The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1842-02-15

We insert the following tribute with the greater
pleasure, because it comes from a true American
lady,
APPOINTMENT OF WASHINGTON IRVING
AS MINISTER TO SPAIN
To the Editor Of the .Madisonian
Sin With feelings Of pride and pleasure, per-
ceiyed from your paper of Saturday that the Pres-
dent, following the enlightened precepts of the age
has distinguished his Presidential term by an act at
credtable to his head and heart-the appoint
ment of Mr.. Irving as Minister to Spain.
OF all in the Union, Mr. Irving is best fitted to
fill the station to which he has been appointed. His
romantic admiration of the country to which he has
been accredited-his acquaintance with the habits,
the feelings, the msfortunes Of distracted, prest-rd
den Spain, render him. of all others, the approved
agent to advance the welfare of this Government at
the Court Of Madrid. honor the President for the
sagacity he has exhibited in this choice and do not
think mistake the temper of the people in saying
that they, too, will bestow on him the need of their
appreciation. They now see that the President, de-
spite the clamors of ruthless opposition, will prove
by his acts that his countrys honor his country's wei
fare, is still the ruling passion of his breast
Unlike the usages of the olden time, literary men
are now appreciated and rewarded. Witness the
examples of France and America. France has her
Guizot and America her Irving. Both are alike APP
precated Guizot may be said to rule the destines
of patriotic France and Irving guards Americas
honor and Americas interests at a foreign court.
For my owrpart, pleased as am at the disposition Of
Mr.. Irving, if may so express it, still would have
preferred to have seen him nearer the President.
The natural generosity of his heart which is full to
a -..t. A. m
GOODNESS of his head and his unsullied private repu-
tation would reflect honor any station.
This has been boastingly styled as the age of the
march Of mind !" and nothing more conclusivey
proves the apposteness of the remark than the evil
dences afforded US in the appointment of I" men of
letters" to posts of honor Genius at least in this
day and generation, is not suffered to pine and await
for posterty to grant it that Difference which it
red, but failed TO receive from the age in which it
nourished
On the score of party--that watch-word that bane
of Republics-how perfectly unexceptionable is the
appointment of Mr.. Irving. | feel slcitous to see
how-in what manner, shape, or form--an exception
can be taken Nay, SO far from objection being
raised in any quarter, do not see why men of all
parties cannot for once forget their anmosities and
ter, for act at disinterested manly and noble.
Mr.. Irving is an american in the broadcast sense of
the term and surely there cannot be informed
man in the Union who does not know, who does rot
believe in his heart, that Washington Irving will so
discharge the duties of his station to rebound to
the honor Of his country--hs uhoie country.
True, Mr. Irving is not party man" in the com
mon &C eptation of the term--that is he has never
played the ignoble part Of the bawling demagogue,
whose every thought is concentrated on place but,
those who know Washington Irving, knop that he has
decided opinions every subject, and that when
casion demands, he is not slow to proclaim his true
Republican principles and no one is more sensiby
alive to the honor and glory of his country If such
men then, he, not safe repositories of their
country's honor, in the of common sense who
are Had the golden rule, observed in this case been
practiced heretofore the blush of shame which has
manted many an honest Americans cheek, at the de-
graduation of his country in foreign courts, by those
who practised on the "spoils system" would have
been averted, and our petty party uds and conten-
tons would have been obliterated by the downfall of
those who gave rise to them
KNICKERBOCKER.
ANNAPoLIs, February -, 1912
A wag, observing the workmen engaged upon the
cou at fho okso 81