New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-03-28
GOSSIP OF THE CAPITAL.
THE CASE OF PIERRE sOULE AND ITS
LASTING INFLUENCE.
A nr-r, AND ITS RrsuLrs-MR. coNGERs PoPU-

wash,ry.on March 1.-THE case of Pierre Soule.
one of the former Ministers from the Uni'eo
States to Madrid. has been frequently discussed
recently in connection with the diplomatic
appointments and It Is cited as reason Tor the
existence of the unwrtten law that obtains IN tho
State Department against appointing naturaizeo
American citizens diplomatic agents 70 inc
countries in which they were born ana iro'i'
which they emgrated.
Mr. soule's case is quoted because 1t Is popularity
thought that he was appointed Minister 10 fia"ce'
his native land and that France refused 10 re-
ce!ve him. He was. however. never appoi'eu q"
Envoy to France and If there was an 'oe" %
sending him TO represent this country there' anu "
any intimation was received from France 'iid' ~,
would not be acceptable there is no oihcai recoiu
80, As I, was less the custom then than now 10
apprise a country in advance, of the coh'ei"p
appointment Of a Minister, it Is extremely ~
that there was any intention on the part Vi i''''
dent Pierce 10 name Mr.. Soue for TINS posiuoi'
AS n matter OF fact this law mas peeh ""'e' "
since the foundation OF the Government "n' ~
rarav been transgressed. but during ME- Souie
service as United States Minister in Maorlu many
combinations arose which would no. nav 80
nossibe had he been born citizen Vi ."o 49,
States and his Is an apt llus'Ia'i0" "
unwisdom Of allowing a naturalzed An'ei'od" "
represent this country in olpo'ha''I 49,,
Tho story OF his career is interesting ana rohaii'o
and as II Is being constantly re1ef'eu w. '
outline Of II Is, perhaps. timely l.,
Pierre Soule born In 'asuHoh' -,
1871 He was educated at the Jesuits' College III
aS.',o..o "a whilo hardly more than lad. was
,,nl,ca.ad IN a plot against the Bouroons' ana
,orceo 10 fee TO Navarro. Disgusting ms &c
shepherd he followed that cainnSd u'' Young Sou,e
Snoliv drifted 10 Paris, where all frencn po ,beir
hstoTies Here he gained some prestige as an 40
vocate but his political symna'ieS leu r and
for attacking the Ministry in the Nam e ond
naner of the day he was fined loOO francs nc Fnr u
nj
,entehSe owe ey and thence emigrated to New
Orleans where he landed IN lS-''
Mr. soule soon gained eminence at the par IN 'no
State Of his adoption and became le"uei - ~"
Democratic party. which honored h'm os mo a. -
,,or as United States Senator, In la7' 10 Nil al
urexn,rcd term. He was reelected IN lo1s io'
full term but resigned in the spring Oh 1000 70
oen, the annontment rendered him by PRESIDENT
Pierce, OF Minister TO Spain
To- MS positlon he was according to all evi-
denc. acceptable to Spain. but after WISH 10 ,no
,r,ited States in the summer OF 1904 on re'ui"'is
a.. Madrid via France on his arrival al Oalals' au-
,r,ssion 10 that country was refused him. De'''"
ing an explanation OF the extraordinary -
latlng 10 him. MI Soue received no sa'lSia0'io'''
nv. s,mply the information that the oroer was az
arbitrary one, and no explanation u i 49,
r,ven Mr. Soule. accordnsly. returned 10 f-"s
I'D nv a steamer then ready 10 sail, where ne re-
manned until through the Intervention oi M
x,o.or United States Minister at Paris, ne was
allowed 10 pass through France inns per ''''o'o' ,
granted he Immediately continued MS journey anu
$50 come DAYS at the French Capital
I h,s correspondence with his home Government
NJ, sonia nrofesses ignorance of the reason LOT
the refusal of permission for MIN 10 traNeISo
france although he admits he was accused Dy INC
wrench Ministers of incendiary LANGUAGE aeahis'
mat country This accusation he denies IN 1910
- savs chat neither by deed, nor by word'
written or spoken. had afforded wouid not say
the least occasion, but even the shado" oi d pc
tonce for the unwarranted measures which, IN Vio-
,aton Of nv rights as a citizen OF the North Ameri-
can Republic and of the privileges as one OF us ac
cradi,ed Ministers had interdicted a passage
through France on my way back TO MADRID
He saws further, that after these accusations had
been made against him the Minister OF Foreign Al
fairs NJ Drouin d'Huys had professed not 70 pc
i,na thcm and he had been allowed TO eside in
ibe PyTenees for period of fifteen DAYS lie sug
Si, NAV have been inspired by the conference he
had held Ostend just previous TO ms 1TrSI ,n
ister 70 England and Mr. Mason, the United states
Minster, 70 tran by the ned STATES but IN cpl
sode that may throw light on the subject, ana may
s5621 pe 9fe en ih hand of Eugene in the
was romantic which happened IN span H. 1us'
a year previous to MIR. Soules difficulty IN FRANCE
Ar n ball given at the house Of the French Min
lister TO Spain NJ Turgot. IN honor Of the saints
day CT the Empress Eugene. Mrs. Soule. the wife
of the United States Minister, was gsulted by the
the occurrence home. and recounts the s'orles VI
the duels that followed.
II seems that the son of Mr.. soule hanDened to
hear one Of q group Of gentlemen say. as his
rnother-who. according 10 the official report was
in full dress 'her costume being blue velvet
ornamented with lace of gold, chaste In FORM yet
in accordance with the strictest rules of etiquette
passed there goes Margartta OF Burgundy.
He al once ascertained the name Of the person who
had spoken so sghtngly of his mother and md
A laf fcff cd ma
rel with that gentleman TO give grounds for chal
lenge The next day two Of his friends called upon
the Duke. but they found that worthy contrte. and
quite willing to abjectly apologize for his unfortu
nate remark of the evening before.
Mr. Soule magnanimously accepted the apology
but the Duke Of Alba's friends were not satisfied
with his position, and after reading the account CT
the quarrel in "Galignanis Messenger and The
Chronicle" Of London. wherein MIR. Soule was re-
ported 10 have called the Duke OF Alba une
canail!e," the Duke demanded TO have his honor
satisfied A duel was therefore. fought. but with
out serious harm 10 either of the combatants
In the mean time Mr. Soue, the Minister was not
content with the attitude of NJ. Turgot in the mat
ter nj whose house the insult was given. and hear
ms that he was the originator of the remark up
piled 10 Mrs. Soule. There goes Margarita of Bur
gundy." addressed TO him the following letter;
Madrid, Dec. Il. 1853.
To the Marquis de Turgot. ,.
NJ MARQUIS: The difficulty which has arisen be-
tween nv son and me Duke Of Alba took its origin
IN your saloons. II is IN your house. where aho
mine were your guests, and on the occasion OF
festival of which. by kind Of representation the
Duke OF Alba might consider himself the hero. that
the latter dared insult Mrs. Soule. without any
thing having occurred since to exonerate you from
the responsibility which. that account, attache
10 you IL Is, besides. given as certain That from
YOUR lips fell, the first time. the words alter
ward uttered by the Duke of Alba and so nobiy
taken up by my son.
Such being the case l have right TO 60 back
TO the very origin of the quarrel. which nuts tie
sword in the hands Of the Duke Of Alba and OF my
son and demand At your hands satisfaction
which YOU cannot deny .
have the honor. NJ. Marquis, TO be your humble
servant PETER SOULE,
A citizen of the United States.
The rep.y OF the Marquis that 'he dealt not
in letters and that ne would answer at the mouth
Of the pistol"