Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-02-17
HIS SILENCE BROKEN.
Senator Quay Replies TO the Many Charges
Made Against Him,

He DENIES EACH AND EVERY ONE OF ITEM sPE-
cryIcALLy-A HISTORY OF THE CIRCUMSTANCES
sURRoUSDISG EACH INCIDENT REFERRED TO
ALL ALLEGATIONS ARE FALSE AND FOUL
Senator QUAY has broken the silence which
mas been his most marked characteristics. For
some time past it has been announced in The
STAR and IL a hundred other newspapers that
Senator Quay engaged in the preparation
of speech which would make answer to the
charges so freely preferred against him by both
republicans and democrats. The lengthy exeeu-
tive session delayed the speech somewhat. and
ii was nearly o'clock when the Vice President
recognized the junior Senator from Pennsylva-
MIA There was 4 good deal of conversation in
the chamber. so Mr.. CullOm called for order
and the Vice President seconded the motion.
Then Mr. Quay said:
SERsIsrESTLY AND MALIGNASrLr PURSUED.
Mr.. President, desire to trespass upon the
generosity and patience of the Senate very
briefly upon affair personal to myself.
Never. probably. since Alexander Hamilton
was hunted to his death, has one in public life
been pursued so persisteatiy and Indignantly.
The field of the malign effort has been the
entire Union The assaults were Of n character
monstrous largely to carry with them
their own refutation. We're it otherwise,
could not remain. nor would my constituents
permit me to remain member Of this Senate.
Partly through indifference to SANDER,
weapon which has never had a place in my
political arsenal. and partly by the advice of
friends. who urged me TO treat the assassins OF
reputation as undeserving OF open contro-
versy. have permitted. without comment. the
passing Of the flood of falsehood. Its malodor-
GUS waters chance at this time to be quiescent.
and now. when no heated political conflict is
raging. when neither hope nor fear can be
deemed the inspiration of my utterance,
choose briefly to confront accusation with
Ruth.
1 would not allude to this subject in this
presence had not members of the othe- house
made ii matter of debate there. Looking to
the future. and knowing that tie records of
this Congress will remain for other generations
to read when most of composing il will be
forgotten. / choose. for the truth of history
and for that which is desrer to all men than
riches. 10 dispel the mist Of falsehood with the
clear light of fact.
II is not nv purpose to weary the Senate by
rehearsal of each detail of the mass of misrep-
resentatlon. Nevertheless, avoiding prolixity,
will enieavor to make this statement specific
and SO complete as TO be final IL ary thread
In the fabric of falsehood remains answered,
1t will be because this tissue OF lies Is so CON-
plex. is raveled with contradiction AMI
clouded with insinGation, that some insi Iif-
can't portion has escaped my attention.
STATE FUNDS NOT USED IN SPECULATION.
The first assertion concerning my official
acts Is At some time, OF continuously. De
tween the wears of 1879 and 1882 alone. or
acting with another or others. used the moneys
of the state of Pennsylvania for speculative or
private purposes 1 denounce this statement
as absolutely false. In 1877 the democrats
party of Pennsylvania elected a state treasurer
and an auditor general. the financial officers of
the commonwealth A year or two later, pend
ing their terms Of Office, became engaged in
stock operations.
In some transactions was associated and
Jointly interested with the gentleman who was
at that time the cashier of the state treasury.
These transactions proved seriously disastrous,
and i was compelled to pay portion of his
losses as well as my own. In doing this. it be-
came necessary to supply an alleged deficiency
he had caused in the treasury. As portion Of
the fund for this purpose. borrowed 100000
from the gentleman who is at present my col
league in the Senate. gave him my judgment
note therefor, the amount of which note paid
to him, dollar for dollar, years ago. Not until
the beginning of the settlement Of our losses
was i aware that deficiency existed, and had
every assurance that my associate was able to
carry his share of the losses. My connection
thereafter simply with the aid of friends to
raise the necessary funds to supply the deficit.
THE CHICAGO STREET RAILWAY AFFAIR
1t is charged that again 1 used moneys be-
longing to the commonwealth of Pennsylvania
to purchase bonds, or stock, or both, of Chi
cago street railway. / was invited by friends
in Philadelphia to join in the purchase of street
railway property in Chicago, and did SO. Dor
rowing the money upon my own collateral from
the Peoples Bank in Philadelphia. / stood
upon the same footing with the other gentle
men concerned, and il was perfectly straight
forward business transaction, and had no con-
nection In any way with any public fund or
public interest.
The charge that securities belonging to the
state Of Pennsylvania were used in this transac-
ton is false, and impossible of truth. The
only negotiable securities held by the state of
Pennsylvania are the registered bonds of the
United States. transferable only on the books
of the national treasury. by the auditor gem
eral. secretary of the commonwealth and state
treasurer, acting conformity. after having filed
certificate with the governor in their official
character.
HE NEVER DEFRAUDED A MAN OR WOMAN.
Collateral to this last accusation is a charge
that defrauded. or attempted to defraud, the
widow of a deceased friend This also is abso-
lately false There breathes not upon the earth
man or woman who can truthfuy say that
ever defrauded or attempted to defraud him
or her Of a dollar Upon this point charity to
the dead and to the living forbids my making
any personal explanation. Samuel Cuisine
thompson. a member of the PHILADELPHIA bar.
and president of the Young Mems Democratic
ASSOCIATION OF that city. is one OF several
thoroughly conversant with the facts. who can
give them to the public If they see proper
come now to what might be called the
fourth ground of criticism Of my public con-
duct This was my action 5 a member of the
board of pardons Of Pennsylvania in voting
for the pardon of certain members of the
Pennsylvania legislature and others. upon
whom sentence had been passed for bribery
My conduct in that matter has been bitterly
assaiied; and II is proper to say that the facts
we're patent to the people OF the state and were
thoroughly discussed before my election to the
Office OF state treasurer, and subsequently to .
seat in this chamber.
HIS VOTE on THE BOARD or PAIDoxs
i had no personal interest in the legislation
involved Ny vote as a member of the board
of pardons was in accordance with the law and
with the action Of my colleagues, and was COM
PEELED by the fact that the sentence imposed by
the court upon the persons pardoned was il
legal Upon this point the attorney general of
the state filed his written opinion with our de
cision- am frank to say that have no regrets
for that vote, and would repeat il under the
same circumstances Even had not the sentence
been unlawful. II is my opinion that the ends of
justice had been fully served by the conviction
OF the defendants. One OF the gentlemen in
Volyed has. within the last few weeks received
the unanimous thanks of the Pennsylvania leg
stature for important services rendered human
ity and the state.
Incidentally the statement has been made
that IL some unspecifsd manner l procured or
attempted to procure the pardon OF a person
named Lynch. under sentence for forgery by