Year: 1876

SIRs-I have read with slight surprise and with a
certain admiration letter in the HERALD ofthc 10th
February have noted the reckessness OF the assault
the assurance or TO speak justly should say
audacty, with which you announce to the American
people who have been permitted the evidence
and report of the governmental investigation into the
Vienna scandal that you have examined it "impar-


ITALY, /" and that hat scandal appears to have been
mainly the result of his tMr jays own efforts"
have marked also with interest the announce
ment which you make bravely, and presumably on
authority which you deemed reliable, that If that
scandal Eventually recoiled on his own head and
ended in an invitation TO retire from his post it Is only
another example OF what has happened to those who
plot mischief" And yet, gentlemen, ip the face of
these charges after my experience at Vienna since
obcyed the FIRST order of the President respecting the
scandal when with lips closed and hands tied by the
propretics OF a diplomatic post, l exposed
to the OF frowsy- winged lies hatchcd in
and forth buzz sting and breed and
purify in the press OF Europe, it Is with feeling OF
relief that find myself at last attacked open day. in
fair field, where there Will DO favor, and in the
presence of people that like iar play. am now set
upon by assailants who, however prcposterous their
charges, however startling their assertions maniuy
back them with their names their character, their
position, pedging themselves for the fairness and truth
OF their avermens and adding the sacred obligations
that rest upon them individuals the representa-
tive responsibility with which you claim to be
clothed as committee, '.jealous'' you
sured tho President 'of tho honor OF New Jersey"
therefore salute your temperance in the field,
whatever your protentons, your weapons or your
aims; for you come longer, in 1ST3 to maiign,
with garbed evidence, mutilated kilograms and
groundess insinuations, diplomatic agent who was
unable to defend himself You come, the contrary,



whose truth pointing the record you pledge your
regulations, who is alike able and ready give
fitting answer to each nt inquiry touching his official
action in this natter to meet your charges to reform
your facts and to show by the official records
as they shall be published that bold attempt 20
deceive the American people by willu misrepresen-
ation of the suppressed record of nves
tgation was never attempted by faction regardless
OF decency and TRUTH and resolved to fasten upon the
investigating officers Of the government the immoral
practices and the national scandals which they had
developed and condemned.


Against the necessity of this task have already Of
1cially protested in reminding the government, by
careful review of the matter that the suppression Of
the record in its entirety after its partial publication
in muulated and pretended abstracts seemed
inconsistent alike with the rights OF its agents and
with its own honor. Had the government promptly





II disclosed its telegraphic orders and instructions
given day by day, with the of their execution
instead OF concsang them altogether, or what was
still worse of allowing them bo used unfairly: all
controversy the facts OF the business would long
since have closed.


THE RECORD UNFAIRLY USED.


In three distinct cases has the record been mutt
lated and used unfairly present a one sided state
ment: to mIsead the public to the facts and to ex
cite odium against the Minister Vienna the spe
cial or temporary commissions. One case was your
pamphlet of 1873, whero kilograms were mutt.
lated, and which, while protesting deal with the
causes OF the suspension OF tho commission, the
extortions Irregularities and scandals committed by
the first assistant and denounced by his chief wore
not alluded to. Then tho analysis of the
evidence and reports on the Vienna scandaln in a let
ter from General Van Buren, to the Secretary State
a letter which, he wrote had been prepared 'at the
suggestion OF the President" In that letter General
Van Buron remarks OF the department volume:-''One
thing, however, think must be apparent TO the
casual reader of these pages and that the intense
butter, personal malignant hostility OF the Hon. John
Jay to the commission and his persistent and sue
cessful efforts TO destroy it, whatever cost TO the
reputation Of the and whatever peril TO
the Exhibition. would that his letters TO the Depart
ment of State during the winter and spring of 1s72-3





dtonal evidence, they do OF his malice toward tho
commission and Of his designs to embarrass
and dcfc.t its labors" To that l reply, let
Congress order the publication of tho entire CORE
spondonce, including my letter, for which the General
asks and also my letters to himself from the time
Of his appointment until discovered that bars and
restaurants seemed TO be the chief object OF his
socitude. Those letters were among the archives
Of the commission and were sent from the Legation
the Department OF state and be furnished with tho
rest ot the correspondence They VIII help to show
the cordial constant and active interest which took
IN the success OF the commission, and will give
idea OF the amount OF commission work which, ut the
request OF General Van Buren, done for weeks and
months at the Legation, and which, judging from his
letters, he then appreciated


To ali the attacks in that pamphlet upon the members
OF the special commission and OF The temporary
mission and upon the character of the report tho
record would alord an ample reply and II IS difficult TO
conceive on what reasonable prctencc the government
nt Washington can defend their action IN allowing the
represent and malign those gentlemen, and IN then re-
fusing to publish the record which alone could reute
the slanders and establish the truth


rnE GOVERNMENTAL ABSTRACT.


But the government has not only permitted the
Official records by outsiders Tor the deama-
ton OF IT'S foreign agents II would seem, in addi-
preface to the governmental volume the Vienna
scandal what purpors TO be synopsis OF tho cor;
rcspondcncc ana abstract" Of the evidence and
report which dsiort tho iacis perverscly
done IN the pretended analysis OF the Chef Com
Hli@siOucts hhu part OF TINS SYNOPSIS ana
abstract was, the llth August. 1913. furnished
apparently by the authority of tue government to tho
American press.


single extract may give idea OF the dignity
anu truth by winch II is pcrvadcd


General Van Buren, to Mr. Fish, says the Exhibition
Is IN confusion Great Jay and McErath Is his
prophet spies and normcrs were employed TO
compsh the suspension OF tue American Commission.
Witnesses were tempted TO make statements adverse
TO General Van Buren. An agent OF an American firm
solicited TO make charges against him. Mr.. jay
and other members OF the temporary commission
largely Interested in one or sewing machines"


To judge OF the conscientious exactncss which the
government required IN the making OF this abstract
let me quote the original otter from which the govern
mcnt proicsscd To have extracted this charge
peaching the characters and the impartiaty OF its
agents at Vienna


"Mr Van Buren, to Mr. Fish, Vienna, May s. 1873 Re
lerrng TO my letter OF yesterday wherein mado men,
ton OF touching the selection Of Jurors
by the temporary commission, ! wish Eow TO add that
the Information have received and which am assured
VIII be testified to after the close OF the Exhibition ~ as