Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1886-12-27
MINISTER MANNING's DENIAL.
What a New Orleans Paper Has to Sa,
About His Habits.

What a New Orleans Paper Has To say
About His Habits.
NEW YORK, December 55.-A Washing
ton special to the star says: Minister
Manning's letter to Mr.. Percy Roberts, OF
New Orleans, contains an explicit denial of
the report that he has been intoxicated. 1t
seems to have been written for publication,
having been promptly given to the Asso-
ciated Press, and was no doubt intended as
Mr.. Manning's reply to the published &C.
cusations in question. OF course, the issue
the issue made is one upon which men
! will divide. those who know Judge Man
ming personally accepting his positive and
emphatic denial as final, and those who
know him only by reputation prelerring to
believe a story so entirely in harmony with
the probabilities of the case. In LOuisi-
ana, where Judge Manning is recognized
as a gentleman Of high character and of
polite though moderate attainments, there
will be a few who will diSCredit his solemn
declaration that on the special occasion in
question he was guiltleSS of the charges
made against him. Yet it is in Louisiana
more than elsewhere that public opinion
will always be prepared for Il repetition Of
those same charges, and from Louisiana,
less than than from amy other quarter, are
we likely to hear on Judge Manning's he
half the complaint OF injustice III the
premises. For he is known there by long
years of acquaintance, and, while he is re-
spected for his many good qualities and
beloved for his many endearing traits of
character and temperament, it is equally
notorious that his habits furnish every
warrant for these accusations.
Here is an editorial from the New Or
leans EreHing Chronicle of November 20:
HUMILIATING AND L~AMENTABLE
A grave responsibility attaches to those
who urged upon the President the appoint
ment of eX-Justice Manning to the import
ant post OF Minister to Mexico, with the
knowledge of an infrmity known TO them
to be unCOnquerable. This indiscretion
or intidelity to duty might have been re-
pairei after the appointment by intOrma-
ton which would have induced the revO-
cation of the appointment before the Judge
had reached the Mexican capital and
brought upon the republic and the admin
istratiOn the shame of an exposure of his
weakness by 4 repetition of the same I'M
seemly and undignitied conduct that
marked his travel TO this city in the sleep
ing ears and during his s%oiourn here.
All this must have been known to the
prominent gentlemen of the party rs well
as to the conductors of the press. 1t was a
misdirected charity, especially in federal
officials and friends of the administration,
when they failed to warn the Government
of the danger by which the national digni-
~ was exposed, by intruStIng this most
important of our foreign missions to a
gentleman of so many brilliant traits Of
intellect and character, and OF so imposing
an address. but, alas! affected with what
wOuld seem, from long experience, to he
IN incurable trailty and unCOnquerable
and disquali(ying infrmity.
liza painful duty of true friends OF the
administration, of honest journalism and
of the afflicted gentleman that we feel
bound to make this humiliating confes-
SIGN.
The editor of the Chronicle is Judge
Alexander Walker, one of the most prom
inent men in journalism. He has known
Judge Manning all his life, and knows
whereof he speaks when he blames those
who connived at the deception which must
have preceded Judge Manning's appoint
ment.
The question, therefore, is not so much
whether Minister Manning has been
wronged as to one special occasion rs
whether all the facts and probabilities OF
the ease do not promise o constant reDeti-
ton of the scandal and whether those who
importuned the President to make the APP
polntment have not been guilty of a gross
and objectionable breach of confidence.