Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1884-01-14
A LIE NAILED.
Hewitt Stontly Denies that He Played
Double Part In the G'DonneM Mat


ter.
New IogK, January 1S-.When the dis.
patches from Washington, which charged
Congressman Hewitt with duplicity in the
II after Of the OD0nnell resolution were
shown TO him. he read them through with
smile. Then he said: "Iu regard to the
statement that called at once on the Bri .
i>h Minister and informed him that the
resolution didn't mean anything and would
amount to nothing, and iu o'her terms be-
Titled 1t, l have only to say that it is
wholly untrue. 1t is true that after the
passage Of the resolution called on Minis
ter West, but my visit IVES simply social
one. He had called on me aud returned
his call Ny visit had nothing whsteve
to do with p'DoUnell or the O'DJuue!l
resolution"
in the course OF the conversation dur.
ing your stay with Mr.. Wcs; was any re 'yr.
epce made to the O DOnAal resolution"
Yes, 1t was discussed by US | took
the position that on American citizen in d
foreign country had been on trial for his
life, and that as au American citizen he
was entitled to fair trial, and that il Was
toe duty OF tie American Government to
see that he had such trial. Further, when
an American citizen had been convicted Of
chine aud had been sentenced to die, aud
the time eapSing between the sentence
and the execution was 50 short as to pro-
hibit proper eXamIuston Of the record to
asC, rtaln if the trial had been fair, thea it
was the duty of the government to ask for
an extension Of time"
The Point M Iusue
what did Mr. West say to that"
"IIe said that O'Donnell had had a fair
irial. lrepied that that WAS precisely the
oint at issue, and the point Oh which our
overnment ought TO be satisfied before the
condemned man was executed. That Was
hat understood 10 be the doctrine OF iu-
ternatlOnal law"
What LED you to Introduce the resolu-
ton
"Brfare the introduction of the resOu-
tiOr ] bad aH interview with the Secretary
Of Sac. IN which | tCCl, precisely the same
post on that took before Minister West:
but nSa some uOuOt - IrIncT the ) ere
tary would act in Tie matter, 50 ! inlrO.
duc,d Tie lcsolGt.on to make sure that
something would he done. IN doing this !
mad" ~ reference 10 the fact that O'DDn
nell Hag OF IRISH bir.h. To me his tvity
made 10 difference He was TN American
ciri2'r and entitled 10 his rights as such. II
one oi those rights WAS to he han-'d Or a
Criuc he ought at least to be hanged ac
COrd!ng 10 law.
AT is further charged, Mr.. Hewitt, that
you want over 10 the Republican side gnd
begged Republican mrmhtrs, one OF them
a Philadciphiun, TO object 10 !is ConSld ra-
ton, and that the request was Indignantly
deCliued''
"That is also wholly untrue. When |
had prepared tie resolution | did hand it
10 prominent members on both sides OF
the House. II was matter that required
unanimous consent, and passed it around
in order that members might know what it
WAS. This WAS done to avoid ob!ec ion iu
cad Of to invite it."
Another Lie Nailed.
at is asserted that you said 10 Minister
West that You had introduced the resolu-
ton deliberately to furstall one OF more
belli serent purport, which you sad would
surrey have been introduced and passed
had you not thrown yourself intO the
breHrh'
"Thig is untrue, like the r5st said
had GTaWn the resolution with great care,
in order that il might be within diplO.
matte usage, aNi that il might not contain
any matter tha, would give any one in the
HOU,c cause TO object to i. | have been
criticised in some quarters because, iGtgh
arise from a misunderstanding Uf in,eTna
tiona! !uw. | Loll that it Is the duty OF
the Government to ses, that American Cti-
z"us II foreign countries are protested in
their r.nhls. And that, even when guilty
of crin.. they arc entitled to a fair trial,
and that where time is necessary to asGer-
tain the facts, the Government should in
sist tlat the 'imo Ge granted. think
Great Eliiau has made a mistake in deny
ing tIs pqnrSt iU7 time to make an ex-
amipali,r. The time viii CoL!e when she
will re,:rel her action. made no apology
to Mr.. west nor was it necessary to make
one. nave nos seen him since, and do
not kTuN whether he made Sny representa-
tious to hIs Government concern n, ny
position nr rot My roslt on was INIT uI
Marcy. Webster and Seward in reference to
the rights Of America citizens abroad. |
shall be sorry wien our Government takes
any other position