The Foreign Service Journal, July-August 2004

partisan ranger business.” He was accused of violating “official etiquette” and of behaving “just as he would in a Virginia bar-room,” just as he had ear- lier been accused of bringing the “manners of the saddle into the salons of the diplomats” (in The Press of April 8, 1879). But George Seward remained under a cloud, and editorial sentiment came down largely on Mosby’s side. “It is probable,” declared the Philadelphia Times on Sept. 26, 1879, “that the case against [Seward] would have been dropped sure enough but for the accident of our getting one honest man into a Chinese consulate. Col. Mosby is that man.” At this time Fred Seward decided to press Mosby on the Bangkok issue, asking him to make the charges against the men at Bangkok more spe- cific. Mosby answered serenely that he personally had preferred no charges against Sickels or Torrey. The charges, he explained in a dispatch to Seward on Oct. 18, 1879, were being brought by the master of the Alice C. Dickerman , an American merchant vessel. He had, however, expressed an opinion of these men, Mosby told Seward, and would gladly repeat it. “I believe,” he told Seward, “that I said Sickles [sic] was an idiot and …Torrey … was about as fit to be in the con- sular service as … Capt. Kidd. I have no apologies to make for having expressed this opinion.” At the end of October 1879, plead- ing overwork and poor health, Fred Seward turned in his resignation. “The friends of Mr. Seward,” wrote the Cincinnati Gazette , “indignantly repel the insinuation thrown out … that the charges pending against his cousin, the minister to China, influ- enced his resignation.” Mosby had a different take on it, writing to his Virginia friend E. M. Spilman in January 1880 that he had finally had to “turn” on Fred Seward, and “expose him along with the others whom he was trying to protect.” Explained Mosby: “If he had remained in office until Congress met, I would have had him impeached. He saw what was coming, and got out of the way.” Years later Mosby related that after he had discovered Fred Seward trying to “shield the rascals,” he had written privately to Hayes. “Hayes,” he assert- ed in a May 1902 letter to John W. Daniel, “discharged him [Seward] from the State Department.” Outreforming the Reformers Mosby continued his agitation for reform, now through one of his most powerful patrons, Ohio Congress- man James A. Garfield. He pressed Garfield to have President Hayes act immediately on Bangkok. “I regret,” he told the former Union general in a letter dated March 18, 1880, “that the president did not take the advice I J U LY- A U G U S T 2 0 0 4 / F O R E I G N S E R V I C E J O U R N A L 63 SERVING THOSE WHO SERVE AMERICA S I NCE 1 9 7 1 2004 represents our 34 th year helping to maintain America’s fleet of vehicles throughout the world. All of us at D & M consider it an honor to have worked with all of you through these years. We are aware of the importance of your official and private vehicles, forklifts, generators, tools and equipment. We look forward to continuing this service in a professional manner. We are here to help, just ask! Gary Vlahov www.dmauto.com (516) 822-6662; FAX: (516) 822-5020; E-mail: info@dmauto.com