The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-02-20
VASTLY IMPORTANT FROM WASHINGTON.
CURIOUS CONFIDENTIAL EXPOSITION
Foreign Policy Of the United States.


Foreign Relation.
We have received from Punch in Washington, ;
che following extraordinary conf Dental letter
the Secretary Of State, to the President of the
United States, giving an official history of the
foreign policy Of the present administration, aud
especially Of the singular consequences which have
followed the various attempts of our diplomats to in
troduce among the courts of Europe the simple COS
tume Of DIR. Franklin. This exposition embraces
also great variety Of other matters Of the highest
interest and importance to the American people.
Read-read, and be enlightened.
Letter or Secretary Marcy to the President.
DEPARTMENT OF SrATEl
WASHINGTON, Feb. Is, 1854.
have had the honor to receive your confidential
note, bearing date the Sd inst embracing the fol-
lowing instructions, to witt
You will prepare, from the files Of your depart.
ment report OF the official trausa etions OF our d
plomatic representatives accredited to the several
governments Of Europe. not communicated in my
annual message, including particularly the acts
Of the legations respe e5tvely AZ the capitals Of
Great Britain, France, Spain, the Netherlands, the
German and Italian States, with the view that the
same may be laid before the Senate, n executive
sion, agTeeably to q suggestion of Mr.. Mason the
Chairman OF the Committee on Foreign Relations in
that body. The object of this report inform the
Senate, in its executive capacity, aud frankly aud
freely, in conf Dental manner, Of the exact cOndi
ton Of our relations with the Wester0 Powers of Eu-
rope, the German and the Isalan States, ia refer.
ense to tho possible necessity which may arise,
from the threatening aspects Of the called Eastern
question" of some general policy of active diplomatic
Intervention our part to the end Of the preserva
tion of our neutrality with all parties, and OF psci
cation of the troubles Of the Continent And the
circular letters of instructions FROM The State Depart
n lima Ioat fhn n.nu nf
ters, attaches, and consus abroad, appear to have
interrupted in several instances amicable rea.
tons with the Courts OF Europe, and in other Dstan
ces have resulted In unpleasant controversies aud
hostile meetings. which it is desirable TO avoid for
the future, you also requested to commune ste,
for the information of the Ser ate, all the facts docu
ments, correspondence and papers, OF any kind, in
your department, relating to this subecs of costume,
and to the consequences which have followed the
several attempts made in pursuance Of the circulars
Of June last to introduce among tue European ourts
the republican costume OF Dr. Franklin or OF the
simple American citizen OF the presens diy.
am further admonished by your Excelency
that
Chairman on Foreign Relations of the Senate,
after several consultations with the majority
of said committee, that they are deeply
impressed with the troubles which have grown
out Of those circular letters OF Instructions Of
June Last and hat the said committee and the Sem
ate are ready to cooperate with the Executive In.
any changes which may be deemed essen ial in said
Instructions, or among our diplomatic corps impli.
Gated in the recent difficulties upon the subject of
Costume; or tina. the Senate Is prepared insist
upon the respect thus far denied among the Eu-
ropean Powers to the costume prescribed in your
circulars of June last, such policy shall be deemed
by the Executive the most expedient"
In reply, have the honor, 6rst, to submit the
various letters, Official and unofficial documents
and papers, including extracts, (translssed,) from
various European wspaperS, Of an official or semi
official character, sgreesbly to your instructions.
For the convenience of the Senate they will be found
arranged in several parcels, and they cover all the
precse or general information received at this depart
ment, not given in your annual message respecting
our diplomatic transactions with The European Pc
ers, and the difficulties resulting from my circular
letters of June last on the subject Of costume, &c.
These accompanying papers are classed as sfollows-
Letters and papers concerning our diplomatic @ re.
lati0ns with the government and court OF Great
Britain, marked A.
Do. do. With the court OF France marked B.
Do. do. with the court Of Madrid, marked G.
Do. do with the court OF Berlin, marked ID.
Do do. with the court of the hague, marked E.
The letters and papers rela ing TO Sardinia Austria
the Italian States, including Rome and the Kingdom
Of the Two Sices are in the general parcel marked
F.
No advices have been received a. this department
on the subject of costume from our representative
at St Petersburg nor is it probable thst at this
court any question has been raised Of the proprety
of my instructions of June last, the Gear being
engrossed in the graver responsibilities Of the exist
ing war. enclose you private letter, marked G,
received from st. Petersburg purporting to give the
opinion of the Gear upon the letter of this depart
ment vindcating the claims Of Martin Kozsta to the
protection of the United States. From this informa
49, Al. ~. L. =, Ia H,rn
found contempt Of the present saws culofe admins
tration at Washington" and especially Of Marcy
the greatest sans cnlotte Of them all" The Emperor
of Russia is probably indebted for this information tc
official sources Instructions have been despatched
TO Mr.. Seymour on the subject
In general view Of our active relations with th
several governments Of Europe since the 4th March
1853, no negotiations Of any Importance have
transpired. My instructions under the orders Of th
President, were addressed to two great objects -
First, to the introduction Of democratic republican
court costume among the royal reunions OF the
courts of Europe; and secondly TO the preservation
Of the policy Of mastery inactivity pending tn
existing crisis in European affairs wise navigator
sailing along an unknown coast, does not care "a
make the land in the fog Mr.. Buchanan has in
structions TO take up the fishery question any oi
the several pending matters Of negotiations upon
Peruvian guano, the affairs Of Central America
Cuba, Hayt, the Daren ship canal and the bro sd po
Icy OF free trade, at his convenience, as may best
suit the convenience Of the British cabinet. We have
thus far no advices from him that he has broken
ground upon any of these questions; batwe are Ia
pec alton by every steamer of important dispatches
The general instructions to Mr. Mason, our Minis
ter at the Court Of st. Clond, comprehend the In.
poitant duties OF vganty observing the manoeuvres
of Napoleon iii. and the Empress, In reference to
Spain and the Island Of Cuba. The French En-
peror is suspected of secret design of overtannR
the present government at Madrid, with the view OF
subscribing the interests Of the family OF the Empress
and his own dynasty. There is also reason to believe
that Prince Albert and the Queen Of England, as well
~ Lord Palmerston, are parties to these designs,
common object Of this secret coalition being to cu