Cheraw gazette. [volume] (Cheraw, S.C.) 1835-1838, 1836-04-12

to England. 1t appears blythe vote that
greater opposition was made 10 his nom'na,
lion at this session. In the absence OF
Mr.. LEIGH, Mr.. WEBSTER, and MIR, hEST,
all opposed to the nomination, there were
still nineteen Senators voting against it.
The Injunction of secrecy having been
taken off from the vote, and the report OF
the Committee on Foreign Relations, we
publish the latter in our pepper to-day, to
show the grounds on which the minority are
presumed to have voted.
IN SENATE.
MARCH 3, 1886.
Mr. CLAY, from the Committee on Foreign
Relations, submitted the following re.
port:
The Committee on Foreign Relations, to
,cl.om acas referred the nomination Of
ANDREW STEVENSON, Of Virginia, as
Minister Plenipotcntiary and ENJOY Er.
traordinary to Great Britain, hare &C.
cordling to order, had the stas under cor.
stvdleraiod, and aop beg leare TO report:
That, on the 3Oth of May, 1884, Andrew
Steyenson was nominated for the same Of
ficc3 saHdx on the Oath Of the succeeding
month he was rejected by the Senate: that
Martin Van Buren, Of New.I ork, had been
previously nominated for the same Office,
and, on the 25th Of January. 1882, had
been rejected by the Scnate that it remain.
ed vacant from this period until tho nomna.
ton of Mr. Stevenson, and it has continued
vacant from the time of his rejection. This
office has, therefore been unoccuplcd during
a term Of moro than four years.
When Mr.. Stevenson was first nonI.
mated, he was Speaker Of the House Of
Representatives Of the L. States, which
office he resigned on thc-day Of June,
1884. Whilst that nomination was under
consideration, it appeared TO the Senate
that the Secretary Of State lad, on the 10th
day of March, 1888, addressed an official
note to Mr. Stevenson, in which the Secretary
said !: Il am directed by the President to
inform yo,, confdentally, that as soon as
adliccs shall be received that the British
Government consent to open negotiations
w.thfthis, which are daily expected, It is his
intention 10 offer you the place of Minister
Plcnipotentary, to the Court Of St. James;
and he requests that. should this appoint,
ment be agreeable to you, you would ho!d
yourself in readiness to embark III the
course Of the summtr. | congratulate
YOU, sir, on this mark Of the PRESIDENTS
confidence" This note was received by
Mr.. Stevenson; but if he returned a direct
answer, it did not appear to the Senate.
Subsequent to the receipt of this note. IN
April, 1883, Mr.. Stevenson was elected a
member Of the House Of of.Reprcsentatives
from the State of Virginia, took his scat at
the commencement Of the session of Con-
gress in the December following, was
| elected speaker ofthe House, and continued
to discharge the duties of that Office until
he rcsigned>it, as herein before stated.
1t appeared further to the Senate that,
shortly after Mr.. Stevenson received the
note of the Secretary of State before men,
| toned, he had ON interview and consultation
with Mr.. Thomas Rtchie, his friend and
neigIibor, and the editor Of a leading news
paper supporting the Administration, pub
| iished at Richmond, in Virginia. on the
subject of. the contents Of that note. In
that interview, Mr.. Richie, in a letter
addressed to Mr.. Stevenson, in June, 1884
SAYS, it struck him that the President might
appoint Mr.. Stevenson, in case the COZ.
tingency, happened during the recess, and
not send him. but Mr., Livingston to
France. 81 suggested (says hey that these
appointments ought not, and could not be
made, according to the spirit of the Con-
stitution, during the recess of the Senate.
You (Mr. Stevenson) promptly and cor
daily concurrcd in this view Of the sub.
iect, and ! then determined to write to a
friend in Washington, for the purfose Of
LAYING this view before the President HIM
self. You approved Of my doing so; and,
in fact, we agreed perfectly in the course to
be taken. We determined to take no
notice Of Mr.. Livingston's letter, to act
yourself as if no such letter had been
written that it would be best not to offer to
accept the appointment if made in the sum.
mer, and to wait the action Of the Senate"
&c.
In pursuance Of the plan thus arranged
between MI. Stevenson and Mr.. Richie.
the latter, in March, 1899, addressed two
letters to Mr., w. B. Lewis, at the city Of
Washington, who was the friend and en-.
joyed the confidence of the President, and
held the office of Auditor. Extracts from
these letters were furnished by Mr.. Lewis,
and presented to tie Senate onffe occasion