he was a week
in New York at that time, and I thought
it was little odd. / said, "YOu SEQ Mr.,
Secretary, that did not succeed in buying
him, if he thought that l was crying to.
Some remark was made previously by the
third party present az to the folly Of at
tempting to seduce Gen. Hurlbut by Offer
ing to sell him stock. The secretary nod
ded and laughed, and said he did not
think that we would fetch him." or
some remark of that sort. Subsequently,
at an interview much later, the matter was
again referred to and more emphatically
dwelt on. There was not the slightest inti-
nation given by the secretary that there
was anything improper in the letter, or
that he supposed had any improper mo-
tive IN writing it. The secretary listened
with what seemed to me a good deal more
than courteous attention to my account of
the claim. He seemed to be an exceed.
ingly interested listener. He followed me
very close, now and then interjectlng re-
marks and asking me questions showing
that lie was following points with the
greatest care and attention. He suggested
probable doubts from a legal point of
view.
1t is a beautiful spectacle thus pre-
sented to the world of our secretary of
state manifesting such eager interest in
a scheme of private spectators to get
our government to interfere in matter
where it had no right to interfere !;
laughing SO lightly at the attempt to
bribe foreign representative of our
government; and, finally, almost pre-
cipitating war with South American
state for the sake of Shepherds guano
SPECTATORS!
In printing the able charge of Judge
Baxter, of Cleveland, on the question of
railroad freight determinations In which
lie maintained that. corporations are
trustees of popular rights as we'll as
those of stockholders, and declaring it
unlawful for q railroad company to