The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1885-10-22
THE NEW MINISTER
TO srA.N-pm CURRY QulzzED
A.to III. Relation. with the southern Con.
fcdePeY-iiO was not ut AndersOn-
vIIIo-uh Political Record - Ills
Fight Against X low nottingham.

WASHINGTON, D. O., Oct 2l.-Rev. DR..
Curry, tho newly appointed Minister to
Spain, spent the day at.the State Depart
meut where ho had n consultation with
the Secretary and Assistant Secretary Of
State with his predecessor Gtn. Fos-
ter, and with Mr.. Williams, United st tea
Consul General to Cuba. To q reporter CT
the Associated Press Dr. Curry said he ex.
pected te leave for his post on the fifth OF
November. at is eaid," remarked the
r porter, "that you we're once in command
at AndersonviIle, and were in part respon-
sible for the cruelties practiced toward
Federal prisoners"
Il never was in Andersonville in my
life" replied Dr.. Curry, land / never bad
command OF Federal prisoners ii my life,
except such as / captured myself, and
those | turned over at once. l cannot
imagine how such story got its start. /
shall be glad il you will make my denial
broad and emphatic"
"The critics oil your appointment" con-
tinued the reporter, question the pro-
priety OF sending Baptist clergyman as
the National representative to court
80 strongly Catholic as Spain"
1.-The criticism is unjust" was.the reply.
at would BIZ strange thing il the strong
est denomination in the country-you
know we are the strongest--was to be dis.
qualified for diplomatic Offices on religious
grounds. A mans religion, hold, is
thing between his God and himself and
one with which the Government has
nothing 10 do. am little surprised at
the criticism, too. The hardest struggle l
ever had when was in political life was
rs a candidate for the legislature in Ala
bama, during the Know Nothing excite
mentS. The issues, you remember, were
two; one a proposition to deny the for
eiSneIs the privilege OF naturalization
after six years of residence, and the other
a proposition TO disqualify Rominists from
holding office. MycOunty was a pivotal one
and my competitor was the ahlest man on
that side in Inc State. My successwas very
gratifying"
"Were you an anti Know Nothing2"
Eyes. / WAS the champion-l cannot
say tf the CatholicS-but OF that principal
of Americanism, which is embodied in the
constitution OF equal right ana privileges
for al"
"Oi course you anticipate no objections
from the Spaniards to your receptlouW
Certainly not Ths Spanish Govern
mens kno.s my mission has nothing TO
do with religion. am very much graft
fed by two, may say three things" clu-
tinuei DR.. Curry. "Wh' n | Was objected
to on the ground Of being unknown, 80
stroug Republican paper as tue Pfovi:
dence Journal vouChld for me, aud said l
was all right. sgair, Mr.. Wtshburn's
card was cxeeediogy gratifying, coming
from Repubt can leader, himsell naving
been eight ttArd foreign minister. But
the expressions Of approval from the col
ored pa, pie Of the South have been ex-
ceedingly hearty and pleasing. My long
connection with the Peabody fund has
made me widely known among them, End
they haye taken pains to expreas their ap-
proval Of my sppointment."
Shall you renew the negotiations for
treaty with Spain?'
"Icaunot say anything on that subject