Evening journal., 1915-05-01
New News Of Yesterday
Thurlow Weeds Great
Service TO His Country
BY Holland

The late Charles Francis Adams, !
who died recently, grandson OF one
President of the United States and
great-grandson Of another. combined
as no other momber of that distin-
guished family did, great literary
abilities with marked business ca
pacity. His country place was at
Concord. Mass, and 1t comprised a
part of the upland region which Thor
eau so often described in his jour
mails and where he, in company with
Emerson and Alcott Louisa Alcotts
father. and occasionally Hawthorne,
used to visit and lounge away sum
mer afternoon The associations of
Thoreau with that considerable tract
OF land are understood TO have been
very pleasing TO Mr. Adams II was
there that he is understood TO have
written some of his historic addresses
and essays.
Mr.. Adams was especially proud of
the career of his father, Sharles
Francis Adams, especially that por-
tion which constitutes the senior
Adams chief claim for permanent
fame namely, his eminent service
for the United States while minister
at the Court of St. James in the ad-
ministration of President Lincoln.
In a communication which / re-
ceived three or four years ago from
Mr.. Adams. written while at his Con-
cord home. he asked me If ! could
! identity the book and the paragraph
i'm which IL had been recorded that
/ Thurlow Weed had been of the great
est assistance to President Lincoln
while serving as personal represen-
tative of the President in London and
Paris at the end of the year 1861 and
early i'm 1862. Mr. Adams intima-
ton was clear that the report was not
accurate and tended perhaps TO dim
Irish the reputation gained by diff
cult and successful service which his
father had rendered during the foul
years of the civil war
There seems TO have been con.
fiict in the testimony which records
the alleged services of Thurlow WeeI
and in other testimony of a private
character which seems to Justify thu
opinion that Mr. Adams was great!
embarrassed and considerably an
noyed by what he thought was MI
Weeds ofliciousness.
In a conversation which I had will
Mr. Frederick W. Seward. some year
. ago. / learned that both Mr. Sewar
: and his father. William H. Seward
Secretary of State in Lincoln's admin
! stration. were inclined to believe tina
} Il was true that from Mr. Weed cam
] the first intimation that Queen Vic
p toria and her husband. Prince Alder
5 had softcned the official note whic
r. was to be sent by the English gov
@ eminent to Mr. Seward in protest {
q the seizure of the Confederate con
p missioners, Mason and Slidell. VIII
S were taken from a British steamer /
mid-ocean and imprisoned for a tim
e at Fort Winthrop in Boston. The si
d uation was very critical. Mr.. Sowar
+ told me that the note as original
T. written would have undoubtedly le
i to war II was greatly softened b
5, direction and the modified passae
y was in the handwriting of her hui
E band, the prince. Mr.. Weed was il
d formed within an hour or two afte
+ this was done by one Of the ladies {
y Queen Victoria's court Of the chang
l. which was made by tho Queen an
r was told that he might immediatel
d write to Washington and say ther
was no danger of war.
d HE did do this" said Mr.. Sewar'
e "and his letter reached us at Wasl
II ington before we received a note {
l. protest from the British government
e We were in that way well prepare
= TO read that note in kindly spirit
Il Apparently Mr.. Weed ignored NJ
Adams, and yet he was sent to LoI
e don by President Lincoln as one
= a commission of three who were
e be received as personal represents
p tives of the President at London an
Is at Paris.
1t Copyright. 1915. by f. J. Edward
All rights reseryed)