The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1849-03-27
sause tel. entire confidence In my ability to End

cause felt entire confidence In my ability to find
out, IN manner which would leave me at liberty
10 the information, what was the business Mr..
Saunders had on hand, and determined to remsia
to do go. This did to nay entire satistactlon and
eni the intelligence to the United States, so rs 10
re ach my correspondent some two or three weeks
before il reached the Department of State. No
member OF the Legation at Madrid ever communl-
Gated TO me anything whatever of the contents OF
the instructions question, or of Mr. Saunders
action on them; nor did / ever exchange even a
single syllable with any member OF the Spanish GO
verDment on the subject. The manner in which |
10 interest to the public to know; It was perfectly
legitimate, and would have been unhcsltatngly
used by any diplomatIst In Madrid.
1t remains for me only to notice the fact before
stated, OF my transmission OF the intelligence In
advance Of the Legation; and do this because
while the late administration suffered to pass
contradcted statement IN the press that was its
secret agent to effect the annexation OF Cuba,
have good grounds 10 believe that there have been
endeavors in some quarters, which might evea be
termed Official, to produce the Impression that
had had some agency In the defeat OF the project
at Madrid. Neither of these suppositlOns Is 10 the
slightest degree true. The latter Is in direct Op.
position to The facts in the matter. Mr.. Saunders
wrote to me from La Granja tor Information OF
most extended nature on several matters, which
the knowledge already had OF the nature OF his
Instructions enabled me clearly.to see was to be
used In negotiation tor the purchase OF Cuba
My official connection with the Legation had
ceased entirely /; the Secretary OF State had car
red his caution SO far as to name the precise mo-
ment when that connection should pc dissolved
had been recalled at the request OF Mr. Saunders
himself, so strenuOusly, though secretly urged,
as TO place the late President, in what his Score.
tary OF State was pleased to term the painful ne:
cess,y" ct granting It; yet promptly furnished
IN my reach, Except portion, which should
have been bound to give, If an officer OF the
United States government, bat which, as was
not, ! was, socially, bound to wthod,) and re-
ceved, IN reply, his thanks for the data sent him.
But while had too much respect tor the authO-
rity OF the government and for our laws to attempt
any interference with the acts OF Its officers abroad
had the fixed determination, as tar as IN me lay,
to prevent any attempt to carry out such scheme
without due and proper consultation, not merely
OF party cliques or political managers at Washing
ton, but OF the American people, inthe widest sense
OF the term l was also apprehenslve that the
question would be spruRg upon the democratic
party, to which belonged, and an attempt made
to run Mr.. Cass in on that issue. COncelving that
the question was one which should be kept apart
from party issues, viewed such a contingency
with some alarm. also felt bound, as Southern
man, and indeed as an American, to look to the
terms OF any proposed annexation OF Cuba; for In
that event, by the decision OF the United States
Supreme Court in the case of the Amistad. about
one halt Of the slaves of Cuba would be freed aud
as the laws of that island make no distinction be-
tween tree whites and free blacks, the South and
the Union might find in their bosom free negro
commonwealth, claiming the right to send freed
slaves as Senators to our Congress, unless proper
provisions were made In, or previous to the con-
cusion OF the treaty, to the de dcto
position of the white population OF Cuba accor.
diDgly confined my action to the letter before men
TONED, written, not to MIR. Bolts, (whose card on
the subject have not seen,) but to personal
friend, whose discretion in the premises ls sutfi-
ciently evidenced by the fact, that through him
intelligence has been conveyed or escaped to the
public, in reference to this affair He was author
lzed In certain contingency to call the attention
OF the public TO the matter, though the letter itself
was marked ''confidential My object was sim
is called ''snap Judgment from the people on the
annex aton question, Cor rather on its terms,) and
had the game been tried, of mlngling this among
The other issues of the late Presidential election,
the public IN forming Its judgment would have
been furnished with materials, which possibly
mi eht have proven to be unexpected by, as they
would have been distasteful to, the political mana
gers who planned it.. Otherwise It was not my IN
the case; nor. do l do SO now. have
confined myself to addressing, from Hava-
ia, letter to my immediate representative in
Congress, the Hon; John Minor Bolts, requesting
call on the President for information concerning
number OF matters, which, IT gwen, Is calculated
to throw great and hitherto sedulousy and wrong.
fully concealed light on our relations with Spain.
That letter was 80 worded as to conceal the nature
OF The information desired. 1t was written to Mr..
Bolts as my representative in Congress; but with
an entire confidence on my part, based on nv
observation of his public lite and character, that
though am one OF his political opponents, and but
an humble resident of the district he represents ne
would give my requests all the attention he con-
sclentlously could, and would support them, if
necessary, with the tirmness, energy, and lnde-
pendence, which so particularly distinguish him.
His determination concerning them was perfectly
satisfactory to me; /, OF course, not the proper
Judge whether 1t should be stated here; my letter
was, In its very nature, neither private nor conf
DENTAL, and he therefore Is. as far as am
cerned, at liberty to make whatever use OF It he
may think the public interests require.
l have endeavored 10 compress this statement
within as narrow limits posslbe but fear the
multiplicity OF the subjects | have been forced in
self.defence, to introduce, will have rendered 1t
tedious The correction or error concerning nv
own acts and position has been my sole object.
What may be my opinions on the annexation of
Cuba, have not stated, as they cannot be Of any
Interest or Importance The question of annexa-
ton has been for the present at least set at rest,
as Tar as negotiation is concerned, by the truly re-
maIkable course OF the late administration and
the u. s. Legation at Madrid. That course the
public may possibly suspect to be successor of
sdroIt manpuvres; 1t may dream of skllful man.
aeement palace coterles, Of consultations with
important representatives. of Cuban wealth, or Gu
ban interests, DER genial glass of wlne
arrest conversations to bring over, light Jests
10 sound some grave dlplomatlst or minister of
State, and all the other dazzling accomplishments
OF a racy diplomatic contest Let 1t be undeceiv-
ed the history OF the formidable instructions sent
to Mr. Saunders, is as short as instructive A
formal conference was solicited, to sound the dis
positions of Gen. Narvaez. Our Enjoys English
was diluted into French for the edication of that
fiery soldier; in return, his torn
out OF their Castllan idiom, to be cramped up IN
French dress, were again done into English for
the convenience OF Mr. Saunders. This lingu,s.
TIC entertainment soon grew irksome to the Impa-
tent Spaniard, and the conference was speedily
but courteOusly terminated Thus ended this &C. |
lie bralt negotiation Whether 1t could have been
made TO result differently, had the usual weapons
OF diplomacy been employed, Is a question into |
which do not pretend to enter.
With thus full, and trust satisfactory defense
Of my own course, hope that shall have remov-
I'd the erroneous Impressions existing in regard to
it. have the honor to be-
Gentlemen, very respectfully,
Your Obedient servant,
THOs CAUrE REYNOLDS.
One Week Later from jamaica.
Intelligence from Kingston to the 9TH inst. has