The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-02-01


tinuanoe Of the correspondence. Minister
Webb then, after another letter TO Davis,
transmits the whole correspondence to Score
tary Seward, with long letter reoitiug the
facts and circumstances, and suggesting that
either the Admiral or the Minister should be
censured or recalled. SO far as the subsequent
facts appear, however, Webb's advice was not
followed; but q new minister General
McMahon) was sent up to Paraguay, with the
squadron of Davis to back him, aud on his
appearance the way was opened by the Bra
zilians and the two members of Washburn's
legation left by him under arrest were deliv-
cred up by Lopez. Meantime Webb, having
made visit to Washington, has probably left
a rod in pickle for Davis.
In the Webb ID avis correspondence II appears
that the British Minister to Brazil, q. Buck
lev Matthew, was very active in pushing
Webb up to his work. For instance October
81, Matthew writes to Webb:-"Is your fleet
going down to the river Ola Plata aud up
/ hope so. l declare to you think we should
have general raid upon the wretch (Lopez),
who, with such foe as Caxias (the Brazilian
commander), will 60 on for months." Webb
gives two or three other notes from Matthew,
showing that the lives of those two secretaries
OF Washburn (Bliss and Masterman) we're in
great danger, that Bliss had been writing as
il under torture, and that there was no time
TO be lost. Now, this Matthew (formerly II.
b. M. Consul at Charleston) is dipfomat of
the came school as Webb. He is fond of good
dinner, lively company, gay dresses, pomp
and ceremony, and .fuss and feathers" He
stands to the ninth point of hair on his
official dignity, and instead of seeking to
avoid an ENHANCEMENT, has decided liking
for diploma attic hot water. 1t shows that he is
wide awake and doing something. With two
such heads together against Admiral Davis,
his only resource was to stop the correspond
ence. Otherwise they might have kept it up
1Iola d., l.-l
iu the State Department to the magnitude of
that of Seward himself on the Mexican ques-
ton.
We all know the peculiar weakness of Webb
on q point of honor, aud his readiness.n get
ting into q scrape, even though it be- the
scrape of other parties. The Duff Green ma
hogany stocked pistol affair, the tragical
Graves Cilley affair, the "serio-comico" Tom
Marshall ,Hoboken affair, winding up with
Governor wards pardon, were only sharper
illustrations of this cropping ont in Brazil. In
one of his letters to Davis Webb refers to
still another case. He says October l0):-
General Quitman,a 9 Northern man and a
cassmate OF mine, brought me a challenge
from Brooks afterhis brutal assault upon su IN
ner and my account OF that infamous affair;
| and, In justification OF bis bringing the chal-
lenge, he informed me that no Northern man
| could live quietly in the South unless he pro-
claimed himself more ultra upon the question
| of slavery than the slavenoluers themselves
| May not this be the condition of our country.
| men in the employ of Brazil? Be this as II
| may, the only purpose for which the United
States squadron is stationed ON this coast al
| enormous cost to our Treasury, is to give pro-
tection to American commerce and American
| citizens. and to defend and viudicate the ma
| tional honor, no matter by whom assailed."
Here, with Brooks, was an opportunity Il
be shot at which was wisely avoided; and jus
tice to our Minister requires US to say that il
all this correspondence with Davis he speak
more in sorrow than in anger. We presume
too, that there would have been no seriou
difficulty between Webb and Davis had no
the Admiral left that letter to his Ministry 70
delivery at "Portuguese Joe's" corner gre
Gerry. As it is, let us hope that this tempes
in teapot between Webb and Davis is a
over, and that his Excellency will be neve
again insulted by the delivery of letter t
him in his carriage from Portuguese Joe's
corner grocery.