Mr. Clay to Mr. Seward
Sir: I am in receipt of your despatches Nos. 169 and 170. I thank you for the leave of absence, and I shall use it when I find it most conducive to the public interests, and my own pleasure and health.
The cholera, now spread over almost all Europe, will prevent my travelling at once. I deem it my duty to warn the United States against the importation of the “cattle plague” into our country. Being a farmer, and feeling great interest in such subjects, I have read everything upon the subject which is accessible, and I will give you only the result of my conclusions and observations.
The “cattle plague” is the Russian “cattle pest.” In this country it is always more or less prevalent, and generally kills whole herds. Like cholera it is both contagious and infectious—by these terms I mean to say that it is communicated from one animal to another by the physical imposition of the virus upon any animal from any object containing the virus; and also that the virus may be carried in molecules in the air, and thus produce the disease.
It evidently did not originate, de novo, in England, but was carried there by ship-loads of cattle from the Russian Baltic ports. If this theory be correct, then all importation from abroad should be at once prohibited by Congress, if not otherwise possible to be prevented; and it would “pay” well to call Congress together for that purpose only. No ship having a cow, or sheep, or animal from Europe, or countries having “the pest,” should be allowed to land in America without sufficient quarantine. Every disease must, at some time, have originated from a violent disregard of the natural laws, and this as others; but I am of the opinion that there is nothing in the management of cattle in Great Britain and America to generate the disease.
So also no sanitary precautions can arrest it, short of absolute non-intercourse. I believe it to be a species of “bloody murrain,” aggravated by the marshy nature of northern Russia, and the utter disregard of all the laws of health which is shown to man and beast, especially in regard to ventilation and cleanliness, which prevails in these cold climates, where great expenditure of heat is needed, and fuel and food scarce. The same causes are producing now the aggravated typhus fever here, which is called outside of Russia “the plague.”
England was warned long since of the danger of direct importations of cattle from Russia, but failed to heed the advice. I trust our country may be more wise, and more fortunate.
Your obedient servant,
Hon. William H. Seward, Secretary of State, Washington, D. C.