The Sun.
London, England, 1867-03-16 00:00:00

SEWARD'S POLITICO-SYMPATIIIES.

The United States are not generally represented
on the continent of Europe by men superior for
anything but an acquaintance with the world or for
success in politics. Even this latter quality is
wanting in those cases when an executive like James
Buchanan or an Andrew Johnson uses these offices
as pensions for his cripples that have been beaten
in a Congressional campaign and pronounced unfit
to represent a constituency. 'Those who are now
abroad are, as a whole, a passable set of diplomatic
servants. There's Harvey in Lisbon, to be sure,
who keeps Mr. Seward posted on the State dinners
—the number of plates—the bill of fare—and varies
his epicurean despatches by silly criticisms and
attacks upon the policy of the loyal people. There
is Sandford, too, at Brussels, who has little to do,
and does little except to complain that his mission
is not one of the first class, thereby compelling him
to march behind some of the representatives of smaller
powers on his way to dinner. Mr. Clay at St. Peters-
burg is inclined to screech like the American eagle
and threaten crowned heads with a combined as-
sault from our national bird and the Russian bear ;
but he is quite popular at the Winter Palace. Mr.
Adams at St. James's is a man of considerable talent,
not as enthusiastic a friend of liberty as his father,
but is considered an admirer of Mr. Seward, which
in that gentleman's estimation probably makes up
for other deficiencies. Mr. Wright, at Berlin, is a
politician, who attends to his routine of duties and
does not appear to intrude his opinions on auy one.
And the same may be said of the general fitness
and capacity of the others.
But of all these gentlemen, there were two who
especially represented the higher culture of America.
Mr. George P. Marsh, at Florence, has long been
distinguished for his philological researches and his
ripe scholarship in linguistic science. His lectures
on the English language are justly celebrated for a
display of wide learning and critical acumen. Such
a man stepping into the arena of diplomacy which
mere partisans and skilful managers of the caucus
and other election machinery have too often occupied
was calculated to inspire respect for the nation that
had honoured him with its representation at a foreign
court. Him, some one who is designated by Mr.
Seward as " an American gentleman travelling in
Europe," reported as holding Mr. Johnson and Mr.
Seward in disesteem ; and no more inclined than
any other of the intelligent and self-respecting
E members of the Republican party to support those
two gentlemen in their attempts to make the re-
bellion a success. What reason this "American

gentleman" had to especially include Mr. Marsh in
his report does not appear. Nor are we favoured
with the name of the person so solicitous in re-
spect to the views taken of the executive policy
by our Foreign Ministers. Ile may have been
Slidell ; Jake Thompson, perhaps ; John Wilkes
Booth, possibly, if the rumour of his being alive
is true; George B. M'Clellan, forsooth, who might
as well have been elected President ; or some other
members of the Democratic party, who, like the
Botany Bay immigrant, have left their country for
their country's good. NV hat punishment was in-
flicted upon Mr. Marsh Mr. Seward fails to report.
But to Mr. Motley, our Minister at Vienna, he
dispatched a copy of the charges made by the
anonymous traveller, who seemed to have
accepted the position of special detective
for the State Department. There is no rea-
son to suppose that Mr. Seward believed all these
charges against the Minister. Mr. Seward's apos-