The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1867-02-01
MR.. SEWARD TO MR.. MOTLEY.

his pledges and principles in common
with Mr.. Seward, who, you say, is
hopelessly degraded.
Your denial or confirmation of the
truth of these reports is requested.
/ am, sir, your obedient servant,
(Signed,) WILLIAM II. SEWARD.
To j. Lathrop Motley, Esq.
Mr. MOTLEY To MR.. SEWARD.
LEGATION OF THE U. s., VIENNA,
Dec. IL, 1S66.-Hon. Wm. H. Seward,
Secretary of State-Sir: An hour or
two ago 1 received 2 letter from you
dated 2lSt November, 1866, to which
hasten to reply. You inform me that a
citizen of the United States has ad-
dressed a letter to the President from
Paris, stating that in the course OF the
last year ''he had had occasion to see
something of our Ministers and Con-
Suls IN various countries. That most
OF those whom he met were bitterly
hostile to the President and his admin
istration, and expressed that hostility
in SO open a manner as TO astonish
Ameicans, and to leave a very bad i'm
preston on Europeans"
With this opening paragraph, rela-
ting generally to the United States
Ministers and Consuls abroad, / have
nothing especial to do. Other gentle
men 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 it, at
the Presidents whole conduct That
you despise American democracy, and
londly proclaim that an English gem
tleman is the model of human perfec-
ton; that the President has deserted
his pledges and principles, in common
with Mr.. Seward, who You say is hope
lessly degraded" You conclude by.
requesting me to deny or confirm the
truth of these reports.
My first impulse on reading the let
ter was to content myself with "a fiat
denial of their truth; on little fur
ther reflection, however, do not wish
litical sentiments. AS a representative
of the foreign policies of the govern
ment have done my best faithfully to
discharge my duties in strict conform
lty with my instructions. In the con-
ftict of opinions in regard to home
questions, especially that of reconstruc-
ton, my views have never been asked
for by the United States Government,
and should have considered it un be-
coming and superfluous to volunteer a
public declaration ofthem, as certainly
l should have deemed it my duty to eE-
press them frankly whenever they were
officially demanded. l do not under
stand that 1 am even now directly
questioned on the subject, but after
reading your letter, 1 owe it to myself
to say u few words. 4
1 have always believed it necessary
that strong guarantees should be taken
against the recurrence of the rebellion,
and the establishment of some form
of slavery, before the seeded States
should be readmitted to representation
in Congress. Latterly / have inclined
TO the opinion that sthe noblest and,sa-
fest course would be by amendment to
the Constitution, prohibiting distinc-
ton of race or color in regard to the at
tainment of the franchise, together
with general amnesty to be pronounce
ed blythe President. These opinions,
in the privacy of my own household,
and to occasional American visitors, !
have not concealed. The great uues-
tion now presenting itself for solution |
demands the conscientious scrutiny of |
every American who loves his country |
and believes in human progress, of |
which that country is one of the fore |
most representatives. a-l
have never thought, during my |
residence at Vienna, that because / /
have the honor of being a public ser |
want of the American people am de- |
prived of the right of discussing, within |
my own walls, the grave subjects that /
can interest freemen. A Minister of 7
the United States does not cease 10 be a /
citizen OF the United States, as deeply /
interested as others in all that affects /
the welfare OF his country.
In conversations with such of my 1
colleagues or members of the govern
ment here, as were interested in our |
politics, have uniformly stated that
the conflict of opinions now prevailing !
in the United States was inevitable in /
a free country; that such discussions |
were the very evidence of our freedom |
and of our capacity togovern ourselves;
that silent discussion belonged TO des- |
pots not to republican government |
like ours, and that had entire faith I
that the American people would ulti- |
mately settle all disputed questions !
with justice. L have always been eau
tious, however, in such conversations I
to avoid any expressions of disrespect |
towards the President and his Cabinet. |
1 have uniformly stated that in our
own country the people were not only 1
theoretically but practically sovereign;
and that when great political questions !
were to be solved, appeal was made to
the ballot box.
/ have steadily expressed the opinion I
that the President and Congress would /
be reconciled after the people should
have pronounced their solemn verdict, /
and have added that all parties |
in the United States, as believed,
honestly desired and required the re-
establishment OF the Union, however !
they might differ as to the wisest means |
OF securing il. This is the way in which I
L have been in the habit of speaking, !
officially or semi-OficiRlly; and this is /.
my reply TO the charges contained in I
your letter, so far as they regard in anY
way the President of The United States.
That ~ despise American democracy,
and loudly proclaim that an English
gentleman is the model of human per
lection, I" is SO pitifuI a fabrication that
blush while1 denounce il. .sr-
Any one personally acquainted with
me, or who has taken the trouble TOT
read my writings. Vyhether- official or
historical, knows that a more fervent
believer in American democracy than
am, does not exist in the world. My
expressions Of reverence for the Amer
Jean EeOpie, during these five heroic
years, have erred, IL at all, on Ihe sideoft
enLhuslAsm, and have often seemed to
the skeptical somewhat extrayaRant.
4 scorn ntodWellionger to on the contempt
IDLE charge That L have. called ttAir.
Seward hopelessly degraded" is a vile
catumnyi and it wounds me deeply that
you should listen for a moment TO such