Weekly national intelligencer., 1848-07-08
CONGRESSIONAL.
FoRErGS MISSIONS OF THE UNITED STATES


4
The House being in Committee of the Whole on the bill
making appropriations for the civil and diplomatic expenses
the Government for the year endng June 80, ls4s--
i Mr. j. r.. INGERSOLL addressed the Committee as fol-
lows In he early part Of the session plan brought
forward for changing the system OF representation abroad
bill not now Immediately before Us, formally intro
duced by the Couites Foreign Affairs accompanied by
an explanatory report 1t contempaes and authorizes
mediate elevation OF diplomatic rank OF every description
promotes by wholesale The representatives, OF the country,
now well enough regulated in Ausa, Turkey and China,
under the ineligible Of Ghargf 6AGa;res Minister
Resident and Commissioner, TO be exalted according 10
the dignity Of the respective which they accred-
ted The Charge in Vienna Is to assume she rank of Earoy
Extraordinary and Msier rPpotentiary in order that he
may be the better adapted to his imperial residence The
Nsier Rssdex the Sublime Porte is TO be submated
accordingly into full Minister and present commissioner
in the Celestial Enpe is be heatifed to different rank in
order that may be qualified for association with the brother
OF the sun No es than fourteen charges 1aires TO be
converted as by an enchanTs wand into higher class Of
nc,onares and three additional Of this elevated rank
to be provided foS-
This is not all. 4 superave degree Of exataon is to be
built up in shape happily yet unknown to in practice
l,se with royalty tse Ambassadors, whish have been
wisely regarded dead letter in the constitution be
introduced into by express legislation with increase of
less than third o the higaes salary and out now al
lowed 5y law to any minister and far beyond that Of pub
lie whatever except the President OF the United States
These startling propositions were made at time when the
present Developments Of European world yet labor
ing in the womb time Il might have been hoped that d
the great changes that theatre which have convued
whole continent its centre, and opened new phases OF in
between the old empires and the new, the whole
project would have been permitted TO rest at least until
should be known what forms Of society and notifications OF
may be evolved which is proposed that
should professedly adapt ourselves
Mr. declared himself 10 be unwilling to see any these
changes adopted He should regret the ntoducton OF them
under any circumstances At this moment they would be
particularly unfortunate An entering wedge for them was
presented in the shape of proposed amendment to the bill
Immediately under discussion, and was proper that
should be met and resisted al its earliest stage.
Europe cannot properly be said be in state Of transit
on The comparative order and regularity which that term
implies i'll adapted the chaotic ferment which actually
exhibited Her condition rather that OF great vocano IN
which the different elements not merely IN agitation but
doered each upheaved in turn from the lowest depths all
of them struggling for the mastery, and rendering entirely
uncertain which will finally remain upon the surface Nothing
can be more unlike what Milton somewhere calls uansion
sweet than The threatening spectacle tina, we have the pv
iege behold uncontaminaed distance. To plunge
into sdvsed association in new and experimental arrange
with such chaos almost ungise as pnysicay
the oupourings Of the volcano ITSELF time
which, instead of leading to become converts to their
usage appearance of the sagaous OF the old
world putting habits of simplicity is altogether unpro-
piious the suggested AT any time they would
be than doubtful in their policy exposing US as they
would do at home and abroad to practical difficulty and dan
ge and opening wide door TO evil influences and eseened
love of country.
Al win concede the increased liability that would
exist the influences of Executive patronage Nothing IN
republic deserves be carefully watched than this
nue. of corruption. Scarcely Office in the gift Of the Pre-
sden is deemed desirable that which enables
the citizen visit foreign countries clothed with the dignity
and the privileges OF diplomacy IL has been made already,
in TOO many instances inadvertently perhaps the
besoer and ae receiver proof Of the extent TO which pa
tronage may be extended and how many individuals 1t
my be lavish by merely changing the occupants Of par
ticuar place Ii would ii the Russian mssion, cT
IL - IL oonEva
occasion for bief aspendd and, incidentally,
al other attractive obecof nteres, and curiosity oatier
continent New Quilts ard salaries have
ceeded each other rapidly that the and the ases Of
tiem en.Hsly ncongruous communication rom the
SECRETARY OF State to the Mouse OF 2epresen OF May
1888, exhibits the Of succession for years and
affords curious specimen OF shoryed diplomatic employ
ment The Legation to 81 Petesburgh described from
the close of the mission Of Mr. Middleton until the earlier part
That Of Nj Dallas The intermediate misonsa complete
John Randolph from June 8, 1890, July IL, 1851
wear month and days.
James Eucbanan from March s32, to August, ls33-
year months and days.
WIian Wilkins FROM July !, 1884, 70 May 2 1861
year 10 months and ssdsys.
II you raise the rank and ncrsase the snoumsns Of these
tempting pacps you increase proportonay the of pu
chasing support and sappng the foundaiiOns Of lofty nde
pendencs The proposed plan, besides greatly adds to the
number OF rstanes and thickens the dangers Of disastrous
influence. Our present most accustomed diplomatic agent
goes without any Official attendant. The moment you begin
10 In ne dignity you 10
Ministers Of any known degree have their secretaries and tie
only existing nsr resident from this country Is accredited
Ccnstan,nople with official assistant Under the of
dagOman Thomomeni you adopt he ts and the functions
Of ambassador YOU greatly multiply the attendant officials In
initiating the crowned heads Of Europe in appointing to ibis
exalted, and a. il called in the books sublime order d d
plonacy you will not probably withhold the usual allowance
Of authorized attendants An unusual allowance might some
what sare When Charles K assembled the throne Of
France mission Of the highest dignity fitted il En-
gland oney the congratulations OF me British king The
ambassador himself selected from the first class Of MOBILES
Of the realm; hundred knights in splendid pagesny
posed his suite They headed by the brother Of tine Duke
who himself created peer for the occasion. such
the enory Of the expense attendant this brilliant pagean;
that il is understood repetition Of has taken Place will
probably again. Bot lisen for the slow.
ances according the books, made occasions o extra
ordinary character especially they missions Of the
first cas. Governments, told sometimes name,
dependeny Of the secretaries OF the embassy and legation
chaiceer dambassade dyecteur de ehanoederie,
ns attaches and sces besides secretaries intrpres AMI
in missions Of great ceremony pages, accompany their
bsssaors and augment the ecat the mission One of each
Of these pages ncluded would swell the number
and have twenty-five MISSIONS IL every mission
embassy, hundred and twenty-five depen5ans
wo1ld be created by the change. Diminished numbers do
all destroy the DAGGER OF the thing itself couple q
persons time Of real consequence made dependant by
every mission and that couple multiplied at the pleasure OF
the Executive, by renewed appointments at short intervals
would present formidable temptation Extreme party men
may not leptecate this evil I, much to saw
there is present danger that would be rendered available
With entire individual respect for the Chief Magstae cam
not doubt his willingness carry his official power to the
extreme Of party preference and exclusion. With two great
divsions of nearly unite equal of