Clarksville evening chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn) 1886-1890, 1888-11-02
THE DISMISSAL.
A Diversity of Opinion Seems to
Prevail Concerning 1t.
6TRAlGHT-ouT DEMOCRATS LOUD IN
THEIR PRAISES

OF the President and Secretary. While the
Republicans Grew Eloquent Over What
They Term Unnecessary Insult to
Great Britain---DIssatisfsctio In En-
gland-Comments-
WASHINGTON, Nov. 2.--Ths action Of the
the president in dismissing British Minister
West, has revived the excitement incident to
the Murchison letter with which that gen.
tleman was caught The dismissal Is
variousy commented upon according to the
politics Of the person speaking.
y Straight out Democrats commend and
Spraise the president and Secretary Bayard
in giving West his walking papers, while
Republicans are eloquent upon the unneces.
sary insult offered to England in abruptly
giving the minister his congo. There are
some Democrats who share this feeling, de-
claring it was needless exaggeration of a
trivial matter, which might have better and
with proper dignity, been left to the British
government To deal with at its ponderous
leisure.
Ardent Democrats, however, claim that
England was too slow, and did not recognize
the political exegencies OF the case here; that
delay only increased the discussion CT the
case and multiplied it's difficulties, whereas
the prompt action of Secretary Bayard has
closed the case and made it thing of the
past by preventing, In large measure, the
dangerous discussion that was going on re-
garding the relations of the, two countries.
4 the main denunciations are of the brutal
letter written by Secretary Bayard to Mr.
hufM Mr. RA vnp1 hat ipalIv dapi "a
that the published letter ia anything like the
one he sent to the British minister. He
says, however, that no further official
communication will be held with Lord
Sackville, nor will he be countenanced in
any manner as publ, functionary.
Lord Sackville was seen Wednesday but
refused to talk IL Is claimed that he will
not at once leave this country. His retire
ment from his official position in this
country does not, of course, retire him from
the diplomatic service Of his country What
his position will be at home will depend
chiefly upon his influence there and the dis
position of the British toward this govern
ment.
He has been for forty three years in the
diplomatic service OF his country, und may
Z be retired, but sucn retirement would, in
Defect, be his disgrace II the British gov
eminent determines to sustain him, he will
receive an appointment of equal rank to the
one be retires from. He might be promoted
to higher mission. This would be regarded
as intended to rebuke the action Of this
country.
Now that Lord Sackville is by the action
taken by the government of the United
States Wednesday no longer minister to this
country, the first secretary Of the British
legation naturally becomes the official repre-
sentative Of the government of Great
Britain. Mr.. Edwards, the first secretary,
is absent. however, and will not return for
some time, so that Mr. Michael Herbert,
who was recently made second secretary, is
now acting minister Mr. Herbert recently
arrived here from Europe and is to be mar
ried to n lady of New York, who will thus
become the mistress of the British legation
for time
~ Various opinions are also expressed on the
Suggestion of Secretary Bayard to prosecute
the writer OF the Murchison letter, if he can
be found, for violation of an old statute inn
posing fine of g., 900 and Imprisonment for
not less than six months or more than three
years on any one found guilty of holding
communication directly or indirectly with
any foreign government or agent thereof in
relation to any dispute or controversies with
the United States.
Diplomatists generally express sympathy
for Lord Sackville in being made the limo
cent victim of both political parties.