The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-12-05

persons on er nth who were most able TO obilge
him. / do 1t know that Mr. Fish ever knew OF
this circumstance. General Grant enjoined Sc
crecy on me at the time, and never spoke OF it
to Mr.. Fish or his family. It may be that they
will first learn the facts when they read these
lines.
But the President was extremely angry; he
looked upon the refusal as another piece OF in
subord!nation, proof that Motley was deter
mined to do as he pleased and not as the Presi-
dent desired; more than this. he regarded It,
after all that had occurred, as a personal dis
courtesy and defiance. Mr.. Motiey's friend was
not appointed, so that he lost what he wanted,
as we'll as the regard of the President. A day
or two after the letter arrived, Grant asked his
Cabinet if any one of them had a man he wanted
to send to London in my stead. The place had
not been known to be vacant, and at first no
name was mentioned; but after awhile Mr. Cres-
well, the Postmaster-ge general, suggested Mr.. II.
r. Nadai, and that gentleman, who utterly
unknown to Motley. received the appointment.
Young Mr.. Fish, ut General Grants suggestion,
was sent as secretary to Berlin, where the min
isrer was less recalcitrant
During the winter nothing further was done
about Motley; but General Grant received from
several sources reports in regard to the minis
ter's social treatment of Americans which dis
pleased him. / fancy the stories were exag-
gerated, but it was said that Motley ignored
his compatriots, and that his Difference for
the aristocraey was so extreme that he dis
liked to bring democrats into contact with
them
In May / returned to London, this time as
consul general and on the day / left Washing
ton l dined with the President. He went to the
door of the White House to bid me goodbye,
and talked long while in the lower halls
Then and there he told me that he meant to re.
move Mr. Motley. This the 18th of May;
nearly two months before the formal note on
the Santo Domingo matter. He said he was rer-
suaded that the minister was un-American
in spirit, and not a fitting representa-
tive of democracy. He charged not
to disclose his intention to any hu-
man being, and declared he had
not said so much even to Mrs. Grant, or to any
one whatever. except the Secretary of State
He even said he should like to make me minis
ter to England, but I replied at once that he
ought not to think of the appointment I was
not sufficiently prominent before the country,
and the nomination would be regarded as favor
to write me fully public affairs. letters which
might show and which would indicate his con
hdence in me; and he kept his word.
AS coon as l arrived in London, Motley asked
me how the President felt toward him. and had
great difficulty in replying without betraying the
Presidents confidence. Motley was go amiable
to me personally that felt more than sorry for
him; he enjoyed his social opportunities so keen
ly, and in all social matters he so adorned his
position that should have been glad to see him
remain. I told HIM he ought to do every
thing in his power TO cultivate Amer
lean society; to invite Americans to his
house, to make himself liked by them. He took
my advice after a fashion; had Saturday after
Moons at once for Americans and made Fourth
of July party for them. But it did no good, for
he asked no English to meet them and the
Americans felt themselves excluded from the So
ciety to which their minister was admitted as
their representative / also urged Motley, If he
wished to please the President, to make much of
the Representatives Of the Central and South
American republics I thought if he would
form democratic coterie and put himself at the
head of it in London society, it would make him
more of power enhance the consequence of the
republicans, and be an advantage to himself at
home. He invited the republican ministers a
little, but his heart was not with them. He pre-
ferred ambassadors and royal and aristocratc
connections in every way. Still he asked me to
write to the President what he was doing and
complied.
But it was of no avail In July he read in the
newspapers rumors of his recall, and of the APP
pointment of Mr.. Frelinghuysen in his place.
He was greatly shocked, and was myself sur
rrised, for had thought from the delay that
the Presidents feelings might have been miti-
gated
Motley was living in Lord Yarborough's house,
In Arlington street, one of the most sumptuous
in London; he was entertaining o,ereigns, his
halls were filled with Titians, and Murillos and
Van Dykes / recollect dinner just before he
fell at which Disrae the Duke Of Devonshire,
the Rothschiids, and thirty or forty others of
the highest rank in London were present, and
the grace and urbanity with which he received
and arranged the splendid company were re-
marked by all. He held no memorandum In his
hand, but stood at the center of his long table,
cleaning with silver and lights and pointed to
each aristocratic guest where he should sit and
whom he should place beside him. His
handsome, intellectual face was lighted mp with
pleasure and distinction, and he fel: himself at
home.
Poor man! The next day his post was required
Of him. He was requested to resign and un.
fortunately for his dignity, refused. The ten
ureof-0fice act was then in force. under which
Stanton had held on in spite of johnson, and
Motley availed himself of it now. After Free
linghuysen declined the place, it was offered to
Morton of Indiana, who was also unable to &C
cept it, but Motley remained against the wishes
of his own government, of course dscredited
both in society and at court, with no business
whatever intrusted to him, presenting the un-
precedented spectacle of a representative of a
country which did not wish him to represent it,
a diplomatist defying instead of supporting his
government: a gentleman retaining position
IN service that sought to disowE him. He
even complained in society Of his treatment, and
thus injured his country instead OF benefting it.
1t was supposed in English society that he had
been displaced because of his preferences for
England, whereas the fact was directly to the
contrary Lord Granville, Minister for Foreign
Affairs, said to MIR. Moran about this time, and
Moran told it to me, that he would not have
retained subordinate day after the first
letter that Motley had written in disobedience of
his instructions.
Finally, as the time approached when Congress
would meet and the government could report
it's action, the first secretary, Mr. Moran, was
directed to assume charge OF the legation; and as
Mr. Motley still refused to resign, he subjected
himself to the indlgnity which the admnstra-
ton had sought to save him: be was expelled
He never recovered from the effects os ell this
on his health and spirits He remained short
while in England. visiting his numerous friends,
who strove in every way to soften the bitterness
of the situation, though l never met one who
approved his course in holding office after he had
been requested to resign. Some of them thought,
from what he told them, that he had been harsh
ly treated, but they all admitted the right of
government to select its own minister I saw
him occasionally, but intercourse was OF
course, painful We reminded each other too
much of the past He soon went to Holland, where
the Queen offered HIM villa in which he wrote his