[
407]
J. C. B. Davis misapplies
Sumner's protest, which was against
Fish's first draft of the instructions, and not against the document as finally settled under
Cushing's lead.
The senator continued his friendly intercourse with the
President while he remained in
Washington, and during the summer his relations with the secretary were cordial, intimate, and confidential.
All the trustworthy evidence shows that the three were at the time in entire agreement on the
English question.
Mr. Fish, as well as others who were anxious for a settlement of the claims, was disturbed by the clamor in
England which followed
Sumner's speech, and which, it was feared, might interfere with the negotiation.
1 Correspondents started the rumor that there were differences between
Fish and the senator,
2 and the latter wrote to
Cushing, June 16:—
I saw Fish last evening, and found him as always with me most friendly.
We spoke of the attempt to make it appear that there were differences between us; and I ventured to remark that, whatever might be the effect of such efforts on my position, I feared more the influence on our case in England and the position of our legation.
There should be union at home.
He agreed, and, I think, would be glad to make a statement on the point.
I write this for your information, as I am about to leave for Boston.
Three days after this letter, a special despatch, dictated by
Mr. Fish, appeared in a leading newspaper of New York,
3 which, referring to the report of differences between the senator and the
President and secretary, growing out of the instructions to
Motley, said:—
Nothing could possibly be further from the truth than this.
Mr. Sumner, as chairman of the Senate committee on foreign relations, was consulted constantly during the preparation of these instructions; and when they were completed he not only expressed his entire approval of the course Mr. Motley was instructed to pursue, but signified that the policy thus marked out was as firm and vigorous as our foreign relations would now justify.
In fact, at no time has Mr. Sumner been in closer accord or in more direct sympathy with the policy of President Grant than at present, and rumors of disagreement are entirely unfounded.
The despatch then states that
Motley's instructions differed from
Sumner's views only as to the question of ‘the amount of ’
