Mr. Houston. It was the Senator from Georgia with whom the Senator from Louisiana had the colloquy to which reference is made. I understood that the statement which the absent Senator from Louisiana had from Commodore Perry merely referred to the expression contained in the letter to Mr. Parker, and not to the general substance of the publication. It was particularly aimed at the quotation " monstrous injustice"
Mr. Iverson. In the conversation which occurred between the Senator from Louisiana [Mr. Slidell] and myself on the occasion referred to by the other Senator from Louisiana to-day, I gave the authority of Mr. Bartlett for the statement which purported to have been contained in the letter from Commodore Perry to Mr. Parker. The Senator from Louisiana contradicted it—not by stating anything, or quoting anything from Commodore Perry, but by submitting the original letter which had been transmitted to him, not by Commodore Perry, but by Mr. Parker; so that really Commodore Perry has never said, directly or indirectly, whether the fact be true or not.
Mr. Benjamin. So far as that matter is concerned, I should like to put it right now. It is a very unfortunate circumstance that this controversy should arise during the absence of my colleague; but the Senate will remember distinctly that my colleague rose and stated that he had been waiting for some one who would take the responsibility of the statement which had been communicated anonymously to the Herald. It is true that my colleague did not read to the Senate any direct communication from Commodore Perry; but he gave the Senate and the country fully to understand that in everything that he said he was justified and authorized by private communications from Commodore Perry. He did not use any statement from Commodore Perry for the purpose of meeting this anonymous communication; but he said that he knew Commodore Perry's views and feelings upon the subject; that this communication had been sent to him from Lieutenant Parker; that he had retained it in his possession, with the full knowledge of Commodore Perry's views on the subject; and had waited until some person should back this anonymous communication before he gave it the contradiction which he thought it merited, and in terms which he considered justifiable under the circumstances. I make no commentary upon those terms. It is not my desire to enter into the discussion upon these grounds; but I certainly think that during the absence of my colleague it is my duty, at all events, to recall the true state of facts to the Senate, so that injurious impressions may not go abroad, either as to the conduct of Commodore Perry, or as to the action of my colleague, who is now absent from his seat.
Mr. Iverson. So far as regards the quotation from the letter of Commodore Perry to Mr. Parker, which was made by Mr. Bartlett in the communication which I read to the Senate on that occasion, Mr. Bartlett himself has corrected it, and admitted the fact that he used too strong language in the alleged quotation.
Mr. Benjamin. I understand that to be so.
Mr. Iverson. There is no controversy, therefore, on that point; but it has been stated by Mr. Bartlett, and it was stated yesterday on the floor of the Senate by the Senator from Tennessee [Mr. JonesJ, on the authority of a Senator of this body not now in his seat, and upon the authority of Lieutenant Gibson — and I presume the statement will not be controverted—that Commodore Perry
