The Secretary of State is becoming very anxious in view of
our relations with France. Wants the ironclad Dictator should be sent over soon
as possible. I told him she was yet in the hands of the contractor, and was
likely to be for some time, and when we had her I was not certain that it would
be best to send her across the Atlantic. But he was nervous; said it was the
only way to stop the Rebel ironclads from coming out, unless Grant should
happen to get a victory.
The recent arrest of a Spaniard (Arguellis) who was in New
York, and who was abducted, it is said, by certain officials under instructions
or by direction of the Secretary of State is exciting inquiry. Arguellis is
accused of having, in some way, participated in the slave trade. But if the
assertion be true, we have no extradition treaty with Spain, and I am therefore
surprised at the proceeding. There is such hostility to the slave trade that a
great wrong may perhaps be perpetrated with impunity and without scrutiny, but
I hope not. Nothing has ever been said in Cabinet on the subject, nor do I know
anything in regard to it, except what I see in the papers.
Mr. Seward sometimes does strange things, and I am inclined
to believe he has committed one of those freaks which make me constantly
apprehensive of his acts. He knows that slavery is odious and all concerned in
slave traffic are distrusted, and has, it seems, improved the occasion to
exercise arbitrary power, expecting probably to win popular applause by doing
an illegal act. Constitutional limitations are to him unnecessary restraints.
Should there be an investigation instituted and mere
denunciation of the act, the President will be called upon to assume the
responsibility, yet I am persuaded he has nothing to do in this affair beyond
acquiescing without knowledge in what has been done. Could the abduction by any
possibility be popular, Mr. S. expects it to inure to his credit.
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