The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1842-03-16
From the Philadelphia Public Ledger.
DIPLOMATIC MISSIONS.

thousand huinbugs 81 the day
From the Philadelphia Public Ledger.
DIPLOMATIC MISSIONS.
The literary character OF our country ought to be
precious to every one Of its citizens. History in
! forms us that the literary field has been always more
jealousy and successfully explored by republics than
| by monarches. The only literary age Of Greece, as
every oollegian, and almost every schoolboy knows,
that of its republics; and the greatest literary
age of Rome was just before the foundation OF its
monarchy, and the commencement OF its literary de-
clenson the reign OF its first emperor. What is
called the revival Of learning in the middle ages, was
begun and prosecuted by the Italian republics; and
nearly all modern learning is the work OF the Italian,
Swiss German, Dutch and English republics. We
apply the term republic to England because, ever
since the commencement of Elizabeth's reign, it has
been essentially republican IN almost every thing
| We must not forget the contributions of France TO
| the 'republic of letters nor the encouragement
given to learned men by the most despotic OF its
narchs Louis XIV. But must also remember
that the French have always been more remarkable
for appropriation than originality in learning, and
that surrounded by the Italian, Swiss, German, Dutch
and English republicans and nheritlng like these, the
remains of republican antiquity, they have had am
pie stores from which 10 borrow. Whoever would
seek the fountains of the broadest and deepest streams
of literature in France, will find them IN Italy, Ger
many and Holland, and especially the former.
ii, then, republics have done much tor literature,
some literary responsibility rests upon our own We
of appearing before the civilized world as nation Of
mere utiliturians mere merchants and manutactu-
and cuvators merely intent on the care Of the
temporal body and totally regardless OF the field for
the anslon and Improvement OF the immortal mind
Let not history say OF Us that we we've the only nation
of republicans who AIDE efforts for he encourage
ment of literature. We shall be told that under
republican institutions, giving equal chances to all,
learning will necessarily flourish as has in all ma
tions under similar circumstances and therefore that
/ me- hires ke
| We admit that, very favorable position the
energies of the Anglo Saxon race are competent to
any enterprise But because individual effort can do SO
| much, must we infer that it needs iuoc aid 2 We
reply that il it accomplish much alone it could
accomplish much more with due assistance and
therefore the aid of government in literary enter
prise would be eminently useful, it ought IL he fur
nished. AL! other republics, ancient and modern,
have encouraged learning with governmental aid
Let not be the only one which has lei il alone,
and merely because it can accomplish much without
assistance We shall be told that American writers
have already acquired, without any assistance from
government, reputation that viii endure as long as
our language; and that The aunting question
put by an arrogant Brush monachlst, w no secs
an American painting, or reads an American book
| we can reply with of the finest productions of
the pencil and with books which have been translated
| into all the learned languages of Europe All this is
true, and shows the energy of american mind, and
| the favorable position afforded by our country for
its development But IT. through the assistance which
our government easily render, American mind can
be much more thoroughly developed, is any American
illiberal enough quarrel with his government for
granting the aid z II he be, he is unworthy OF his
Institutions and better fitted for government which
regards mental cultivation as dangerous.
But how shall our government assist literary men I
w answer, by following the example OF other coun-
tries in rendering diplomatic missions subservent to
literary pursuits. European governments, with cons
mendable zeal for learning, have frequently sent lite
iary men on foreign embassies, and much more ire
h,ya rhaI hon IN hp nf nulhn
doris thus giving them the credit and influence OF
their governments, the means of obtaining ia
cil,ies for examining foreign records We once fol
lowed this example in the appointment OF Washing
ton Irving and Mr.. Wheaton; and the results
literary works that confer great honor upon
country, as they would upon any. MI Wheaon's
history of the Scandnavans or Nor!hmen is the best
history written of that extraordinary race of men,
which has changed the condition of all Europe, and
Is now at The head o.. modern civilization tor must
remember that the Scandlnavians, or Mortimer, are
the parents of the Northern German, the Anglo
Saxon, the Hollander, the Northern Frenchman
Norman, and the Gothic conquerors of Spain and
Italy The recent appointment of Washington lrv-
ing as Minister 10 Spain is satisfactory TO the whole
country; and the result will be some new work on
Spanish history that will raise American reputation
still higher in the annals of literature. Upon Spanish
history from the reign OF Ferdinand and Isabella our
country has produced al ulrabe works from the
pens Of Irving and Prescott. We may hope that
Irving, with all the facilities for research afforded by
his official position will add still more to tie literary
reputation of our country, by work on the history
of Spain, from The destruction of It's Roman rule by
the Cloths Mortimer, TO the oession of Ferdinand
and Isabella period of Sanish history not yet suifi-
cieny xplored
And since the appointment of Irving to Spain is
thus satisfactory to the whole country, we will ven
ture to recommend the diplomatic appointment of
another eminent writer, which, we believe, VIII be
equally popular; that of James Fennmore Cooper TO
Constantnoplc Our present minister there, If not
already deceased, is very near his end Tor ntelll,
gence of his very precarious health has been lately
received by his family. If this be true, and do not
doubt it, the mission will soon be vacant, and the
President will be beseged by politicians for the APP
pointment Here is good opportunity for him to
act the President of the people and not of party,
and to confer the mission upon some one who while
fully competent to the political and CONNER
cal interests of the country abroad, do much at
the same time, to augment its literary reputation
An impartial, philosophical history OF that extraordi-
nary and interesting people, the Turks, is greatly
needed, and, .7neican we ought to be able TO say
that for such work the literary world is indebted to
our republic. No American is better qualified for the
task or could undertake it with greater advantages
than Mr. Cooper. His talents an author are not
only well known wherever English is read but eX-
tensively on Continental Europe for most of his
works have been translated into French and Ger
man. His fame as an author would precede him,
and insure lin every facility for the prosecution Of
his work which could be afforded by European en-
basses at Constantinople and the Turkish Govern
men already regarding our countrymen with respect
full and friendly interest, and intent on the improve
ment of its own subjects, would afford him every at
ention due to his official position and his literary
fame By the appointment of such men to diplomatic
stations, our government could emineny serve the
cause of national literature and therefore we
hope that it will send Mr. Cooper diplomatic
mission to Constantnople