Washington sentinel. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1855, 1854-11-07

While toast was being drunk which consld-
cred out of place, was the only alternative left
to ne.
The next incident is one which introduces
another of your agents, whose participation in
this matter has contributed much to place you
in position hostile to the Legation. allude
TO Mr.. Adams, the writer of the reports of the
celebration for the London journals. For
these you were believed to be responsible
That they were gotten up under your patron
age we were assured by evidence when ex-
Guided every doubt. They contained gra-
tuitous insult to the President of the United
States, in the false statement that some Ameri
cans were reluctant to rise when he was pro-
posed; and, as the individuals were not desg-
mated, this calumny involved q reproach upon
all the Americans at the table. The sketch of
Mr.. Buchanan's remarks misrepresented what
he said In a manner that was offensive to him.
1t was OF course expected that you would at
once cause these reports to be corrected. What.
then, was our establishment to learn that not
only had you not done so, but that you pro-
cured and circulated several hundred copies Of
them, here and in the United States. These
facts rest upon authority You will not be in
clined to dispute; to which may be added one
yet more startling: that Mr.. Adams avowed to
you that his motive in making the allegation
in regard to the President was in retaliation for
my emitting to rise when "The Queen" was
drunk, anticipating that the impression might
be conveyed to Washington that / was one of
those who were " slow to RISE in response to
the Presidential toast
Here, then, sir you have rapid outline of
thecircumstances whichpreceded and prompted
my letter to Col. Greene-a private letter, not
intended for publication-written to vindicate
tl Al 4
which you had sanctioned and to enable Col
Greene to correct misrepresentation that
might find their way into the American press
That such was the character and object of my
letter appears from the context; and that it
was so regarded by the gentleman to whom it
was addressed is manifested in the Introductory
remarks of the editor, accompanying the letter.
He says: "We have received private letter
from gentleman in London, giving an expla-
nation of the proceedings at Mr.. Peabody s
dinner on the 4th, and which have been gross
ly and mahciously misrepresented by the En-
glish press. Although the letter was not in
tended for publication, we venture to print por-
tons of it, as the best means Of apprising the
public of the truth in relation to the circum-
stances referred to, and of guarding them
against imposition by false reports
l am not aware that my letter contained any
inexact statement, except that said "Rule
Britannia" was played after the loyal toast,
whereas it turns out to have been God Save
the Queen" Your greater familiarity with
these airs has enabled you to correct the mis-
take. This discrepancy is not, however, per-
eeived to be material-both in my judgment
were equally inappropriate to the occasion,
and that the error was inadvertent is quite
obvious.
You question my statement that several gem
tlemen did not rise when "the Queen was
proposed, and you assert that Zone person only
continued in his seat" In this you have been
misled. Mr.. Hooper, who sat at my left, did
not rise. / am informed there were others,
not including the one who sat near you, and
whose reluctance to stand up only yielded to
your repeated and pointed efforts.
Not content with your fundamentally in
promulgating reports of your entertainment
disparing to the President Of the United States,
and compromising the. Legation, you have dis
closed new phase of your hostility by giving
the most extensive publicity to gross attack
upon me in my official character, under the
guise of reply to letter to which my name
was not affixed, and which you went far out OF
your way to assume to be mine.
Throughout your communication you APP
| pear TO have COMPOUNDED the plain distinction
between differences of opinion and those dehb-
crate perversions of truth which impeach the
veracity of men. Thus, for instance, in re-
ferring to my opinion of your speeches pro-
posing "the President" and "Queen," while
you deny that the one was "servile" and the
other "lukewarm," you do this in terms which,
if not designed to be offensive, are most infe-
| licitously chosen.
The same careless use Of language has led
you in several other passages to raise appa-
rently issues Of veracity with me upon points
in regard TO which we had only the misfortune
| to think differently.
| A controversy thus forced upon me without
provocation cannot be declined without dis.
| honor. And in your declaration that you are
responsible" for all you say in your letter,
| and that you arc "more a man Of deeds than
words" / am happy to discover an intimation
in advance that If your sense of justice does
not prompt you to make me the PREPARATION to
| which j conceive myself TO be entitled, you
hold yourself ready to afford me the redress
which the occasion warrants and my position
exacts.
1t now only remains for me to demand from
you distinct ayowal of any intention to i'm.
pugn my veracity in any thing you have said
| in your letter.
This note will be handed to you by my friend,
george ~. Sanders.
| Awaiting your reply, have the honor to be,
sir, your obedient servant,
d. E. SICKLES.
To GEORGE PEABODY, Esq,
Club Chambers
LONDON, October 9, 1854.
SIR: Your letter, dated 4th instant, was
handed to me by Mr.. Sanders on the 9th, but
my time did not permit me to read it till the
evening Of the 9TH.
Before / conclude upon course to adopt
relative 10 your communion, have to request
that you will inform me If, in the use of the
word Legation" you allude to Mr.. Buchanan
as well as YOURSELF and whether the letter you
have sent me has been read by him and re-
ceived his sanction2
In the 18th paragraph of the letter, when
speaking of the toast to the Qneen" You say
Mr.. Hooper, who sat on my left, did not rise
and l am informed there were others, not in
oludtp0 tha M vh