New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-06-11
THE GOLDEN CLUB.
LETTER FROM Mr.. THOMAS G. sHEARMAN

of course very naturally Influenced blythe views Emcn
TIE TRIBUNE has always taken upon the tarln issues
one which well susans the reputation oil your paper Io
fairness and Justice being erroneous upon Only one pon
but even upon that taking manly ana nohoraDe VIC"
Of the question The to which refer Is your state
ment that the Golden Club has spent more money IN
efforts IN convert the United States to Free Trade, by
circulating pamphlets than American Protectonlsts
have spent In circulating documents on their SIDE This
mistake is the result Of widespread impression, ana
not OF great Importance there would he no barn
II tie statement true But, as you VIII see from
what follows. the statement is not correct
The letter from the Rev. Cyrus Hamlin, DID,, which
appeared in your paper on the day with your own
article stands in very strong contrast with the tone OF
THE TRIBUNE itself. have known much OF DR.. Ham
Inns family, and something OF hmseh'tor more tnsn
twenty years and hold him in great personal respect
but when he takes the responsibility Of sucn stapmehts
as he has made and shows such spirit OF lmpauence
under correction It becomes duty to point out that the
Rev. Dr. Hamlln has forgotten one OF the first oohga-
tons which clergyman 80 distinguished, and especially
an educator OF youth, owes TO the communicative
obligation of not merely combining himself In his public
statements to things which he believes 10 DO true, pus
also 70 those which the either knows or has good and
solid reasons for believing to be true Mhen semitic
man who combines in his own person the functions Oh
clergyman missionary and college president appears
before the public, as Dr. Hamlin has done, 10 make
thrice repeated statements concerning body OF gentle
men who are unsurpassed In pesonal honor ana integrity
by any similar number In the world II Is not uhreason
able 10 expect from him that no viii observe hisher
standard OF truthfuness than that which enforced py
courts of law between horse-deaers now there Is no
prineple of law better settled mbre constantly en-
toroad even among the most Ignorant and men
who are brought under judicial notice, than that false
hood consists quite as much in making statements with
out any reasonable ground for believing them TO De true
as in making statements which the armant knows to be
false But 1 regret TO say, Dr. Hamlin has not fell
himself bound to apply this principle In his own prac
ce And in no spirit Of unkndness but In simple jug
flee IN the Golden Club which Dr. Hamlin has greatly
misrepresented and to Mr.. David A. Wells, whose crit
cisns Dr. Hann has further misrepresented, beg 10
call his attention TO the following points,
FIRST In Dr. Hamlins original article In The Agrf-
cultural RerieD for November, 1882, he said Years
ago. the Golden Club Issued an appeal to American farm
ers and spread It all the Vest II Is safe to say that
millions OF comics were distributed" Mr.. Wells exposed
the absurdity of this statement and showed that It was
entirely mistaken. Instead OF frankly acknowledging
his mistake and his total want OF knowledge on the SUD
ect DR. Hamn asserts that Mr.. Wells disregards the
ordinary rules of gentlemanly intercourse He then
reafrms his assertion while admitting IN effect that he
knows nothing about II, saying, The number must DO
vast and have called It millions, as men are aecus-
TONED in current phrase TO call number that Is beyond
exact computation and expands the moro It IL inves-
gated" Then he gives what he IL pleased TO consider
some evidence OF the supposed fact This evidence
eonsiss Of an admission OF the American Iron and Steel
Association that circulated over half million protect
i've tracts TO counterfeit the movements OF the Golden
Clpb And" SAYS Dr. Hamln, since the Protection
ss would not wish need TO send more than one Pro-
tectonis tract In the wake OF dozen OF the Free Trade
leaflets in order cancel their force this would Indicate
a possible circulation OF over six millions" Was there
ever weaker argument, or one more unworthy OF an
educated and distinguished mani
49, O.. a Tla
circulated in all the countries the face Of the earth
combined as many rs two million documents or any
thing like It. OF the particular appeal 10 American
farmers Ga cheap tract which Dr. Hamlin insists was
circulated 70 the extent OF millions the Club never
issued more than $4,000 large part OF these were
never circulated in America The entire Issue cost less
than $780, All this Dr. Hainn oOud have nsocrtained
by tho slightest inquiry; but he neither chose 20 mako
that inquiry In advance OF his statements nor TO make Il
after his assertions had been called into question.
Seoondlv Dr. Hanlin asserted, IN the plainest terms
that the Golden Club had expended rast sums" oil
money IN order TO incite farner against the Gov
eminent ana our manufactures" Being informed by
Mr. Wells that there no truth In this statement and
that the Club never had any vast sums 10 e1pend he
asserts that he has abundant evidence" OF this sup
posed fact and then gives not particle OF sneh evil
dence for the simple that there Is none In exist
ence Now, Dr. Ham made serious mistake when
he made the original assertions but that mistake was
greatly paated by the fact that the same assertion has
been made so often by INSCRIPTIONS men, who are not
c,erormen that he might we'll have believed It TO be
true But when his attention Is rallied to his error, and
he follows IL up by stating that he has abundant evil
dence for his assertion he guilty OF far more ser
ous fault do not hesitate TO say that DIR. Hamn's
assertion absolutely unruei that he has no evidence
whatever in support OF his statements that It Is utterly
I'm posshle that he should have. And as guarantee OF
nav own accuracy herewith offer to subscribe $1,000
~ the funds OF Middebury College, II DR.. Hamln viii
submit this abundant evidence for my examination
and H. after we both stated our views OF the
10 his own associate professors and college trustees they
will unite in signing public statement to the effect that
having heard both DR.. Hamln and myself fully the
subject they are convinced that he had abundant evil
dence OF the alleged fact OF course. mean by that
not merely evidence sufficient TO satisfy such Illogical
mind AS President Hamlln evidently has, but such EVIL
dence as ought be sufficient to establish the truth OF
the charge beg Or. Hamlin not to set this aside
species OF bet, for ask him TO rsA nothing nor TO
reject u as an unworthy offer of money to himself forit Is
solely for benevolent purpose, in which he doubtless
feels the deepest interest And II he desires TO secure
another in aid OF the missionaries 10 Turkey, Of
whom he was formerly one, and ID whose welfare he is
doubtless likewise greatly interested, respectfully offer
10 him another $1,000 for that purpose If he will prove
In the satisfaction OF the body OF gentlemen that
many as even one million copies Of any appeal to Amer
lean farmers have been Issued by the Golden Club.
ThfrdhL TO his grievous misrepresentation OF the
Golden Club DIR. Hamln has added further misrepre
sentation concerning Mr.. Wells He says that In The
Princeton Repieo Mr. Wells has charged him with accus
Ing the Golden Club OF organized corruption and
thorough disloyalty 10 American Institutions TO which
he replies The charge IL false. Some charge In this
matter Is false but unfortunately Tor DIR. Hamlin the
error consists not In what Mr. Wells charged i with
Int what he charges Mr. Wells with Mr. Wells said
that DR. Hamn had made any such accusation against
The Golden Club lie said that DIR. Hanln and Others
had made this charge by implication against american
by insnuatng that they were corrupted by
British gold This Dr. HaIplin does not answer; but
statement and puts into his mouth language which he
never used.
Hamn' Is of dealing with facts; for looking over
ha original article in The Agricultural Eerieo IL II easy
10 ace that LIE accurate knowledge about sub
iect Of which he treats and no appreciation OF the i'm
porance OF iLyesg atng into the facts before making
ms statements public OF this will give only one ex-
ample He says: when went 10 Turkey at the close
of 1888 the policy OF the Government far II had
any financial policy. was protectyej and there were
n,Iarui elN Ilrnan Enn