A British Consul's Exequatur revoked
The reader will find in the
Dispatch of this morning the proclamation of
President Davis, revoking the Exequatur of
George Moore,
Esq., H. B. M's. Consul for this city.
This revocation is only special and personal.
Mr. Moore, it appears from the "Letters Patent," issued by the
President, had assumed to act in behalf of the
British Government in matters occurring out of
Richmond and
Virginia, (in the
State of Mississippi,) and his authority for so acting he was requested to furnish to the State Department.
This he failed to do before another correspondence with that Department.
Therefore the
President considers it inconsistent with the respect due the
Government that he should be allowed to exercise the functions and enjoy the privileges of a Consul in the
Confederate States.
Mr. Moore is a gentleman whose official and personal intercourse here has been marked heretofore for its propriety and courtesy, and also by a very discreet and intelligent performance of his duties.
Present here with the Exequatur of
Abraham Lincoln, representing a Government whose singular policy towards us may well embarrass its agents, he has had no very easy or pleasant time of it. Whether or no his conduct towards the
Government is the unavoidable result of his official relations, of course, we know not; but an intentional breach of official respect would certainly be inconsistent with his usual deportment.
When we first heard of the "Letters Patent," we had hoped that they were general and revoked the Exequatur of consuls generally.
It is certainly time that our own Government was recognized.
We have waited long and patiently to the cold rejection of our own diplomatic agents abroad, and it would seem to be fair that we should at least by this time decline to recognize officially the agents of those Governments residing in our own county.--This is our feeling.
It may not be wise, but it would certainly be fair.
The Government, however, knows much that is not known by the public touching our foreign relations, and the whole matter may be safely entrusted to its hands.
