The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1842-02-12

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upon our Consul at Cuba As upon our Minister
at Madrid, and the earliest in formation to our
| Government would of course come through the
| former. In this view of the matter, the CUBAN
Consulship is scarcely less important than the
| nominally higher post Of Minister. 1t VIII De
| for experience to show whether the two gentle-
| men selected for these stations are not entirely
adequate, in all respects, to any exigency that
may arise in Spanish affairs.
| 1t was not, however, to endorse the judgment
of the administration in regard to Mr.. lrvlng's
fitness, that we introduced this subject-the
worlds good opinion anticipated any such ne
cessity-but it was rather to congratulate the
friends and votaries of AMERICAN LITERATURE
upon the promotion Of man, who may be just
ly regarded as their ornament and head, to this
political eminence. Mr.. Irving has, in some
| sense, introduced Spain and the United States
to each other Is it not quite proper that the
United States should make Spain acquainted
with the man who has promoted the acquaint-
ance of both? OF the seventeen years of Mr.
Irving's life spent in Europe, due proportion
were passed at Madrid, and his 60 History OF
Columbus" y" Conquest of Granada" and "The
Alhambra," attest that, though he was there
a silent, he was yet not an idle nor prohtless
observer. Behold the modest student of that
day, transferred to the Minister Plenipotentary
of this! Thanks to the discrimination and the
justice of Mr.. Tyler and Mr.. Webster-there is
green spot in the history of promotion; the
unsolicited honor falls upon man of real me-
al H. hriho
We have heard of De Chamillart, who was
made Minister of France, because he could beat
the King at billiards Of the favortes of James
the First owing their promotion to their hand
someness! Of Sir Walter Raleigh being in
debted for his preferment to an act of gallantry
| to Queen Elizabeth OF servant made a
Cardinal for petting the Pope's monkey Of
this man promoted for his dancing; of that
man for his good suppers; of few who are
indebted to their virtues, but many for
their vices, and multitudes for their party
services and importunate clamors. 1t was
reserved for Mr. Tyler to summon from his qui-
ct retreat man of real merit, who could only
boast, with LIE SAGE, that if he has not been the
friend of fortune he has always been the friend
of virtue-who can say, also, with Corneille,
with less than his vanity,
Jai peu de voix pour MOL mails je les al sans
brigue;
Et mon ambition, pour fare plus de brut
| Ne les va point queter de rebuilt en- rebuilt"
But, all that Louis the XIV could do for that
poet, when Racine reported him dying, was to
send him money to buy little broth, while he
could promote another man to the Cabinet tor
his skill at billiards Lord Burleigh thought the
lowest clerk in his Office more deserving per-
son than Spenser g the child of fansie," and
even intercepted the charity of the Queen. 1t
is true, we believe, that Joseph Addison was
Secretary of State to Queen Anne but it is
also true that, while some royal upstart may retire
from the Lord Leutenancy of Ireland, after
few weeks administration on $4,000 per an
mum, and every ex-chamberlain, ex-envoy, and
ex-anY thing else, receives his approximation
allowance, nothing is granted to letters. The
man of letters serves the public but neither his
wants nor his merits are estimated by the politi-
cal power, by any scale of measurement what
ever The royal favor looks to the relations of
parties to the royal office, and their services to
the King and his family. similar rule, hith
erto, has almost universally obtained in this
country. What are called, in the cant phrase
ology of the day, mans "cIaims for Office"
have been inferred from his achievements as
partisan This affectatlon reversed the order
Of truth. The question should have been,
what office claims the man 2" not what man
claims the office ?" "To the victor belong the
spoils." is very characteristic and natural pro-
clamaton to an army Of hungry and mercenary
barbarians, like those who despoiled the fair
monuments of Roman civilization but it is un-
worthy of this free Republic, where the only
weapons of warfare are the tongue and the pen,
and the only triumphs are those Of argument
and truth. Office, in this country, is duty,
not a privilege. 1t was so regarded, and so ex-
ercised, in the pure and patriotic days of Wash
ington. 1t was for the very reason, that he fore
saw the avarice Of man would overreach his
dignity, his patriotism, and his integrity, that
Franklin was opposed to making posts of honor
at the same time posts of profit. The Govern
ment was instituted for the good of the people,
not the benefit Of faction; and Office was Gre
ated as necessary instrument, not as perma-
nent elemosynary asylum, nor yet as reward
for personal or factional fealty.
If Government claims the service of those
who have most distinguished themselves in the
service of the public, we have yet to learn if
there are many men standing higher in that cate
CORY than Washington Irving We have yet to
learn whether man who forms correct tastes
and gives wholesome tendency to the morals
and opinions his countrymen, is not as much a