St. Charles City Republican intelligencer. [volume] (St. Charles City [Charles City], Iowa) 1857-1861, 1861-04-25

war for annexation under the most
favorable circumstances.
For the honor of my country |
have maintained the falsity and absur-
dirty OF such suppOsitIOn, but to Won,
sir, and before God, | will say that it
is true. Such have been the desires
of Mr.. Soule and such his intentions
That he has thought thus to serve the
interests of the United States, and to
do something to increase their gran
deur and prosperity, cannot doubt.
| cannot permit myself to Judge his
motives otherwise, and it is another
instance of how much political cir
cumstances and passions may come
to warp the judgment of gifted man.
As to the means he has employed,
repeat, the greater part of what is
said and believed in Madrid is evi.
IDENTIFY without foundation. The i'm
portance given to his interposition is
exaggerated Mr.. Soule has not had
the power to do what he is supposed
to have done.
Everything has turned out badly
for Mr. Soule from the beginning
Spain is stronger and the island of
Cuba is more firmly in her grasp to-
day than when Mr.. Soule arrived at
Madrid. A diplomatic system or
course of proceeding which has uni
formly given such unfavorable re-
suits may not unreasonably he con-
sldercd to have been erroneous in its
conception as we'll as faulty in its ex-
ecution
" In entering upon the difficult and
delicate task of conducting the af-
fairs of this legation through the crit
ical interim which has TINS been sud-
denly thrown upon me, have judged
this confidential and full statement of
the conclusion in which | find it, and
of my own ideas, proper for your in
formation, and necessary for the COM
prchcnslon of what l may or may not
do, as it shall hereafter appear in my
official communications.
I" Mr.. Soule has declared that he
does not expect to return, except for
day or two, with the purpose of vio-
iently breaking off diplomatic rcla-
tons with this government. He has
thought of seizing upon the late at
tack of the press on his conduct, and
turning it to this purpose. But the
Spanish government to-day has no
more control over the newspaper press
in Spain, than our government has
over that of the United States nor is
it any more responsible for what may
or may not be published. Besides,
Mr.. Soule has been criticised only in
his capacity as public officer and as
to his conduct of affairs, and the fact
is, the press has done no more than
to print and comment upon what is
said at every corner, and universally
talked about in every quarter.
II sincerely trust that the repose of
his country house in the Pyrenees, and
the improvement of his health, may
cool his judgment and dissipate some
of the bitter feeling his misfortunes
and difficulties here have engendered.
"Should he return for the purpose
referred to, shall act according to
circumstances, and, in case of the last
necessity, throw myself unreservcdly
upon the good sense and patriotism of
the American people, to justify the
conduct which may feel it incum-
bent upon me to pursue.
Ii it has sometimes cost me an
effort to appear of so little under
standing as to be always a blind Sec
rotary of Mr.. Soule, and nothing more,
during the time that the responsibility
of affairs was on his shoulders, | have
ever known that the interests of the
country were less in peril than they
would otherwise have been, because
the bad aspect of matters her. was
attributed chiefly to Mr.. SouIe person.
ally, and not to the United States. |
have always informed him fully of
everything which came to my knowl-
edge interesting to himself or to the
United States, and my duty toward
him as secretary of this legation has
been made easy from his constant and
unfailing kindness and personal agree
ability toward me, for which / am
deeply grateful, and because of which
| have defended him here, and will
defend him always, whenever the SER
vice of my country and the strongest
and noblest sentiments which ever
move the heart Of an American do
not compel me to oppose his course.
You will weigh the value of this
letter in your better Judgment.
! should not address it to you, sir,
if | did not believe it would thus 60
before a statesman as independent
and as just as he is patriotic and far
seeing.
MY hands are clean and my heart
is lightened from this day.
| have the honor, &C.,
\