Evening journal., 1915-02-17
New News Of Yesterday
How a Rupture With
France Was Prevented
By Holland.

One of tine two secrets which con-
lcealed transaction of vital importance
TO the United States at the time of the
civil war related to the person who ad.
vanced to our minister 10 Great Britain,
Charles Francis Adams. some i've mii-
lions in gold without any security. cx-
cept Mr. Adams promise that he would
procure from Washington as soon as
possible sufficient amount of govern
ment bonds 10 protect ..,s loan. lhc
gold was advanced 40 tnat Mr.. Adams
might perfect a bond which the British
government cNacted OF him at the time
he demanded that England prevent the
sailing OF certain vessels which Mr.
Adams claimed were to bc used by the
Confederate government as pri,ateers
When Mr.. Adams died there remained
no man living who knew who the per-
son was VINO gave that invaluable as
slstance 10 the United States at dcs-
ipcratc time.
There had been, about year earlier,
another curiously secret transaction. the
mystery concerning which was never
solved. lhurlow Weed was in the course
of his long, exciting and romantic po
llitical life the recipient of many conf
dences. lie used To say IN his old age
that there was one secret which had al.
ways remained mystery TO him. al
though 1t covered transaction which
was Of vital importance TO the United
States. He had tried in various ways "a
penetrate the mystery and was never
able 10 do that. Therefore he used To
say that the people of the United States
would never know who the mysterious
benefactor was who made il possible Ia
prevent the Emperor Louis Napoleon
from undertaking to break the blockade
by the Federal Aeet of the ports of tn,
Confederate government
Mr.. Weed once said to me: ~ wa.
Just taking. IN the autumn of 1861 th,
steamer Arago for Europe. whittier
had been sent with two companions
both clergymen. on special mission by
President Lincoln. when a man rusheC
up to me and placed in my hands an
envelope which he said was not 4,
open until J reached Paris
81 thought il very strange and tha
it was. perhaps. the act of some men
tally unbalanced person. but kept tn
envelope unopened aud forgot an ahou
IL. After had been in Paris som
time ] learned that the Emperor in
tended TO send message to frencl
corps legislatif in January. 1862. an
nouncing that he would not any longe
respect the blockade by the Unite,
States of the ports OF the Confederate
government. II seemed To me vital thai
Napoleon should be restrained from
making that announcement. but 7 ha,
not the slightest idea how he could bl
reached. BY what inspiration I was re
minded of the envelope ! cannot explain
took IL from my pocket and found j.
contained nothing but an address,
mans name and the street where
lwonld find him. went Immediately Il
this mans house, aud he told me tha
If | could cause the archives TO hi
searched ! would find document signc,
hy France ami Great Britain respectin.
the closing of the harhor OF Dunkirk
which committed France 10 the policl
lof observing completed blockadcs.
! found that document in the archivc
land brought it TO the attention Of Na
lpoleon's prime minister, Due du Morny
THE instant he read the document saw
that Napoleon would be prevented from
making that statement to the Frenc
legislative body, as he was.
81 never knew aud nevsr could fin
out who the man in the United State
was who caused that address TO b
handed TO me just as was taking th
steamer for Europe"
Copyright, 1918, by +. J. Edwards. Al
rights reseryed.)