The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1851-01-09

sibility Of sending MIR Dudley Mann on such an
errand should independent of considerations Of
propriety have borne in mind that they were ex-
posing their emissary 10 be treated as spy A
spy is person sent by some belligerent to gain
secret Information Of the forces and dcfences Of
the other, TO be used for hostile purposes. Ac-
cording TO practice, he may use deception, under
the penalty of being lawfully hanged if detected.
To give this odious name and character to O con-
ficntia agent Of a neutral Power, bearing the
commission Of his country, and sent for pur
pose fully warranted by the law Of nations, is not
only TO abuse language, but also TO confouud all
JUST ideas, and TO announce the widest and most
exravagant notions, such as certainly were not
10 have been expected in grave diplomatic pa
per and the President directs the Undersigned to
say to Mr Hulsemann that the American Govern
mCnt would regard such an imputatiOn upon it by
the Cabinet of Austria, as that it employs spies
and that in qusrral none of its own, as distinct
ly offensive, If it did not presume as it is willing
to presume, that the word used in the original
German was not Of equivalent meaning with spy
in the English language, or that in some other
way the employment of such an opprobrous term
may be explained. Had the Imperial Govern
ment OF Austria subjected Mr.. Mann to the treat
ment of spy, it would have placed itself without
the pale Of civilized nations; and the Cabinet Of
Vienna may be assured that if it had carried, or
=
effect, in the case of an authorized agent Of this
Government, the spirit of the people of this coun-
try would have demanded immediate hostilites to
be waged by the utmost exertion Of the power Of
the Republic, military and naval.
With respect to the communication Of Mr.
Mann's instructions to the Senate and the Ian
guage in which they are couched, it has already
been said, and Mr.. lIusemann must feel the jus
tce to the remark, that these are domestic affairs
in reference to which the Government Of the
United States cannot admit the slightest RESPONSE
bility to the Government of his Imperial Majesty.
No State, deserving the appela;ion Of iudepend-
ent can permit the language in which it may in
struct its own officers in the discharge of their
duties to itself 20 be called ia question under any
pretext by foreign Power. But, even If this
were mot so, Mr.. Huscmann is in error in stating
that the Austrian Government is called an Iron
Rule in Mr.. Mann's instructions. The phrase is
not found in the paper and IN respect to the honor
airy epithet bestowed in Mr. Mann's instructions
on the late chiefof the Revolutionary Government
of Hungary, MIR Hulsemann will bear in mind
that the Government Of the United States cannot
Justly be expected. in confidential Communica-
ton 10 its own agent, to withhold from individ
ual an epithet Of distinction Of which great part
of the world THINKS him worthy, merely on the
ground that his own Government regarded him
aS FCO6I Al an eUtiy stage OF the american
Revolution while " ashington was considered by
20 I'D, ! ~. S,.,- ~ Ysiei rnis Cas- ssy
glrded on the continent Of Europe as an illustri-
Gus hero
Mr.. Hulsemann thinks that in Mr. Manns in
s,ructions improper expressions are introduced in
regard to Russia, but the undersigned has reason
10 suppose that Russia herself il of that opinion
The only observation made in those instructions
about Russia is, that she has chosen to assume an
attitude Of interference and her immense prepare
tions for invading and reducing the HuDgarians
to the rule Of Austria-from which they desire 70
be reeased-gave so serious character to the
contest as to awaken the most painful solcitude
in the minds of Ame iclns' The undersigned
cannot but consider the Austrian Cabinet as I'M |
necessarily susceptible in looking upon language
like this as hostile demonstration If we re-
member that it was addressed by the Government
to its own agent, and has received publicity only
through communication from one Department |
of the American Government to another, the Ian |
guage quoted must be deemed moderate and in
offensive. The comfy Of nations would hardly
forbid its being addressed to the two Imperial
Powers themselves. 1t is scarcely necessary for
the undersigned 10 say, that the relations Of the
United States with Russia have always been Of
the most friendly kind, and have never been
deemed by either party to require any compro-
mise of their peculiar views upon subjects of do
mestc or foreign polity, or the true origin of
Governments