New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-08-07

trss einable rnais afreHsemsn rouge" The manner 40
which he left that Legation is only too wen Nho"n
Mr. johnson, who wanted the place for some o"o VI
his friends stretched trap before him. anu u,' I.u
petuous and sensitive scholar fell into j" s"u pc
sented his resignation. which "S
accepted Eight nominations were S0n' s s1
one after another by MI. 1onA0"n
the mission during tho umo "H'i
John Hay occupied it as Charge q Ana,reS' An'Ons
these names were those of Horace ureeiey' VINO was
confirmed but declined to accept ana henry - nay
.Sa~+ r. were all rejected remorselessly by the
go .,ndor the lead of Mr. Sumner. AT last Mr.
49,. % pennsylvania was nominated, and Mr.
60 as' ,a,,aron who is q useful friend, had him
confirmed.
M Motley returned 10 this country in the Winter
a 1888 and received on every hand the most lively
.rpressions of sympathy and regard BE delivered
an address upon the Philosophy of Progress before
the New-York Historical Society, which was more
widely read aud admired than is usual with such
academic utterances In the campaign which elected
Gen. Grant he took some part, and his name was
often suggested after the election for place In the
new Cabinet. He was appointed Minister to En-
gland. and went abroad with instructions to begin
a more energetic treatment of the Alabama case.
He had some preliminary conversation with the
Foreign Secretary upon the matter, but
before any definite progress was made
the Santo Domingo scheme came up in the Senate
and Mr. Sumner thought proper TO oppose the wishes
Of the President in the matter. He voted against
the annexation project and Mr. Motley was imme-
dately requested TO resign. This action of the Ad-
ministration betrayed petty spirit of vengeance,
that it became necessary for the State Department
TO invent some pretext for it, in the official behavior
Of Mr.. Motley This was attempted in published
letter. dsDgenuous in its statements of facts as 1t
was indecent in style. Mr. Motley, on beng re-
hevcd by Gen. Schenck. went over to Holland, III
compliance with cordial invitation from the Queen,
and settled down once more Gs the guest of the
Royal family to his favorite but long neglected
work of historical composition Even those who
regarded with regret and some indignation the
manner in which he left the public service could
GOT but congratulate themselves on the fact
that his exceptional powers we're henceforth to be
devoted to a work which had the first claim upon
him. ambassadors could be made or unmade by
breath. We had only one Motley, and every hour
that be passed away from the work of his hfe made
she world so much the poorer. But this cOngratula-
ton was soon 10 come to end. The labor of so
many studious years has borne its legitimate
fruit The historian has suffered for a long
time from painful nervous maladies, superinduced
by too severe and continuous intellectual effort.
The dispatch received last evening indicates with
laconic brutality that the end of this tosome and
glorious life is not far distant The devotion of love
and friendship and the of science will Of
course be exhausted in the effort Ito restore the
ilustrous sufferer to health, at least to protract
life 80 dear to many and precious to the inteli-
gent world. But there is only too much reason to
fear that these efforts will be in vain.
The domestic life Of Mr. Motley has been Of the
happiest description. His wife and three daughters
are still living-ladies of too much worth and dig
nifty of character TO justify any extended mention of
them here.