Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1883-08-24
sEWARDvs PALMERSTON.
The Blur Game that secured saitpetc

sEwARDvs. PALMERSTON.
The Blur Game that Secured Saitpetcr.
1t may be remembered that about 1860
and 1861, just MS the great rebellion was
being inaugurated, there was great talk
of the scarcity of ammunition on the
Union side. One day the brother of Mr.
Bedemont Dupont, who now runs great
gunpowder factory in Delaware, received
message from Mr.. Seward, the Minister
of War, to come Immediately to Wash
ington. Mr.. DUPONT hurried on to wash
ington, and Mr.. Seward held q CONVERSE
ton with him Immediately after he reach
ed the city.
"You know how tight we are for arti-
cles of war;" began the great minister !;
'now want you to start Immediately for
England and buy up all the saltpeter in
the European market. The government
has implicit confidence in you. We know
your knowledge of saltpetcr, and that you
are able to buy better and cheaper than
any agent we could send. Buy every
thing up-the gold will followyou by the
next steamer.
Mr., DUPONT hurried off to New York
and caught the first Liverpool steamer
When he arrived in Engli nd he went to
the banking house of Brown, Shiplcy Il
Co., with whom he transacted all his bus
mess. He told them his object in coming
there, and asked them to advance him
81, 100000. The head of the firm was
most polite, he bowed to the ground, he
smiled and rubbed his hands, but really
the sum was so large, and really they
could not afford to give it. They would
like the best in the world to oblige Mr..
DUPONT, but, etc, etc. Mr.. Dupont fail
ed to get the money. He posted over to
see George Peabody, the millionaire bank
er. Peabody listened to him with pro-
found attention, interrupting now and
then with shrcwd question. At length
he said :
'If you will guarantee that the gold
will come over by the next steamer I will
advance you the money"
Mr.. DUPONT Immediately started out
and bought up every pound of salipoteI
in the market He chartered n steamer,
hired n crew, and began loading IT. He
was Just under good headway when sud-
denly an order came from the foreign
office 'Lord Palmerston forbids the
shipping of the saltpeter." Mr.. DUPONT
was dumbfounded, and hurried around to
the Premier's office. Lord Palmerston
was polite and affable, but firm. They
were munitions of war they couldn't be
shipped. 1t was in vain Mr.. Dupont
showed his letters; in vain he told it was
for his government. Lord Palmerston
was courteous but obstinate. Mr. Du'
Pont at once set out for home, leaving or
ders with his men to watch the saltpeter.
He fastened to see Seward and told him
all.
"There's only one way to do this thing,
said Mr.. Seward 1--WE must play the bluff
game for all that it's worth. Give these
letters to Lord Palmerston and this oper
letter to our Minister, Mr.. Adams" Mr.
DUPONT returned to London he sent his
card to Palmerston. The servant said ht
was engaged. Mr.. DUPONT pushed by
the servant-an unheard of thing-ant
marched into where the Premier sat, NJ
to his eyes inpapers.
"Ah, Mr.. DUPONT, l am delighted tt
see you, sir" said the politest Of politi
clans. "You have doubtless come abou
, that saltpeter matter. Well, sir, l an
sorry to say that the government has seel
no cause to change its opinion"
Mr.. DUPONT handed the letters of Mr.
Seward-letters of explanation and iden
|
''Mr. Seward has written this open LET
ter to our Minister. l suppose am a
liberty to read it to you," and Mr.. Du
; Pont slowly read the letter:
TO Mr.. ADAMS. On Lord Palmerston's refusn
TO let the saltpeter 20, you are ordered to leaN
England INSTANTLY without presenting your n
. syecis to Her Majesiy's Government; return
n Washington, when war will Immediately be IL
clared against England.
: Without waiting for the dumbfounde
Premier to recover from his surprise, NJ
q DUPONT bid him polite adieu and lef
y He drove to his hotel and ordered h
breakfast While he was eating, in can
l. n liveried and powdered footman, saying
:, "My Lord Palmerston is at the doc
~ waiting to see you in his carriage" I'll
hall was full of men who were all agog
! once, wondering what dignitary this cou
i. be. Mr.. DUPONT quietly replied "T'
- his Lordship lam eating my breakfai
=, and will see him as soon as have ii
~ ~ ished."
IS A buzz went around the room. "W
VI " was this blarsted American who dar
40 10 make England's Prime Minister wait
iie But Mr.. DUPONT was playing bl
Is 10 game, and he played for all it was wort
70 70 He was nearly through his dinner, !
~; took another bottle of wine to keep Pal
~ erston waiting. Presently he sent on
o. note, telling the great Englishman he "
~ ~ ready to see him. Palmerston came
~ and said
"Mr. DUPONT, the government
yer changed its mind. You can ship yC
er- saltpeter. Come up to the Foreign on
ne tomorrow and get an order"
81 81 want IN order right now," and do
me sat the Premier at the dinner table q
lde wrote an order. That night the pack
I'm I'm began and the next day the vessel was
his der way for New York.
ION Mr.. DUPONT picked up the Times
leu next morning. 1t had been recomme
ing that the saltpeter be detained
ND along, but there, in the first column,
er, an editorial favoring its being allowed
IOn 90.