The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1869-06-05
MINISTER MoTLEY's INSTRUCTIONS.

The Washington correspondent of the
Cincinnati Commercial processes 10 have re.
liabIe information as 10 the character and
extent Of Minister Motey's Instructions
The following report either CONTAINS
some gratifying facts, or is highly
successful aud premeditated systematic eff.
tort at classifying
] claim no particular enterprise in the
matter for some information has come into
nv hands in a very accidental manner
which ! can use without compromising any.
body and for the truth Of which viii an.
srur In the first place, Mr.. Motley hal
!.a and complete Instructions, when he
sailed from New York, on the 18th instant.
hese instructions were not Of n general
character, but were minute and unabridged.
They referred not only to naturalization
and emigration, and all the matters in in.
tores' at present between the two countries,
h.' they we're particular and specific on
Che .bJect of the Alabama depredations.
Instead Of these instructions being prepared
under the direction Of the President, the
very reverse is true. Secretary Fish was
hsknd by the Prcs1en, to prepare memo
rania of his lFish'sD IDEAS respecting the
Alabama subject or to submit rough
draft Of instructions to him, which he would
sy before the Cabinet. This Mr.. Fish did.
lie prepared at great length in his own
hand, the instructions to Mr.. Motley which
occupied hls time for more than a fortnight.
When be had finished bis work he mott.
fed Gen. Grant, who At once drove TO the
State Department in company with his At.
toTHey General, and Mr.. Fish read the in.
suuctIOns aloud to tho two pentlemcn.-
They not only approved Of al! the positions
assumed, heartily and empha,caiiy, but
they coucurrrd entirely in every expression
and the language employed Not a line
nor q word was changed. lu ,hat form the
instructions, ov the following Friday, were
submitted to the entire Cabinet at its regu.
Jar session, and were subjected to the most
careful scrutiny. Mr.. Fish was called upon
tnyyplain certain matters, but so ably did
defend his course and so unohiectiona-
Na were the instructions that not prlncI
qo nor word was amended and before
Mr., Motley sailed these instructions were
placed IN his hands, Just as Mr.. Fish had
prepared them
hs 10 their contents, can only say that
they are not based upon the speech or the
opinions Of Senator Sumner. The English
Government will be made to understand that
lhs Government s not responsible for the
Speeches of Senator Sumner, or anybody
else, but this is not saying that the admin
lsiranon would disregard the voice of the
hv an Of tIaf,
direct representatives. but the State De
pes,meut IS well informed Of all the phnse.
". tue Alabama matter from the beginning
Iu-t what points TO press and what to avoid
what ground has already been developed
ant what untouched, and all the miracle
OF the most intricate subject, while Congress
and the people are ignorant Of it all. Tn
Negotiations TO be effective, nust be eecrr
and time has developed that nothing Is S,
cret IN Congress So the administration
better prepared 70 Judge or Gar matter tina
the public at large. The instructions
Mr.. Motley are not at all Of belIigcrc
character. Our new minister will expIa
to the English Government the relations
the Senate nnd Executive in the matter
making and ratifying treaties, and will cl
dravur to show that the Senate and Exec
tive are in full accord, end he, himself
given 30 understand that no such treaty II
that negotiated BY Reverdy johnson on
Earl Clarendon, will be acceptable to eithc
branch Of the treaty .making power, II
instructions will do much toward allayir
the excitement and passion in both countri,
--ongeudered, on the one hand by Ii
speech Of Mr.. Sumner. and, on the othe
by The violent and unfair tone of the FL
gsh press