Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1889-02-14
LINCOLN IN VICTORIA.
An Interesting Chapter of the Secre
Diplomacy of the War Period.

| An Interesting Chapter of the Secret
Diplomacy of the War Period.
Few men in Washington have a
choicer collection of "reminiscences than
| General Pleasonton, the distinguished
cavalryman. He served in the Florida
war, and was Harney's right-hand man
at the time of the Northwestern bound
airy dispute, and to him more than to
any one officer is due the adoption of
that course which resulted in securing
San Juan to our Government. His
campaigning has covered every section
| of the continent where the flag of the
! Union has ever fioated over soldiers.
His foreign travel has brought him in
| contact with men of position, and the
stories he relates are full of interest.
A few evenings since he repeated
statement of remarkable interest in re-
gard to President Lincoln, which was
given him in London soon after the
war by a leading member of Parlia-
ment, with whom he had close rela-
tons. The story formed a deeply in
teresting and most important history in
the noted case of Mason and Slidell.
According to General Pleasonton's in
formant, when the facts of the seizure
of these Confederates by Captain
Wilkes became known in England, Lord
PalmerstOn was intriguing with France to
bring about a Joint intervention against
the North. He was actively improving
/ tho ofTnp1a1 h,-f 70
ment over the first news of the seizure
to further his ends. Matters were rap
idly approaching crisis. The French
authorities were entering into Palmer
ston's scheme. Mr.. Lincoln, who was
| kept fully informed of the progress of
events, became much concerned. Sud-
| denly the English Premier and those
| about him were astonished to know that
| the Queen had received some sort of a
communication from President Lincoln
which had not passed through their
| hands.
The story of General Pleasanton's in
| fOrmant was this: Mr. Lincoln, after
grave thought over the possible storm
which Palmerston's schemes might
| bring, determined to ignore the slow
and uncertain diplomatic methods, and
write personal letter direct to Queen
Victoria. This he did. addressing her
in earnest terms, as a ruler, wife and
mother, and speaking of himself as
President, husband and father, both
deeply interested in the welfare of their
people, and both able to understand and
doubtless anxious to avert the horrors of
war, between nations as closely allied
as England and America.
He then went on to speak briefly of
the cause of the North. and to express
regret that the taking of Mason and
Slidell from an English ship should
have put in peril the relations of the
two nations. He closed by assuring
the Queen that whatever disposition of
the case she might, in the light of his
letter, regard as just and honorable he
would see that it was promptly &C
cepted.
These were the substantial points of
the letter as they were given to Cen
eral Pleasanton by this member of Par
lament, who held near relations to the
Queens intimate counselors
According to the same authority,
Queen Victoria, upon receiving the let
ter, which Mr.. Lincoln had sent over
by the hand of special friend. sub
mitted it to Prince Albert, who entered
fully into the spirit of it and advised
the Queen to give it the fullest and
most friendly consideration. Prince
Albert further advised that Lord Pal
merston, whose secret hostility to the
North was well understood at the court,
should be sent for and informed in the
most decided terms that dispatch of
friendly tone must be sent to Washing
ton. While the release of Mason and |
Slidell and their two companions was
to be insisted upon, it was to be done in
such terms as would not dis urb peace |
ful relations. Prince Albert, who was |
we'll aware of Palmerston's designs, |
suggested further that he should be re-
quired to submit his dispatch to the |
Queen for inspection. This was done,
and, as foreseen by the Prince, there |
were several passages which did not |
strictly conform to the general direc-
tons he had received. At length sat
isfactory draft was submitted, when |
Lord Palmerston was pointedly ordered
to see that no word of it was changed |
and that it should be dispatched at
once.
The English gentleman who related
these facts insisted to General Pleason-
ton that this personal letter of Presi-
dent Lincoln alone averted such action
on the part of Great Britain, acting in
collision with France, as would GER
tainly have led to active Intervention
of both these Powers in favor of the
South.
After returning to the country Cen
eral Pleasonton was able to verify the
statement that Mr.. Lincoln had written