New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-02-21


Nv an International character to which you refer as
"S'"s dictated the action OF the PRESIDENT l. will only
~" VITA the Government Of the United States ex-
pns Hy regret that a personal incident OF this char.
49, should have In any degree qualified the harmony
which oF long past enduring sympathy Of the
TWO nations mas impressed upon the mutual relations Of
ther governments
Enclosed in this letter IS lord sackvllles comment
upon the Murchson letter and newspaper interviews
transmitted by Mr. Phelps.
LORD sAcKvILLE STATES HIS CASE
On December l3 Lord sackville submitted the fol-
lowing observations;
l. That his reply to the Murohlson letter was
ih'ended for publication and that he anticipated
'a would be published and used for potica purposes
Z That his reply contained no imputations against the
integrity OF tho President In his action upon important
questions Of foreign policy.
That the assertion Of such insinuaOns rests entire
upon the distorted Of newspaper reporters
under The influence o, strong political partsanshp.
T. That II is these distorted statements which
u"eis upon a. the chief cause OF his dismissal
O. That the statement that contradiction OF them
naa oeen published b. him true, but that his letter
70 Sr' BayaFd was omitted
o. That the contradiction to statements made BY news
paper reporter could only lead unseelny and undgnl
ned controversy.
q That Mr. Bayard was In possession Of his dis
eamer OF any intention OF mpugnng the action OF the
executive and could given such publicity as he saw
no given to understand correspondence was regard
ca by the Government Of the United States "a grave and
unprovoked anrontr
o. That therefore, II was made TO assume such
character only in consequence Of political exgencies upon
"heh may be permitted 70 say further comment Is I'M
necessary and would certainly be unpleasant
Ino correspondence closed with letter from Dir.
Bayad 10 Mr. Phelps dated January so. 1882.
acknowledging the receipt OF the reply Of tho Marquis
o. salisbury to Mr.. Phelps's note of December 4,
1888, In relation TO tho case OF Lord saclvllle.
Secretary Bayard IN this letter says that whIle no
sUncurs IN his lordship's opinion that the general
principles admitted by the practice of nations upon
this matter OF moro Importance than tho particular
case no deemed Il essential, however, to state TO
lef Malesy's Government, moro fully than hereto
are, tho views OF this Government in respect TO tho
grounds of Lord Sackve's dismissal. not. however.
WIZ tho purpose OF inviting a discussion Of their
suineency for on this subject this Government has
entertained no doubt but IN friendly way TO acquant
Her Majesty's Government with the views Of this
Government in regard to the misconduct Of their
envoy.
MR. BAYARD's COMMENTS ON THE AFFAIR
Afer' rcctng tho fact OF the receipt by Lord
ackyio Of the letter signed by Charles f. Murchlson.
torq Which he literally quotes. the Secretary says:
Such the letter addressed and received by Lord
sickNe the representative OF Her Britannia Majesty
Whether IL obviously fraudulent thlnly yelled
haidulen. scheme IL question Of minor Significance
But whether fictitious and fraudulent no, there are
certain facts indubltably and ndclbly stamped upon It's
lace II declares the writer be acuated by motives Of
manifest perndy 70 tho United States. 1t grossly i'm
lugned and asDersed tho motives the President 10
olieied from the ofleal whom It addressed an
authoritative confirmation denial OF those mpugnments
lnd asperaons upon information which his onloia rea
sons TO this Government supposed 70 supply and
Gus 70 abuse tho confidence he enjoyed.
70 his application Lord Sackvie promptly re-
ponded September 10 that ANY political party
which openly favored the mother country at tho
PRESENT moment would lose popularity and that the party
IN power IA fully o. this fact and that In respect
10 the questions with Canada which have been unortu
nsely ruopened since Tho rejection Of the Fisheries)
tray by tho Republican majority in the Senate, and by
tic Presidents 70 which you alludo. allowance
rust Therefore be made for the political situation as re
urds the Presidential election" And 20 give additional
emphasis to his Views no Enclosed an abstract from
wspspcfs Ia which electors distinctly advised 70 vote
Or Mr., cleycland's reelection.
IL true the ettor Of Lord saekvs was marked
.priyasep and his correspondent stated tbat IL
you'd be Kept 6cfoL In relation this the Marquis Of
Salisbury observes: "Priyste communications maee BY
a. Ambassador I'm good faith never, believe, DO
fere been made the subject Of international complaint
Tie precise force applicability Of this observation In
the present case Is not perceived Lord Saekvile mas
stated that his correspondent unknown to him Tho
request for his advice could therefore rest upon per
sonal relations OF intimacy, duty or confidence. me
sole Of tho appeal Tor his counsel was declared by
IEhuan. for the interests Of England as against
those Of tho United States On behalf Of
the smother land he made his appeal His assurance
Of secrecy psipaby invitation TO the representative
Il that country commit act Of improperly ineon-
sis,ent with his duty and wholly outside the scope OF
b functions lie plainly Informed Lord saekyille that
he sought his advieo not only In order 70 determine how
TO cast own vote but also In order TO influence the
political course OF many Of eounirymsn In an election
which he ayerrcd 10 DO critical referring by that dsss-
utn liza
Yes by the thousands" become American citizens with
The inteut 10 "fsvor England Interesta'
Lord saexville was thus applied 10 in unnistakablc
nms 70 Interfere IN the political ahlrs o. he Uhl'ed
states and at time Of intense public ieellhg' Wheh
sues Of doeD moment were awaiting popular decision
and while Ito conditions then existing did not create the
,aenco sacve they must be taken into account
estimating it, gravity lie was invited 70 ASSIST MS
correspondent land many others 70 ABUSE ana oeuay the
privileges OF their citizenship at an important election
INVOLVING the control OF tho Government Itself not In tho
interest Of that Government but wholly In the Interest Of
foreign government
Tho character Of Lord sackvillo's action, the Sec
rotary declares IS not altered BY the fact hst ahotner
purpose than the ono avowed may have been and
probably vas contained In the application Ho
adds
Nor am I able TO perceive that any dlminuton Of
ais offence be argued from the supposuon that hls
reply would b. treated entirely secret"
The fact OF tho offence must be determined by the
principles which II violated, snd without
respect to any particular direction IN which
10 iniurl,us eacets operated. In this
rect Of the case tho question is simply whether
foreign diplomatic representative shall assume the
function OF Influencing elections In this country such
usurpatlon Is OF Itself lntolsrable offence
The correspondence now under consideration not only
constituted an unprecedented Interference in our domestic
politics. but II contained gross mpugnments OF the fres
DENTS public action Hence had the objectionable con-
duct Of Lord sseIgvle ended with his reply 10 the
urchison letter. the situation would have been su'lony
hut In v.youa atatements made by him 10 repro
sena,iyes tho public press tho mpugnments OF the
action OF this Government emphasized
EXCEPTION TAKEN TIC sALIsBURYs DoCiluNE"
Tho Secretary then proceeds to the oonsiuorAaOn
q, that mart Of The MARQUIS of sallsburys note laying
down the rule which, IN his opinion, governs the DIS
rissaI Of diplomatic agents and says; In your Vhr
Phelps'O note Of December 4, you had statod tno
position Of this Government ~ follows IN asAins
from Her MaIesty's Government tho recall or w'sh-
HanA