The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1866-08-22

TIC hmascuhaSua8 Toascy 81 MR. seward
We publish to-day State paper addressed
by Secretary Seward to General Fitzpatrick
our Minister to Chile. The document d
furnished BY our Washington correspondent
and was, no doubt, obtained from the State
Department-perhap from Mr.. Seward him
SELF Tn o1lcial communication has reference
to the action Of the United States legation at
Valparaiso during the cruel bombardment OF
that city by the Spanish squadron, and ID about
as ambiguous and long-winded a. most OF
Stewards diplomatic correspondence. In the
main It il an approval Of the do-nothing policy
which General Fitzpatrick was instructed by the
State Department to pursue upon that occa-
sion, when an unprotected city Of neighbor-
ing republic was being battered down and the
interests Of American citizens were imperilled.
1t Is not easy to comprehend exactly thu neces-
sity for al the circumlocution which Mr..
Seward employs to cover this general ground.
That he intends to apologize in q roundabout
way for the emasoulating foreign policy Of the
State Department, Il quite apparent That
there Is much need Of apology and explains
ton to satisfy the American public upon this
score, is also evident From the beginning Of
his official career Seward has evinced q spirit
of toadyism in his dealings with foreign
Powers wholly unworthy Of the great nation he
represents. We saw the first evidence Of 1t in
the Slidell and Mason case II the British gov
ernment had then been boldly met, its course
towards us would have been very different and
the war would have been terminated two years
earlier; for John Bull, like all DULLES, is a
coward. We saw the same spirit again in the
controversy with the Russell Clarendon minis
try about the Shenandoah and Alabama claims,
when Seward permitted himself to be shut up by
the British Foreign Secretary upon the plea that
"the arguments were exhausted" In his deal
ings with Macmillan in Mexico he has been
equally dilatory and weakened, and if the
settlement Of the Mexican usurpation were left
to the Secretary Of State we should never see
the end ofit But President johnson has for
tunately taken this matter into his own hands,
and by his proclamation declaring the block
ade Of Matamoros nullity he has brought the
question of tho Austrian Archduke's authority
to climax. 1t is clear, therefore, that the
Presidents idea Of what should be our foreign
policy does not tally with the toadying, emascu-
lating process Of Mr.. Seward; The Secretary
may live in foolscap, but Andy Johnson will
live in facts. The Secretary writes illimita-
BILE platitudes, but the President deals In
prompt and fruitful action.
The communication addressed to the Ameri-
can Minister in Chile is but lame and diluted
argument to prove that the United States gov
eminent Ia not aggressive in its policy, which
is fact patent to all the world; but, sup
pose that General Fitzpatrick and Commodore
Rodgers had been allowed 70 interpose
tho authority Of this government between
the Spanish guns and the city Of VAL
paraiso, for the protection OF the American
merchants resident there, would it have
been regarded a. An aggressioni What are
the fleets Of maritime nations stationed in
foreign ports for, except to protect the int
rests Of their resident citizens or subjects In
case Of undue assaults or injustice Of any kind
There can be very little doubt that had our
diplomatic representative and the commander
Of the naval station followed their own In
stincts, 10 the utter disregard Of instructions
from Mr.. Seward, tho whole country and the
rest Of the civilissd world-not including
Spain-would have ratified the deed with .
universal verdict Of approval. Mr.. Stewards
intended defence Of his own policy, in
this communication to General Fitzpatrick, IL
quite Characteristic Of the Facilitating manner
in which the foreign affairs Of the country have
been conducted while In his hands.