Mr. Andrews to Mr. Fish
Sir: Referring to my No. 93, of the 3d instant, in which I had the honor to call your attention to the publication in the Norwegian newspapers of an error, caused by translating in the Foreign Office in Count Lewenhaupt’s report on emigration, whereby it was made to read that the people of the United States were opposed to emigration, and to my No. 94 of the 4th instant, inclosing a translation of the minister for foreign affairs’ note to me, promising to take the necessary measures to have the error repaired, I now beg to say that I last evening received a communication from Mr. Consul Grade, at Christiania, advising me how this correction has been made. He states that the Christiania newspapers of the 10th instant contain the following paragraph:
We have been requested to state that an error in writing, which alters the meaning, has slipped into the report from the legation in Washington, relating to the emigration from the United Kingdoms to America, which we have lately mentioned in this newspaper. On page 3, 10th line from above, is written “the United States” instead of “the United Kingdoms.”
It will be seen that this correction is merely according to the letter, and fails entirely to remove the erroneous impression produced by the mistake. Though it will doubtless appear to you, as it does to me, unsatisfactory, I regret that I cannot suggest any further probable remedy to be had from the Foreign Office.
As affording some means for removing the unfavorable impression the error must have made in Norway, I think I may venture to recommend that you give an abstract of the correspondence on the matter to the press in the United States, so that adopted Norwegian citizens there can properly explain it in their correspondence with their countrymen at home.
I am, &c.,