The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1884-10-29
joys STATEMENT.
He Replies to Rev. nenry Ward Heecher
~ N Strniyht fOrwnrd Manner.

N Strnight forward Manner.
New Yonx, Oct. 2S.-Mr. James Z. Joy,
who has arrived from Europe, has written
the following letter to the Tribune:
To The Editor " The Tribune:
SlR-I have read, l think, everything
which has been written relative to COLI
vers.,tion to which Mr.. Beecher processes
to narrate as having taken place at my
residence in Detroit some years ago, when
he was for 0 little time my guest. note
especially the language in one Of his let
ters to General Alger about CONTINENTAL
liars. Knowing full well, therefore, tie
p resent state OF the controversy, and know
ing also perfectly the conversation tlru
did take place ut that time, | can st: te
with the most absolute certainty that
never said in that or any other CONVEX
sation with anybody that Mr.. Blaine.
when Speaker, made me IN offer or pro-
position directly or through third per-
son that he would appoint 4 committee
to suit me, or put Il man on that commit
tee such rs wished il l would buy Little
Rock < Fort Smith bonds Of him at par
or otherwise. This is perfectly certain he
never sent a man : to me to make any
such proposition within Il day or two, us
Mr.. Beecher says, or, ut any other time
These will, think, dispose OF these ale
cations OF Mr. Beecher.
While state these things with clear
certainty with regard to them, I do not
say that Mr.. Beecher is continental
liar" or that 'continentai' ialsehood
lies between him and myself. His mem
ory from lapse of time, or influenced, per-
haps, by his feelings and wishes, is Ger.
tainly at fault in these respects. l was
simply stating q conversation OF third
party with Mr.. Blaine, as stnta,l by that
party TO me. Mr. Beecher, while not rec.
o'lecting it correctly in the most nlateriuf
part, seems to think that was responsible
tor that conversation, and tilat asserted
that it was true, not only us recollected
it then, but as he reeollects now, and morf,
that asserted the truth OF the inference
he himself draws from it rs he now thinks
he remembers it. Nothing would be
wider OF the mark. Ofcourse do not
know whether the conversation with Mr.
Blaine was correctly stated to me or not,
but I do know that stated it NJ it was
narrated to me correctly so iar US Eremenl-
bered it, and also know that there was
no possibility in the narration OF it that
could have stated as Mr.. Beecher has it
that Mr.. Blaine sent to me ina day or two
any proposition Of any form or kind what
ever That would have been a clear state.
ment of my own, while I WAS simply mar
rating conversation as reported to me by
Il third party, OF which such IN assertion
could form 10 part ='f X > = i,.. H..
While with regard to these things and
NJ. Beecher's statement, l acquit him OF
all except u faulty memory, perhaps not
strange with him in the circumstances,
with his temperament; l cannot say rs
much for his conduct as gentleman for
bringing me into controversy OF this
sort by the use he is taking to make OF
free social conversation with him while
guest ut my table, and where he puts his
memory against mine seven or eight years
afterwards, and practically takes an oath
that his is an infallible memory, and that
mine is wholly ut fault. l saw in IN in
terview purportins to be with him pub.
lished in Truth some years ago protesting
to detail these same statements Of his.
They get into the newspapers now from
him and upon his authority. It matters
little whether he makes his state
ments verbally so near newspaper
that he knows it will be pub
ished, or whether he sends them
over his own signature, the breach OF pro-
priety is the same, and when the state
ments are stated to BE- inaccurate he fol-
lows them up. making sharp issue, as
suming his me nory to be lnfaliible to
prove That Ium deliberately false in my
racollections, in which I am quite as like
ly certainly to be correct rs anybody else.
l cannot but feel that for guest invited to
all the freedom OF table conversation thus
to drag some OF it in distorted form, and
with untrue additions to it before the pub
lie. at such time, and for such apurpose.
with the asse .tion that i'll do not remem-
Der it Just rs he does one OF us; in his Lam
guage, is q continental liar" and that he
is not the one, Is the grarest possible
breach OF every rule Of good society, as'
we'll US inconsistent with the character OF
q gentleman. (Signed)
j.. F.Joy.
Mem York, Oct. 81, 1854. q.
T. H.