The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-01-30

administrations ana lItsSttl blldb uOsblllbN III
so open a manner as 10 astonish Americans and
10 leave a very bad impression on Europeans.
He adds, that you do not pretend TO conceal
your disgust, he says you style It, at the
Presidents whole conduct: that you despse
American Democracy, and loudly proclaim that
an English gentleman is the model of human
perfection: that the President has deserted his
pledges and principles IN common with Mr.
Seward, who, you say, is hoplessly degraded.
Your denial or connrmatlOn OF the truth OF
these reports is requested
am, sir; your obedieRt servant s......
TO J, Iothrop Motley, Esq - ,
MIR. Motley to Mr.. Seward
LEGATION or THE UNITED STATES vienna.
Dec II, lS66.-Hon. William II. Seward, Secre-
Lary Of State-Sr:-An hOur or two ago | re-
eeived a letter from you, dated 2lst of Novem-
form me that citizen of the United states has
addressed a letter to the President from Paris,
stating that in the course of the last year che
had had occasion to see something of our Minis
teTs and COnsus in various countries; that most
OF those whom he met were bitterly hostile 10
the President and his administration, ana eX-
pressed that hostility in so open manner as to
astonish Americans, and to leave very bad
impression on Europeans"
With this opening paragraph, relating gene
rally to the United States Ministers and Consuls
abroad, have nothing especial to do. Other
gentlemen are fully competent to answer for
themselves. You proceed TO say:-"He adds
that you do not pretend to conceal your disgust,
as he says you style 1t, at the Presidents whole
conduct; that you despise American demo-
cTacy, and loudly proclaim that an English
gentleman is the model of human perfection;
that the President has deserted his pledges and
principles, in common with Mr.. Seward, who,
you say, is hOpelessly degraded You conclude
by requesting me to deny or confirm the truth
of these reports.
My first impulse on reading the letter was to
content myself with fiat denial of their truth.
On little further reflection, however, do not
wish that there should be doubt as to my poll
tical sentiments, As a representative of the
foreign policy of the GOvernm ment have done
my best faithfully TO discharge my duties in
strict conformity with my instructions. In the
conflict OF opinions in regard to home ques-
tiOns, especially that Of reconstruction, my
views have never been asked for by the United
States Government, and should have consi-
dered II unbecoming and supertluous to volun-
teer public declaration of them; as certainly
should have deemed IL my duty to express
them frankly whenever they were officially
demanded / do not understand that / am
even now directly questioned on the subject,
but after reading your letter, owe it to myself
I have always believed 1: necessary that
strong guarantees should be taken against the
recurrence of the Rebellion, and the re-estab-
llshment OF some form of slavery. before the
seeded States should be readmitted to repre-
sentation in Congress; Latterly have in
clined to the opinion that the noblest and the
safest course would be by amendment to the
Constitution, prohibiting distinction of race or
color in regard to the attainment of tue fran
chise, together with a general amnesty to be
pronounced by the President. These opinions
In the privacy of my own household and to-
occasional American visitors, have not con-
cealed. The great question now presenting
itself for solution demands the conscientious
country, and believes in the human progress Of
which That country is one of the foremost re-
presentatives.
have never thought, during my residence at
Vienna that because have the honor of being
puDuc servant Of the American people, am
deprived of the right of discussing, within my
own walls, the grave subjects that can interest
freemen A minister of the United States does
deeply interested as others in all that effects
the welfare of his country.
In conversation with such of my colleagues
on of
interested IN our politics, / have uniformly
stated that the conflict of opinions now pre-
Haslling s IN the United states, was inevitable in
d aIee couhJryi tnat such discussions were the
very evidences of our freedom and of our capa-
city to govern ourselves; that to silence discus
SION belonged TO despots, not to a republican
government like ours, and that had entire
iteith ith that the American people would ultl-
mateIy settle all disputed questions with ius-
ttce. have always been cautious hoyvaveg i'm
sucn considerations, to avoid any eXpsessions
of disrespect towards the PresideEt and Ms Iia
Dlnet. nave uniformly stated that in our own
country the people We're not only theOreticaIly
@ @DuT i RIaJ'IoalIy soVerelgni and that when great
was made to the ballot-box. ''''' "PPe"'
have steadily expressed the opinion that the
PRESIDENT ana Congress would be reconciied
after the people should have pronounced thei,
solemn verdict, and / have added that ali ner
ties in the United States, as believed bonasti,
desired and required the re-establishment %
the Union, however they might differ as 10 I'M,
WiSest means of securing it, This is the way in
which have been in the habit of speaking
oHclally or semi-Officially; and this is my repli
10 the charges contained in your letter, so Ia
as they regard in any way the President of III
United States That 81 despise American de
mocracy, and loudly proclaim that an Englis
gentleman is the model of human perfection
is so pltiful fabrication that blush while
denounce IL,
Any one personally acquainted with me, q
who has taken the trouble to read my writing
whether official or historical, must know that
more tervent believer in American democrac
than am does not exist in the world MY eS
pressions of reverence for the American peop
during these hve heroic years have erred If
all on the side Of enthusiasm, arA have ofte
seemed 10 the skeptical lsomewhatexrayagant
scorn TO longer on the contemplate le charg
That i have called "Mr Seward hOpelesSi
degraded" is a vile calumny, ana it wounds Ir
deeply that you could listen for a moment
such falsehood In conclusion have only
add, that beg herewith respectfully to resig
my post as United States Minister at Vienna,
am, sir, your obedent servant,
j, LATHRoP MOTLEY