Evening journal., 1893-09-28
VAN ALIEN IS INNOCENT.
Slanderous Charges of the
World Prove False.
MR.. wHITEEY's COMPLETE LETTER.

and heiuleb hue Slhnuefoub CnarBes
Made BY Defeated Applicant Pulitzer
aud Sends Letters and interviews to
Prove MIR. Van Allen Innocent
NEW YoRK, Sept. 2s. William G. Whit
ney made public yesterday the following
letter, a copy Of which was sent to the
New York World
To THE EDITOR OF THE WORLD
SIR: If l alone were concerned l should
pay no attention to the slanderous mat
ter contained in your issue of yesterday,
headed, ivan Aliens Bargain. So far
as / personally am concerned, any one
who chooses to think me capable of bar
gaining an office for political contribu-
tion is welcome to their opinion Hav-
ing lived a good part Of my life in public
affairs. / am certain that no one for
whose opinion have the least regard
would entertain the thought for a
moment. But there is much more than
my personality in this matter; Mr.. Van
Allen has been set upon and caricatured
and libelled in every way. propose to
relieve him from blame as far as l have
had relations with him.
Let US see Just what the allegation is
3 The President twas disgusted with the
idea OF appointing Van Allen, and he
tIied to avoid IL. On the other hand he
had Mr.. Whitneys promise to Mr.. Van
Allen to face. Mr.. Whitney told the
President of his promise and urged its
ful6lment. = Mr. Van Allen had
been promised the Italian mission in re
turn for his contribution Of $50, 600 to
the campaign fund.
The allegation is specific enough and
imputes to us a most dishonorable trans
action. What is the truth2 I have had
nothing to do with Mr.. Van Aliens can
didscy, except what is contained in d
communication to the President, which /
shall ask you to priut, together with the
interview to which it refers. With the
President personally J have never ex
changed a word on the subject. The
letter and the interview contain a com
plete answer to the allegations:
NEW YORK, June 20 1898
DEAR Mr.. PREsiDEi I'll enclose clip
ping IRON The New York sun which covers
what purpO-ts TO be an interview with me re-
garding the candidacy of Mr. Van Allen +
the mission 70 Italy. The interview is sub
etantially correct.
think in Justice to Mr.. Van Allen 1 ought
TO say more. With the main facts as stated
in this interview you should be familiar. /
made IL clear to everybody In the campaign
that would assure no obligations, tacit or
expressed, as TO Offices or appointments, and
you are quite aware that you have not been
asked 70 perform any contracts OF this nature
50 far AS know.
Mr. Van Allen is a gentleman, and gave
what he contributed TO the campaign freely
and from an interest in the success
OF the party He had previously ideutl-
fled himself warmly with the party IN
+ Rhode I-land; his candidacy has the sup
port Of nearly every prominent party man in
his state. have been called upon by these
men TO see that his warm support Of our
party should not initiate against his candi-
dacy.
therefore break the silence which have
heretofore maintained since the inaugura-
tion TO say that / know Mr.. Van Allen we'll
and that he is. in my Judgment, in every
way adapted TO the position which he seeks
and that sincerely hope that the malicious
stories VIII ich have found their way int
print viii not affect him adversely.
There is no obligation upon you to appoint
him TO any Office; but there is the additions
reason for appointing him that, as the re.
suit of a very ariOtic, generous and
cordial support Of the party ia the last
campaign. when friends were few and calli
were great, he has been accused of dishon
This. as ou know, is the first time you hav,
been apr ached b. me on the subject o
appointments. Very sincerely yours,
W. G WHITNEY.
To the Hon. GROVER CLEVELAND, Wash
ington, ID. Q.
have read the novel and interesting
suggestion made by Horace White
that In such cases where offices hav'
been promised for money, the monel
should be returned in all cases. Although
not especially pertinent at this time, a
no such case existed / take the occasion
to differ from this opinion. l think tn
man should lose both office snd none
and be forever barred from decent so
ciety
Such, think, would be Mr.. Van Allen
opinion if it can be gathered from lei
ter which he wrote at about the tim
spoken Of by Mr.. White, and in which b
takes, what / consider, the more correS
view. 1t was called out by letter frol
friend who had heard of the Whit
syndicate. The letter was as follows:
May Il, 1898
DEAR ---: Many thanks for your lett
OF yesterday am much surprised at q
charges you say have been made against m
Certainly. II the President believes them, n
appointment to any position would
scand0lOus.
I can only say that these charges that
stated was 10 have diplomatic position
exchange for money subscli ibed BY me 4
political purposes are ui terly false. and de
any one to prove, that have ,vritfen- snol,e
or limited at one word indicating In any W,
such an agreement. / should be n combin
tiOn of knave, fool, and liar 70 have made eul
statement, for there was absolutely no II
derstanding between myself and any o
that l should have any Office under 4
what was said on the subject was said aft
the election in November last, and was mere
an expression of a wish on my part, and
promise Of ass stance IN carrying o
my wishes. Yours very truly.
j. j. VAN ALIEN
trust you will gather from these le
ters and interviews that instead Of the
being any contract that Mr.. Van AL,
should have the italion mission, 4
President was distinctly, in terms, i
formed by me: "There is no obligati
upon you to appoint him to any office
Mr.. Van Allen had the support Of h
state for this appointment, was person
ally known to the President, and was s
lected as gentleman deemed compete
and ft for the post. Yours truly,
w. c. WHITNEY,
New York, Sept. %, 1898.
Twas $50, 900, But Not a Purchase.
NEWPORT. R. 1 Sept 2S-In a seco
interview. Mr.. Van Allen. recent