Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1891-03-10
THEDEBTINTERYIEW
AN EXPLANATION OF Mr.. CLeVE-
LANDS RETlcENcE.
Mr.. ROYAL, Says lie Did Not Wish to Dis
cuss the Plan of settiement-fhe TX
President Did Not Understand.

Tho baltimore Sun Of yesterday pub
usbed the following special from its New
New York correspondent:
1.-The dispatch in the SIN Of Saturday
from Richmond. IN which Mr. W. H. hoyail
speaks of his recent visit to e1-t resla i ~.
Cleveland. has excited much interest III
southern circles here. IL seems the ex-
President was sitting one day in his VII
liam-street Office when the card OF Mr..
Rovall of virginia, was handed 70 MN.
THO owner was received with all due
conrtesy. No sooner had he gotten, over
the preliminary handshake than he pc
can 10 ouestion Mr.. Cleveland about the
Virginia-debt scheme. lie was not iong ia
discovering, as the SIN stated, tnat MI.
Cleveland did not manifest uesHe ~
have any further discussion OF inc suo-
ject. s
DID CLEVELAND UNDERSTAND
"Mr. Cleveland. it now appears, did not
understand who he was, and was not
mindful of his connection WIN nne We
rinia debt question. He naturally hesl-
tated 70 talk Of the delicate and important
financial and legal details Of a professional
charge with stranger.
"This Is only one Of the many times
that Mr.. Cleveland has had TO refuse to
talk about the Virginia debt. People have
written and visited him with all sorts OF
advice and interrogations on the suoJect;;
To one and all he very properly answered
that he had nothing TO say except that ne
was one Of legal committee to whom
certain papers and plans had been SUD
United. After careful examination these
were approved. His work was done ana
he had nothing further to say to the puoilc
in the matter: how
thev becan this work that has 30 far pro-
cressed so satisfactorily, adopted the rule
of slow, conservative action. Ihey, are
still pursuing this plan. and cannot be hur-
ried into unwise or hasty moves. Inc
progress so far made justities every hope oi
satisfactory final settlement. certain
obstacles vet remain to be overcome De
fore tF9 last legislative steps are to be
taken, but everything points to the END
they aim at being accomplished IN the near
What Mr. Royal Says.
Mr.. Royall was shown the SIMS special
Yesterday and in regard to ii he said IN
tn first place he wanted it understood
that he had nothing whatever to do with
the publications that have been made
He had nothing to say IN respect TO the
manner in which Mr. Cleveland received
him-whether II was courteous or not.
He says he did not ask Dir. Cleveland
ANYTHING whatever respecting. theprop50sedl
plan of settlement; that MIR. Cleveland
did know who he was and what his con-
nection with the Virginia debt was, as ms
Royalrs) first question to him was: DO
Won know who am and what my cOnnec-
ton with the Virginia debt Is 10 when
MIR. Cleveland replied that he did.
DID NOT WISH TO INQUIRE.
Mr.. Royall says he had no intention OF
making any inquiries whatever with refer
ence to the plans of settlement; that he
wanted to urge this point upon Mr.. Cleye-
land and this point only-that if he (Mr;
Cleveland would manifest real and
active interest in the settlement OF the
debt instead of a nominal interest only,
and would come to Virginia and talk with
the people, he believed that his Command
ing character and great personal influence
could be made bridge over the chasm be-
tween the two parties and might be the
means of a settlement.
THE PURPOSE NOT UNDERSTOOD.
This Mr.. Royal said was his sole pur.
pose. and every remark which he made %
Mr.. Cleveland was directed to getting him
to take this view of the matter.
Mr.. Royal said further that he wanted
to do Mr.. Cleveland complete Justice IN
the matter, and that it is his deliberate
belief that there was misunderstanding
between them, as Mr.. Cleveland did not
really appreciate his (Mr. ROyalPs) connec-
tion with the subject