The Evening post. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1888-1889, 1888-10-31
THE EVENING POST.
MINISTER WEST DISMISSED.

Secretary Bayard Informs Lord Snckville
THAT Ifcis Not wanted Here.
By direction Of the President the Secretary
of State has Informed Lord Sackville, that for
cause heretofore made known to her Mniestys
government his continuation In his present
official position In the United States is no
longer acceptable to this Government and
would consequently be detrimental to the re-
latons between the two countries.
The grounds OF this action on the part of
the United States are stated in report OF the
Secretary of State TO tbs President, dated the
2Jth inst, which is as follows:
Department Of State,
Washington, Oct. 20, 1888.
To the President:
The undersigned has the honor to submit
for your consideration the following stale
ment with view TO receive your direction
thereou
On the 4lh of September last letter pur-
porting to be written by one Charles +. Muir
Gibson, dated at Pomona, CAL, was sent from
that place 20 the British Minister at this capt.
tai, in which the writer solicited an express
sion OF his views in regard TO certain unsettled
diplomatic questions between the United
States and Great Britain, stating, at the Same
time, that such an expression was sought by
him for the purpose OF determining his vote at
the approaching Presidential election. lie
stated that he was u naturalizod citizen OF the
United States, OF English birth, but that he
stll considered England the motheTland aud
that this fact led him to seek advice from the
British representative In this country. lie
further stated that the information he sought
was not for himself alone, but to enable him
TO give certain assurances To many other per-
sons in the same situation as himself, for the
purpose of influencing and determi ming their
political action as citizens Of the United States
of English birth, but who still regarded their
original obligations OF allegiance as para
mount. The letter also contained gross re-
Elections upon the conduct Of this Govern
ment, In respect to questions now In contro-
versy aud unsettled between the United st ates
aud Great Britain, and both directly aud in
directly imputed insincerity In such conduc t.
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
favored the mother country Mt the present mo-
ment 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 re-
opened since the rejection OF the (fisherles)
treaty by the Republican majority in the SEN
ate, and by the Presidents message to which
you allude,n 'all allowances must therefore
be made for the political situation as regards
the Presidential election" The Minister thus
gave his assent and sanction TO the aspersions
aud imputations above referred to.
Thus under his correspondents assurance Of
secrecy, in which the Minister concurred by
marking his answer "prvate," he undertook
to advise 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 latter suggested, TO influence the
votes of many others.
Upon this correspondence being made pub
lie the Minister received the representatives of
the public press and in the frequent inter
viz With inf a1 for fnhl
added to the impugnments which he had
already made of the good faith of this Gov
eminent in its public action and international
dealings. Although ample time and oppor-
tunity have been afforded him for the dis
avowal, modification or correction of his state
ments, to some Of which his attention was
called personally by the undersigned, yet no
fuch dsavowal or modification has been made
by him through the channels in which his
statements first found publicity
The question is thus presented whether IL is
compatible with the dignity, security and in
dependent sovereignty of the United States to
permit the representative of n foreign Govern
ment In this country not only to receive and
answer without disapproval, and confirm by
his repetition, aspersions upon its political ac-
ton, but also to interfere in its domestic af-
fairs by advising persons, formerly his coun-
trymen, as to their political course rs citizens
of the United States.
AS between this country and Great Britain
there can be no controversy as to the complete
severance of the ties of original allegiance by
naturalization. Disputes on this point were
finally put at rest by the treaty of naturaliZa-
tion concluded between the two countries on
May ID, 1870 Therefore, 1t will not be CON
tended, nor was such contention ever admitted
by us, that citizens of the United States Of
British origin, are subject TO any claim Of the
country of their original allegiance.
The undersigned also has the honor to call
attention to the provisions of section $685. of
the Revised Statutes of the United States, by
which severe penalties are visited upon the
citizen of the United States who, without the
authority or permission Of this Government,
commences or carries on any verbal or writ
ten correspondence or intercourse with any
foreign government or any officer or agent
thereof,n either with an intent to influence the
action Of such government or its agents In re-
lation to any disputes or controversies with
the United States, or with an intent "to defeat
the measures of the Government of the United
States" Those penalties are made equally
applicable to every citizen of the United
States not duly authorized, who "counses,
advises or assists in any correspondence"
with similar unlawful intent,
The undersigned respectfully advises that
the attention of the Attorney General of the
United States be directed to the enactments,
in order that an Investigation may be made
with view to ascertain whether they have
not been violated in the present case by the
correspondent of the British Minister.
BY your direction the attention of the Brit
ish Government has in q spirit OF comfy been
called to the con duct of its Minister, as above
described, but without result. 1t therefore be
comes necessary for this Government to con
slider whether, as the guardian of its own self
respect and of the integrity of its institutions
II will permit further intercourse to be held
through the present British Minister at thli
capital. 1t is to be observed that precedentt
are not wanting as to the question under con
sderatiOn. IL Is settled rule essential to the
maintenance of International inter
course, that diplomatic representative
must be persona grata to the Gov
eminent to which he is accredited. If, by
his conduct, he renders himself persona MOI
grata, an announcement of the fact may be
made TO his Government. In the present cas-
,all the requirements Of comfy khave beef
2fulflled, the facts having been duly .communi
seated to her Majesty's Government with al
Suppression of the opinion of this Government
a. regard thereto.
Respectfully submitted, T. +. BAYARD.