The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1855-03-25
rHE soULE AND PERRY LETTERS.

THE sOULE AND PERRY LETTERS.
An article appeared in the Eational hsgeer Of III,
10Th inst in regard to certain letters that passed betweer
Mr. soul6 and his secretary OF legation Mr. Perry under
stood to be on file ia the State Department but which did
ot accompany the documents transmitted TO Congress by
he President just before lis Close known as athe 0stend
correspondence Mr.. soult replies to the article In tho
Ba.lse, and that Journal Of yesterday contains the
reply as follows
NEw YoRk, MErRoPolTAS HorEt,
March ~, 1855
r. a. Editors y tks Nati0Aai TaisRigsnesrs
AEssRs EDroEs Ny attention has just been called TO
republication which appeared in your number Of the 18th
instant of an article from the New York Times Of the nth
,uding 10 certain surreptous correspondence, held II
ould seem between II. T. Perry esq my secretary olega
ton Al Madrid and the Department OF State at Washington
and enclosing letters which had passed between that gentle
man and subsequent to my departure from Spain in
August last.
houla have avoided noticing Its contents but when the
grave nteigeneer hesate not to transfer it to its columns
may well what scruPiss had against thrusting
myself on the attention Of the public, and be permitted to
hazard a WORT isanswer.
The article III the Times inmates that my and
discretion since nv return ashingtou could only be In
ducd b. the apprehension that the above correspondence
should be the public and you, srs, not only seem to
endorse intmaon but strive to make IL more sgnh
much interest 10 be withheld from your readers for al
though it be calculated myst light may be
thrown the subject"
had imagined that your keen sight Messrs. Editors,
could hardly obscured BY the ms Of such narrative
As have know that very early and long be-
fore the date publication in the Times you had obtained
access TO the very papers alluded to in it. You ought from
their perua have acquired the conviction that could in
no manner object their being exposed to the public gaze.
You certainly might any time, have obtained my a for
giving them eatrs TO your readers.
If Il be true that secretary of legation in the very
man had taken my bosom, though he belonged not to my
political creed had spy and traitor 1t viii hurt
me to the world know how he carried the infamous
trade.
Please sirs insert this letter your number and
lieve me your very humble and obedent servant,
PIERRE s0ULE.
The IasRigeaeer comments on Mr. Sou6s letter as fol-
lows:
snce Mr. Soule has thought proper admit the exist
nce of the correspondence alluded by the article of the
New ork Times, copied into the Inteigencer, might
rgo any the letter which he has done
the address but il may not be improper for
Us make remarks upon it. First did not
obtain to the correspondence referred copy Of
voluntarily but confdentiay placed in hands for
perusa in February (not, however BY Mr. Perry, with
whom we had correspondence direct indirect)
and respected that confidence by absainng from ref
the letters until found the statement in the New
York Journal Secondly, in copying the Timess article
excluded those personal passages which supposed Mr.
Sou could take just exception to- Thirdly the
pondence in possession it would have been
idle would have been impenent and unprecedented
ask Mr. Soule's fiat for its publication; had we any
tive for novel step, had to doubt that
correspondence woud due time be sent to Congress
with the other papers the subject of Spanish rela
ions"
The exact character of the correspondence between
Messrs Soue and Perry does not appear from anything
tn nm
appear however that the letters in the State Depart
ment II is fair presume either that they entirely of
private and personal character and therefore not regard
ed official papers; il official papers as seems
be assumed by the fnteliigeacer that their con-
tents such that it not deemed compatible with
the public interests to give to the public Whatever
be their character land have reason to suppose that
they really private and personal etters Mr. Soue ex-
presses his entire willingness have them published and
thereby eectua and destroys the insnuaon that
they suppressed by the administration for the purpose
Of appeasng and conciating Mr. Soule The fact that
correspondence regarded by the Hgeneer as official and
Of so much consequence that its suppression deemed i'm
portant by the administration Mr. Soult should be
unfairly but confdraly placed in the hands editors for
perssdi will naturally provoke inquiry and criticism II
the copy thus placed in the hands of the editors came from
the State Department, (which cannot for a moment
credit the act constitutes breach of duty which will
scarcely be allowed go unrebuked On the other hand
Mr. Perry has forwarded copy friend in Wash
ngon who has placed it in the hands Of the editors of the
ieaeneer for perusal (which regard probable it
seems 10 US that the administration could hardly do less
hah visit Mr. Perry with its prompt dispeasure But how
ever the fact may turn out to be- it is clear that Mr.
Souie has had agency in the breach of confidence
VoiTed in the transaction but he is fully usfabe
N indicating himself by giving publicity to the whole
correspondence We infer from the tone of his letter to the
heHe that he win not hesitate adopt this mode Of
viudicang himself