The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1844-03-12
From the Philadelphia Ledger.
FOREIGN INTERCOURSE.

binary powers.
From the Philadelphia Ledger.
FOREIGN INTERCOURSE.
The Committee Foreign Relations have report
ed to the House of Representatives new project
for the regulation of diplomatic intercourse wi
foreign governments. The ostensible object of the
alterations which the committee recommend in the
present system, is economy. We admit that this OBJ
ect may DO attained, but fear that it will be pur
chased too dearly. Judclous economy is always
commendabe virtue in governments, though some
times rare. But we have no praises TO besiow upon
deuteronomy which defeats its object, which is ulti-
mately more expensive than the fault which ii is de-
signed TO correct. We have read of penny wisdom
and pound folly the wisdom that lavshes dollars to
save cents and we have occasionally much Of
it in own government Thus Mr.. Jefferson's adj
ministraton expended many millions IN building gun
boats because rigaes and sloops were too expensive
Yet when the country involved In war, 1t found
all the gunboats entirely useless, and saved It's honor
establish It's reputation, and procured satisfactory
peace, principally through the fundamentally OF a
few fir built irigaes" on the ocean and the lakes
and few scores of privateers. Thus not long since
the FEDERAL Government dIsmounted a regiment OF
dragons, TO save the expense of horses and now,
finding Dragons without horses useless, it is prepar
ing to remount them The expense of the change,
and of keeping useless regiment in the time,
for dismounted cavalry are useless, will far exceed
the amount saved. Thus the Federal Government
reduces salaries below decent living for competent
men, and then loses ten times the amount saved, by
the incompetency or dishonesty of the officers who
can be procured for low salaries. A great lawyer
will demand high fee for conducting an important
case before the Supreme Court, and will gain it. A
county court pettyfogger will undertake II for trhe,
and lose it. Which is The most economical, Mr..
Client;
/ The committee propose to abolish the missions to
Austria, Turkey aud China .supeIluous and send
one minister lenpotentary 10 all the States of Italy
and to Turkey to send ministers peuipoentiary TO
Britain, France and Russia at present; 10 send
one minister plenipotentary to Spain and Portugal
TO send minister penipotentiary to all the Princ-
pal States OF Germany 10 send one minister resi-
dent to Holland and Belgium to send minister
resident TO Denmark and Sweden to send min
ister plenipolentary to Mexico and Texas 10 send
one minister resident TO Brazil, Montevd dec and Bue-
nos Ayres to send one minister resident TO NeneZu.
Ella Eucador and New Grenada 10 send one minis
ter resident TO Peru, Bolivia and Chill. The resi-
dence Of these travelling ministers at each court
to be determined by instructions from the Executive;
and thus each mut 90 where he is first ordered and
remain there till ordered elsewhere. No outfit is to
be allowed to any minister, till his confirmation by
the Senate and minister is TO return without per-
mission Of the President, till he has remained abroad
for three years TO return then without the Pre-
sident's appreciation. The travelling expenses of
these itnerant ministers are 10 be betrayed by the
government. The committee say that the present
expenses Of the government for diplomatic inter
course, about 5000 900; that these alterations
will save $40 600, that the additional expenses for
travelling will be about $4,000, and consequently
that the net saving will be about 500 900.
With dse respect to the committee, pronounce
this plan absurd and trust that both House and Sen.
ate will be 100 wise TO adopt it. The committee
pronounce the mission to China superfuous. Do
they know anything of our commercial relations with
that country, aud how the new position of the Bril-
fish in China will affect them At enormous ex-
pense in defence of every moral principle with
degree Of wckedness which woul have put even the
| Romans to shame, the British Government have
forced open the markets of China Have they done
this for nothing Will they quietly surrender the
advantages so dearly gainedi No They will strive
to monopolize tins trade to exclude Us from II with
out appearing to do So
Then will not American interests in China need
something more than the supervision of a consult
i And v III a consul be anything more than a m reliant
endeavorng TO fill his own pockets by obeying or vi
olating Chinese laws according to circumstances ?
And such an officer inspire respect confidence
in the Chinese government We say that noo, " hen
the British are in China conquerors, who have
sought monopoly through conquest, our own attitude
in presence Of the Chinese cannot be too imposing -
Therefore should maintain a minister at China,
upon salary sufficient TO maintain the diplomatic
and avoid the mercantile character. This minister
may not be admitted to Picking. But wherever he is
allowed TO reside, he should claim equality with
the highest foreign agent in the country should be
entirely above trade, and should appear only as the
representative Of the phoie country Of the nation
And in addition to this, we should maintain a squad
ron in the Indian and along the eastern coast
of China, in which the ships should be changed once
in two years at least Our government once com
mted the oversight Of sending the ship TO Chi
ma twice, thus leading the Chinese to suppose that
we had but
/, Nor can we regard more fsvoraby than we do the
abolition of the Chinese mission, the project of the
committee TO send an iinorant minister TO different
governments. Each government has its secrets and
diplomatic intercourse is always Of a confidential
character How, then, a government be at en- q
with foreign minister who maintains diplomatic re-
latiuns with several go,ernmentsi IL these govern.
ments are friendly, they would be somewhat shy Of
such a minister and If they woro hostile neither
would be inclined to trust him. Let us take the
case of Italy Here the principal powers are Aus.
tra the Pope, Naples and Serdinia II the two lat
ter should be jealous Of Austrian influence could
they treat very frankly with an American ministe
who occupies the same position at Milan or Vienna
( as at Naples Turin In Germany these Difficult.
ties would be still greater for here three great pow
ers Russia, Prussia and Austria are incessanty con
tending for influence. All of them unite against
France but the German States are the battle ground
their conflicts with each other They would not &C,
with their usual prudence in treating with an itine
rant minister, common TO all three. Holland and
, Belgium hostile. Could the same minister he
admitted TO friendly relations with each9 Denmark
and Sweden may have opposite interests and here