National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1884-05-01
rnNl1tNns AND PHELPS.

The Correspondence I'm Reference to the
Lattcr's Attack on tho Former ''ror H.
lustrNtion only"
The following correspondence hos recently
passed between Senator Edmunds and Hon.
William Walter Phelps:
U MrED STATES SENATE, WASHINGTON, D. G.,
April %, lS5I.--Dedr Sir! have read your letter
IN defense Of Mr.. Blaine in tho Sunday Tribune
and also the editorial Of tho Tribune thereon, in
which you say.
/" Senator Edmunds wns understood to. have
block Of Burlington and Missouri securities and
Senator Edmunds and Mr.. Blaine acquired their
interests In the Burlington and Missouri road
when they were in the senate. Ihoy both sup.
road" WV '''' " ''''''' '''''' '''''''
These statements, taken in connection with the
rest Of your letter. evidently mean that at the
time of the legislation referred to / WAS in some
way Interested In that road, or its securities, and
the editorial in the 7r'bunt states expressly as
being your statement, that thing. Both yourself
and the Tribune are totally mistaken. have
hunted up what suppose TO be the joint resolu-
ton, No. 20, list sess, ilst congress, of which
had no recollection whatever before, but
d,c,,6SS 20 is Of tina, time me Sat dSH
| did make q single remark on the subject Of
the house nmcndncnt,w which remark commendto
and never had before, unylownership or interest
in any bond or stock OF that road or any other out
have, and had no more connection with the pass:
age Of the joint resolution than you had and
knew no moro than you (Which l assume was
nothing at VII excepting what may be inferred
from my remark ON th0 house amendment. More
than three months ahcrward and on the 18Th of
SUBJ s pd Sn he soc Gd ana
of the bonds of the Burlington and Missouri
River Railroad company In Nebraska, which
legislation referred to, paid in cash the same
price that all other subscribers did and held the
ton market at the market price aud no more. and
then or nlterward bought more of the
bonds Of -. the same company which |
authority TO verify 1t by an examination of the
books Of the company in Boston, or an exami-
quence among men who intend to be truthful, as
/ do not doubt you do to BIO somewhat accurate in
making statements about the acts ana doings OF
other people. II you or anybody else wish to
know anything concerning my business or other
transactions Mt any time, shall BIO happy to put
you in possession of precise information, so that
you will be certain that what you say is true. |
am neither willing nor DESTROYS to be either cam
didate or president,which everybody who has ever
spoken or written to mo on the subject knows;
but. as naturally like TO stand we'll in the esti
NATION OF my fellow citizens, dislike to BIO ac-
cused of either corruption, bias, selfishness act
ing on public questions in which have private
Interest when such accusations are untrue.
d ReSRsGay yoH Gf 2o rs oS Ran,s
sentatlves.
The following is Mr.. Phelps's reply:
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, WAsHINGroN D. c.,
April %. lSSi.-Dedr Sir / have this moment
your letter OF this ming, and hasten TO correct
letter 10 he PS or more pTobsbly from some Of
the humorous newspaper comments. regret II
YOU think that in using your name as an illustra-
ton of principle, have in any way hurt your
reputation. 1t Is a reputation of which you and
The country may well be proud; and, as said in
:iy mans reputation. The The principle sought to
illustrate was that legislator has no right TO re-
fuse justice to corporate interest because he hop.
would be benefited; and that It was not neces'
sarily wrong thing for legislator to ACQUIRE an
a iTet ad II o had S0r ass sESS
coHduci, and nti't that of many other legislators,
/ asked why such conduct was cepsurable in Mr..
Blaine and not in any one else Mr.. Blaine did
not vote, but did rule SO that the Little Rock and
Fort Smith road got Its land grant confirmed,
knowing no more Of the road at the time than
did, and forgot the fact. Three months after
ward Mr.. Blaine bought his interest in that road.
You voted-because the assent was unanimous
and you were present--to confirm the land grant
that time a little more OF 1t than did, for you
debated IT.; YOU forgot the fact three months after
ward you bought your interest in that road. The
cases were so analogous in all essential particu
lars that IL seemed proper 10 group them. Had
thought the action of either 4 you dscreditable
should not have defended him nor mentioned
you. Where is there any lack Of accuracy
in my statements nbout other peopeY
30 have SosE Of anT Missouri seoT
ties - and again. Senator Edmunds acquired his
interest in the Burlington and Missouri road when
july ises : You Subscribed for s5 shares Of the
stock and six thousand $4,000 of the bonds OF the
Burlington and Missouri River Railroad com
pAny." I am inaccurate in these statements, then
only In case you were not a member Of the senate
on the 18th Of July, 1869, and in case stocks and
| both"-you and another-"supported the bill to
estore the land grant to their road" You say on
S sanst So g1a Gy
would cheeriully admit my inaccuracy; but the
official record shows. you present and speaking
upon the resolution at the moment OF its passage,
| and the record shows that 1t passed without q
vote against It. 1.-THE Tribune misapprehended
as saying you rooS IN The any lime
the passage of the resolution, 1t Is
responsible and not /. suspect 1t can take care
sentation directly or by implication. Such fact
would destroy the parailelism between your case;
at the time Of the passage Of the resolution as you
| had none. He acquired his interest in Boston
three months after, Just as you acquired yours In
Boston three months after. / think my state;
ments were as accurate as popular language could
make them. Had thought them 10 charge" !
legal pleading. but T such language Would not
have stated the facts. more fairly do
not want to know anything Of your business
has long known, and Of which you need not be
ashamed; nor do need any other evidence than
G he hs gSSs
| sociatcs, do not escape the Misrepresentation OF
| the press has never shaken my entire confidence
| in your honor and honesty. Nor need add that
| / have been long in school whore have learned
| to sympathize with public men who are falsely
| and perpetually accused of corruption bias, and
| selflslness, and of acting upon public questions
| in which they have private interests. Nor have
they been exempt from such penalties Of greatness
though neither willing nor desirious to be either
| candidate or president, and naturally liking "a
stand we'll In the estimation Of their fellow citizens
| Such expressions of envy are always penalty OF
| greatness and can be only escaped by obscurity
| The disposition Of this letter ia In your hands
/ am. Mr. Senator, with high esteem, respectfully
yours, WIN. WALTER PHELPS.
Hon. GEO F. EDMuSDs, United States senator.
Senator Edmunds's reioinder is as follows
UNITED STATES SENATE, WASHINGTON, d. @.
| April 30, 1sSi-Dedr Sir! / have yours dated 2Stl
instant, wnich was loft at my house late last even
! ing. According to your permission any OF thu
gentlemen of the press who desire II will be per.
| mitted to take copies OF my note and yours,
| The statement In your public letter, togethe
! what the point was. With your arguments anC
| conclusions have no concern.
! Respectfully yours, GEo. r. EpMUNDS.
| The Ron. WILLIAM WALTER PHELPS, House o
! Repre- sentGtiyes.
DEPARTMENT NOTES.
1t is estimated that the decrease Of the public
debt for the month VI April will amount TO abou