Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1901-02-16

"Gcodr' he said. I'VE intended. when
we wrote out those instructions last
night, to send them by one of our at
taches but | had rather send them by
you. 1t Is lucky all around that Mr.
Colfax brought you over this morning,
] want 70 say TO You both our saliva.
ton depends on our diplomats in
Europe. If they make o mistake now,
we are gone sure. No earthly power
can save us. | have Instructed Mr.
Seward to say TO Mr. Adams. also to
Mr.. Dayton. that they must not only
protest against but prevent the recog-
! milton of the Confederacy at any
hazard would as soon have England
and France issue proclamation o.
war against us. and done with II. Then
Mt least we should know how we stood.
Ii the English aud French give as p
reason for such recognition our in
effective blockade. our ministers
must say to them we will either
make 1t effective or raise 1t; that we
will protect foreign commerce IL IL
takes every penny of our resources
We only want to protect ourselves
against the priyateers who viii soon
swarm over the ocean under their
letter. of marqne. Our navy yard and
ships at Norfolk have been destroyed
This cripples us, but only for the mo
ment.
The main point is this, that we wish
to receive through the regular cha
nels of diplomacy assurances not only
that the Confederacy will not be recog-
nized. but that England and France
| will sustain this administration in the
| enforcement of the laws. You go not
| merely as messenger of the state de-
| partment you are my personal envoy,
| commissioned to give to those gentle
men. as best you can. my ideas of how
important il Is that they shall act
promptly and with decision.
Il will put Mr.. Colfax In communi-
| cation with Judge Douglas. You must
come back to London from Paris. loaf
| around there and pick up all the in
| formation you think In any way re,
| liable. That you viii report TO Judge
Douglas, and he in turn will report II
to me. through the medium of Mr..
| Colfax. This. | think, will be better
and much safer than to have 1t come
through ordinary channels.
But this is immaterial The thing
| is, get information, get all the informa-
ton you can, and let me have 1t as
quickly and as safely as possible. As TO
money, | shall have your account
II, ~
fund and shall myself act as voucher.
Your present mission ends upon June
80. You can either come back then
and report TO me in person or stay
over there. if you find you can be Of use.
Either way. we will make II all right
with you. Indeed" turning to Mr.. Col
fax, "Colfax. we must look after this
young man II he is as faithful to us as |
know he has been to Judge Douglas.
Then he said goodby-a last good
by, little as | then thought 1t TO be.
/ meant to come back in three months
at most. On my arrival in London
drove directly to our embassy. Minister
Adams was in. He glanced at the
envelope / had brought and gave me
a cordial greeting. then broke the
seals and read the Instructions. after
which he looked upA saying, do YOU
know the contents?" IL do not"
said ..but the president kindly gave
me his views regarding certain mat
ters which ! am AT liberty 10 repeat
to you" With that preface | told hin
as exactly as ! could. and very earnest
ly. all that Mr. Lincoln had said. lie
listened most attentively. and evidently
felt that | spoke truthfully. When l
had finished he said: while receive
you simply as a bearer of dispatches
which require no answer through you
either sealed or verbal, i take pleasure in
recognizing you as personal friend Of
the president. and on your return from
Paris wish you would call on me; then
i may have something TO say" On my
arrival at Paris found Minister Dayton
was absent. so l was compelled to give
my packet into the hands OF the under
secretary Of legation and keep my
verbal instructions for more conven-
lent season. On my return TO London
iii news awaited me. Judge Douglas
was dead. and with him all ambition
on my part for either military or
political career.