The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1842-03-17


ment and modification, at the general scenes in Con-
gress, in each branch of which, the Wings form
majority Instead of union among themselves for the
good OF the country they have into excesses par
furnished only the dignity Of Legislation, but con-
verted the honor of seat in Congress into one OF the
thousand humbugs of 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
zealousy and successfully explored by republics than
by monarchies. The only literary age OF Greece, as
every colegian, 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-
clension 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 Elizabeths reign it has
been essentially republican in almost every thing
We must not forget the contributions of France to
the ''republic of letters,n nor the encouragement
given to learned men by the most despotc of its mo-
narchs, Louis XIV But we 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 mherng, like these, the
remains of republican antiquity, they have had am
pie stores from which to borrow. Whoever would
seek the fountains of the broadcast and deepest streams
Of literature in France will find them in Italy, Ger
many and Holland, and especially the former.
IT. then, republics have done much for literature
some literary responsibility rests upon our own We
ought with our eminent advantages, to be ashamed
of appearing before the civilized world as nation of
| m ere utilitarians mere merchants and manufactu-
rers and cultivaors merely intent the of the
temporal body and totally regardless of the field for
the expansion and improvement Of the Immortal mind
Let not history say of that we've the only nation
Of republicans who ade efforts for the encourage
ment of literature. We shall be told that under
republican institutions giving equal chances to all,
learning will necessarily flourish, it has in all
lions under similar circumstances and therefore that
it merely requires, like commerce, to be let alone
We admit that in very favorable position, the
energies of the Ango-Saxon race are competent to
any enterprise But because individual effort can do
much, must we infer that needs public aid 7 We
reply hat if il accomplish much alone could
| accomplish much with due assistance and
therefore the aid Of government in literary enter
prise would be ennently useful, it ought te be fur
| nished. All other republics, ancient and modern,
| have encouraged learning with governmental aid
Let not ours be the only which has let 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 will endure long
our lang and that the taunting question once
put by an arrogant British monarchls', "Who secs
| an American painting reads an American book "
we can reply with of the finest productions Of
the pencil and with books which have been
into all the learned languages Of Europe All this is
| true and shows the energy Of American mind, and
the favorable position afforded by country for
ito development But IT, through the assistance which
| our government easily render, American mind can
be much more thoroughly developed, is any American
| ilbersl enough to quarrel with his government for
| granting the aid II he be- he is unworthy Of his
Institutions, and better fitted for government which
! regards mental cultivation dangerous.
But how shall our government assist literary men
We answer, by following the example of other coun
tries in rendering diplomatic missions subsevient TO
literary pursuits European governments, with COM
mendabe zeal for learning have frequently sent lite
| lary men on foreign embassies, and much more fre
quentIy have attached them to the suites of ambassa
doris, thus giving them the credit and influence OF
their own governments the means of obtaining ia
cillies for examining foreign records. We fol-
lowed This example in the appointment of Washing
! ton Irving and Mr.. Wheaton; and the results ere
literary works that confer great honor upon own
country, as they would upon any. Mr.. Wheaton's
history of the Sea VANS Nortmen is tho best
history ever written Of that extraordinary of men,
which has changed the condition of all Europe, and
is now he head modern civilization for must
remember that the Scandinovians, or Mortimer, are
| the parents Of the Northern German, the Anglo
| Saxon, the Holander, the Northern Frenchman or
Norman and the Gothic conquerors of Spain and
| Italy The recent appointment of Washington lrv
ing as Minister Spain, satisfactory the whole
country and the result will be work on
Spanish history, that will raise American reputation
stl higher in the annals Of literature pom Spanish
history from the reign OF Ferdinand and Isabella our
country has produced two al nirabe 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 Golhs, or Nortmen the accession of Ferdinand
and Isabella period of Sanish history yet suffi-
ciently explored.
| 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 will be
equally popular; that of James Fennmore Cooper to
Constantinople Our present minister there II not
already deceased very near his end, for nteili-
gence of his very precarous 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
pontment 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
ca interests of the country abroad, do much, at
the same time to augment its literary reputation
An mpartial philosophical history OF that extraordi-
nary and interesting people, the Turks, IS greatly
needed and as .7mericdns ought to be able to say
that for such work the literary world s indebted TO
our republic. No American is better qualified for the
task could undertake it with greater advantages
than Mr.. Cooper. His talents as an author not
only well known wherever English is read but
tensively on Continental Europe for most of his
works have been translated into French and Ger
man. His fame author would precede him,
and insure him every facility for the prosecution of
his work which could be afforded by European en-
bassies at Constantipope and the Turkish Govern
ment already regarding our countrymen with respect
full and friendly interest and intent the improve
ment of its subjects, would afford him every at
tention due to his official position and his literary
fame. By the appointment of such men to diplomatic
stations, our government could emnenty serve the
cause Of our national literature and therefore we
hope that it will send Mr.. Cooper diplomatic
mission to Con.tantinople