The national Republican. [volume] (Washington City [D.C.]) 1866-1870, 1869-04-12
Tho spanish Mission Tho Perry.
Hal. Corro.nandane,

Hale Corresp0ndence.
The Senate, by resolution Of March 1,
called upon the President for the correspond
ence between the Minister Of the United
States, at Madrid, and the Secretary Of Lega-
tion, at that place, within the last two years.
On the cath Of March, President Grant COM
piled with the resolution, and since that date
the subject has been considered by the Sen
ate Committee on Foreign Relations, and the
correspondence printed and laid upon the
desks Of the Senators, with the strictest in
functions Of secrecy.
The following is given out as O synopsis Of
the most interesting and important letters:
The controversy between the Minister and
the Secretary began July 10,1S67, with let
ter of Mr.. Seward to Mr.. Perry, Secretary Of
Legation at Madrid, In which he calls the
attention Of that gentleman to information
received at the State Department Of his con-
nection with contracts with the Spanish
Government, relating to telegraphlc and
other enterprises. In said communication
the Secretary indicates to Mr.. Perry that If
his assertions are true, he should at once re-
tire from his position, such transaction being
contrary to the letter and spirit Of tho laws
Of the United States. To this letter Mr..
Perry replies that he had no such connec-
ton, explaining In long letter his former
connection with commercial enterprises, and
stating that he has entirely withdrawn from
them.
The next letter in this correspondence is
from Mr.. Hale to Mr.. Seward, inclosing one
from James Eldridge, Of California, In which
the latter defends Mr.. Perry from the
charges Of being connected In enterprises
with certain Spanish officials and CONNER
cial gentlemen. After another letter from
Mr.. Perry, In defence Of himself, begins the
correspondence OF Minister Hale and Mr..
Seward, regarding the difficulties. On Sep
TENDER IS, 1857, Mr.. Hale addresses Secrc-
tary Seward, complaining Of gross discour-
tesy on the part Of his subordinate, (Mr.
Perry,) In his having anticipated him In
conveying to the Queen of Spain congratu-
latory letter from our Government on the
successful completion Of the telegraphic
communication between the United States
and Spain. This charge Mr.. Perry explains
with u statement that his dispatch was from
the officers OF tho telegraph company, with
whom he was formerly connected, and was
an unofficial one. In contradiction Of this
Mr.. Hale, under date of October 20, 1867,
says:
1.-THE simple fact is, Mr.. Perry took the
private dispatch Of the president of the COM
pany to himself, and obliterated the address
to himself as vice president Of that company,
and the dates Of both time and place, and
gratuitously inserting what was not true, to
wit that he had received II from Havana;
endcayored to give 1t every appearance Of
being communication direct TO the Queen;
and 1t was with this spurious, manufa ctured
dispatch that Mr.. Perry was enabled to an
ticipate me In the execution which you de-
volved on me by your telegraphlc communi-
cation of the 18th Of December"
Mr.. Hale then gives, In detail, a descrip-
ton Of the unfrlendly relations between him
self and Perry, referring to Mr.. Stewards
giving him (Mr. Hale) authority to dismiss
Perry year before, and his Tefrainlng from
doing SO. Then follows In the same letter a
long list of dlscourtesies on the part of Mr..
Perry, and a general recital Of arguments
intending to show his unhtness for a Secre-
tary Of Legation. Mr.. Hale says that Mr..
Perry is much more of Spanlard than OF
an American that he speaks nothing but
Spanish language In his family; that his
family can speak no other language, and
that he has not been In the United States In
Is years. Mr.. Hale further says that Mr.
Perry has not the remotest idea of resuming
his citizenship In the United States. He fur
Their says he deems 1t his duty to add, to the
best Of his belief, that Mr.. Perry still retains
his relations with Spanish contracts, and
takes an active part In all Spanish Jobs, re-
lating to which he had already written.
a hNh lOllONb u btlltb VI lNkhGlb lOlahihS w
Mr.. IIale's temporary absence In London
and Paris, during which Mr.. Perry was act
ing Charge d A1aires at Madrid. These
letters are In regard to personal quarrels and
discourteses between the Minister and Sccrc-
tary.
under date of November 0, 1867, Mr.. Sew
ard writes Mr.. Hale, In reply to his COM
| plants against Mr.. Perry's action in the
matter of anticipating him In the telegraphic
congratulations before alluded to. In this
| letter Mr.. Seward indirectly sustains Mr..
Perry and recommends an amicable settle
ment between themselves. On November
| IS, Mr.. Hale, on his return from Paris, again
addresses Mr.. Seward, complaining Of Mr..
Perry's official conduct toward him. He
| charged Mr.. Perry and his family with q
| bitter and malignant enmity toward himself
| and family, and cites instances occurring
during his absence to sustain the same,
among which he cites an attempt on the
part of Perry to create feud and unfriend-
| illness between him and Spanish State Min
lister. He also charges Perry with direct
ialsehood, aud chnracterizes a letter of Perry
to him on the subject rs piece Of insolence
and INSTRUMENTATION entirely unbecoming
and improper. Then follows q letter from
Mr.. Perry In his own defence, in which he
states that the complaint made by Mr.. Hale
was caused by the latter's attempt to ignore
him Mr.. Perry as Charge d'Afiairs during
his Mr.. Hale's) absence In Paris and Lon
don. Mr.. Perry closes his letter as follows !:
"For If Mr.. Hale should, with such mo-
tiyes succeed In procuring my dismissal, it
would be not merely an injustice toward me;
It would be the triumph of his arbitrary ca
| price over the law, and the solemn sanction
Of disorder In the face of our regulations"
| Correspondence Of little interest, relating
to the same subject, follows at length. On
| Feb. s, 1868, Mr.. Hale writes to Mr.. Seward,
complaining that no notice has been taken of
his letter of Nov. 8, saying that the neglect
Of Mr.. Seward fills him with surprise. He
| says:
81 am not yet willing to believe that there
Is no mistake or oversight about 1t; but the
next thing hear from you after the proba-
bic receipt Of this letter Is an abrupt-to call
II by no other name-notlce that my resig-
nation would be acceptable, and no notice
taken Of my letter, in which the falsehood of
Mr.. Perry is met clearly, and distinctly
shown by irresistible testimony; and the
world, or that portion OF 1t which takes any
interest In so humble an individual as my
self, left to infer that Mr.. Perry's statements
were true"
The letter concludes as follows:
"Mr. Seward, claim 1t as an incontcsti.
bic right In Inc as a man to defend my repu-
tation when thus wantonly assailed, as In
the present case, and am certainly unwill.
ing to send in my resignation until this afro.
cious calumny Of Mr.. Pcrry's can be re-
futed."
WEST INDIAN NEws.-Francisco Leon and
Augustin Medina were garrOted at Havana
on Friday in the presence Of a vast crowd Of
spectators. They both maintained their
Compo5ure and nrmness to the last. Leon
| In mounting the scaffold, shouted "Viya in.
dependencia." There was great excitement
among the spectators. Some parties uttered
seditous cries, and the volunteers who
guarded the scaffold faced about and fired
about twenty shots into the crowd with dis
astrous effect. Six men were killed and
many wounded
Heavy rains have fallen during the week
throughout the island.
The Spanish man-of-war Fernando Cat
, tollca on Friday oyerhauled the American
brig Lizzie Major ten miles from Calbairion