New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-10-22
THE BRAZILIAN MISSION.
GEN. wEBB IN SELF-vINDICATION.


the news from Brazil; which was as follows;
RIO JANEEo. Aug. 26Thc principal event OF the past
month has bccu te pnOhGaon IN inc 9nv1i yuFE lsh
10 NJ Domingo j. c. De Magilhaens Brazilian Munster
at Washington, expressing the disapprova ny me OI"
Government Of The conduct Of MS tbc
Webb, on the subject on the NE case
In reference TO Mr. Ffshs response TO NJ do Magal-
haens the Brazilian Minister, you VIII perceive INA,
it bears date June is, three days before my ar'I%
I'm the United States from Brazil ana consequently
three DAYS previous to MIR Fshs being IN possession
of the facts Of the case. and of my reasons ioi u
pending diplomatic relations with Brazil anu aso Vi
the material fact that the Government OF Brazil had
anoloozed for its conduct by withdrawal OF Its OF
fspsive conmunication-OfGnsi not to me, who
was commended and cOmplimentcd as stanch
friend of Brazil but offensive and insulting to Mr.
seward the Department of State, and the Govern.
ment of the United States Mr.. Fish says
"Thc United States Minister at Rio has t-ugnt proper
70 demand his passports the Government Of Brazil
in consequence Oftkc UNAVOIDABLE Interpretation h'hhe
has mt upon The auSrer 10 demand rheh he hdd re-
eepd orders 10 address that Government on the SUD-
ject of the Canada"
Those who know anything of the arlarI, wen know
that did not demand my passports upon any such
grounds; and the question naturally ARISES How
was it possible for our Secretary OF State 10 Iaii
into sncL an errorY Briefly thus. My note sus-
MAY 10 and came to the knowledge of the Rio
Janeiro pubic on the 18TH In it occurs the follow
ing sentence:
"In that note of 23d inst the undersigned Earnestly
demonstrated with Has Excellency against The highly Of
Government Of me United St0es; and notwithstanding
The disclaimer ~ His ErceeHeys not o. ne 28h Of APrt
Of ann ihntorai drcsleet toi-ard he undersigned per
S0uaII reluctantly constrained, bp sense
fepsiyS rrccsrdngs were Tcrrevered IN he would be
compelled To suspend all diplomatic relations on Ine PaIs
Of tie United States with the eriSiig Government Oh
Brazil"
Nv passports were accordingly sent me. ana the
Brazilian portion of the correspondence was pub
lished in time to 90 to England by steamer. From
England the Brazilian Minister at Washington was
fully posted by telegraph; and, in consequence, he
waited on our Secretary of State and inquired
whether he was expected to withdraw from Wash
ington in consequence of my proceedings in Brazil
had not deemed it necessary proper to telegraph
my CORRESPONDENCE TO the Department of State, be-
cause as | was to sail from Rio on the 18th OF May,
and would probably, arrive in this city on the 2lst
of June as did. Hence Mr. Fish's Ignorance in re-
gard to the cause of the demand for my passports
which accounts the character of his letter to the
Brazilian Minister who, being fully posted on the
subject, gave his own version of the transaction.
arrived here on Sunday, the Goth of June; and on
the same evening reported in person to President
Grant that on the eve of my departure from Rio.
Brazil had apologzed for her conduct by the Cih-
dra,oal of her offensive note repudiatng our Govern
menps right to give instructions to it's Minister in
Brazil without advising Brazips Minister in Wash
in gton of their purpOrt and had substituted there
for Just such an answer to my demand as bad re-
peatedly urged the Minister of Foreign Affairs TO
make. And that thereupon had withdrawn my
note Of the 93d of May in response TO the Minister'S
offensive note of the 18th of April also my demand
for my passports, and replaced the relations between
fllsr foot
ing that existed previously to the formal reputation
of my instructions by Brazil on the unheard Of, alb
surd and offensive assumption that our Government
had no right to give its Minister in Rio any instTuc
tons in relation to a negotiation pending at that
Court without previously advising Brazips Minister
in Washington of the purport of such instructions!
On the Dist, remained in this city TO pay the last
sad Offices as pallbearer to my friend and old assO
ciate the late Henry j. Raymond; and on the 22d,
repaired to Washington and placed in the hands Of
the Secretary of State all the correspondence with
the Brazilian Government relating to its reputation
of my instructions. together with full history of
the affair and Brazils admission that she and she
only was in the wrong by formal withdrawal of
her offensive note and the substitution of one, sag
oesiod BY me, provided wOuld then withdraw my
response to the note Of the 18th Of April and my de-
mand for my passports
What course Mr. Fish adopted after becoming
officially familiar with the facts of the case will
only be publicly known on the assembling Of Con- |
gross when the whole correspondence must of neces-
sity go before that body. In the time. ink
ling of his proceedings may be gathered from the
following editorial paragraph which cut from The
AngIO BydsiHaS Times of the ed of August:
"The American Minister, the Hon. Henry r. Blow.
has arrived in Rio. His mission, like that OF all
other American represe natives N foreign countries.
and we have doubt but the Imperial Gov.
ernmeut will recproeate the feelings OF smity
which fnly declared by him at the grand banquet
United States wien the chief toast Of the occasion
10 His Imperial Majesty.
ago. in regard the principle involved in the dispute
with Gen. Webb eere entirely correct Secretary Fish
he United &atcs resident Minister as he oiy usual ard
legitimate course, eren ia the case created 6y e Brazilian
Government"
Ny reports to the Department of State may not
be published by without the sanction of the De-
partment, or until they have been officially given to
the public. 1t is well known, however, that when |
demanded my passports in consequence OF q gross
indignity offered TO my Government, accompanied !
with the most Mandatory and complimentary profess
sons Of respect and friendship for myself personally
the Brazilian Government published its official notes
TO ME. but at the same time studously abstained |
from giving publicity to my correspondence and |
grossly msstated through its official organ the facts
Of the This was Characteristic Of Brazilian |
diplomacE and had two objects. The first was to |
mislead and forestall public opinion in Brazil; and !
the second TO send forward by steamer to England |
Brazils version Of the affair." to prevent the truths
affecting nurously her application, Their pending in
London, for a loan! intending. doubt, to apollo
Rize for her conduct and thus restoration of
friendly relations before the sailing of the next |
European mail steamer; as she actually did.