Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1882-04-21
GO IN, STEVE"
William Henry Hurlbut Appears Before
the Foreign Affairs Committee in
Defense of His Brother,
The Late Minister to Peru-Blaine's
Disposition to " Hedge"-s' That
Internal Shipherd.v

| Minister Hurlbut on which was written a
marginal note: "Go in, Steve" or Ego it,
Steve"
Witness said: The whole narrative of
this conversation with me is an absolute and
total Misrepresentation of facts. He sought
an interview with me, and stated his care
and gave me a long narrative OF his rela-
| tons with Blaine, and complained bitterly
| that he had not been we'll treated by the
secretary. There is no truth in his state
ment that / told him l had seen such dis
patch with a marginal note. The story he
| gives of Instructions sent to the old admiral
with contrary construction upon the mar
| gin, Was a story / recognized as. having
heard before. He repeated this story in a
highly dramatic manner, and it seemed
| likely that Blaine might have told him the
| story but / never gave him the slightest
| intimation had seen the dispatch with the
marginal note. Shiph,rd has completely
confused the real facts of the incident. Hav-
| ing heard the story before, it was my i'm
preston at the time OF my interview with
| Shipherd that Secretary Blaine had taken
this method of indicating that the marginal
note might have been sent to supplement or
| complete instructions contained the body
| of the dispatch The Peruvian minister
| first related the incident to me. He said
that in conversation with the secretary he
complained TO him 1.-THE secretary that the
department or government had not taken
just slch a course toward Peru or sent such
instructions to Hurlbut as he 1.-THE Peruvian
minister) had expected. The impression
gathered was that Secretary Blaine had told
the Peruvian minister this incident to imply
that he had indicated on the margin of this
dispatch his real views which circumstances
did not admit of his doing in a constitu-
tional manner. 1t was simply an incident
in my mind, suggested by the conversation
with the Peruvian minister, and | did not
a. - s -
Shipherd, when his relation of the same story
gave me the impression that the marginal
note might be made upon the dispatch to my
brother.
The witness said that his relations with
Blaine were of friendly character. He had
several conversations with him. The secre-
tary failed to convince the witness that he
(the secretary was carrying out the policy
OF President Garfield. He failed to con-
vince him because of his ways and methods.
The witness continued The secretary al
ways suggested to me something in the ma
ture of a political firt. As a Democrat l
had never much faith in his methods,
though personally l liked him; and my
brother saamed to have eEaat- confidence
him. The last interview the witness had
with Blaine was about the 18th or 18th of
December, just befor the publication of the
state department dispatch. In that publici-
tion there was dispatch disappearing OF
his brothers course. The witness saw
Blaine several times between September and
December, and at no time did he 1.-THE secre
tary) indicate that he disapprove1 of his
(witness) brothers course. The witness re-
ceived several letters from his brother, in
which he alluded to the letter of reproval,
and expressed something OF astonishment
and indignation.
The witness was asked if he had any of
those letters with him, and replied that he
had. He then read the following letter from
his brother to Minister Hurlbut, dated
Lima, December 9th:
''The Chllian papers are full of that internal
Shipherd aud his pretenses. They have
been kicked out of the state department, but
he is an indefatigable nuisance. l hope that
Sam Randall will call for all the papers in
the department in reference to him and his
affairs. ] have sent all of his letters back to
the department, and / anxiously desire that
the correspondence be made public. / have
fears, hope not, well grounded, that our
government means to slide oul of Americas
position here. My personal talk with Blaine
and Garfield, CT course, will not appear in
any official correspondence, but it was the |
motive for my action. i think they will |
throw me overheard, unless Congress backs |
up the American line l have taken here |
Personally, | care little about it, but must |
say that in Blaine's letter OF the 221 OF No
ftIuDSI " NE W 40 d AldhAACot SpOS1tiOu "
hedge"
Witness was asked if he could state what
his brothers understanding of his instIuc-
tons were and replied: "He understood that |
he was to have elastic powers to carry out the |
policy begun by Secretary Evsrts to bring |
about peace between Chill and Peru; to |
induce the South American republics to |
cea,e war; to prevent the spoliation of Pc |
ruvian territory being made condition of |
tho sattlaupapf cf tho diffinu1tiea hatuaen |
Chill and Peru"
In response 10 a question witness said 81 |
do not understand that Secretary Blaine |
showed the dispatch, with the marginal note,
to Elmore, the Peruvian minister, but simply |
related to him the Incident, to indicate
that in that way only he could do what he
might wish to do" Witness had heard |
Grant, once owned one-half Of the Landreau
claim
Witness said that in conversation with
his brother before the latter sailed 10 Peru
no mention was made of the Peruvian Com
pany; his brother did not refer to lone
and said he had been asked
by President Garfield to see Shipherd
and look into his claim; also that he had
seen Shipherd, and had received while in
Illinois several letters from him, one OF
which was brazen attempt at bribery, and
that he proposed to take them to Washing
ton and show them to the secretary. Witness
advised against this course, saying: you
we're advised by the president TO look into
this matter. i would advise you to take the
letters to Peru, get to the bottom OF this
thing, aud then send them to the government
and all you find in regard to it." Witness
added: 81 am not sure but it might have
been better for Blaine if my brother had at
that time shown MIN Shepherds letter."
Williams-How SO?
Witness-Because if Blaine had seen that
letter he possibly might not have entertained
that person (Shipherd) so long, as it were, I'M
lwares. / don't know what influence Sena-
or Blair may have had, but from my knowl
edge of Blaine should say he would have
dismissed him (Shipherd) at once from any
urther consideration"
Witness continued: In general terms /
gathered that Blaine approved the plans of
he Credit Industrial in their efforts to obviate
he spoliation Of Peruvian territory. A
etter of an extremely eminent American
impressed that view; the letter was read to
Blaine and he cordially approved its ssnt-
ments. The writer of the letter was General
Grant, and it was addressed TO the Peruvian
minister, Elmore, with whom General Grant
had very pleasant relations during his visit
20 China, Elmore being at that time Pc
-uvian minister to Pekin. Witness had re-
Iuested copy of this letter, and had
brought it with him at the request of the
committee. He then read the letter as fol-
ows:
NEW YORK CITY, November Il, 1881.
privately
MY DEAR Mr. ELMoRE-I am sorry / was not in |
when you called, on the 18th. AS soon 1 r. |
urned TO the house 1 received your letter and |
O'Clock. My not being in, verbal message to
-ou to call at that hour you may not have |
eceiyed- Since you here 1 herr that Presi- |
lent Calderon has been carried off TO Chill as a |
prisoner hope this is not true. What can / say
II do beyond expressing my sympathy for Peru in
Ter present troubles and expressing the hope that
he may yet come out of Them with honor? II
he United States should step in now and say to |
hill that she cannot Cypress despon Peru of !
erritory. She may demand indemnity and
ecurity- With great respect, your Obedient ser |
ant U. s. GRANT. :
P ST. return the paper You sent to my house.
L s. GRANT.
This incident occurred Just before the de-
,artHre of Prescott to Chill as special envoy.
This concluded Hurlbut's examination.
The chairman announced that Elk Sscre-
airy Blaine would appear before the COM
nittee Monday morning, and the investiga-
ion was adjourned until that time.
Chicago Free-ThinkeEs-
CHICAGO, April 20.-Judge Booth, presi-
lent; Charles B. Waite, vice-president, and
Ieorge C. Min, secretary of the local Free
Religious Association, to-day forwarded TO
felix Adler, of New York, president of the
National Association, an invitation to call a