The Abbeville banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1847-1869, 1856-06-12
DEBATE IN THE SENATE.

course with the Minister Pieuipotcntiary Of
Great britain having been read, together
with the last communication of Mr.. Marcy
to Mr. Dallas
Mr.. Mason moved that the Message and
accompanying documents he referred to the
Committee OH Foreign Relations, and be
printed.
Mr.. Cass said: have listened will, plea
sure to tho reading of the despatch OF the
Secretary OF State. 1t is a powerful and
conclusive analysis Of the whole case 1t
appears to me that the honor of the coun-
Try impcratirrsy required the dismissal Of
this officer. My desire is to have the facts
spread before the people.
Mr.. Mason. | read, as doubtless other
Senators did, with great care and tlclibera-
ton, the despatch which the British Secre-
tary for Foreign Affairs, Lord Clarendon,
has written i'll reply to tile demand made
hy this Government for the recall of Mr.
Crampton, the British Minister and to
which the despatch! of Mr.. Marcy, just read
ut your table. is IN answer WAS graft
fled to find that its tone WAS temperate
courteous, and conciliatory. 7. contained
- full, unrcscrvc,l, and unqualified dis
claimer of all intended offence OH the part
language which struck me us peculiarly
emphatic and well suited to the occasion.-
So far as the act Of its Minister here was
concerned, the despatch stated in substance
that the contents Of Mr.. Marcy's letter had
been made known to him for the purpose
Of explanation, ami that his own Govern
mcnt WAS satisfied that tlleir Minister had
no desire or purpose TO commit any nfrac-
tlon Of our laws or any dsrespcct to our
sovereignty.
The whole despatch Of Lord Clarendon,
as | have said, WAS conciliatory, and, us |
thought, well and justly conceived; =; but it
contained no special response directed to
the demand of this Government. The
British Government did not say whether it
would or would not recall its Minister; and
| construed it TO mean :lia! if, us was stated
in the despatch Of Mr.. Marcy. there yet
remained an opinion in the American Gov
ernmcnt that the British Minister here WAS
unacceptable to it, they did not feel them.
selves at liberty to intcrposc further SO
construed it.
The very interesting and allie document
which has just been read, am gratied to
find, is of the same character with the DIES.
patch to which 1t is an answer. 1t, too,
IS temperate, calm, aud conciliatory. It
receives, i'll the spirit in which it was offered
the disclaimer on the part Of the British
Government, and | conf.ss for myself
thought it due. After rccapitulatinr the
proofs duplicating the British Minister here
III acts dlscourtcous to the country, which,
whether SO designed uT not. were iii tlcror:,-
ti"n ct the sovereignty Of the country it
was intended, as l understand, to show the
British Government that our sellrespect
required the original demand should he
carried into execution. The British Gov
ernmsnt w"s therefore informed that the
lr..i h Mi lister continued unacceptal /, in
this country, without any inputations OIL
him as Il gentleman Or rs Il Minister repre-
sentIng in his own Judgment, rs he cor
sdercd, i'll the best illanncr, tho interests
Of his own country.
Great Britain has been Informed that, be.
cause of the relations which he had establish
cd here, he must continue unacceptable to
lis, and probably could not he useful to his
own Government. While know, from the
temper of our people, and believe know
from the dispositions of the present Adj
'ninlstration, nothing could be further from
their purpose or design than to commit
any dsconr!cSy to the British Government,
hope, from the character of the CORES
pondcnce, no discourtcsy will lie inferred.
can sec none in the temper of the paper,
and can see ncne i'll the occasion but
am free to declare rs u Senator (and thus
participating i'll the Governmcnt) that, ul,-
der the circumstances existing, under the
proofs connecting the British Minister with
the cnIIstments for the foreign legion OF
Great Britain, however he may not have
designed it-and take this disclaimer as
it has been given to us, however, he may
not have designed to complicatc himself
with question which would be offensive
to our country or a disregard to our laws
the fact remains that lie did so and there
Is no alternative on the part Of this Gov
efnment but to dispense will lis further
residence among lis. can see no cause il,
the world even to ALLEVIATE the two countries
shall have misapprebendcd the despatcl,
of Lord Clarendon if it will not he received,
as it was intended, to place this subject at
the disposal OF onr Government, without
constituting the dismissal of their Minister
into any discourtesy whatever.
Mr.. Cass. Ny friend from VIRGINIA in
tended to move for the printing of an extra
number Of Mr.: Marcy's despatch, but he
omitted to do it, and now suggest that it
is measure which ought to be taken. The
despatch is a very important one. have
already expressed my qualification at its
tenor, at its logical purport, and at its
general character. II is written with great
power, aud III a tone Of courtesy becoming
our Government in its diplomatic inter,
tccourse.
The suspension or interruption of diplo-
matte relations between two countries is n
very ordinary event in the intercourse OF
nations, and cannot lead 10 war unless one
or the other Of the pa'ties is determined
upon that extreme measure. No lust cause
of war can arise out of such m act. III
the first place, the British, Government
should not visit its displcasure upon our
Minister i'll London 5y disnissing him.
There IS no pretcxt for it. 1t is, believe,
tie comfy OF nations that when u minis