The Rock Island Argus

Morton's Mistake.

WASHINGTON, March 17.—Minister Morton, in response to the announcement that the House Committee on Foreign Affairs had the Shipherd matter under investigation, has communicated with the Secretary of State what he has to say on the subject, and the latter to-day transmitted the following communication to the committee:

DEPARTMENT OF STATE,

WASHINGTON, March 17, 1882.

Hon. C. J. Williams, Chairman of the Committee on Foreign Affairs:

Adverting to a letter addressed to me on the 14th inst., by the clerk of your committee, expressing your wish that the United States Minister to France should be informed of the resolution of the House of Representatives of the 24th ultimo, respecting certain allegations of improper transactions of the Minister Plenipotentiary of the United States, and should at the same time invite Morton to make such response as he might see fit, I have the honor to inform you that a telegram on the desired subject was sent to Morton, and I have just received from him a reply by cable, to the following effect: The Minister states that he has never, at any time, been associated in any business transactions needing or expecting the intervention of the United States. In the ordinary course of business, Morton, Bliss & Co. had joined in a contract simply for the receipt of nitrates and guano sent to this country and the states thereof, and that the transactions were of the same class of business as has been carried on by the firm for many years. All the preliminaries of the agreements were made by George Bliss during Morton's absence, and before his departure for his present post. Bliss will be happy, if desired by the committee, to furnish all details of the transactions as far as Suarez or Randall, who are said to have been the agents of the Credit Industriale, are concerned. Morton has no communication with either of them, does not know them personally, neither does he know anything of any dealings they or either of them may have had with the government of the United States, Peru, Chili or the Credit Industriale, before the conclusion of the agreement between Randall and Bliss. Mr. Morton has had no intimation of any personal or official action being expected of him in connection with the affairs of Chili or Peru, or relations with these countries and with the government of the United States or of France. Morton has never had conversation with any officer of the United States touching business on political matters in Peru and Chili, or relations of either the United States or the French Republic. He has had no official or unofficial communication, either directly or indirectly, with any person whatever having official connection with either the United States or the French Government in regard to the relations of Chili and Peru to each other, or to the United States or the Governments, with the exception of a conversation with President Grevy which was sought by the latter which interview was officially reported to the Department at the time and called for in the reply from Blaine, which was communicated to Grevy, and the reply of the French President. These were also reported by Morton, who concludes by saying that it has never entered into his mind that it would be possible to urge or attempt to use his official position as Minister to further the object of the late contract, and that he has never contemplated any connection with regard to the affairs of Chili and Peru, except to carry out in good faith such orders as this Government may give him in the premises. I have necessarily communicated only the important part of Morton's telegram, for the reason that the original being in cipher, publication of the literal text would afford a clue to the secret channel of telegraphic correspondence. I shall, however, be happy to let you, or any other member of your Committee, see the original despatch if you desire to do so.

(SIGNED) FRED'K T. FRELINGHUYSEN,

Secretary.