The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1855-10-18
A M1sCHIEvoUs MISREPRESENTATION

From the following article in the WASHING.
ton Union, it will be seen how grossly that M.
per misrepresents the London Times. for tba
purpose of excusing its pro-Russian sympathies
and stirring up an anti-English excitement.
Semi ofRcial.-From the Union
Mr.. Mason at Notre Ddme-We are not ii,
posed to credit the statement, which we 500 :.
some OF the newspapers, that Mr.. Mason. orr
worthy and accomplished Minister to Fran
was in ATTENDANCE in his representative canac;,,
at the late Ie Deum at Notre Dame. in Par
in honor of the fall of Sebastopol. AS the rar,
resentative of neutral Power it seems 10 ne
impossible that Mr.. Mason could have overlooI
ed the improperly Of such an act so far as 70
compromit his Government by his ATTENDANCE
In his representative capacity. 1t is hardly 70
be supposed that he will allow the illusions 70
the occurrence in the public prints to pas,
without explanation, and therefore we shall as.
sumo either that the statement of his attend
ance is unfounded, or that he has a plausible
explanation for whatever course he deemed !,
proper to pursue. 1t would be a coincidoncs
much to be regretted, if it should turn out that
whilst Mr.. Mason was giving additional eclgt 10
the celebration of the fall of Sebastopol in Paris
the editor of the London Times should he in.
diting sentiments and suggestions like the foI.
lowing:
A few years ago, TIE Americans seized =
province of their weak neighbors: an alliance
Of France and England toas projected. ,rL;cb
II carried ont, acOuid hare inc0loed the Jai,g
IN a long and dangerous struggle The Rus.
slams occupied similarly situated TERRITORY;
the alliance was complete, is most powerful.
and may last TO interfere an tie affairs of
Transatlantic Turkey"
Our Government has maintained a strict nep.
trality in regard to the Eastern war, but our
people cannot overlook such threats as those
made by Lord Clarendon and the Emperor Ma.
poleon, and now repeated by the London Times:
and they cannot fail to give a decided direction
to American sympathies. We repeat, that we
shall regret exceedingly if Mr. Mason shall
have forgotten the relations of strict neutrality
to which his Government is committed in the
manner indicated in the newspapers: but I'm.
til more correctly advised, we look with conf
dence to satisfactory explanation of the oc.
currence.
Now, as We showed last week, the extract
quoted from the London Times is taken from
paragraph in that paper, in which the SYM
pathy for Russia in this country is attributed
to certain fancful analogies " between Russia
and the United States; and among these are,
the alliance which is said to have been project.
ed when the question of Texas annexation was
under consideration, and the existing alliance,
which, it is conjectured, "may last long enough
to interfere in the affairs Of transatlantic Tur
key" The Union attributes these sentiments
and suggestions" to the London Times, when,
in fact, the Times ascribes them to American
statesmen, and finds in them an explanation
of the dislike to the Allied Powers, cherished
by Americans. So far from that paper enter.
tanning or sanctioning them, it SAYS expressly
that they are " fancjul," "oJrioasly too iD,agi
nary to be the cause Of more than pamphlets
and orations."
The New York Times, in which this misrep.
resentation first appeared, has retracted it
promptly, thus showing that it arose from mis-.
understanding. We shall see whether the
Union will manifest like respect for truth
and fair dealing.
We are not particularly interested for the
reputation Of the London Times, but we do not
like to see bad feeling engendered between ma,
tons by careless or wicked misrepresentation.
The press could employ its columns to better
purpose than in misleading the People of this
country in regard to the real sentiments of for
eipn nations