Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1888-11-08
SECRETARY BAYARD's REPORT.
Ohlcia1 Communication to the President
on the Sackvilio Matter.

Ohicial Communication to the President
on the Sackvilio Matter.
WASHINGTON, Oct. 31.-The Cabinet
meeting lasted about two hours, and was
attended by Secretaries Bayard and Endi-
colt and Attorney General Garland. II was
devoted mainly to a consideration Of the
case of the British minister, and the result
Is shown in the statement furnished to the
press by the Secretary of State. After
Secretary Bayard had prepared this state
ment he walked over to the White House
and submitted it to the President for his
approval. The President perused it care
fully and suggested few verbal changes
in the introduction, and when these had
been made the members of the press were
furnished copies of it. The following is the
full text of Secretary Bayards statement:
''To the President: The undersigned has
the honor to submit for your consideration
the following statement, with view to re-
ceive your direction thereon.
''On the 4th of September last letter
purporting to have been written by one
Charles f. Murchison, dated at Pomona,
Cal, was sent from that place to the British
minister at this capital, in which the writer
solicited an expression of his visws in re-
gard to CERTAIN r->cttied diplomatic ques-
Britain, stating at the same time that such
an expression was sought for by him for the
purpose of determining his vote at the APP
preaching Presidential election. He stated
that he was a naturalized citizen of the
United States of English birth, but that he
still considered England the mother country,
and this fact led him to seek advice from
the British representative in this country.
He further stated that the information he
sought was not for himself alone, but to en-
able him to give certain assurance to many
other persons in the same situation as him
self, for the purpose of influencing and de-
termining their political action as citizens
of the United States of English birth, but
who still regarded their original obligations
as paramount The letter also contains
gross reflections upon the conduct of this
government in respect to questions now in
controversy and unsettled between the
United States and Great Britain, and both
directly and indirectly imputed insincerity
In such conduct.
Mr.. Vests Offense.
'To this letter the British minister at
once replied from Beverly, Mass, under
date of the 18th of September last. In this
reply he stated that any political party
which openly favors the mother country at
the present moment would lose popularity
and that the party in power is fully aware
of that fact, and that in respect to the
questions with Canada which have been
unfortunately reopened since the rejection
Of the [fisheriesl treaty by the Republican
majority in the Senate, and by the Presi-
dents message to which you allude. All
allowances must therefore be made for the
political situation as regards the Presi-
Dental election
''The minister thus gave his assent and
sanction TO the aspersions and imputations
above referred to.
'Thus under his correspondents assur-
ance'of secrecy, in which the minister con-
Cured by marking his answer private, he
undertook to advise a citizen of the United
States how to exercise the franchise Of
suffrage in an election close at hand for the
Presidency and Vice-Presidency of the
United States; and through him. as the let
ter suggested, to influence the votes OF
many others.
"Upon this correspondence being made
public the minister received the representa-
tives of the public press, and in frequent
interviews with them intended for publica-
tion added TO the impugnments which he
had already made of the good faith of this
government in its public action and inter
national dealings. Although ample time
and opportunity have been afforded him for
the withdrawal, modification, or correction
of his statements, TO some OF which his at
tention was called personally by the under
signed, yet no such disavowal or modifica-
tion has been made by him through the
channels in which his statements first found
publicity.
Cannot BE Permitted.
''The question is thus presented whether
Il is compatible with the dignity, security,
and independent sovereignty of the United
States TO permit the representative of for
eign government in this country not only Il
receive and answer without disapproval
and confirm by ht repetition, aspersioni
upon its political action, but also TO inter
fere in its domestic affairs by advising per
sons formerly his countrymen as to theil
political course as citizens OF tho UE.,et
States
Gas between this country and 0rcai
Britain there can be no controversy ns Il