Daily national Democrat., 1861-10-17
Letter from Secretary Seward Relative TO
w. Ill. Russelis Times Conespoh-
DEPARTMENT OF STATE.
MAsIiINnroN. Sent u.

AsHlNGlON, EtI't -
Many intelligent aud patriotic ci'izers
hayerpplied to me ly memorial, asking l'e
attention of the Government to what tney
renfesent az treasonnble matter contained III
a letter bearing the date OF Washington
August 10th. published in the London lines
aud they express their conviction that the
statements made ia Tint communication are
untrue and that il i the design OF TIE writer
to bring the credit aud fame Of this Govern
meut into ,Iisrepute IN foreign countries
1t has been II habit of the Government OF
The United states to take no notice of repre-
.entntinns. however obnoxious, made 10y the
press of foreign nations, or even injurious
utterances made bv Ministers or other agents
for foreign powers in the ordinary transac-
lion Of their own affairs. The Government.
on the contrary, has hitherto recognized as
worthy of il. observation only the language
and the action OF the executive organs ot
/ fore ign States.
| For myself, confess that | have not read
the publication complained Of and | am
quite sure that it has not arrested the atten-
non of any other member of the AdmlnlS'ra-
ton. engro<sed we all necessarily are win
urgent public duties and cares. However
erroneous the facts or the interferences ol
the writer may be, they nevertheless stand
on his own individual authority, whlie the
whole pntrotic press of our own country Is
fee. and is inteieste to refnte them
The Government of the United States de-
pends not upon the favor or good will OF
foreign nations, but upon the just support OF
the American people Its credit and its fame
seem to me now more than ever heretofore is
safe in their keeping.
If it be assumed that the obnoxious paper
may do harm here, is it not a sufficient reply
that probably not fifty copies OF the London
Times ever find their way to our shores Ii
it be said, gain, that the obnoxious commu-
nication has been widely published in the
United States, it seem to me sufficient re-
joinder that the censure of n magnanimous
Government in that case ought to fall on
those of its own citizens who reproduce the
libel, rather than know the foreigner who
wrote it exclusively for remote publication
Finally. interference with the press even in
the case of an existing insurrection, can be
justified only on the ground of public danger
do not see any such danger in the present
case, even if one foreigner does pervert our
hospitality TO shelter himself in writing in
furious publications against us for foreign
press. A hundred other foreigners as intel
ligent, as virtuous. and as respectable as he
10 "iS b"i'l GIL oiiiiS5 ohShlSNi'SS l" Wv 90
of the United States, to defend and main
tain the Union. as the chief hope of human
ity in all countries and for all ages. Could
there be a better illustration of the great
fundamental truth of our system, that error
of opinion may safely be tolerated when
reason is left free to combat it?
(Signed) WV. II. SEWARD.
As nearly all the leading Union papers in
the country are in the habit of copying the
letters of that immense person "W. II. Rus,
sci, L L. d, Barrster at Law, correspond
ent of the London Times" etc, etc, etc, we
think the "many intelligent and patriotic
citizens" who have been annoying Secretary
Seward in regard TO W. H. r. would have
shown their good sense by first remonstrat
ing with American journals which furnish
their readers with the Unreasonable matter
complained Of We ethink the efforts Of such as
Russell 10 ridicule our Government, and those
who are fighting to preserve it, only tend
to intensity the national spirit of our people.
Mr.. Seward says, in effect, that when the
public safety demands interference with the
press, such interference is justifablc, but not
otherwise. He is of the opinion that "in the
present case Chat of Russell) no Interference
isnecessary. is We believe he is right Let
the bloated vagabond Russell, rail on against
the great Republic. He is serving his mast
ers. He sees better society in this country
than he ever was permitted to associate with
in his own, and will be as insolent while here
as he is sycophantc and humble when stand
ing with uncovered head in the presence of
some other John Ball little higher up the
ladder Of gentility in !" Merrie England.n