Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1849-11-22

From the National Integoncor.
Gen. Taylor's Administration.

ply to the sweeping denunciatons of the
Union in reference to those questions in re-
gard to which the administration has yet
had any opportunity to manifest its policy,
its principles, or its rules of action.
For the first time in our history, on the
advent of new administration, the Access
sion of General Taylor to the Presidency
has been met by the announcement of
predetermined opposition. In all previous
cases, those presses which opposed the sue
cessful candidate had the faHness to declare
that the new administration should be judg-
ed by its merits-not that it would be " OPP
posed to the bitter end, no matter what face
it might wear" This injustice is the more
strange and reprehensible, as the Chief
Magistrate against whom it was denounced
was one whose honesty and patriotism we're
universally admitted, and whose Justice,
moderation, and purity were almost as well
known to his counirymen as his bravery and
glorious military achievements
Following out this course of determined
hostility, the Union and its auxilaries Yum
fortunately for them) took ground against
the administration in the affair of the
French Minister, NJ Poussin. In our late
article, we adverted to the shameless course
of the Democratic press on this subject +:
since which we lind, by the recent advices
from Paris, that the French Cabinet had
recalled Mr. Poussin, and were not half as
eager for his vindication, and the condem-
nation of our own government as the Union
and its allied presses. True it is that the
Union has lately taken the alarm, fearing
the consequences of its own rashness.-
Two weeks ago its columns teemed with
Mt. Poussins vindication, and it showed,
from some publications, which it is unnec-
essary to quote, strong presumptive evidence
of being in the confidence of the French
legation. What has become of the letter
of M. de Tocqueville, which the Union de-
clared had at length been deciphered Z
What were its contentsl Did it censure
the French Minister! This letter could
never have been communicated 10 our own
government, as it arrived after the dismiss
al of Mr.. Poussin. The editors of the
Union, as Americans in feeling, ought to
tell us all they know about the contents OF
that letter. Why was it sent in cipher ?
What was the difficulty in decphering it -!
Had the French legation lost the key to it
and if so, how was it found! The Union
announced that it was deciphered. Did
the editors of the Union help to find the
key? Or how did they pakc out the con-
tents of letter from NJ. de Tocqueyille in
cipher, without the aid Of the keyl We
wish we could say nous UerrOnS, but we are
sadly afraid they will never tell us, and then
how shall we get the key to these my Ste
ries? If there be any French organ in this
country who will condescend to answer
these questions, we beg the Union to COM
mend us to him
Our neighbors, following tie example,
and adhering to the language of NJ. de
Tocquevile, with degree of spirit worthy
the meridian of Paris, have assailed the
Secretary of State for his letter of the 2lst
of April, requesting Mr.. Poussin, then in
New York, to repair to Washington, after
he had insulted the Government. The
Union insisted that the Secretary, after his
Government had been tainted by the French
Minister with the refusal to pay an honest
debt--aye, and an honest debt incurred I'M
der the necessities of war, Gas if we had no
means Of carrying on the war without rob-
bling Mr. Port)-afier being charged with
evading the payment of that debt by calum-
mating the character Of an honest man,
(pro pradOr, Mr. Port,) had dared to ask
the author of this insolence to come to
Washington from New York, and that, too,
without unnecessary delay. Now, be it
understood and remembered, that, when the
Secretary first came into office, he had fol-
lowed the example set by Mr.. Monroe more
than thirty years ago, followed up by
Messrs. Forsyth, Webster, and nearly eve
ry Secretary since, of sending circular to
every foreign minister accredited TO this
Government, calling upon him to reside in
Washington, for the purpose of facilitating
the transaction Of the public business. On
former occasion we showed that the
French Emperor Napoleon had compelled
foreign Ministers to follow his army for this
purpose; and Mr.. Barlow actually accom-
panied him in his Russian campai9n.-
Here, our plain republican Secretaries,
commencing with Mr.. Monroe and ending
with Mr.. Clayton, have only dared to 90 SO
far as to call upon the Ministers of foreign
nations to reside in Washington. The cir
cular had been considered for about quar-
ter OF century as Indispensable, especial
ly because the Secretary of State is alone
compelled to correspond and transact busi-
ness not only with our own Ministers and
Consuls abroad, but with all those gentle
men OF the diplomatic corps accredited by
foreign nations to the Government of the
United States. In Europe it is held to be,
the acknowledged right of Government to
compel the residence of the foreign Minis
tiers at the seat of Government, by refusing
to correspond with them when absent from
their post Practical experience has shown
that, In diplomacy, few minutes conser-
satlon is often more advantageous to both
parties than volume of written correspon-
dence; and here, the Secretary of State
being aided only by few clerks, the cler-
ical force would be insufficient even to COPY
the written correspondence Of the Depart
ment, should foreign Ministers refuse to
obey the circular. Mr.. Poussin was bound
to obey it, and, as if conscious that he was
so bound, he dated his offensive letter.
Washington" when he was really in New
York. Then how could the Secretary of.
fend in requesting him to repair to this CITY,
especially when the object was kindly to
permit him to retract his insult, as he did
But the apologlsts of Mr. Poussin, in this
country, reply that the Secretary, after be-
ing insulted, should not have ventured TO
request that Minister IN renair ia ,h;s -,