The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-06-14

NaONernTnCnT
QuestiOn-ActiOn of President Grant and his
Cabinet-Details of MOtley's Instructions.
The New York Times of this morning
prints the following important special des-
patch:-
WASHINGTON Sunday June 13.-Snce the
discussion of the Alabama question: both at
home and abroad, has taken such wide scope,
and since there has been such decided reac-
tion from the positions of Mr. Summers speech,
and since the proposition to make the question
a party issue meets with little serious counte-
nance, II becomes more than usually interesting
to know precisely where the administration
stands at present. The Gladstone Ministry will
in few days officially understand our position
and there can therefore be no impropriety in
stating the facts as they exist.
SO much has been said from this point on
this subject, and such vague and contradictory
accounts have been given of Mr.. Motley's in
strucuons, that the public mind must be much
confused respecting the precise attitude of our
Government. Mr.. Sumner while never assert
ing in positive terms that those instructions
were based on his speech, has, nevertheless
sought to convey in his conversations the i'm
preston that he had been substantially indorsed
and he has repeatedly stated that Mr.. Motley
and himself were in perfect accord upon the
subject. This latter assertion is very possibly
true. But Mr. Sumner knows what Mr. Aotey's
instructions are as thoroughly as does the man
who wrote them, and his pride probably pre-
vents him from making frank admission of the
completeness of his defeat. No matter what i'm
pressions he may convey in discussing the sub
ject, it is nevertheless known here that he is
much displeased with the instructions, and that
they are almost entirely at variance with his
views, for the following reasons
First Mr.. Sumner wanted Mr. Motley in
structed to propose reopening of the negota-
tions at once on the basis of his speech. Mr.
hoteys instructions were precisely the reverse
OF this, to wit-to make no overtures for the
reopening of negotiations at present, but await
the action of the English Government and the
development of events.
Second. Mr.. Sumner wanted the instructions
to cover the question of belligerency, which, he
insists in his speech, gives this Government a
claim against the British Government for
damages or reparation On the contrary, Mr.
Motley was instructed to inform the British
Government at the proper time that the United
States, as a Government, has claim against
Great Britain for damages because of her recog-
milton of the belligerency of the rebels.
This whole matter was maturely considered
by the President, both in Cabinet and out of
Cabinet, and in the light not only of our rela-
tions to Great Britain, but our relations to
France, Spain, and other nations which recog-
nized the South. In these discussions, the only
man who stood by Mr.. Summers position was
Secretary Boutwell,. Every other member of the
Cabinet, as well as the President, disapproved
very decidedly of the policy enunciated in Mr..
Summers speech, and the result of their delibe-
rations was, has been repeatedly stated in
your telegraphic dispatches, that the admins
tration on this question resolved upon the policy
of non-action.
These know to be tile facts in the case and
they define substantially the present attitude of
the administration.
l may add one word respecting the Cuban
question. The President, the Secretary of War,
and possibly one or two other members of the
Cabinet, were strongly desirous of taking early
steps towards the recognition of the insurgents.
But after careful review of the whole situation,
it was formally decided that the aspect of affairs
did not warrant action by the Government.
t n1tttip
on the island, since which there has been no re-
consideration of the subject.