The evening times., 1899-11-22
some future time. to command another fleet,
my life and my sword are always at the dis
pOsal of my country.

some future time. to command another feet,
my life and my sword are always at the dis
posal of my country.
He Regrets Accepting the Gift.
But" continued the Admiral. pointing
to newspaper containing a number of
letters abusing him, when 1 think that in
all probability the writers of these letters
| were the very ones who two months ago
I, were protesting the greatest admiration
| and love for me, and are now trying to
| rend me and my domestic happiness to
pieces, it disgusts me with the whole af-
| fair. And il 1t were not for my country 1
would wish that / had never fought the
| battle of Manila, as now wish had never
| taken this house. When / accepted this
house / thought 1t was gift. / did not
know that the people who contributed the
| money to buy il gave it to me with string
tied to it, or l never should have taken ii.
l never would accept anything with a
string tied to 1t. l never have and never
will. l owe great deal to the American
people. and perhaps the American people
owe something to me- But, thank God,
the American people don't own me and
am still independent
when / was in command OF the Ameri-
can fleet at Manila, and when hrst ar
rived in this country l felt that l was a
public man and that the public had right
to certain information about me and my
movements, and / conscientiousiy tried
never to deny such information to the pub
lie. But when 1t was all over and | re-
tired to live in Washington. felt that
l had once more become a private citizen.
and that | had right to live my own
life as l pleased. Consequently, II never
occurred to me that anyone could have
even a fancied cause for offence that 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. l could see no impro-
priety in it. Under the law, the moment
we were married my wife became possessed
Of one-third of 1t. / could not convey it
or sell it without her consent. i under
stand that il is the custom in the majority
Of cases where homes are owned and oc-
cupied by American families that they
stand in the name Of the wife. Other
American gentlemen have this privilege;
why should | not have it?
Horror of Debts.
.As for conveying it to my wife to avoid
payment OF any debts or obligations, l
can only say that l have never had any
debts. have always had horror of
them and bills; and, as far as / know
today. | have but two bills in the world.
those being for domestic supplies. One
of them is to a large furniture house in
this city. / went in there only today and
urged them to send me their bill in order
that l might pay 1t, as / pay everything
from day to day. The cashier made some
Joking remark, to which / replied, jest
ingly, that l was going into litigation and
wanted TO settle my bills at once. I saw
that he looked nonplussed. but it did not
strike me until after l reached the street
that he had probably taken me seriously
and that my thoughtless remark might
prove the foundation for another sensa-
tional story and my words be quoted as
as acknowledgment that / knew l was
about to be sued on some ground or an
other.
Il feel so badly over this matter" Ad-
miral Dewey said, in conclusion, that I
fear that l have expressed my feelings in
a somewhat disconnected manner, but |
have been so troubled and agitated today
that l can scarcely collect my thoughts.
All | wish to convey to the people is that
l am greatly distressed AT these attacks
upon me. and that l deeply resent them"