Heppner gazette. [volume] (Heppner, Morrow County, Or.) 1892-1912, 1906-12-06


to justify the Presidents favorable esti
mate of my financial abilities.
My sudden disappearance excited some
remark, and people were even found to
insinuate that the dollars went the same
way as | did. have never troubled my
self to contradict these scandalous ru-
mors being content to rely on the hand
some vindcation from this charge which
the President published. In addressing
the House of Assembly shortly after his
resumption of power he referred at length
to the circumstances attendant on the
late revolution, and remarked that al
though he was unable to acQuit Mr.. Mar
tin of most unjustifiable intrsues with
the rebels, yet he was in a position to as
sure them, as he had already assured those
to whom Mr.. Martin was primarily re-
sponsible, that that gentleman's hasty
flight was dictated solely by conscious
ness OF political guilt, and that, III money
matters, Mr.. Martins hand were as clean
as his own. The reproach that had fallen
on the fair fame of Aureataand in this
matter was due not to that able but mis-
guided young man, but to those unprinci-
pied persons who, in the pursuit of their
designs. had not hesitated to plunder and
despoil friendly traders, established in the
country under the sanction of public
faith.
The reproach to which his excellency
eloquently referred consisted in the fact
that not cent of those three hundred
thousand dollars which lay in the bank
shat night was ever seen again The
theory was that the Colonel had made
away with them, and the President took
great pains to prove that under the law
of nations the restored government could
not be held responsible for this occur
renee. | know as little about the law of
nations as the President himself but
felt quite sure that whatever that ex-
alted code might say, none of that money
would ever find its way back to the di-
rectors' pockets. In this matter | must
say his excellency behaved to me with
scrupulous consideration; not word
passed r., lips about the second loan,
about tndt unlucky cable, or any other
dealings with the money. For all he
said, my account of the matter, posted
to the directors Immediately after my de-
parture, stood unimpeached.
The directors, however, took a view
opposed to his excellency's, and relations
became so strained that they were con-
the withdrawal of their bust
ness from Whittingham altogether, when
events occurred which modified their ac
tion. Before | lay down my pen | must
give some account of these matters, and
[ cannot do SO better than by inserting
letter which | had the honor to receive
from his excellency, some two years after
[ last saw him. | had obeyed his wish
in Communicating my address to him, but
up to this time had received only short
but friendly note acquainting me with the
fact of his marriage to the Signorina, and |
expressing good wishes for my welfare in
my new sphere of action. The matters |
to which the President refers became to |
some extent public property soon after
ward, but certain other terms of the ar
are now given to the world for |
the first time.
The letter ran as follows.
My Dear Martin--As an old inhabit-
ant of Aureataland, you will be inter
.sted in the news | have to tell you.
| also take pleasure in hoping that, in
spite of bygone differences, your friendly |
feelings toward myself will make you
glad to hear news of my fortunes.
You are no doubt acquainted generally |
with the course of events here since you
left us. As regards private friends, |
have not indeed much to tell you. You
will not be surprised to learn that Johnny
Carr has done the most sensible thing he
/ -
Antonia his wife. She is a thoroughly |
good girl, although she seems to have
very foolish prejudice against Christina,
was able to assist the young peoples
plans by the gift of the late Colonel Nc
liregor's estates, which under our law
passed to the Head of the State on that
yentleman's execution for high treason.
You will be amused TO hear OF another
in our circle. The doctor and
Madame Devarges have made match Of
il, and society rejoices to think it has
now heard the last of the late monsieur
and his patriotic suferings. Jones,
suppose you know, left us about a year
ago. The poor old fellow never recovered
from his fright on that night, to say
nothing of the cold he caught in your
iraughty coal-celar. where he took ref
lge. The bank relieved him in response
to his urgent petitions, and they've sent !
rs young Puritan, to whom it would be
quite in vain to apply fer a timely little
loan.
IL wish | could give you as satisfactory |
an account of public affairs. You We're
more or less behind the scenes over here.
so you know that to keep the machine go
ing is by no means an easy task. | have
kept it going, single handed. for fifteen
years, and though it's the custom to cal
me a mere adventurer, upon my word
think I've given them pretty decent gov
arnment But I've bad enough of it by |
now. The fact is, my dear Martin, I'm
not so yclng as was. In years I'm MOI
much past middle age. but | shouldn't be
surprised if old Marcus Whittingham's
lease was pretty nearly up. AT any rate.
nv only chance. so Anderson tells me, is
to get a rest, and I'm going to give my
self that chance / had thought at first
Of trying TO find a successor, and |
thought of you. But. while | was con
,.dering this, received a confidential pro
posal from the old government. They
we're very anxious to get back their prov
nce at the same time, they were not at
al anxious to try conclusions with ne
gain. In short, they offered, if Aureata-
and would come back. a guarantee of To-
-al autonomy and full freedom; they