The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1899-11-25

!
days, nor by the fact that Mrs. Dewei
will transfer to my son tomorrow tbi
house This agitation has hurt m,
son even more than il has me. He il
now tweniy.slx years Of age, anC
never in mis- life has be asked me fol
dollar When he was at ST. John'i
School, and afterward at Princeton
| kept him supplied with money fsl
in advance, and he would frequently
say that be had no use for so much
money. | told him if ne did not want
10 spend 1t to put il in bank. II is
unlikely thst would neglect HE in
terests now.
SURPRISED AT CHANGED FEELING.
4" | would never have believed it
possible - Admiral Dewey continued,
" tha' the American people, who
lat ly applsuded me, could so sud
denly turn upon me as to FIJI columns
Of the newspapers with the worse sort
of abuse. When | landed in New
York | was told that 7 was hero, the
idol of the nation. was told that
nothing WAS TOO good for NE that
anything that could ask was miue.
/ asked no idolatry; ! asked no up
plause | he'd merely done my duty
aud was ready to do it again. But,
/ did ask one thing. and that was to
oe let alone, to conduct my personal
and d meshc aff airs as | saw tit, and
this one SIMPLE privilege which |
asked from tho American people has
been denied me Where | was hero
two months ago | am now reduced to
such a position that certain people
cannot say things too villainous, too
scurrlous about me aud no one
defends me. II | was so much Of
hero then, and the American people
thought we'll enough Of me TO give me
this house, why do not some of these
people defend me now II | had
known how much trouble, how much
abuse was to come upon me as the
result OF accepting this house. would
never have taken it at the hands of
the American people. When sailed
into Manila Bay, over dangerous
ground, with death aud even worse
in front of me, little thought that
in such a brief period of time after |
returned to my native land the
people would countensnce
such monstrous attacks upon me be-
cause | was doing what | considered
to be the most gracious thing | could
do, to present my home to my bride
g do not intend to srrsign the
entire American people for the acts
Of few. But | sm hurt. | am cut
to the quick. | never have felt so
badly in all my life want the
people to know it. | want
them to know that if | could would
return to the contributors to the fund
the house purchased with it. would
never in the world have accepted it
il had known what it would cost me.
II | should feel tomorrow as | feel
tonight / would cut it all, throw up
everything, go on the retired list. and
90 abroad. In fact, | feel 80 dis
,oursged, so worn out tonight that |
scarcely know what will do. ],
hardly feel like living in country
where | can be attacked in such an
outrageous manner without being
defended by anyone. When the
American people wanted me to com
nand feet and to sail into Manila
Hsrbor did my duty as | saw it, and
IS | believe soldier should. And
{ they want me now, or at some
'uture time, to command another
1eet, my life and my sword are al.
ways at the disposal of my country.
HE REGRETS ACCEPTING THE GIFT.
But" continued the Admiral.
pointing to newspaper containing a
number of letters abusing him,
. when think that in all probability
he writer's of these letters we're the |
very ones who two months ago were
protesting the greatest admiration
and love for me, and are now trying |
% reud me and my domestic hsppi
ness to pieces, it disgusts me with the |
whole affair. And if it were not for
ny country | would wish that had |
never fought the battle of Manila, ss
now wish had never taken this
louse. When accepted the house
thought it was gift. did not
Know thar the people who contributed
he money to buy it gave it to me
With string tied to it, or | never
would have taken it. | never would
accept anything with a string tied to
I. I never have and | never will.
I'VE a great deal to the American
people, and perhaps the American
people owe something to me. But,
hank God, the American people
lon't own me and ] am still inde
pendent.
/" When | was in command OF the
American feet at Manila, and when
first arrived in this country felt
hat | was a public man and that the
,ublic had right to certain informa-
ion about me and my movements,
md conscientiously tried never to
Ieny such information to the public.
,ut when it was all over and | retired
o live in Washington, felt that
sd once more become private citi
en-, aud that had right to live my
wn life as pleased. Consequently,
/ never occurred to me that anyone
ould have even fancied cause for
fence that | did not take the public
1to my confidence or consult with
hem in regard to transferring to my
rife the property which they had
resented to me. | conld see no
npropriety in it. Under the law,
be moment we were married my wife
ecsme possessed Of one-third of it.
could not convey it or sell it without
or consent. | understand that it is
no onotonn in tha nnaiorifv of cases