Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1899-11-25
a}listellanepus 8eaaing.
THE ADMIRAL IS HURT.

Ready to Give Up the Home and Wash His
Hands of the Contributors.
The New York Sun of last Wednes
day, published an interview with Ad'
miral Dewey about the disgraceful row
that has been raised in connection
with the disposition of his house. The
Sun says:
At times, as Dewey spoke, his voice
grew 80 husky that his words were
scarcely distinguishable and he was sc
nervous that he frequently arose and
paced the floor.
"When 1 made over this house tc
my wife," he said, II thought it was
doing the most gracious act that an
American gentleman could do.
thought the people had given me this
house fer me to dispose of as 1 chose
1t seems that 1 was mistaken. 1 would
never have sold it, nor given it, or will
ed it, nor disposed of it in any manner
whatsoever outside of my own family
But did believe I had the right to
give it to my wife or son if 1 chose to
do 80.
II would never have believed it pos.
sible," Admiral Dewey concluded
with tears in his eyes, "that the Amer
lean people, who made such hero ol
me two months ago, could have turn
ed in this brief period, so turned upon
me as 10 fill columns of papers with
the worst sort of abuse. When land
ed in New York I was told that moth
ing was too good for me that any thing
that I could ask was mine. 1 asked
no idolatry, 1 asked no applause.
had merely done my duty, and was
ready to do it again. But l did ask
one thing, which was to be let alone
to conduct my personal and domestic
affairs as I saw fit, and this one simple
privilege which 1 had asked from the
American people has been denied me-
"Where I was a hero two months
ago am now reduced to such posi-
lion that certain people cannot say
things too villainous, too scurrilous
about me, and no one defends me. II
| was so much of hero then, ard the
American people thought well enough
of me to give me this house, why don't
some of these people defend me now
|If I had known how much trouble,
how much abuse was to come upon me
as the result of accepting this house, l
would never have taken it at the hands
of the American people. do not in
tend to arraign the entire American
pebble for the acts of few. But am
hurt. I'm cut to the quick. 1 never
have felt so badly in my life. l want
the American people to know it. l
want them to know that if | could l
would return to the contributors 10 the
fund the house purchased with it. l
would never in the world have accept
ed it if | had known what it would
cost me.
If J should feel tomorrow as / feel
tonight, | would cut it all throw up
everything, 90 on the retired list and
90 abroad. In fact I feel so discourag-
ed, so worn out tonight that l scarcely
know what l will do. I hardly feel
like living in a country where l can be
attacked in so outrageous manner
without being defended by anyone.
The American people are not through
with me yet. When the American
people wanted noe to command a fleet
and TO sail into Manila harbor, did
nv duty as I saw it, and as believe
sailor should. And if they want me
TO now, or ut some future time, to com
mand another feet, my life and my
sword are always at the disposal OF
my country"
but" said the admiral, pointing to
u local newspaper containing number
of letters abusing him, when / 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,
and are now trying to rend me and my
domestic happiness to pieces, it dis.
gusts me with the whole affair. And
if it were not for my country l would
wish I had never fought the battle OF
Manila, as 1 now wish I had never
taken this house.
"When I accepted this house l
thought it was gift. / did hot know
that the people who contributed the
money to buy it gave it to me with a
string tied to it, or 1 never should have
taken it. I never would accept any
thing with a string tied to it. l never
have, and 1 never will. 1 owe great
deal to the American people, and per-
haps the American people owe some
thing to me but, thank God, the
American people don't own me and 1
am still independent.
"When 1 was in command OF the
American fleet at Manila, and when 1
first arrived in this country, felt that
1 was public man, and that the pub
lie had right to certain information
about me and my movements, and l
conscientiously tried meyer to deny
such information to the public. But
when it was all over and l retired to
live in Washington I felt that had
once more become private citizen,
and that 1 had the right to live my
own life as pleased. Consequently 1t