Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1888-11-08
saekvilIe and Cleveland.

By direction Of the president, the. secretary
of state informed Lord SHd44iHs that fos'
causes heretofore made known to her majes-
TVS government his continuance in his pres
ent official position in the United States is no
longer accepted TO this country, and would
consequently be detrimental to the relations,
between the two countries. The grounds o.
this action are stated in a report of tke sectes
tary OF state to the president, dated he 2VthA
inst, which is as follows.
The undersigned has the honor to submit
for your consideration the following stateN
ment, with a view to receive your direction
thereon: On the 4th of September last al
letter ~purporting to be written by one
Charles +. Murchison, dated at Pomona,
Cal, was cent from that place to the British
minister at this capitol, in which the writer
solicited an expression 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 eN-
preston was sought by him for the purpose
of determining his vote at the approaching
presidential election. He stated that he was n
~naturalized citizen ofthe United States, OF Eng
lish birth, butthat hestill considered England
the mother country, and this titct led hin TO
seek advice from the British representative in
this country. Hefurther stated that the infor-
nation he sought was not for himself alone
but to enable him to give certain assurances to
many other persons in the same situation as
himself, for the purpose of influencing and
determining their political action as citizens
of the United States of English birth, but
who still regarded their original obligations
of allegiance as paramount. The letter also
contained 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
indirectly imputed insincerity in such conduct.
To this letter the British minister at once re-
pl,aI fr..rn pavaVfv Maes . ptnHop date of tl0
18th of September last. In this reply he
states that ANY political party which
openly fayors the mother country
at the present moment would
lose popularity, and that the party in power
is fully aw are OF hat fact and that in re-
spect to the Questions with Canada which
nave been unfoi tunately re-opened since the
rejection of the [fsheriesl treaty by the Re
publican majority in the senate, and by the
presidents message to which you allude, 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 and imputa-
tions above referred to. Thus, under bis
correspondents assurance ofsecrecy, in which
the minister eoneurred by marking his an
swer 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 yice-presi-
dency of the United States; and through him,
as the letter suggested, to influence the votes
of many Others. Upon this correspondence
being made public the minister received the
representatives of the public press, and in
frequent interviews with them, intended
for publication, added to the impugnments
which he had already made Of the good filth
of this government in its public action and
international dealings. Although ample
time and opportunity have been afforded
him for the disavowal or modification or
correction of his statements, to some of
which his attention was called personally by
the undersigned, yet no such dis2Eoysal or
modification has been madoby him through
the channels in which his statements first
found publicity.
THE QUESTION Is THUS PRESENTED
whether il is compatible with the dignity, Sc
curity and independent sovereignty OF the
United States to permit the representative
of a foreign government in this country not
only to receive and answer without disap-
proval, and confirm by his REPETITION asper
sions upon its political action, but also to
interfere in its domestic affairs by advising
persons formerly his couutrymen as to their
political course as citizens of the United
States. As tween tdis country and
Great Britain there can be no eontrosersy
as to the eomplete severance of the ties
of original allegiance by naturalization
Disputes on this point were finally put at
rest by the treaty of naturalization conelnd-
eu DIV the TWO countries on the lotl OF MAY,
1870. Therefore it will not be conteuded,
nor was such contention ever admitted by
us, that citizens of the United States oil
British origin are subject to any claim of the
country of their original allegiance. The un-
dersigned also has the honor to call atten-
ton to the provisions of section 5,335 of the
Revised Statues of the United States who
without the authority or permission of the
government, commences or carries on any
verbal, written correspondence orintereourse
with any foreign government or any
officer or agent thereof, either with an intent
to influence the action of such government
or its agents, in relation to any disputes or
Controversies with the United States
or with an intent to defeat the measures ri
the government of the United States. These
penalties are made equally applicable TO
every citizen of the United States not duly
authorized h 'counselg, advises or assists
in any such correspondence" with similar
unlawful intent. The undersigned
R~EsPEcTFULLY ADVISES
that the attention of the attorney general
of the United States be directed to these en-
actments in order that an investigation may
be made with a view TO ascertain whether
they have not been violated in the present
case by the correspondent of the British min
lister. BY your direction the attention of che
British government has in spirit of comfy
been called to the conduct of it's MN
lister as above described, but without re-
suit. IL therefore becomes neJessary for
this government to consider whether. as the
guardian of its own retrospect and of the in
tegrity ofitsinstitutions, it will permit further.
intercourse to be held through the present
British minister at this capital. IL is to be
observed that preeedents are not wanting as
to the question under consideration, 1t is a
settled rule, essential TO the maintenance of
international intercourse, the a~ntiplomatic
representative must be persona grata to the
government to which be is accredited. II. by
his conduct he renders himself persona nom
grata, an announcement of the fact nay be
made to his government. In the presen$
case all the requirements of comfy have been
fulfilled, and the facts having been duly com
munIcated TO her majesty's government with
an expression of the opinion of this govern
ment in regard thereto. Respectfully sub
mitted. T. +. BAYARD