New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1868-10-29

lFROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT
LONDON. Oct, l4--The private circumstances cd
dressed to Mr. Reyerdy johnson against his proposed
dinner with Mr.. Laird seem to have had little effect
Until this morning the man who bears the title of
American Minister persisted in his intention 10 sat
down BY tho side Of the builder Of the Alabama For
aught know he still persists in it but The private
circumstances haye become public, and may be more
efiectual Mr.. Johnson has had 10 undergo the hn-
initiation Of a rebuke and warning from tho lead
ing Liberal journal Of England, Tie DdHy Noes
That journal has shown a singular tenderness hlth-
trto i'm dealing with Mr. J0hnsons escapades. III
shut its eyes for time, to the fact that nc was
keep,ng aloof from the friends of his country, and
that the old Anglo-Rebels swarmed about him on
every OCCASION II still manifests patient regard
for his official position. and performs the duty OF
warning which had become compulsory, with
marvellous courtesy TO tho individual. There IS not
trace of personal hostility but evident WISH 10
be friends oven with Minister who has shown 10
the Liberals, whom The Ne'cs represents no corIc-
spending regard. 1t is this courtesy when H'"eS
the monition 10 Mr.. Johnson the more Impressive
Reverting for the FIRST time to the shameful scene AZ
Sheffield. The Ncrs asks:
Have the former sympatlizers with the SVntnCI,n
Copfederacy formed conspiracy to secure Mr. JohnsOns
recall from the post 60 which he was so geHerdly tI
cOuedl At this moment She American pres ,er itb NJ
for his having SAT - the same og ri Mi' smai
Roebuck and Lord Wharnche NJ sheinsui;, ~, s,it
conrtesies 10 have already proved wen inSa sSn
claI IfAir Jousou's rebuke Of Mr. Roebnek haH taken
sneech Of the latter h would have been an extreme step
doubt; hut pnpic opinion Ia TINS country "OU4' w
believe. have JusNbed IT, =,
ItnevertIrle,s makes so much allowance for Mr..
Jo,pson's weakness rs TO ttnk the comments Of tho
American press littlo severe Il appears struck by
the fact that tine Myander forgo his old prelodlces
and s,id good word for the abolition of Slavery.
lie might as well Dr. praised for a favorable opinion
Of tho Declaration of Independence or an approval OF
the separation Of tlc Colonies and the formation OF
the American Union. But The Ners sees clearly
enough the mischief which Mr.. Johnson's professions
Of friendship for Roebuck have done In America
saying:
.rte American ,eonle have felt called upon TO admin
i.ter the rcbuke from which their Minister merciny re-
sene Of any settlement OF chief question at issue
between countries, been e OCCASION ~ come cor
adorable reaction ID. American feeling toTaTd England
which had before been so satisfactory
1t then invites Mr. Johnson's attention to the char
aoer of rho festiyty at which he has agreed to meet
Mr. Laird
"a Liverpool journal. in announcing Mr.. Iard's ae-
he 'aeHtrair II is diiHcu to imagine the Kind Of neu
traty referred to- There tcas question whether ,ie
Laird actively assumed the negative Is Mr. keyerdy
johnson invited 20 banquet animated by spirit OF neu
Orshc T. grace fiesta, hoard where the proprey OF our
ing American ships Jy English subjects IN tine OF lea'e ne
,Wderjded questions concerning which the American
Misters ramenary host may reserve his wellSrown
views for future emerg6ucicsi ii almost incred
be that the gcntieinen Of Liverpool should not PEI
ceive that the presence OF Mr.. LAIRD on sneh
an occasion must he an Immediate and hagTant
vSeSn c ~ na"ci can he said 70 be neutral II the
shan mean anything NJ all II must Ice ireu1y
tic people Of Liverpool desire. To introduce TO that I'm
hassador the active enemy his country had IN inns
sssigeyS Re propy Of Mr. EeTery Shnsons eoa-
on
and manly instrumental In proonglns to four years
war that might otherwise have ended IN two or three
make the gathering, In transatlantic eyes, an
expression Of sympathy for those who IN hs south are
trying TO recover the lost cause Az suGh bauquei
the flag Of the Alabama and the stars and Bars would
replacing the stars and Stripes. and the Union
jack ana the TOAST 10 me lIesliA' utulh ~ .i,o i
reyied Abraham Lincoln would be taken rs one more III
N suit 10 the American nation
The Nelrs is well aware that the ARRANGEMENTS for
the banquet perfectly understood by Mr.. Reyerdy
Johnson aud that he has signiled no objection to
the presence of Mr. Laird 1t prefers. however, 10
assume that he intends to- So much delicacy would
seem overstrained in an American journal critcising
with just indignation the unworthy conduct Of an
American representative abroad. An English Lber-
al paper is anxious TO avoid the appearance Of
woundng American susceptibilities by an attack on
functonary who, much as he misrepresents his
country is still her ambassador. The Aees tells Mr.
johnson with great planness, that he must not 90 to
this banquet if Mr. Laird does putting il in this
quiet but unmistakabe way:
otis painful to appreheud anything prejudical to the
pSediet that eer Mr. Johnson or Mr Laird viii be
subject Of sotude rather than object OF interest at
the Liverpool banquet Any one who has PAID inc slight
attention to the recent tone Of the American
Will have dOubt 10 the result Of any differentiation
OF the United States Minister with the builder Of the
Alabama. however formal or distant"
Nor is this all. The Ners points ont that Mr..
Johnson's career as a Southern politician has been
necessarily such as TO make his relations with the
old Confederate party in England of the most deli
lle aim hat hei il
liable to be patronzed by the party in this
try TO which have referred that The Northern people
skau be compelled 10 eithdrap him"
am bound to go one step further and to say that
IL the Northern people know the whole truth about
Mr. Reyerdy Johnsons career since he arrived in
England l believe they would demand his imme-
diate recall They know something. They cannot
know all. hear many things which do not choose
TO put into printed letter What is said at dinner
tables and in drawing rooms, although said by
public officer and no matter how discreditable TO
him as an American must DO passed over in silence
But when the American Legation in London has
become a Rebel headquarters, loyal men at home
have right to the fact am told-I don't go there
and don't know it personally-that the knot of
Confederate exiles who have hung about London
since the war, find ready welcome at the Legation
An American came into The TRIBUNE Office yester-
day in a state Of not unreasonable Indignation at
having met Wigfall of Texas at Mr.. Johnsons
His testimony does not stand alone. 1t is not
pleasant to hear English Liberals remark the phe
nomenon of lot Of unrepentant Rebels clustering
about the American Minister and appearing to he
bis intimate friends Nor is it pleasant TO hear Mr.
Reverdy johnson quoted as authority for the opn-
ion that Mr.. Seymour is to be the next Presi-
dent-an opinion which he expresses with great free
dom. Considering his antecedents and his surround