Mcclintock to W. L. Dayton, September 17, 1862
[Untitled]
My Dear Sir: You will find in the enclosed envelope No. 1—1. A letter from D. H. Craig, esq., agent of the associated press, New York, to Wilson G. Hunt, esq., in answer to one which I had sent to Mr. Hunt through Mr. Budd. 2. A letter from Mr. Reuter’s agent, who works in the office of the associated press at New York, for Mr. Reuter’s account. This letter is in reply to certain criticisms of mine furnished through Mr. Hunt.
In envelope No. 2, addressed to Mr. Hunt, you will find—1. A letter of mine to Mr. Craig in reply to his. 2. A memorandum for the operator, noticing his answers to my former remarks, and adding some new criticisms on recent telegrams.
From all these documents you will, I trust, come to the conclusion that our government should appoint some thoroughly intelligent person who knows both Europe and America to prepare telegrams. I would not have Reuter’s man either superseded or stopped from sending what he pleases; such a course would make an outcry here. But the government agent should work in the office of this associated press at New York, and should form his telegrams (1) out of the newspapers of the day, (2,) out of the telegrams of the day as received at the office, and (3) out of special telegrams furnished him by the government at Washington. His despatches, thus formed, should contain the truth, in simple and unexaggerated language. All summaries of official documents, or of anything published or spoken for the press by Mr. Lincoln, Mr. Seward, or other eminent public men, should be very carefully made, and should especially include any anti-slavery sentiment they may contain, as that sentiment is the chief support of our cause in the public opinion of Europe. As the history of the war is, in effect, written for Europe by telegraph, the operator should always have his past despatches before him when preparing new ones, so as to correct all errors and fill up all gaps.
The telegrams should be sent to Mr. Adams in London, and to you here, with authority to both legations to send copies at once to our principal consulates in England and France, and also to the press in both countries. This will involve expense, but it will be repaid a hundred fold in the results.
Very truly, yours,
Hon. W. L. Dayton.
P. S.—Perhaps it would be better to have the telegrams sent to the consul in London and the consul in Paris for distribution, as their offices probably afford greater facilities for prompt work of that kind at all hours; or, by paying a larger sum, they might be sent direct from the telegraph office to the legations, consulates, and journals simultaneously. This would, perhaps, be best, as promptitude is everything.