New-York tribune., 1869-03-11
RAcKST1IRS DIPLOMACY.

baSsadOr, has cauSeuIJo po puo'io0u'
The Times, an elaborate and carefully pre-
pared bulletin, wherein tho sole credit OF III
ducing Louis Napoleon to withdraw the fIehch
troops from Mexico is claimed for himself, the
said Gen. Webb. His story is needlessly dill
fuse but its points are as follows:
I. Gen. Webb and Louis Napoleon are at;
tached personal friends of many years stand
ing.
Q. Gen. Webb being in 1861 appointed Envoy
10 Brazil. took France on his way thther, and,
by request of President Lincoln, had o conh-
Dental tete-a-tete with Louis Napoleon, whereby
we were insured against French violation OF
our blockade of the Rebel coast.
g. Gen, Webb having heard of the Maxi
milan lob, wrote the said L. N. b. from Rio
Janeiro, in February, 1868. that he had put his
foot in it, and might better back out
Al. N. B. replied, May 20, that he saw 1t,
and would back out so soon as he creditably
could: wherefore, he must not be threatened.
5. Gen. w. forwarded this correspondence to
President Lincoln, and
"The written pledge 1t contained that the Emperor
would withdraw his troops from Mexico. whenever ne
coud do so with honor was accepted by Mr. Lincoln in
the same spirit In which 1t written; and hence the
G Which t1a SSk SSk PSS9 Wo IA our Win
O. This important correspondence, it would
seem, was communicated neither by Gen. Webb
nor by President Lincoln to our Secretary OF
State, to whose Department it specially per-
tanned for
after Mr. Llncolns death. a now and less friendly
tone is apparent in our correspondence with France
faith OF the Emperor, longer guided oar eocs; shd
in the Autumn Of SC6 the wCst among US apprehended
a collision with our ancient ally such an eVehtLa war war
with the powerful nation In the world IN the then
unsettled OF the country and the deraBgement OF
and yet It appeared but too probable"
Z. But Gen. Webb rushed once more to the
rescue of his impeiiled country from the very
brink of the abyss. lie left Rio Janeiro and
arrived at Lisbon in October, 1865, and wrote
thence to Louis Napoleon aforesaid, stating
that he was on his way home, and asking what
lie could do with regard to the Mexican ques
ton. He was met at Southampton by tele
gram from L. n. b. summoning him to Paris,
which he obeyed and was promptly invited
ont to st. Cloud to breakfast with his old
friend. OF course,
"Ic went accordingly, and, after breakfast e9ent
more than two hours with His Majesty The result was
80 ~ iregi tba The Fronch troops should be with
drawn from Mexico In twelve eighteen, ana twenty Iour
at was stipulated by tho Emperor that Minister
"a France should kHgro nothing o tis arrangement and,
Cn eTess sre Mr. seward eas mol hare krou'edge orr
ogciaiY Ana II was further agreed that, II PRECEDENT
johnson approved Of what had been arranged Gen. Webb
should write 10 the Emperor Ia that effect aud thus pre-
,nc vac tbo EmncTer pcdsne himself TO an.
nounee tue fact pril isC6, through the Mo"eo."
g. Cen Webb, thus freighted, pursued his
homeward way reached this city after long
and stormy passage, rushed headOng to
Washington in spite of the severe cold, and
Immediately made his report llereupon,
"On the evening Of the sth December, mark the date y
lsf, Mr. seward called on Gen. Webb and informed him
that the President Gpp,ord ~ h. arrangement with the
Emperor Napoleon and dc.ired him 10 Wilte TO me I'm
dial appreciation OF the proposed settlement OF the
Gen Webb wrote accordingly; and In Apr1l 1865 the
Mofiei0 contained the promised announcement OF the
Emperor's intention 10 Withdraw his troops from
Mexico"
o. (And here is the stTangest part OF this
strange history) Gen. Webb having secured
the withdrawal of the French from Mexico,
Gov Seward goes in day after the fair, to
make show of driring them out. But We
must give this in Gen. Webbs own terms
"Thus It win appear that tho Department OF state had
nothing irhaisror 10 do whh the settlement OF he Mericdn
question; and 10 Is most unjust TO Napoleon III. 70 per.
mt uucontradiced the universally received idea that
sequence of the edieg letter from Mr. Seward to the
date aboye aud was se,t 10 him on the llh As mat
Ter Of course, both I'm this country and In
frotu Mexico 10 no other cause; bur- appears
that the letter referred 20 written after Mr Seward
had been officially notified OF the settlement OF this AL
important question and der he had directed Gen. Webb,
I'm the VI the President 20 communicate TO the En-
peror the Presidents approval nnd acceptance ot such
settlement thus agreed upon, public sentiment Doh mere
and I'M France will do Justice 10 the Emperor and yndi
CATO him reproach OF having been dren out or
Mexico by anything that could be construed into
threat"
We here draw long breath, and hazard
the single comment that Gen. Webb was evil
dently aware, when he penned or dictated the
above, that Gov. Seward was soon to quit the
State Department, and took excellent care that
it should not be made public till after he had
done so. Beyond that, this manifesto doubt
less has purpose but wo fail to apprehend
precisely what that purpose is.
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