Evening star. [volume], February 12, 1937, Page A-14, Image 14

About Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972

Image provided by: Library of Congress, Washington, DC

                
Lincoln's Skill as Diplomat
Revealed in Editing Letter
Deletions and Revisions of Note Sent to
British Minister Adams at Start of
Civil War Called Masterpiece.
A little-known side of Lincoln is
disclosed here in a description of
his handling of an important state
letter written at a time when rela
tions between the United States
Government and Great Britain had
been strained by English favoritism
for the cause of the Confederate
States.
BY WILLIAM C. McCLOY.
Abraham Lincoln is least remem
bered, probably, as an editor. Yet
his blue penciling of the letter drafted
by Secretary of State Seward to
Charles Francis Adams, United States
Minister to Great Britain, at the be
ginning of the Civil War, is a master
piece of diplomacy.
The background of the situation is
not so clear to us now as it was to
the American people 75 years ago.
Briefly, Mr. Seward was the leader of
a group of men who long sought to
prevent the war between the States by
forcing a quarrel with either Great
Britain or Mexico, thus uniting the
country against a foreign foe.
In addition to that, the inability
of the Manchester Cotton Mills to get
cotton from the United Slates created
a sentiment in Great Britain favorable
to the newly formed Southern Con
federacy. Leading English politicians
were eager to profit by this condition.
The great liberal statesman, William
E. Gladstone, was so outspoken on the
subject that the British cabinet was
forced publicly to disavow a speech
he made.
There were, however, a number of
Influential people in Great Britain who
earnestly sympathized with President
Lincoln in his views on slavery. These
were led by the celebrated Quaker,
John Bright, whose speech on the
evils that would result from the dis
memberment of the United States is
one of the greatest in American
history.
The danger at the moment was that
an unwise protest from the American
State Department would nullify the
efforts of Bright's followers and en
able Lord John Russell, British foreign
minister, to turn a serious interna
tional question into an exchange of
briefs between two political lawyers—
himself and Seward. Lincoln fore
stalled this and, at the same time,
cleverly ignored Fernando Wood's pro
posal that New York City secede from
the United States and declare itself
a free port. Lincoln summed up his
views on this complicated situation
in the' terse sentence, "One war is
enough at a time.”
A study of the erasures, substitu
tions and amendments to Secretary
Seward’-s letter made by Lincoln con
veys a finer sense of the meaning of
words, a more comprehensive knowl
edge of the situation and a more
thorough appreciation of the grave
results that might follow than the
Sr&ssss..,.,,........ 11,.... wags
original draft by the scholarly Seward. I
. To compare the first and final drafts
of this letter to Minister Adams, now
treasured in the archives of the State
Department at Washington, is to
realize that Lincoln’s corrections pre
vented Lord John Russell from rally
ing the distressed cotton spinners of
Manchester in favor of a dismember
ment of the United States.
The letter:
"Department of State, Washington,
May 21,1861.
"Sir:
"This Government considers that
our relations to Europe have reached
a crisis in which it is necessary for
it to take a decided stand on which
not oriiy its Immediate measures but
its ultimate policy can be determined
and defined . . . You will base no
proceedings on parliamentary debates
farther than to seek explanations
when necessary and communicate
them to this department.”
Lincoln’s correction:
As originally written by Seward, the
phrase, “To this department" was
followed by: “We intend to have a
clear and simple record of whatever
issues may arise between us and Great
Britain.” Around this sentence the
President drew a line and wrote the
words: “Leave out.”
The letter:
“The President regrets that Mr.
Dallas (charge d'affaires) did not
protest against the proposed unoffi
cial intercourse between the British
government and the missionaries of
the insurgents. • • • Intercourse of
any kind with the so-called com
missioners is liable to be construed
as a recognition of the authority
which appointed them. Such inter
course would be none the less hurt
ful to us for being called unofficial,
and it might even be more injurious,
because we should then have no
means of knowing what points might
be received by it.”
Lincoln's corrections:
After the phrase "missionaries of
the insurgents” Seward had added
“as well as against the demand for
explanations made by the British
government.” Against this clause
the President wrote: “Leave out, be
cause it does not appear that ex
planations were demanded.” In the
last sentence Seward had written
"such intercourse would be none the
less wrongful to us.” The President
substituted “hurtful.”
The letter:
••• • • As to the blockade, you
will say that by our own laws and
the laws of nations, this Government
has a clear right to suppress insur
rections. An exclusion of commerce
from national ports which have been
seized by the insurgents in the equit
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able form' of blockade la a proper
means to that end.”
Lincoln's corrections:
In Mr. Seward’s version the above
read: “As to closing the blockade, you
will say that by the laws of nature
and the laws of nations this Govern
ment has a clear right to suppress
Insurrections. • * In place of
"the laws of nature” Lincoln substi
tuted “our own laws.”
The letter:
“* * • No one of these proceeding*
will pass unquestioned by the United
States in this case. • • *”
Lincoln’s corrections:
“* • * No one of these proceedings
will be borne by the United States in
this case,” was Seward’s version.
The letter:
"British recognition (o; the Con
federacy) would be British interven
tion to create within our territory a
hostile state by overthrowing this
Republic itself. * * * As to the treat
ment of privateers in the Insurgent
service, you will say that this is a
question exclusively our own. We treat
them as pirates. They are our own
citizens or persons employed by our
citizens preying on the commerce of
our country. If Great Britain shall
choose to recognize them as lawful
belligerents and give them shelter
from our pursuit and punish.nent, t' e
law of nations affords an adequate
and proper remedy.”
Lincoln’s corrections:
After the words "overthrowing this
Republic itself,” the original Seward
draft went on to say, "we. from that
hour, shall cease to be friends and
once more—as we have been twice be
fore—shall be forced to be enemies
of Great Britain.” Here, Lincoln
erased the entire sentence. • • •
After the words, "proper remedy”
(closing the above quotation from
the letter), Seward had written:
"And we shall avail ourselves of it.
And while you nee not say this in
advance, be sure that you say nothing
inconsistent with it.” • • • "Out,”
wrote the president.
The letter:
“• • • We see how, upon the results
of the debate to which we are engaged,
a war may ensue between the United
States and one, two or even more
WATCH FOR ~
GARRISON'S
ANNUAL
BALCONY SALE
Starte Mon., Feb. 15
Gifts, Games, Sporting
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At Reduced Prices
Free Circular Mailed
Upon Requett
.
European nations. War, In any case,
Is as exceptionable from our habits
as It Is revolting from the sentiments
of the American people. But if it
come, it will be fully seen that it re
sults from the action of Great Britain,
not our own; that Great Britain will
then have decided to fraternize with
our domestic enemy either without
waiting to hear from you our
remonstrances and our warnings, or
after having heard them.
“War m defense of national life is
not Immoral and war In defense of in
dependence Is an Inevitable part of the
discipline of nations. * • • The dis
pute will be between the European
and the American branches of the
British race. All who belong to that
race will especially deprecate it, as
they ought. It may well be believed
that men of every race and kindred
will deplore It.' A war not unlike it
between the same parties occurred at
the close of the last century. Europe
atoned by 40 years of suffering for
the error that Great Britain made in
provoking that contest.”
Lincoln’s corrections:
Seward’s version read: “Our
remonstrances and our wrongs.”
Lincoln substituted—“Our remon
strances and our warnings.” * * *
“Europe atoned for 40 years of suffer
lng for the crime” wm Seward’s way
of putting It. Lincoln wrote: ‘‘Forty
years of suffering for the error.’'
(Copyright, 163? by the North American
Newspaper Alliance. Inc.)
RUMANIANS MEET
Hear Bepreaentative Patrick.
Joint Luncheon Planned.
Representative Patrick, Democrat,
of Alabama yesterday addressed
members of the .Washington Klwanls'
at their weekly luncheon at the May
flower Hotel.
The club voted to hold a Joint meet
ing with the Alexandra Klwanls Club
March 4.
WARRANT FOR ACOSTA
MINEOLA, N. Y„ February 12 (JP).
A bench warrant for the arrest of
Bert Acosta, famed American aviator
who recently flew for the Madrid gov
ernment forces In the Spanish civil
war, was Issued here yesterday.
The order for his arrest followed his
failure to appear in Children’s Court
to answer the claims of his estranged
second wife, Helen, for funds to sup
port their two children.
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TROUSERS
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ARMY EQUIPMENT USE
ASKED. FOR JAMBOREE
Representative Hill Introduces
2 Measures to Aid Gatherings
of Boy Scouts.
A bill direttlng the War Depart
ment to turn over obsolete equipment
to the National Boy Scout Council
for use during the Scout Jamboree in
Washington in the Summer was in
troduced yesterday by Representative
Hill, Democrat, of Alabama.
Hill also introduced a measure au
thorizing. the Internal Revenue Bu
reau to waive taxes on steamship
tickets and the State Department to
issue . free passports to American
Scouts who attend the Jamboree In
Holland in 1938.
Winter Sport* Filmed.
Filming Winter sports Is a fashion
able recreation in England this Winter.
PAINTS
• Borreled-Sunlight
• Billings-Chapin
• Du Pont
• Gold Lobel
• Sonneborn
• Valentine
OPEN
WEEK DAYS
7:30 to 5:30 PM.
GLASS
• Furniture Topi
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• Mirrors Mods to
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• Modern Store
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OPEN
SATURDAYS
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*15 Allowance
on this 1937 PEZLCO
Regular price_64.95
Allowance -_15.00
YOU PAY ONLY.
A WORLD-WIDE set. Equipped with High Efficiency Aerial
(value $5, and included in the price), Phllco Color Dial, and three
tuning ranges.
(MAIN FLOOR electrical Arcade)