W RITINCS OF 5AM HOUSTON, 1856
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Mr. Houston. At all events, his veracity and his general char- acter were attacked by the witnesses-Mr. Missroon and others. I do not say that I understand the information before the com- mittee as well as the venerable Senator from Delaware. He said that, though he knew the proceedings of the committee well enough, he would not state them. He was perfectly posted in rela- tion to the whole matter. I have no doubt, and I believe every word that he said as to his information. I have not alluded to this matter for the purpose of imputing anything dishonorable to Commodore Perry. I have respect for that gentleman; I would not hurt a hair of his head; nor would I soil the hem of his mantle. I have respect for him; and I have more respect than I before entertained for him since I have seen this publication, because it shows that he has a heart. If he had yielded to the importunities of the head of the department, and given his time and attention to a board that was odious to him as a system of proscription, he is excusable; but he is now fully awakened to a sense of the injustice done to gallant men, and entertains an ardent hope that reparation will be made, commensurate with the wrongs inflicted. This was the amount of the conversation. I wish it known everywhere, because I believe it veritable, and because Commo- dore Perry has never opposed one contradiction to it that I have heard of; nor did the Senator from Louisiana impute to Mr. Bart- lette a want of accuracy or truth in any part of the statement which he made, except in the quotation of the letter, and that I have already explained, where the words "monstrous injustice" were substituted, from the deep impression which the conversa- tion had made on him. He had merely seen the letter. His state- ment of it was written as a private communication, and not with a view of having publicity given to it; but that was inconsiderately done by the friend to whom it was sent. Mr. Bartlett, in writing to a friend, says: [We omit the quotation from Bartlett and a lengthy debate upon the authenticity of his statement of Perry's attitude.] [Mr. Iverson. If the Senator will allow me, I will say that I may remember them, as I was particeps criniinis in the trans- action at the time. The Senator from Louisiana [Mr. Slidell] did not deny that Commodore Perry ever wrote such a letter, and, as evidence of the fact, he produced the original letter. Mr. Benjamin. I am now referring, not to the letter, but to the pretended statements by Mr. Bartlett of a verbal conversa- tion. The Senator from Texas says that this conversation between
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