Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-05-02
ANOTHER STUMP SPEECH.
PHILANTHROPIST BLAIR AND
SHIPHERD.
How He Came by His Retainer and
How He Was Led TO Drop TIA
Lengthy HaraDgue. but Very Few
Facts.

WASHINGTON, May 1.-Senator Blair ap-
peared before the House Committee on For
eign Affairs to- day and occupied the entire
time of to days session reading prepared
statement. At the opening of the session
the chairman began to PROFOUND questions
as soon as Mr. Blair was sworn, but the wit
ness asked permission to read his statement,
after which he would answer such questions
as he properly could.
Mr.. Blount desired to know exactly what
was meant by that remark. He thought
the witness put himself unreservedly in the
hands of the committee. II any questions
were to be reserved. he thought it ought to
be settled at once.
Mr.. Blair replied that he could not tell in
advance what questions might be asked,
but he did not expect to ask any indulgence
whatever.
He then read In effect: 81 know nothing
of the m emhership of the Peruvian Com
panY except President Sbfpherd. do not
know OF any member of either house being
In any way whatever connected with it
except myself. My connection with It was
purely as counsel. with no pecuniary inter
est whatever In the company, and with no
expectation whatever of pecuniary reward"
The statement then rehearsed at some
length the situation of affairs in Peru and
Chilli and the writer's sympathy for Peru
and his desire to prevent her dismember-
ment, which led him to take an interest in
the purposes and objects of the Peruvian
Company. Witness then set forth the cir
cumstances which led up to his accepting q
retainer from the Peruvian Company.
He was introduced to Shipherd in New
York as he (witness) was passing through
on his way to New Hampshire. Later, near
the middle of July, he saw Shipherd again
in New York, and had a long conference
with him, in which Shipherd expressed
sympathy with Peru, and explained
that his company was calculated
to afford an opportunity to Peru
to settle her difficulties and avoid loss of
territory. Witness listened to long ac-
count from Shipherd of the plans OF the
company, and promised his cordial sympa-
thy and aid. Shipherd spoke of offering
retainer, which witness at that time de.
clined. Some time In August Shipherd
wrote, offering witness a retainer in stock In
the company. Witness replied that he
preferred retainer IN money, II he took
any. Shor ly after he (Shipherd) sent wit
ness some scrip which he subse equently re-
turned for reasons which he set forth at the
time in letter Witness read a letter In
which, while expressing his hearty sympathy
with Peru and the Peru Company and its
desire to save her from dismemberment,
he found that events were taking a
turn which rendered It highly
probable that the subject would
become one for Congressional action, and,
in view of his distinct stipulation in desiring
to take a retainer that he should return it at
any time under such contingencies, he
A.. ~,
Shipberd that his sympathy was still strong
with the line OF policy toward Peru which
the Peruvian Company favored.
Witness then read a letter, which he
wrote at the same time to ex Senator Eaton,
remarking: "With the exception of ex-
Senator Crsgin. this IS the only gentleman
with whom ever had any correspondence
on the subject"
The letter to Mr.. Eaton bore date Novem-
ber 26, 1881. The letter says: "Shipherd's
management Of the affairs of the Peruvian
Company seems to be tending so much in q
direction towards requiring Congressional
action that l have felt it my duty to retire
from my connection as counsel. and have
returned my retainer.
To further allusion to the company, 1t
says: "In fact, have never received any
thing of value from 1t, and again 1 should
he sorry II this opportunity to help both
North aud South America should be lost by
failure on the part of our government to
maintain mild vet firm policy" Witness
then exclaimed his view Of what this policy
had been, and added: $50 far as l know,
the affairs of Shipherd had no influence
whatever upon the policy of our govern
ment, and never had the effect to alter or
change 1t in any conceivable WaY"
Witness then alluded to the interviews
with Secretary Blaine, which took place on
the 25th and goth of July, and added: "I
have no desire to go over in detail what
occurred at those interviews. unless 1t be the
wish of the committee that shall do so.
desire to state that l never heard Shipherd
make any mention in the presence of Mr..
Blaine, or on any other occasion in my
presence. of his having made an offer to
Minister Hurlbut of $3.50, 900 of stock in the
Peruvian Company. Neither did l ever
have any correspondence with Minister
Hurlhut on the subject of the Peruvian
Company"
Witness had received letter from Min
lister Hurlbut, but had never answered it.
In the letter Mr.. Hurlbut mentioned having
received many communications from Ship
herd, and said he could not make him
(Shipherd) understand that he (Hurlbut)
could not act in the matter except on in
structions from the State Department.
Witness first saw the long letter of Ship
herd to Walker Blaine when he saw it in
the printed report Of Shepherds examina-
ton before the committee. He had, how
ever, been requested by Secretary BlaiGe to
inform Shipherd that he (Blaine) did not
wish him (Shipherdl to hold any correspon-
dence with any subordinates of the State
Deparimen and this desire he had verbally
conveyed to Shipherd. Witness knew moth
ing of the Credit Industriel or their contract
with Calderon. In relation to his (Blair's)
letter to Shipherd, ia which ne says,
"YOu should act as though American
ships of war were on their way" witness
believed that our government ought to con-
slider the kidnapping of Calderon a breach
of good faith towards this country, and
while he did not at that time entertain the
slightest apprehension of any war between
the United States and little nation of less
than two million people, however pluckY
they might be, he had thought it most likely
that American ships OF war would be sent
to South American " aters as English ships |
had already been. 1t had been mainly due
to the efforts OF Miaister Hurlbut, In pur-
suance of his instructions, that Calderon
had been enabled to exercise the authority
that he had done, and he (witness) looked
upon his forcible abduction as a meas
ure which might be undone by
liCtle irmness on the part of our govern
ment. He understood that Gen. Grant,
without any pecunisrY interest whatever In
the Peruvian Company, was strongly in
AdNOA VI anu tO
Peru as would assist In giving her chance
before permitting her dismemDerment. As
for himself, witness was more interested
in the true policy Of our country than
In Shepherds company or any other COM
psuy. He could not believe in a foreign
policy of debasement, and whatever others
had thought of Shepherds company, there
were those who believed in its possibilities
to play no unimportant part in the settle
ment of the South American situation. 1t
was unnecessary to rehesrse the important
part in the affairs of nations that had before
now been PLAYED by private corpora
tions, which, in their inception, had
offered nothing more tangible to the general
view than the Peruvian Company. He (wit-
ness) hsd understood from Shipherd that
the company was abundantly backed with
capital, and proposed to afford to Peru an
opportunity to extricate herself from her
financial difficulties and avoid dismember- |
ment of her territory. To this extent he
(witness) had given his sympathies aud aid |
as counsel for the company"
Adjourned.
Glass Works Burned.
TTuArA NJ Mav Tho