Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1867-02-06

Mr.. Motley, our Minister at Vienna, on the
subject of reconstruction. Mr. Stewards let
ter is as follows
DEPARTMENT OF STATE
II Washington Nov. 81, 1866. {
SIR A citizen of the United States has
addressed letter to the President, frou Paris,
n which he represents he had travelled extern
sively in Europe during the past year, in the
course of which he had occasion to see some
thing of our Ministers and Consuls in arlous
countries That most of those whom he met
were bitterly hostile to the President and his
Administration. and expressed that hostility
10 so open manner as 10 astonlsh Americans
and leave very bad i'm preston on Europeans.
He adds tina. you do not pretend to conceal
your . disgust as he says you style it, at
the Presidents whole conduct. That you
despise American democracy, and loudly pro-
claim that an English gentleman is The model
of human perfection. That the President has
deserted his pledges and principles in common
with M. Seward, who you say is hopeless
ly degra ded. Your denial or confirmation of
the truth of these reports is requested.
! (Signed) WIN. Ii. SEWARD.
To j. Lathror Motley, Esq.
Mr.. Motleys reply, after acknowledging
the receipt of the letter with the charges con-
tanned 10 it, is this
Ny first impulse on receiving your letter
was to content myself with Int denial of
their truth On little further reflection i,
however, | do not wish that there should be
doubt as to my political sentiments as rep
resentative of the foreign politics of the Gov
ernment | have done my bet faithfully to
discharge my duties in strict conformity with
my instructions. ln the conflict of opinions
in regard to home questions, especially that
of reconstruction, my views have never been
asked for by the United States Government,
and | should have considered it unbecomiug
and superhuous to volunteer public DECLARE
ton of them, as certainly should | have Deem
ed it my duty to express them frankly when
ever they were officially demanded. 1 do not
understand that | even now directly
questioned on the subject. but after reading
your letter | owe it 10 myself TO say few
words.
have always believed that strong guaran-
ties should be taken against recurrence of
the rebellion and the establishment OF any
form of Slavery before the seeded states
should be re-admittsd to represe ltatl0n IN
Congress Lat'erly am inclined TO the
opinion that the noblest and safest course
would be an amendment OF the Constitution,
prohibiting the distinction of race or color IN
regard to the attainment OF the franchise, to-
gether with general amnesty 10 be pro-
claimed by the President These opinions, in
the privacy of my own household, and to an
occasional American visitor, | have not COZ
cealed.
The great question now presenting itself Tor
solution demands a conscientious scrutinizing
by every American who loves his country, and
believes in the human progress OF which that
country is one of the foremos t representatives,
have never thought, during my residence II
Vienna, that, because have the honor OF BE-
ing public servant of the American people,
| am deprived of the right of discussing,
within my own walls, the gravest subject
that can interest freemen. a Minister OF
the United States is as deeply Interested As
others IN all that affects the welfare OF his
country.
4 In conversation with such CT my colleagues
or members of the Government here as were
interested In our DO titles, | have uniformly
stated that the conflict of opinions now pre-
vailing in the United St ties inevitable
in a free country. That such discussion was
, the very evidence of our freedom ami our
capacity to govern ourselves. That to ST.
lence di cussion belongs to desppts, and not
to Republican Government like ours, aud
that | had entire fanh that the American
people would settle all disputed question 5
with Justice. | have always been cautious,
however, in such considerations, TO avoid any
, expression of disrespect toward the Preei len
. or his Cabinet. | have unif ,rmly stated
, that in our own country the people were not
. only theoretically but practically sovereign.
, and that when great political questions were
E to be solved, appeal was made TO the ballot
= box. | have steadily expressed the opinion
that the President and Congress would be
, reconcied after the people should have pro-
nounced its solemn verdict and have added
that all parties In the United States, as
believe honestly, desired and required the
re establishment, of the Union, however they
, might differ as to the wIsest means OF secu-
8 ring it. This the way in which L have
been in the habit of speaking officially or
semi-oficialiy, and this is nv reply to the
charges contained in your letter so tar as
they regard in any way the President of the
United States. That a despise Amerlc IN
democracy and loudly proclaim that an En-
glish gentleman is the model OF human per
lection - is 20 pitiful a fabrication that
blush while l denounce it. Any one person
ally acquainted with me, or who has taken
the trouble to read my writings, whether
official or historical, knows that a more fer
vent believer in American democracy than
am does not exist in the world My ex-
pressions of reverence for the American peo
pie during these few heroic years have erred,
if at all, on the side OF enthusiasm, and
have often seemed to the skeptical somewhat
extravaganza. l scorn to dwell longer on the
contemplate outrage. That | have called
=" MIR. Seward hopelessly degraded is a vile
calumny. and it wounds me deeply that you
could listen for moment to such falsehood.
ln conclusion, | have only to add that
beg herewith respectfully to resign my post
as United States Minister at Vienna.
am, sir, your obedient servant,
| (Signed) j. LATHRoP MOTLEY.
Secretary Seward has. n .he last six years,
done many things which have provoked
sparing condemnation, but this letter to Mr..
Motley is undoubtedly the most inexcasably
bad thing he ever did. 1t is not only mean,
but it is uperlatively so and if Mr.. Motley
had not decla red that the Secretary of State
was "hopslessIy degraded the American
people will not now hesitate to pronounce
that judgment upon him who has made the
information of an anonymous scandal-monger
nent as It is sulting. We can. however,
almost pardon this disgracetul exhibition of
official smartness on the part of Mr.. Seward,
since it has furnished occasion to Mr.. Motley
not only to pillory the Secretary of State, but
the policy which that Official and President
johnson have uade tier jont business for
the past two years. The publication of the
correspondence has also served another good
purpose, as it will prevent the consent of the
Senate to the appointment of the renegade
| Cowau to the position which Mr.. Moselv so
| Indignantly resigned when he found himself 80