New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1847-11-11
Mr.. Wise rs Minister to Bra I'll.

To a< Edt0r q Ta> Tri5shs
In your Journal Of this morning you accuse Sir.
Wise OF wsn;only involving 'he county IN ciicnic'
the charge .s ons-s very severe one II I'M
pugns not only the discretion ard ability Of the accused
bus his patriotism and virtue !, srrsigus him not Only
for lmprudencs out for moral aYptude. u sssas noi
Only hls head but bis heart 50 positively si'o Il u
made ss 70 ndicste the gss. convictions Of lie correct,
ness ard nothing bat such conviction eopS 10 tne'
excuse io unqualified hsrshDen IT, therefore your
convr,,on ,hoold be shaken doubt not that you will
h.. ,,oron, ~ make amends. Ard allow me, Sir,
respectfully 10 inquire rny you are 90 ee''sn
Of the wantonness OF hr. 49, 's 80
cause the Government Of Brazil complains OF him
mi, our own Government hss approved and spplsud
ed him. 10 IL because the Brazilian pohee-ine very
drees Of mspkDd-declare The offcer ynom tneJ %
gro,lv outraged have been guilty OF single handed
ss.suit upon armed guard, without furnishing tce
,raes, eyice1ce 10 oehsf Of the ridiculous statement
while the ofcer himself one Of toe most ,stnsoie Of
the service the pescefuiness OF MS cepof
ment and brought number Of The most respectable VIII
nesses 10 support his oath IL because our ssoff
were constantly treated By the police OF Rio de Jsoero
10 the Osi wANTONLY bsrbsrous manner &c every one
who has been there csn testify, and Strenuous ana
successful effort gss made b. Mr.. "ise TO sTenge
them and shield them from farther "ronsf Be
levs me- air If ever there wss case 70 vo,sn ',o
chsrge of wantonrsss 10 iospplcsoe. II the one 70
which you hsve sudec-if ever IN the course OF nasty
editorial writing you committed sn iDJa'uee yoe
did DO when you penped the pnfste Nnion Ha'
forth these remarks | speak with cOnnoence, bs'lhs
had the bes; opportunities Of knowing aud sgpfecsung
the action OF Mr.. Wise In the affair The dirieuty was
brought upon him. wsntony II there was "an'onness
.nv there bv the Brazisn Authorities and Government
ana he could not have avoided II without recresncy 70
his blgstions Minister entrusted with me protec
tiop of bis countrymen sbrosd. should tne coIef
pondence upon The subject be published you VIII hno
IN n abundant proof Of the honesty and patriotic yea OF
tbs man whom you have denounced for wentony IN
iuring his native land Depend upon IL II ever ne snoulo
4 IA Ia from q Yer
reverse u """' w
Nep York, Noo 4.
~ Our correspondent manufactures the most
material Of the charges which heso vehemently re-
pels We have accused Mr.. Wise Of 20 moral
turpitude,'-no lack Of patriotic virtue His err
ror was rather constitutional than wiliul-arguing
ipfrnnity Of temper rather than depravty Of heart
why does not our spondent himself state the
essential facts if he wishes TO controvert the judg
ment we incidentally passed upon them
As we understand the case--land we speak on
ly from memory some sailors, belonging TO one OF
our National vessels in port, who were on shore IN
Rio Janeiro, became intoxicated. Tor were sup
posed 10 be SOL and in this state committed some
offence. or threatened some outrage, on other per
sons in the streets The Police endeavored to ar
rest the offenders bat just then some officers OF our
vesseI came along, and interposed with drawn
weapons to proven, an arrest Being outnumbered
and overpowered the offenders were imprisoned
and then Mr. ambassador Wise stepped forward
demanding their instant release, and ordering our
shin or ships to be ready to fire on the town In
case his demand should not be complied with. The
Brazilian Government hereupon released the pris
Cd am Of the hole al
fair TO its Minister at Washington, TO be laid before
our President and Cabinet. Soon alter we hear
that Mr. Wise is coming bome-at his own re
quest. OF course-and Mr. Tod is appointed to take
his Mace and when Mr.. Tod reaches Rio Janeiro
and is presented to the Emperor he takes occasion
10 nass direct censure on Mr.. Wises course, and
virtually promises to behave better himself Now
this Speech strikes Us as exceedingly uniimeiy IN
dirni6ed, and out Of place We heartily wish MI.
Tod had not made it bat il does seem to US IN
credible that be- who must have been familiar with
the material facts, should have made any humili.
s.ine apology unless Mr Wise had been clearly in
the wrong.
The undivided supremacy Of each Government
within its own territory is the fret principle OF In
ternatonal law II the Police of Rio Janeiro had
injured or insulted our officers, it was matter to
be settled between the two Governments, and not
ofi.hand by csnonading town at the mere nod OF
Henry A. Wise.
We think our correspondent might have said
more without using go many words. II be has any
thing farther 10 offer, we will thank him to state
facts relevant to the main Issue, and deal less in
sweeping assertions concerning the outrages OF the
Brazilians and the exemplary behavior of Mr. Wise
I'D. Tribune.