Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1884-09-20
A Card from Hon. George ID. wise.
To the Editor ofthe Dispatch:

AeS' CHEsIshs
A Card from Hon. George u. wise.
To the Editor ofte Dispatch.
In your issue OF September 18th there
appeared card over the signature Of Hon.
John 8. Wise. which calls for my notice.
i deemi II proper to say that the synopsis OF
the speech delivered by me on Tuesday
night, which appeared in your issue OF the
18th instant, in several particulars does not
convey the idea intended, aud that had
expressed to two or three gentlemen, IN
advance OF the appearance OF the card
Of Mr.. Wise, the intention to make the
necessary corrections over my own sigma
ture. deemed that 10 be due as an act OF
justice TO him as well as to myself. The
proposed correction did not appear this
morning because / was compelled to leave
the city Yesterday to keep an engagement
to speak at Hanover Courthouse. know
how difficult II Is 10 make a correct synop-
sis OF long speech, rapidly delivered,
and, having had no opportunity to
correct the notes OF your reporter,
Ihave no complaint to make OF him, but on
the contrary am surprised that he general
ly manages TO get so close to the idea OF
speaker. spoke OF my own efforts in con-
nection with the James river improve
ment. and OF the attempt made in the
Senate 10 reduce the amount OF the appro-
priation therefor, and to strike from the
House bill the clause which committed the
Government TO the project Of deepening the
channel TO twenty-five feet. For this held
Senator Malone responsible, as | did In Il
card publisbedi in the Dispatch at the tune.
said that Mr.. Wise had done nothing in aid
Of this important work. in which the people
OF this city feel so deep an interest, and
spoke Of him as having devoted himself al
most exclusively TO the Danyille inyesti-
CATION. / stated t;iat he appeared before
the committee as witness, and remained
there large part OF his time az an aid OF
Messrs. Sherman and Lapham. superin-
tending the summoning OF witnesses and
taking OF testimony. characterized that
Danyille investigation as base attempt to
represent the people Of Virginia as muir
dcrers and assassins, undertaken for no
other than partisan and political purposes.
As part OF the political history OF the
present Congress il was not only natural for
me TO speak Of IT, but it was my duty TO do
so. Mr.. Wise, as Is well known, was magma
pdrs OF that business, and his name could
not be omitted when speaking OF IL. He
speaks truly when he says that
our views as TO the occurrences at Dam
vile and the animus and import thereof
are radically different. When that Danyille
testimony shall be read, in which some Of
the best men Of this city are charged with
the commission Of periuries aud forgeries
by the wholesale, feel confident that he
will not be thought to be model OF mode
ration in speech. No epithet is omitted
from his vocabulary OF abuse. Governor
Vance said, in my presence, that he could
have no respect for Virginians il he be-
lieyed them 10 be half as bad as they had been
represented. did not say thai Mr.. Wise
went TO the Senate TO defeat the custom
house bill. That is a mistake. His statement
is correct when he says that we both offered
bills for its enlargement and Improvement,
and that we attended togethe a meeting OF
the committee in the room OF Hon. Casey
Young in the interest OF this improvement.
In framing our respective bills neither OF
us knew what sum OF money would be re-
quired for the proposed work, and II WAS
agreed that he should obtain from the archl-
tect OF the Treasury and other sources the
desired Information and that | should press
the matter upon the attention OF the commit
tee. The report did not hang fire for some
time, as he states; but, on the contrary,
the committee informed me time and again
that they were waiting for the information
which Mr.. Wise had undertaken 10 pro-
cure. The report could not be presented
to the House until the proper data had been
obtained for its preparation. believe that
ne obtained them rs soon as he could, but
certain it is that wrote the House report
lust so soon as the statements Of the arch-
tect and others reached my hands, and it
was adopted by the committee without de-
lay. There was never any hesitation about
making a favorable report. Knowing that
the Senate, being a small body. could act
more promptly upon such bills than
the House, | suggested the propriety
Of its introduction there also. and
requested Mr.. Wise to speak to
General Malone concerning it. intending
myself to urge it upon the attention OF the
Democratic senator's who were members
Of the committee having charge OF il. But
i did not tell him 10 deliver any message
from me to Senator Malone. knew, what
Mr.. Wise says TO be true, that Mahone'f
friendshipfor the bill would not be strength
ened by a knowledge Of my advocacy Of it.
requested him TO take upon himself the
duty Of seeing Malone, because | could
not hold communication with that Senator.
and believed Mr.. Wise to be influential
with him. My object in introducing it in
the Senate, as well as in the House, was to
take all the chances Of getting it through
during the last session.
| do not care to make this communication
longer. but he has made other statements
which arc not in accordance with the fact.
He saws that | was In the House when he
made an effort TO take upand pass the bill by
unanimous consent. / was not present
when he made that effort, nor was advised
OF his intention to make it. When
reached the hall be informed me that Mr..
Holman, Of Indiana. had opposed the con-
sideration OF our bill during the morning
hour, and requested me to ascertain II he
would not Withdraw his objection. spoke
TO Mr.. Holman, and he assured me that be
was not opposed to the appropriation, brl'
that there was an understanding that the
various bills for the construction OF public
buildings were TO be considered together,
and that day had been set for their con-
sideratlon.
Mr.. Wise cndeayOrs to create the impress
sion that his friends were readyto pass tha
bill, while mine were not. That Is not the
fact. make the statement because mum
Der Of Republicans who were interested IN
obtaining appropriations for public build
ings. and with whom L conyersed upoi
the subject. informed me that there was Al
understanding that the bills from the Com
mittee on Public Buildings and Ground
should be cons dered together and tina
their friends should act in concert. Th'
Record shows Alr. Holman TO have beei
correct in his statement. \ day had beer
fixed for the consideration OF such bills
There was never any possibility OF passin!
the custom-h0use bill in the wa
indicated by Mr.. Wise. He cannot show
that solitary bill Of that description
was passed in that way. l doubt II he cal
show that such bill was ever passed II
| that way. / am perfectly willing to dismis
without comment what he has written con
cerning the methods OF conducting cam
paigns. | care nothing about his methods
nor his style OF speech. But his yirulen
| and violent abuse Of those whom he dc
nominates as Bourbons, his characterization
| OF Republicans as apostates for the price o
apOstacy, and his heated denunciations o
well-known citizens, are too fresh I'm mem
| ory for him TO attempt now TO pose as
model OF moderation and propriety. Ill
vocabulary may not be limited, neither
ii elegant.
Respectfully, GEORGE ID. WISE.