The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1845-12-13

In WORK which has recently appeared, the au'
thor, c. Edwards Lester, Esq. late U. s. Consul a,
Genoa, porrays with great force the utter useless.
OF present consular system for the purposes
intended. rLester has for many years represented
country in Genoa, and in the capacity Of Consul
and speaking from experience, being withal learn.
ed and talented man, and feeling himself impeled
by patriotic motives, he has undertaken in the form
of letter. addressed TO the Hon. w. w. Campbell,
Member of Congress from this city, TO demonstrate
that the present consular system not only attended
with hardly any benefit to the country, but that the
United States is the worst represented country on
| the face OF the globe.
One of the greatest evils that affect our present con-
sular system is, that the American Consul is almost
always merchant actively engaged in commerce,
and cannot be supposed to give to captains OF yes
sels with valuable cargoes that disnterested nfor.
nation which he otherwise would Mr. Lester
gives an instance OF this, which happened in 1872
or AZ, where an American vessel arrived at port
In the Mediterranean with a valuable CARGO con
signed to any house whom the captain might select
The captain applied to the Consul for information re-
speeding the state OF the market, &c. The Consul
was in possession of information that the cargo was
just the at that moment which, if properly sold
would give the best profit to the owners. The Con.
sui did not communicate this knowledge to the cap
tain, and the cargo was sold at the market rate
The consequence was, that the Consul made over
ten thousand dollars by keeping this information
secret from the captain.
Another great evil is the appointment offoregners
to the office of Consul An instance of this Mr. Les
ter gives, which happened at Trieste, while diff
Guilty between the United States and Great Britain
,ka n
vernon of Gibraltar despatched fleet of steamers to
intercept all the American merchant vessels,
as he should receive intmation of the commence
ment of hostilities. At this time there were several
OF our merchantmen at Trieste and in the Medterra-
mean. Mr.. Andrews, our Consul at Malta, having
occasion to know that no dependence could be plac-
ed on our Trieste Consul, who was an Englishman,
sent despatch to our Consu at Athens, requesting
him to have the Information communicated soon
as possible to our vessels In Trieste To show how
we'll GROUNDED was the suspicion that Mr.. Moore,
our Trieste Consul, would not have communicated
this information to our merchant vessels
then in Trieste, he was heard to say afterwards,
"that Mr.. Andrews did right, for it could not be
pected that would do any thing that would have
tendency to lnJure my own country"
The only way to account for many foreigners
getting consular appointments, is that they are de-
pendant for their support upon their fees, which are
altogether inadequate and no American hardly will
be willing to act as Consul unless he is at the same
time merchant and then 1t frequently happens that
the influence of his Office is exerted promote his
private interests. In addition to this, the Consul who
is merchant at the same time, cannot maintain
properly to belong to the station The merchant con-
sui will lower his standing by entering actively into
business. In all cases, the difference between a
Consul who is man OF letters and polite education
and merchant-consul, will he found to be Just
enough to secure for all the respect paid to
dipomatist, and the other all the attention mere
man OF business receives from courtler. We are
now speaking of foreign countrles where the habits
Of society, socially and politically, are different to
what they are here.
La another point of view, our consular system is
manfestly dehcient-it Is this, that the dutiesthe
rghts-the powers, and the responsibilities of our
ConsuIs, are not defined. Consuls, when they re-
ceive their commissions, are furnished with a
small tract, called Instructions to Consus but it
is impossible for any Consul to gain any light from
these instructions on points OF doubtor difficulty,
which continually arising. What is he to do
then He looks through the archives Of his Office
for aids and authorities, but looks in vain. He can
not ind even the treaty OF commerce existing be-
tween his government and the one to which he is
accredited. He cannot find the laws OF his country.
What is he to do, under such circumstances, but TO
decide on his own understanding Of right and
wrong and, certainly, he cannot be blamed-it is
! his only resource
| Those instructions also inform the Consul that b.
has no judicial power or authority. Then 1t follows
that his apponment is farce III he has no iud,cal
authority, his Office is limited merely to that OF
counsellor. His decisions are not binding. The
Consul under these circumstances, must avoid his
instructions, or, as recommended by distinguished
United States Judge, exercise, with discretion,
just much authority as Is necessary to JUS
tice between man and man, and the higher courts
will bear them out in it," Cases are every day
arising OF disputes between captains and their crews,
and the Consul cannot interfere without the exercise
of some authority MT conferred upon him by his in
structions Yet they do interfere; and the Supreme
Court has acknowledged, by its decisions, the JUS
practically, that if Consul follow his Instructions
rigidy he has authority at all-he is a nonentiy
These are only few Of the most glazing defects
OF the present consular system OF the United States.
! Contrast system with that of England, in its
practical operations In the most distant part of the
most barbarous nation, where American would
accept consulshp, the English send intelligent,
educated experienced man, and maintain him
with dignity. lie Is sent to serve the interests OF
his country and he is well paid for it. and his work
is well done. John Bull does not solicit foreigner
to do his consular work. MIR. Prtchard, the
English Consul at Tahiti, can treat French Admi-
raj with insolence, and bring an insuted and in
jured Queen to his feet, and Parliament will make
great noise about it. England nterferes, and the
French Admiral is disgraced -
| Look upon that pcture-then look upon this.
During the recent disturbances in the Pontiica
States, an American artist named Devereux, from
! South Carolina, was arrested on his journey from
Venice to Bologna on suspicion of being concerned
IN somesmovement hostile to the Court of Rome
There was not the slightest evidence for any such
suspicion. He was ordered by the police to leave
Bologna within one hour, or his head would pay
the forfeit. He could not go forward without the
safe conduct Of the local authorities, and he was
obliged to 60 back. He fled from Bologna with al
haste, escaped to the mountains, and made his way
as best he could to Rome. 1t was in the winter
season, and the exposure, cold, hunger, and fatigue
sowed the seeds of consumption, and in a few
weeks he was in his grave. What did our Consu
at Rome do under the circumstances Did he de-
mand redress, as the British Consul at Tahiti did
M. ha frnp rod nxno fxNv~~ H.
eminent of the Pope nor even communicated an,
information on the subject to his government a
home.
What stronger evidence, therefore, can be pre-
sented OF the utter inefficency Of the present con
sular system Of this country2 No country in tn,
world but the United States, would tamely have sub
mtted to such indlgnity What would the Englsi
have done in such case She would have demand
ed instant reparation as far as the nature Of IN,
case would have admitted of-and in failure Of il
being Immediately granted che would have entorc