2/54 Mr.Huelsemann, the Austrian _charge_, thereupon complained of the action of our administration, and Mr.Clayton, then Secretary of State, replied that the mission of the agent had been simply to gather information. On receiving further instructions from his government, Mr. The note of the Austrian _charge_ was in a hectoring and highly offensive tone, and Mr.Webster felt the necessity of administering a sharp rebuke. "The Huelsemann letter," as it was called, was accordingly dispatched. It set forth strongly the right of the United States and their intention to recognize any _de facto_ revolutionary government, and to seek information in all proper ways in order to guide their action. |