The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1852-10-18

WAsaIEur0s. Oct. Ia, 1859
TIE D.fStmaey cftAe Dar-Tss Bf,s.Gkfs Of MI.
EyebsfSv &.c BE-


IPebstev, &c &c.
You wild remember that about the time Of the
goldfish excitement, Mr.. Webster Unexpectedly ro-
turned to Washington. and it Was telssraphsi you
that the President and tbs "expounder' had quite
fare -up-in fact, an explosion The difficulty
was, however, after few days, ''amicably ADJUST
ed" and the tosdy press Of New York, ignorant, ~
usual, Of the facts pronounced the reported difficulty
false. This is one Of the many instances in which
these papers make themselves ridiculous by contra
dieting the HERALD. My object now Is not, ofcOurse,
to enter into any arguments with those eonsumptlve
sheets, but simply to "vindioate the truth Of his
tory" by detailing few OF the scenes behind the
Curtain
Mr. Webster is great man. but, somehow or
other, great men usually make moro bunders than
individuals of less cslibre. The reason ia obvious
Great E,en, such rs Mr.. Webster, depend upon in
sp;ration and their own resources. Lesser men are
content to take advantage Of the lights before them,
and arefally study their movements, Mr., Webster
does Tot pretend to conceal that he holds the cabi-
net he is come cted with in lofty contempt, that
Is, to third parties To the President and members
themselves he Is too polite to inSinuate such
thing
To say nothing Of his Nicaragua bluuder-which,
by the way, is the most absurd piece of blunderng
that even Dir Webster ever guilty of-therc are
two thlee other buIdeIs Of sufi ,ent Importance
to bring our diplomatic character into contempt,
and which have already made US food for laughter
in the eyes Of other countries In the matter of the
Goldfish difficulty, Mr.. Webster. without any official
information TO warrant-wihout even deisning
to consult the President issued proclama-
tion, his own hook, of suoh an extra
ordinary character. that it has been refused
place the official files of tho State De.
paIiment; and when the President communicated
all the documents on the subject of the fisheries to
Congress, not even alluded to by him. The
proclamation was nothing more or less thhn re
port, made last winter by Mr.. }. d Andrews,
United State Consul AT st John, New Brunswick,
giving sketch CT the colonial clams but which
claims the BIitsh government had never sanctioned
As far RS Mr.. Alorews was concerned. the document
was right and proper, and gave the State Depart
ment interesting Information. Mr. Webster in his
rural retreat, away down East, hearing that the
force the coast being increased, took it for
granted that England had acceded to the views of
the coonists, ara, cutting oil few lines at the top
and hottom Of Mr. Andrews 6egpatch Aforesaid,
dated it estate Department, Washington, sgaed
his own name to it, and set the country in furry
The document was not issued here at all, as it par
ported to be, but in New Hampshire Imagine the
Presidents surprise when the extraordinary paper
ten to to report bimself at head quarters. Whom
he arrived here he waited upon the President. and
thereupon the flare up took place. The President
at once told him, in al kindness, but with no lack
Of determination, that he surprised at the
course he hsd adopted, in issuing official papers
4 q
authority; that all procamstions from the State
Department mus. first be sanctioned and ordered by
the President; and that it was duty he (Nr. Fiji
mcre) owed alike to the country ana himself not to
permit the powers Of his high ofii,e to be
sumed by any ore. Mr. Webster took this in high
dudgeon: IL hot haste he repaired to his own m IA
sion, on Louisiana avenue Our army swore ter
ribly in Flanders'' Several loads Of books, g.
were at once sent to Georget0 W. route for Bos-
ton. But little rejection cooled him down. aud
so the matter passed over. Mr.. Webster promising
rot TO be naughty again. AID not to forget that he
was not yet President.
This was biupder No /. No 2 had reference to
the Lobos Islands About this time, the English
papers are making cor side rable noise ON the Occa
sion Of Mr.. Webster's letter to Captain Jewett.
But their fears ard suspicious alike groundless,
the private history which follows, aud which is
strictly correct, will show 1t appears that the
! publication of Sir. Webster's letter to Captain
Jewett, in the New York HERALD, was the first
in,imation the President had that such letter was
in existence. The matter OF the Lobcs Islands had
been 6iscusSed in the cabinet subsequent to the
date of the JewetJ letter, and the President, not
knowing of that communication, had expressed
his opinion that Peru had tights over the Islands.
This Was directly at variance with Mr. Webster's
views. In the midst Of the discussion, the HERALD
reached here containing Mr.. Webster's letter to
Captain Jewett aud for the first time the President,
to his utter Amusement, learned that an expedi-
ton had been fitted out to take If necessary forci
bic possession ofthe lobos Islands, under guarau-
tee from the Secretary Of State, and upon which
guarantee the Commodore OF the Pacific Squadron
bad been directed 10 second the enterprise. The
President declared he had never seen the Jewett
letter Mr.. Webster said it no fault Of mis-, as
the letter had been sent to The President, among
bundle of Others, before it vas despatched, and
that as 10 objection was made TO it. off it went.
Mr. Hunter. the Chief Clerk Of the State Depart
ment, of course endorsed what his master said
to the letter having been submitted to the Presi-
dent but still the President could not be made to
believe he had seen il before, when he
yinced he never had The damage. no Eever, had
been done, and there was nothing for it but to try
and repari with all spsed Accordingly, Commo-
dore NcAuley was at once written to to proceed to
the Hands and prevent the Jewett expedition
from violating the laws and rights of Peru
Captain Jewett happened TO be in town at the
time, and called upon Mr.. Webster. His reception
was stormy ore. Pointing to the HERALD Mr..
Webster accused him Of having given that paper q
copy Of the letter. la vain the captain protested
his innocence. and urged that it greatly against
his interest that the letter was published. 8 Ny
private letters and conversations are published 10 the
papers,' thuuoered forth Black Dan" "and
whatever have to Do with you sir, for the future
shall be equally public " Poor Jewett had to
ish
The result cf al this will be- th 1t Captain Je wett
who, understand, embarked his all in the enter
Irise, uoon he of the Secretary of State
will probably be completely ruined in consequence
to Congress but Congress is not responsible for
Mr.. Websters conduct, il is ere than Questionable
il any relief will he granted.
As far rs the Lobos Islands are concerned, the
government Of the United States has no intention
OF backing up Dir Websters views Proofs beyond
oil dispute have been given that Peru his as much
right 20 exercise jurisdiction the iobos Islands
9s any other portion Of her territory-and so far
from Captain Morgell bsiog the dscoverer of the
\ Lobos Islands, that long before he there, they
had been laid down in the charts, and were kno gn
I by the Spanish name which a5herel TO them to the
present Gay. IN fact, the archives Of the Peruvian
legation, in ibis very city, contain ample evidence
TO subs'a ntiate the Peruvian claim, and scatter to
the winds MIR Wtbster's geographical discovery.
The matter will not admit OF argument: and whilst
the world is laughing at the bungng Of our Secre
tsry Of State. all we can do is to grin and bear il
But let Us draw moral from all this. Men Of
gigantic int elect don't answer for Secretaries.
and for Heavens sake let US, for the future. have
less intellect and more common sense in the con
duct Of the government The two qualities don't
seem TO 60 together, and Of the yo the latter is
by far the most important