New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-12-05

Secret ary of Legation that the Minister would De
that C,enetaI Grant would NOT endure dsobedience
in a su bordinate. Moran agreed with me as TO tne
disobedience Motley had said far more ian ne
had been ordered to say. He had been charged 10
do everything cultivate friendly relations TO ex
prsss a desire the part of the new Government 70
maintain apicable feeling. ana he "a instead
recired the wrongs that England had lnnicteu' anu
done this 10 a menscng and almost offensive tone
which only the good ten per OF the brltisn Govern
ment prevented IL from resenting On the spot. MO
ran and talked over the matter. | was greatly
grleved for | was attached to Motley and wauteu
to zee him ~ucceed; but could not go TO my supe,
rior AMI tell him that he W as disobedlent he pad
not invited my suggestions, and did not feel an
thorized to approach hIm on the subject. felt all
the more delicate because he knew so well my re-
Bnt wrote at once to the President and told him
that thought he might be able to change Mr. MOI
ey's course | said the Minister was very suscep,-
lille TO praise; that he seemed TO consider niI sell
Mr. Summers Minister rather than that OF the Oo'-
eminent. but that this came perhaps from an ex-
cess OF gratitude. because be thought be owed MS
appointment to Sdmner; and II he c0uld De uls"o
TO feel more pleasantly toward the Administration
IL might have an nhuLnce on MS snscep' lo,e nae-
ure / recited some things be had said and done
which thous lit the President would approve. and
| urged him to write me . letter when couid snow
Motley cOmmendiog these acts General Orant al
on 9 complied with his suggestion.
But when the dispatch arrived in Washington re-
porting the interview with Lord Clarendon, tue re-
suit that had preiIcted TO Moran occurred. Inc
President at first insisted on The Immediate recall
of the dlsobedient Minister. Mr.. Fish was equally
amazed and even indignant at the extraordinary
action of tie nvoy. but he was less peremptory:;
He persuaded the President not to take the step Ot
removing his i'm pOrtant diplomatic subofdnate
in the first months of his Administration ana
showed tue Oe2erai now the pecessIIy nsni 90
avoided. Mr.. Motley was informed mat De MAJ
transcribed his instructions and that the further
negotiations OF the subj CT would be con"ucted 10
the United States and not at London. ne was ESQ
directed to notify the British Government that the
views he had presented were disapProyed oy us
sup riors. his it WIS supposed. would induce hr.
Motley to resign. but he swallowed his humble pie
and made the declaration required to Lord Claren-
don He could not, however, bring himself 10 ut'ef
the words in person. and therefore wrote them,
which saved him part Of his modification, put
left the record in the archives of the Foreign once
of England " Co.
was fond of Motley, every one was who was
thrown much with him. knew how his proud
shirt mu st have been stung, and thought knew
how | could have saved him some o MS suHering'
but he did not otter me his confidence and could
not intrude. About this time. only four months
after my arrival i'll En- gland, General kawllns dec
He had in his possession NUMBER OF lmpOrtant pa,
pers relating to General Grant which only he or |
could arrange. as We're the only two VINO mad
made the matters Ia which they referred our STUDY
lt was very desirable that these papers sbould not
fall into other hands, and telegrsphed at once 10
the President thai unless heforbade should return
TO America. THIS was in accordance with his per-
mission to me when LETT. received no IeIu
and made ready To start writing. however 10 the
President I advance, and requesting him TO ex-
plain to the Secretary of State the reasons Tor my
return and relieve me from the appearance OF dis
respect in not applying 10 him for nv leave
When | found was tn return | talked again
with Moran about our chief. ! was anxious TO DO
the Minister service and thought If could carry
a submissive message to Wash ngton ! might save
him further hun iation and perhaps tae loss Oh hls
Mace FINALLY determined TO say something as
decately as possible to The ladies' or his FAMILY.
told them tnat from my knowledge or Oenerai
Grant was sure he dispeased. ami that De-
ieved IL aII-mpOrtan- for Mr. Motley to change his
course; but that did not venture TO approach
him on the subject, which he had never brDached
70 me They at once begged NE to speak TO hiln
frankly. assuring me that he would not De offended
| did 3d. and lie took my interposlton IN the best
possible spirit. admitting AZ once tuat he ihISh1
have erred the start, but declaring his INTENTION
now to carry out tine wishes OF tue Government
even If they were contrary TO his own lie I'M
plored me to II AXE this fully known to the Presl-
suit; aud thanked me cordially LOT my mterpos'-
| tiOD
When | returned 10 America | found the Head of
the Government extremely dlspleased, and nv mss
sag-s did not have the full effect 'esiref the ex-
plantations nsutfci- therefore wrote to
Mr. Motley and advised hun 10 SEND me letter
which mi gut snow To che President aud slr.FIst,
repeating ia the strOnges words lie could use Inc
verbal messages he had sent through me- lhs he
did promptly, aud thanked IDe Tor tue suggestion.
read ms letter 10 the Press lent AMI Jne Secre-
tary OF State and they seemed To ieel that there
was probability that their Instructions
wOnld be obeyeI; but they determined to FISK
nothing. aud the further discussion OF the pOlLts
at issue was not resumed III London. Even this
was sufficient high strung as Motley was, TO
nnuce bim 10 resign; for he was fond Of the Access
series of etiquette and precedence attached 20 MS
| place Yet he IN small things as well as great
utterly lacking IN the diplomatic character. Lord
tIoughton once said of him that be Was an hIsto-
rlan not dipomatIst be WAS used 10 meling out
praise and blame 10 Governments and coula rot
understand that he was to take orders from them.
| This soon became evident again.
month or two after my return igned my post
! of Asslstau, Secretary al LOndOn, aud resumed my
| duties at the White House. When THIS was de-
| cided upon the President said to me: badeau' l
| wish you would write to Mr. Motley and say |
would ike him to dominate a. your successor Sir'
Nicholas Fish, the OF The secretary Of state Mt
| Fish does not EnOw OF tits and might feel dell
cate about appointing OF asking me TO appoint his
sou wish u surprise hun. so Nr Motley VIII nave
the chance To crafty both and the Secretary OF
Stale" 4 wrote or cour>e promptly 10 the Muister.
| but he declined to CON oily With the Presluent
WISH he had another man whom lie preferred LOT
| the place, ana whom he had promised to nominal e
! If | resigned. lie had indeed already sent an ln-
! formal red uest winch probably crossed my letter
| on tue ocean. But sir Motley at tue best could
only nOminate il was for tue President to appoint
| and the statement to any TRENT that lie could not
| redeem his pledge woull surely have released hnl.
But he insisted tar he could on his nomination,
anu refused oblige the Two persons on earth wno
| we're most able To Obllge hun: do not know that
| Mr.. Fish anew OF this circumstance UeheTai
! Grant enj0lned secrecy on NE at the Iine' anu
never spoke OF il Mr.. Fish or his family. u may
be that they " i'll nrst learn the facts when they
| read these lines
But the President extremely angry; be
looked upon the refusal another piece OF lnsnD-
! ordination as y proof that Motley was determined
to 10 as he pleased and not as the President
desired; more than this, he regarded 1t, after all
that had occurred, as a personal discourtesy aud
denance Mr. Mo. ley, friend was not appointed,
so tnat he lost what he wanted as well as the re-
gard OF the President. day or two after the let.
ter arrived Grant asked his Cabinet II any one OF
| them had a lnau he wanted to send TO LonIon In
| ms stead The place had not been known TO Oe va
can't and at hrst no name was mentioned; ouI altei
awhile Mr.. Creswell. the Northumberland. sug
| gr,r.d MIR t. K Nada and that gentleman. who
was utterly unknown TO Motley. received the sp-
IL ian
sugye.rion was sent as Secretary 10 Berlin, where
| the Minister was less recalcitrant.
Turing the winter nothing further was done
| about NotIey: but General Grant received from
vTions sources regard TO the MDster So
cial treatment of Americans wnicn displeased nun.
| | fancy the stories were exaggerated, OUT IL was
| aid that Motley ignored bis compatriots. and
that his Difference for the aristocracy was so ex-
trene that he disiked to bring democrats into con-
| tact with them
In May returned to London this time as Gonsu.i