The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1853-10-05
R,sa 'As 'n,aaa D.il, Al,ra-4.
Letter from Hon. Edward Everett 70
Iari John Russell

To fEs re = l..larssls LID Jai4 Rue,Es
Myl.,sD. Yourdespateh IL fhe / 9th
az Fehlsary last to Mr.. Champion. has
Iateis spp~sred in oaF public papers
As il Is IN ~ ality. IL not in form, a re-
ply to my letter Of the LIST IL Decem-'
Der. 1882. on the subject Of Cuba. re-
greet that il vas NOT prepared and sent
before my retirement from the Depart
ment Of State. Bur. though | must now
do Il az . private individual, I feel as
II il we're. 20 some extent. nv duty To
answer il. shall endexvor to do so
in manner consistent with nv sincere
respect Tor your public character, and
a lively recollection Of your personal
/ ldness during my stay in England.
Before remsrking on the contents Of
yorr letter. sill observe that, though
~ contains some courteous expressions.
its tone is. upon the whole, not quite
Is conciliatoFy as might have been ex-
pected, considering that nv letter Of
the LIST Of December was altoge,herre-
s2ectful and friendly toward the two
Powers, both in form and in substance.
have heard that in presenting this
correspondence TO Parliament you in
dulged "in some sarcastic remarks, %
but have net seen any report Of them.
Your despatch is not free from shade
Of sarcasm in one or two sentences.
This ] shall endeayor 10 avoid in reply,
DOT that il would be difficult to follow
you into that field. but because | can
not think thar an encounter Of wits be-
tween US would be an edifying specta-
Gle. or one which would promote any
desirable national object.
You say that in nv letter of the lst
Of December entered into "argg-
ments not required hv the simple ma
fure Of the question before me-; and the
length Of my letter has been complain
ed Of in other quarters. The question
propounded TO US was certainly in one
sense simple as every question is
chat can be answered !" Yes" or No"
But how various. complicated and inn
por,ant the interests and relations in
rolved in ii. Besides, the organ d
every government must be The only
Judge 81 the proper length and relevan
ev Of h;sreplies t. the communications
of foreign Powers. The proposal 10
which was returning an answer, joint
Nv made by 10 of the leading Powers
Of Europe, related to the most impor-
tsnt subject in the circle Of our foreign
relations thought that a very few
paragraphs were we'll eiaployed in un-
folding the views Of the President on
This subject, and tie reasons Why he
declined entering into.a compact pur-
porting 10 bind the two governments
for all coming time to certain line Of
policy in case Of 50 much impor-
ance.
You will rccollcct that the members
Of nIr executive government do not sit
In Congress. Those expositions which
are made in your Parliament BY Minis
ters-in speeches net unfrequently OF
two and three. sometimes four and FIVE
hours in length-must be made in this
country in Presidential message,
trarely alluded to by your press with
nut sneer at its length or an Exec
ntiye report or despatch. Ny letter 81
fhe lst Decemher would make speech
Of about an hour. which .!Ges not seem
10 ne in,muaerate for such subject,
However, little greater fullncss Of
statement and argument, in papers ex-
pscted to come before the public is, il
must be confessed, in harmony with the
character of our government, and Is
generally indp'ged in.
you observe that the absorption o,
annexation Of Louisiana in 1908, ot
F,oridain 1919, of Texas in IS45, and
of California in l848, had not escaped
the two Pow rs still less did they re
quire to be r, minded Of the events Of
seven years war, or Of the Ame-
rican war" But facts mar be men
toned for illustration or argument, as
well as information. Must certainly the
important aud notorious events named
by you-ieading incidents Of the histo-
ry of the United States and Of the world
cannot be supposed to have escaped
governments Of Englanda and France
who were parties to some Of the most
important OF the transactions IN ques
ton. | had no thought of "remind-
ss1g" yoar government of the events Of
tnSseven wears war and of the Ame-
Recommendation. as matters Of histo-
ricai facs< of which they were ignorant ;
though ! hxily doubt, and beg to say
ii without Nsnce, whether there are
msny indisiduSs IN the government Of
either country possessed Of an accurate
and precise knowledge OF The facts has.
tily sketched by M THAT sketch, how
over. Of the ttrr'ta I changes which
have taken playa On this continent
during III last century, was intended
sySn Illustration Of the proposition that
5ur entire history shows it TO be chime
real to attempt, in reference to speci-
&c measures, to bind Up, .or all future
! time, the discretion Of . Government,
HsheG in a-nart nf liz 80