The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1855-03-29

demonstrations on the part Of Spain, he says
there is nothing serious in them. She is with
out means and credit. She has no fear that
the policy suggested by the President will be
carried out, and "hence her resistance to our
| Just demands" He is anxious to know what
Congress will do; he could not think Of retain
ing post where he must "behold the con-
temptuous insolence' which his discontinue
and that of the Administration would be sure
to produce.
June 10th, he writes, that the newspapers in
Spain delight in disparagng our Government,
and praising their own. Of course, this is 8
patriotic usage in most countries. He is tor
tured with anxiety about the relations between
the two countries, and the part he is supposed
to have had in bringing them to crisis"
He is anxious to know whether the intimations
in American newspapers, of dissatisfaction on
the part of the Cabinet, be well founded.
June 10Th, he refers to letter of Mr. Marcy,
of the oath ult, and is concerned to find in
it not the least intimation of the light in which
| is viewed by the Cabinet the course / had to
pursue, under your guidance, in the Black
Warrior affair" This letter of the Secretary
does not appear in the correspondence trans
mitted to Congress. Mr.. Soule proceeds to
complain of his doubtful position; of the i'm
preston beginning to prevail that he has tran
scended his instructions and that the difficult
ty is to be adjusted by disavowing his acts.
He demands light upon the subject Again
he animadverts on the hesitancy of Congress
to meet the President on his high ground
which 81 has surely been injurious to our repu
tation for character"
June oath, he writes, that the Presidents
proclamation against the flibusters 1" is con-
sidered by many a disingenuous mode of mask
ing designs which they suppose it were scan
dial to lay bare to the gaze of the world and
that the rumored appointment Of commission
ers is viewed as an act of condescension, and
as involving his resignation. 1t suggests to him
the idea of his being another Walter Raleigh,
sacrificed to the vindictive exigencies of
naughty camari1la, for having offended its
pride, while acting by the express orders and
under the commission of its Government
We do not wonder at the anxiety or appre
hension of Mr.. Soule. That he had trans
cended his instructions is plain that he had
precipitated crisis, which Mr.. Marcy only in
tended to prepare, is undeniable; but, he be-
lieved he was acting only in harmony with the
spirit of his instructions, that the Administr.
ton intended belligerent measures, and he con-
Quoted himself accordingly. Nor was he mis-
taken. Mr.. Marcy explicitly says, in his des-
patch Of March 18th, "that the outrage lin the
Black Warrior case) is Of such a marked char
acter that this Government would be justified
in demanding immediate satisfaction Of the
wrong done at the Havana, and in case of
their REFUSAL in taking redress into its own
hands" Accompanying the despatch was the
copy of a message from the President to Con-
gress, laying before it the particulars of the
outrage, expressing little hope that satisfac
ton would be made; announcing his purpose
should it be refused, Ito use the authority and
means which Congress may grant to insure the
observance of our just rights, to obtain redress
for injuries received, and to vindicate the hon.
or of our flag" In anticipation of such a con-
tngency he recommends to Congress to adopt
! such provisional measures as the exigency NAV
seem to demand. Among these measures, we
recolect, was the placing at his disposal some
ten millions of dollars. Now all this meant.
'car. The outrage would have justified us in
taking redress into our own hands-we will.
however, make an appeal to Spain-if satisfac-
! ton be refused, we will satisfy ourselves
invest me, then, with the requisite power.
This was the language Of the Administration
and Judging from the servility of Congress in
the Nebraska matter, it confidently calculated
upon favorable response to its suggestions.
Mr.. Soule, more intent on the spirit than the
letter of his instructions, and sympathizing
with the Administration in its confidence,
forgot the necessary caution of a diplomatist,
and put himself in position where, if Con-
gress failed to meet the expectations of the
President, his acts must be practically disa-
vowed, or the Administration go to war on its
own responsibility. While, therefore, we blame
the hot haste of Mr.. Soule, let us not forget
that the President and his counsellors were
still more blameworthy, in so eagerly availing
themselves Of an occasion to quarrel with
Spain, and wrest Cuba from her grasp.
The refusal of Congress to A." meet the Presi.
dent on his high ground saved the country
from war; and the President and his Secretary
found it necessary to save themselves even at
the cost of virtually sacrificing their too willing
minister.
Mr.. Marcy was obliged to submit to the de-
lays Of negotiation, and to seek by the pen,
what it had been hoped the sword might COM
mand. Hence, the despatch already alluded
to, of the 24th June, able, argumentative con-
elusive, but breathing no longer threatening
and slaughter. The style of the letter is cred
table to his craftsmanship, and the closing
paragraph shows how completely the President
had changed his mode of procedure:
The President is unwilling to resort to any
| extreme measures to bring about better state
of things in respect to the island of Cuba, and
| has therefore determined to make a solemn
and he hopes effectual, appeal to Spain, for
the purpose of adjusting all questions which
now embarrass our relations with her. and to
make, if practicable, such arrangements for
the future, as will give enduring character
of permanence and friendliness to these rela-
TONS"
After this evidently moderate declaration,
we are not surprised at his announcing to Mr..
Soule-" the President does not, therefore, ex-
pect you will at present take any further steps
in relation to the outrage in the case Of the
Black Warrior"
Accompanying this long letter, is another,
dated 4th June, intended only for the eye of