New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-05-09
MAYOR HEWITTS LETTER.
AN OLD AFFAIR REVIVED IN THE HOUSE.

MAYOk EVIL . LIZ GlS.
AN OLD AFFAIR REVIVED IN THE HOUSE
A SPIRITED DENIAL FROM Mr. HEWITT 10 'hH
CHARGES IN THE o'poNNEIL cASE-rEHs'sfHNr
ACCUSATIONS BY wooDBUKS AND BHuMM'
rBY TELEGRAPH THE TRIBUNE
WASHINGTON, May Elm the House to-day,
General LLOYD Bryce, after quoting the language
of Mr. WOODBURY. of Nevada, in reference TO ex-
Congressman Abram S. Hewitt having apelogzed
10 the British Minister for offering resolution
~ inou,rv as TO the case of O'Donnell under
sentence Of death in Great Britain, had tel
epum and a letter from Mr., Hewitt read at the
clerks desk Mr. Hewitt's letter explains ITSELF
It is as follows: s
svery time Il reappesrs It comes up with new sdoiuons
,e,sy,,pbed you last night that you were perfectly
right m in.erposng contradict 70 the statements
Of woodburn and Brumn as they wero fepofteo IA sne
,avspapcrS have not seen The RECORD anu tncfo'
fore do know the exact form In wnSh inc on~.es
enaIly stand But the facts are as follows: ON the
second Monday Of the first session Of the XLVIllth
Congress introduced resolution requesting inc Fra
don't 10 apply the British Government FOR
Of the sentence death against ODonneu VINO "Ss " 10
executed In the course Of the week. This resolution re-
,r. unanimous consent and shown TO the speaker
and the leading members both des IN order mat neo
might BIZ objection. 1t passed. anu OWING ~
eaorts Was presented to the President ON the sse
and TO the British Government nasdo "i'hh
twenty.four houra : ~ So, - . =,
mis- action was taken In good ta- and my part IN 10
was never criticised by anybody until some one safea
the story that gone TO the British Minister 70 so
gise for my action. This. Of course was On uhuSHU
IL. p,, A. WAS true that did see British Minister
two days after tho passage Of the resolution not or ,ho
purpose Of discussing IT. but In the course "a 's
view 1 urged upon him the importance OF sfanuns wv
request In the interests Of international county,
ffer IN
,,use but the story which was circulated was promptly
denied hy me- not only reporters. tut specncsy W
note addressed Editor Of The irish "o'' ~no
had made INQUIRY OF the subject suosequenu'' IA
January Mr. Brumm introduced a resolution IN the
House which you viii ind on page All. part voume
u.s. of The Congressional Record Of the AAVAii@
Congress- viz
ssSesa TO %ake ths Government Of the United
States has sndsayGrsd Z, ,b n House By repre-
senations rejecting the honor and integrity Oh It's
nembcrs-
This resolution was referred the Committee on For
e.cn Affairs Who toward the end Of February following
made the following report which you VIII nno on pSse
lI3I vol IT, part IL Of The Congressional Record;
q, s 1Ss sc On uDds the instructions o
ton made inquiry and have obtained no n,oImaunn a. h
effects of unanimous resolution of this House Of Repre-
live M Ss ns ask be- the
consideration Of the resolution
Whereupon the committee were discharged from the
further consideration Of the subject Mr. Brumm never
offered any other resolution which could have refer
ence 10 the o'Denne There was nothing for me
10 explain either the House or to anybody else the III
legation had In intervened with the Bit
ih Minister having been previously denied in the news
papers where 1t was made. quite sure that when
Mr. Brumm recalls these will withdraw the state
s,ts which reported to have made on the floor OF
the House effect that made an apology at any time
anywhere in reference to my connection with the
ODonnel business
AS to the main question. insose herewith
6fst an interview which I had with a
reporter on "Ths Sun immediately after the
occurrence; secondly, letter which addressed
70 the Editor The Irish World" narratng all the cir
cumstances and editorial In which the Editor exon
crates me from the malicious charges which had been
madei third letter from the British Minister In which
he distinctly that not only made no apology but
that urged favorable consideration for the resolution
suppose dsposes In full (although know 1t
Will continue repested) OF the malicious SANDER OF
which have been victim II this letter and these
be inserted in The Record" there 1t Will
least be complete final ocsl denial OF the fasehood
been many times repeated in the newspapers,
but far know has mover been uttered upon tho
coof OF the House. Yours sincerely.
ABRAM S. HEWITT.
CONGRESSMAN BRYCEs WARM DEFENCE.
Mr. Bryce also sent to the clerks desk and
had read a statement made by Minister West in
1884 denying that Mr.. Hewitt had apologized
to him for his part in the transaction MIR. Bryce
said in conclusion:
think. Mr.. Speaker, that these documents fully JUS
ty my position denying that there anything base
contemplate the part Of Mr.. Hewitt In the matter
referred TO- In short they show conclusvey that MI
Hewitt apoogzed to the British Minister or TO the
House. as asserted and that right In fatty contra
dieting such assertions 1t plainly the purpose OF the
gentleman Nevada to excite against Mr. Hewitt the
feelings Of warmhearted and generous people with
whose struggles for liberty heartily sJmpahire as
hipaalf Nov
Mr. Speaker, only state that did not seek this
controversy 1t thrust upon me and could not DC
otherwise than try to vndcate gentleman closely con-
nected with by marriage, and for whom have De-
SIDES the highest This vndcation have made
anal leave the matter to the calr' sense OF th
Ifue without regard partsanship and to the sober
Judgment Of sse American people which !. always rg th
Mr. WOodburn said that he did not regard th'
deGial of the British Minister as denial OF th'
charge In fact. it was admission: When NJ
(Woodbura made this charge, ne was INFORMED oy
a reputable gentleman in Washington who was OF
the door at the time, that he was one OF the com
mittee of three representative lrshmen delegates
by an Irish organization OF America TO inVesugau
the truth of the charge made against Mr.; Hewitt
That gentleman stated to him, and said he coulo
prove H. that the result Of that investigation wa
that A. S. Hewitt was guilty of the charge. OnI
New-York " Irish WollG" and another was Mr.
O'Meaeher Condor Upon their statements IN
addition to the current literature OF the day he
made the charge apd did not take II back
Mr. Brumm, of Pennsylvania again asserted In
the most positive manner that A. S. Hewitt had
made an explanation. Mr.. Brumms recollection
was that Mr.. Hewitt had made the explanation
on the floor, but whether it was made on the hoor
or not, the explanation was made by M. Hewitt
before the Committee on Foreign Affairs. Mr..
Hewitt appeared before the committee and made
a statement but it was not made IN the presence
of anybody interested on the other side.
GOVERNMENT OFFICER IN TROUBLE.
GENERAL EWING. Discussing CLERK. SAID TO BE
SHORT IN HIS FINANCIAL ACCOUNTS.
WASHINGTON, May SIT is understood that