Daily union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1865-1866, 1866-06-29
Interesting Diplomatic Cor
respondence.
The policy Of tlie ssegernment towards
Jefferson Davis viewed from an
European Standpoint
The Government and our Expatria-
ted Citizens.
FE MA MS NJ.

The first volume Of the diplomatic cores
pondence, submitted with the Presidents an
nual message last December, has just been
issued from the Government press. Itcovers
six hundred pages, and relates altogether to
Great Britiaa and the United States.
The long time which has elapsed since the
documents were sent to Congress has de-
prived them Of much of the interest which
would have attached to their early publica-
ton. There are, however, some points wor-
thy Of notice.
Mr.. ADAMS on the 18th of June, 1865, in
writing to Acting Secretary Of State Hun
TER, says the intense interest manifested in
the fate of JEFFERSON DAVIS is one of the
phenomena of this remarkable era, and then
adds Carefully disavowing the indulgence
of the slightest acrimonious feeling toward
Mr.. DAVIS or any of his associates, have
expressed the hope that the ends of justice
would be satisfied with the least possible eff
fusion of human blood. We have had
enough of slaughter and of public and pri-
vate misery. Especially had a severe retri-
button already been visited upon these mis-
guided people, who had, by their wanton
obstinacy, brought it all upon the country.
IL even Mr.. DAVIS could be disgraced, and
then suffered TO sink into oblivion without
seriously impairing the force of the example
in the view of later generations, should be
perfectly content. If Mr.. DAVIS, having
under all the safeguards of our laws, under
gone a trial for his ofense, should be proved
guilty, condemned, and sentenced to suffer
the last penalty, the responsibility of inter-
position would then devOlve on the Presi-
dent. | had no doubt that he would meet
it with the dignity and impartiality that be-
came his office. Neither was | disposed to
believe that whatever might be his decision,
if given in the manner indicated, it would be
attended by any Of the evil consequences to
the reputation Of our country, all over civil
lied Europe, which seemed to be matter of
so much concern to our enemies not less
than our friends"
Mr.. SEWARD, in replying to his letter,
says he had read with pleasure Mr. ADAMS
remarks upon the question what penalty
ought to be imposed upon Mr.. DAVIS,
which question is so universally and so earn
estly discussed in Europe. He adds:
" Your sentiments are deemed just and
wise"
This volume contains the correspondence,
etc, relative to the assassination of Presi-
dent LINCOLN, and Mr.. ADAMS transmits to
Mr.. SEWARD very many addresses and reso-
lutions on the subject from all parts of the
kingdom, saying "the interest in this mat
is all but universal"
Mr. SEWARD, under date September 5,
1865, wrote to Mr.. ADAMS" Sir: l have
to inform you, by direction of the President,
that he will neither make promises nor grant
either passports or permits for return to
rebels now abroad. Application for par
dons will be considered only when the per-
sons making them are residing in the United
States; and, in any case, there must be an
unreseIyed, not a conditional, appeal to the
mercy and magnanimity ofthe Government"
Mr.. ADAMS, in letter dated September
las, speaks of his excursion to Ireland, and
while alluding to the secret organization Of
the Fenians, says:
| have never anticipated any difficulty
that would prove serious. The disaifected
class may be large, but it is poor, unarmed,
and generally wanting in the elements of
moral power. Any resolute violence could
end only In the slaughter of thousands with
out the possibility of obtaining a single OBJ
iect. The effect would be merely to play
inio the hands Of their opponents. A far
more dangerous policy would be to keep up
and assiduously extend the secret disafec-
tion, which might perhaps be done by the
aid of American sympathy, until the pro-
crastination of uneasiness should weary the
Government into radical measures, to remove
a constant danger by promoting the trans
portation of the dsatIected poor at the pub
lie expense. In England, few persons con-
slider insurrectiOn a possibility. In Ireland,
few have it ever out of their minds, con-
scious of the existence of the evil, and hope
less of any system of remedy, instead of
thanking America for the relief which emil
grafton gives them, they are disposed to
quarrel with her, because she creates in her
people desire to 60.