The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-11-23
DATE OF DEEDS
TANGLED.

CONTINUED from Page One)
much of a hero then, and the American
people thought well enough of me to
give me this house, why do not some
of those people defend me now?
IF ! had known how much trouble,
how much abuse were TO come upon
me as the result of accepting this
house, l would never have taken 1t at
the hands of the American people
When l sailed into Manila bay, over
dangerous ground, with death and
even worse in front of me, l little
thought that in such a brief period of
time after I returned to my native land
the American people would countenance
such monstrous attacks upon me be-
cause ! was doing what l considered
to be the most gracious thing l could
do, to present my home to my bride.
CUT TO THE QUICK.
81 6o not intend TO arraign the
American people for the acts of a few.
--4, ain Iar,. l am cat to the quick
| never have felt so badly in all my
life. / want the American people to
know it. 1 want them to know that
If l could return to the contributors
TO the fund the house purchased with
1t, l would never in the word have
accepted it if l had known what it
would cost me.
If / should feel tomorrow as | feel
tonight, l would cut it all, throw up
everything, go on the retired list and
go abroad. In fact, l feel so discour-
aged, so worn out tonight, that
scarcely know what l will do. I hardly
feel ike living in country where /
can be attacked in so outrageous a
manner without being defended by any
one
But" said the admiral, pointing to
local newspaper containing a number
OF letters abusing him, when l think
that in all probability the writer's of
these letters were the very ones who,
two months ago, were protesting the
greatest admiration and love for me,
are now trying to rend me and my
domestic happiness to pieces, it dis
gusts me with the whole affair. And if
1t were not for my country, l would
wish that had never fought the bat
tie of Manila, as I now wish l had
never taken this house.
GIFT WITH A STRING.
when 1 accepted this house |
thought it was a gift. l did not know
that the people who contributed the
money to buy it gave it to me with a
string tied to it, or I never should
have taken it. l never would accept
anything with a string tied to it. l
never have, and 1 never will.
i owe great deal to the American
people, and perhaps the American peo-
pie owe something to me. But, thank
God, the American people do not own
me, and I am still independent.
When l was in command of the
american fleet at Manila and when
hrst arrived in this country 1 felt that
l was a public man, and that the pub
Tic had right to certain information
ABOUT me and my movements, and |
conscientously tried never to deny
SUCH information to the public But
when 1t was all over and 1 retired to live
in Washington l felt that / had once
more become private citizen and that
l mad right to live my own life as |
pleased.
Consequently it never occurred to me
that any one could have even fancied
cause for offence if 1 did not take the
public into my confidence or consult
with them in regard to transferring to
my wife the property which they had
presented to me. I could see no impro-
priety in it,
Under the law the moment we were
married she became possessed of one
third Of it. I could not convey it OF. sell
1t without her consent. l understand
that it is the custom in the majority of
cases where homes are owned and oc-
cupied by American families that thew
stand in the name Of the wife. Other
American gentlemen have this privilege
Why should 1 not have it?
AS for conveying it to my wife to
avoid payment of any debts or obliga-
lions, can only say that l have never
had any debts. 1 have always had a
horror of them and of bills and as far
as l know today have but two bills in
the world, those being for domestic sup
plies"
MCLEAN INCENSED.
John R. Mclean has this to say in
regard to the house matter:
Admiral Dewey's transfer of the
home given him by the American people
was only an incident in a general plan.
Admiral Dewey has never for an in
slant intended that the gift should ever
pass out of his lineal family. He deter
mined to arrange it so that in case of
his death the home should go direct to
his son Geoge.
After his marriage it occurred to
him it would be a graceful thing to let
Mrs. Dewey share in the transfer Of the
property to his son, and SO, in his char
acteristically gentle and lovable way he
quite unknown to Mrs. Dewey and
without any suggestion from her-ar-
ranged to have the property pass first
into her hands so that Mrs. Dewey
might have the pleasure of transferring
it to his son.
The criticisms of Admiral Dewey"
continued Mr.. Mclean, speaking, he
said. only for himself, have been in
spired by certain persons who, for well
understood reasons, have little love for
the admiral. 1t is an insidious attack
upon representative American by hid
den political foes.
Il believe that the fight which has
been started so insidiously will soon be-
come open, and have no doubt that the
American people, who always love fair
play, will resent these unjust and in
furious attacks upon Admiral Dewey
character in a way that will not be soon
forgotten by the men responsible for