Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1867-02-14
The Motiey-sewsrd Correspondence.
DEPARTMENT. OF STATE,


MR.. SEWARD TO MIR. MOTLEY.
DEPARTMENT. STATE,
"a WASHINGTON Nov. u, 1855. {
SIR,1LA citizen of the United States
has addressed letter to the President.
from Paris, in which he represents that
he had travelled extensively in Europe
during the past year, in the course of
which he had occasion to see something
OF our Ministers and Consuls in various
countries. The most of those be met
were bitterly hostile to the President and
his administration, and expressed. that
hostility IN soopcn manner rs to aston-
ish Americans and leave a very, 'badsim-
preston on Europeans. He adds, that
you do not pretend 10 conceal f'tyour dis
gust, as he says ven style 1t, at, the1
Presidents whole conduct. That youA
despise American democracy, and loudly
proclaim that al. English gentleman is
the model of human perfection. That
the President has deserted his pledges
and principIes in common with Mr.. Sew
ard, who you say is hopelessly degraded.
Your denial or confirmation Of the truth
of these reports is requested. ,,.i f5It|
am, Sir, your obedient servant, q
VIA l. rs WILLIAM III. SEWARD.
TO J. LATHRor MOTLEY, ESQ. lon
MIR. MOTLEY TO Nfs. SEWARD. d u"
LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES, s.,
...... .... VIENNA, Dec. II, 1866. u
Hon. W., III. Se,0drd, Secretary of State:
SIR,--An hour or two ago received a
letter from you dated November 2l, 1896,
to'which hasten to reply. You inform
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 g he had occasion To see some
thing % our Ministers and Consuls in
various countrics that most of those
whom he met were bitterly hostile to the
President and the administration, and
expressed that hostility in so open
manner as to astonish Americans and to
leave a very bad impression on Europe
ans" With the opening paragraph, re-
lating generally to the United States
Ministers and Consuls abroad, / have
nothing especial TO do. Other gentlemen
are fully competent to answer for them
selves. You proceed to say: He adds
that you do not pretend to conceal your
disgust as he says you style it, at the
Presidents whole conduct; that you de-
spise American democracy, and loudly
proclaim that an English gentleman is
the model of human perfection !; that the
President has deserted the 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. 'l
NV first impulse on receiving the let
| ter was to content myself with n fiat de-
NAL of their truth On little further
reflection, however, / do not wish that
there should be any doubt as to my politi-
cal sentiments as representative Of the
foreign politics Of the Government. |
have done my best faithfully to discharge
I,,ft Too tn OF fiof nnnfpfrnitU with 1yIV
instructions. In 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 1t unbecoming and super
fiuous to volunteer public declaration of
them as certainly should have deemed
it my duty to express them frankly when
ever they were officially demanded. i
do not understand that l am even now
directly questionedon the subject; but
self to say few words. have always
believed 1t necessary that strong guran
| tees should be taken against orecurrence
of the rebellion md the establishment of
some form of slavery before the seeded
States should be readmitted TO represen-
tation I'm Congress. Latterly IRminclin-
ed to the opinion that the nOblest and
the safest course would be by an amend
ment of the Constitution, prohibiting the
distinction of race or color in regard to
the attainment of the franchise, together
with general amnesty to be proclaimed
by the,President. These opinions in the
privacy of my own household and to an
occasional American visitor / have not
concealed. '''l'l'"'' q -iia n',- '"
The great question now presenting
itself for solution demands cOnscicn-
tious scrutinizing by every American
who loves his country and believes in the
human progress of which that country Is
one of the foremost representatives. Il
have never thought during my residence
ut Vienna that because i have the honor
of being u public servant of the Ameri-
can people i am deprived of discussing
within my own walls the gravest subject
that can interest freemen. A Minister
of the United States Is as deeply inter-
ested as others in all that affects the well
fare of his country. In conversation
with such of my colleagues or members
of the Government here as were interest
ed In our politics have uniformly stated
that the conflict of opinions now prevail
ing in the United States was inevitable
In free country. That such discussion
was the very evidence of our freedom
and of our capacity to govern ourselves.
pets, and not republican government
iike ours and that had entire faith that
the American people would settle all dis
puted questions with justice. | have
always been cautious, however, In such
considerations, to avoid any expressions
of disrespect toward the President or his
Cabinet. / have uniformly stated that
In our own country the people was not
only theoretically but practically SOW
ereign, and that when great political
questions were to be solved appeal was
made to the hallot-box. / have steadily
expressed the opinion that the President
and Congress would be reconciled after
the people should have pronounced their
solemn verdict; and / have added that
1 all parties In the United States, as ! be-
lieve, honestly desired and required the
re-establlshment of the Union, however
they might differ as TO the wisest means
of securing It, This Is the way In which
i have been In the habit of speaking, Off
cially or semi-otilcially and this Is my
reply to tho charges contained in your
letter, so far as they regard In any way
the President of the United States. r. r,
That " despised American demoera-
cy, and loudly proclaim that an English
gentleman is the model of human perfec-
ton, Is. no pitiful fabrication that !