Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1849-09-28

AMERICAN AR1srocRAcY--THE Personal
DIFFICULTY BETWEEN Mr. CLAYTON AND THE
FRENCH MINIsTER.-The Washington cores
pondent of the New York Herald gives the
annexed history of the difficulty between our
Secretary of State and the Ambassador Of
France 1t would, perhaps, be as we'll TO pre-
mise, that grisette means simply working
girl-one who earns her own support by her
own exertions. We know that there is large
party, even in this country, who consider vir-
tuous labor disgraceful, but We had hardly
thought that any administration would have
dared, openly and authoritatively, TO stamp it
as degrading. The Cabinet. in the plenitude
of their aristocracy, should get His Imperial
Majesty of Hayti to make dukes and princes
of the whole batch of them. 1t will be seen
that even the bare suspicion of having once
been poor, excluded the ladies of the French
Legation from the diplomatic courtesies of our
Republican administration -
Soon after the Inauguration of Gen. Taylor,
it may be be remembered that grand enter
tainment with proper attention 10 etiquette,
several members of the cabinet were called
into the councils of the White House. 1t was
proposed, as usual, that all the ministers, with
| their secretaries, including their ladies, should
be invited TO that grand diplomatic fete, with
the exception of the French ambassador. 1t
appears that NJ. and Madame Poussin had
previously both called on the President, the
minister presenting his lady to the family OF
the President, and everything passed off lady
like. This was preliminary step in social
diplomatic etiquette but, for other reasons, 1t
was proposed TO give an invitation TO M. Pous-
sin without including Madame Poussin. A
considerable debate took place in the cabinet
on this point, and MIR. Clayton was of opin-
ion that Madame Poussin should not, and
could not, be invited with the minister. The
same rule was observed with regard 10 M.
Marie and his lady. The reasons assigned
for the exclusion of these ladies, were the po-
sition which, according to rumor. they had oc-
cupied in Parasitic one had been COVER
ness, and the other griSette: but forbear 10
mention anything else:
On NJ. Poussin receiving his note OF invita-
ton for the Presidential dinner at the White
House, without including Madame Poussin.
he felt very indignant, but did not seem to
know what course to take. He learned that
Mr.. Clayton was the person who brought
about the exclusion OF his lady, and bis
feelings became embittered to an extraor-
binary extent against him. Instead, how.
ever, of demanding an explanation. which
be might have done, from the President
and his cabinet, M Poussin swallowed
the exclusion and the dinner, and very
unwsely allowed his feelings TO escape in a
diplomatic correspondence with Mr.. Clayton
on other and more important matters connec-
led with the interests of the two countries. II
is probable that all these preliminary facts,
including the note of invitation, will come out
in due time. The bad temper and escerbity.
originating in that note OF invitation, increas-
ed and ranked throughout the whole OF the
subsequent correspondence, which is now be-
fore the country Mir. Clayton has kept his
temper better than M. Poussion, but both the
American Secretary and the French Minister,
in their diplomatic intercourse, deserve. TO a
certain extent, the criticism pronounced upon
it by M. de Tocqueville, the Minister for For
eign Affairs in Paris.