The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1849-09-28
CITY OF WASHINGTON
FRIDAY MEANING SEPT. Is, isAs.


action 1T is sKYROCKET WORK al the 1hls. There
a. an EXHIBITION EVERY NIGHT. No sooner are we
the wonders of the proclamation In behalf of Cuba
and the summary and peremptoy demand for the abduc
ed Rey against Cuba, than THE SKY Is ALL LIT UP
AGAIN with the Poussn affair There 10 danger. there
not political paates may become highly
ed that on ordinary fare OF quiet and peace we may
sarve to death r'-N Y. ErYrs. (,ohig)
We hear from all sides regrets expressed that this diff
ference should have occurred With the French minister
and that other should not have been dscoy
cred for arestng ito Consequences The minister him
self has always teen sincere friend of The United
States, her institutions, and her interests He for
many years employed in our public service. Under these
relations he had formed an ardent attachment to our
country It's presumable. therefore, that he would
have cast intentional insult upon government; and
in fact learn that M Poussn has expressed the deep
regret for what has occurred and dsclamed any in
tention of rejecting upon its members The French peo-
pe too have always been the friends OF the United
States whatever may be the feelings of their present Chief
Magistrate As there is of quarrel between the
two countries is not to be supposed that either Of them
should design to aont the other, that this difference
between her minister and the Secretary of State should
lead to serious rupture between them We regret this
occurrence especially at the present tme because it may
lead to some difficulty in receiving Mr.. Rives who has
been unfortunately sent minister to Paris. 1t is
believed that this gentleman unpopular in France on
account Of the events 1881.
We shall not cease to hope that some immediate rem
edy may be found for healing this difference without lead
ing to any further excitement the subject We regret
that has occurred, and think with little pru
dence on both sides might readily have been prevented
The administration press endeavors to defend the in
consderate and laundering pursued by Mr. Clay
ton in the negotiation with the French minister relative
to the Eugene by appeals to prejudice rather than
son. It cndeavors to cover up the papabe blunder
mitted by the Secretary of State by the mpuden asser
ton that we have taken sides with France in this conro
vcrsy. II charges with contendng that Commander
Carpenter acted illegally in claiming salvage and should
have been censured in obedience the demand of the
French government We do not think it necessary to
repe the accusation of taking sides with the French gov
ernmen nor to controvet seriously the insoent false
hood of the Republic in denouncing the Union as the
foreign organ in this city" Indeed we should not have
considered the matter of sufficient importance 10 be- men
toned but for the similarity Of the language held by the
Republic and that used by the National Integencer in
the case OF the steamer United States while that paper
had the honor of being the organ of the State Depart
ment How absurd is this charge, coming as it does
from men who advocated the cause of the enemy
while war was raging; who denied the resources and
sssaed the credit, and embarrassed the action of our
government at the critical period of the contest with
Mexico; who gave aid comfort, and encouragement to
the Mexican government and induced il to proong the
contest with us-of men who were stepped in ssmora
treason and but two years ago omitted nothing but the
covert acf OF legal treason defined in the constitution
We have never deGied the right of government to
dismiss d. Poassn for hold that nation cannot
be compelled to hold any diplomatic intercourse with
ux(lx H.. r
ago complained of the Spanish government for not al
lowing diplomatic intercourse with Cuba, and held the
omnous language that the policy Of Spain in that behalf
might lead to the loss Of that island But say the
reason assigned for the dismissal Of M Poussn is too
unimportant to produce such result and indicates that
there is something more important behind the curtain
which caused the action of the administration
As 10 assailing the claims Of Commander Carpenter
we have never done As yet we have not expressed
any definite opinion as to the legality of his claim We
have said from the first, that did not consider the
demand for salvage Of any special Importance for the
complaint Of the French government was directed en-
trely against the detention Of the ship Eugene under
that claim. Commander Carpenters right to compensa-
hon might have been clear, and yet his detention of the
vessel may have been unauthorized by law and by usage
That the ground taken by the French government
subsequent personal controversy with the French minis
Ter, we cannot that Mr. Clayton gave even a respect
full consideration to The complaint Of the French govern
ment He failed TO any legal investigation Of the
facts OF the case. which his duty his own government
and 10 our naval service mperatvey required him to
make proper courtesy 10 France also required that
the complaint should not be dismissed without even an
investigation But Mr. Clayton, laboing under too much
excitement, enclosed the letters and statement Of CON-
mander Carpenderthe party implicated-to the French
minister as full and perfect to the French gov
eminent; and since his difficulty with the French minister
endeavos to shield himself behind opinion OF the At
torney General question not at issue, founded de-
csions Of English and American courts. That opinion
contains ausion the detention OF the Eugene the
real matter at issue; and it was drawn up twenty
days after the difficulty with NJ Poussin occurred II
does not appear that any opinion Of the Attorney Cen
eral either formally informally expressed was ever
communicated BY the Secretary Of State to the French
minister; and yet Mr. Clayton, in coming before the
American people, felt himself bound, IN order TO ss
tain himself to incorporate with the correspondence
an opinion which never formed a part OF it, II the
Secretary OF State deemed it necessary TO enter into
discussion Of the question Of salvage before the
American people, we contend that his duty to them
qnired him TO give to the Of his government and to
I>xr A. ~ ..s-l