The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1849-11-28
7 Fl E R E ? u B L | G .
WASHIN GTON:
WEDNESDAY MORNING, NOVEMBER IS. ls4s
Reception OF MIR. Rives.

Reception OF MIR. Rives.
The newspapers take various views of
the late reception of Mr.. RIvEs by the
French government, according to the point
from which they regard it. The New
York Tribune is Of the opinion that it will
be received with profound satisfaction by
the people of this country, though it may
disappoint the malignancy of the meaner
and more widely prominent portion of the
Opposition press. 1t thinks, moreover,
that the address of President BoNAPARTE
is not wanting in certain elevation of
sentiment, which should be generously
reciprocated on our side.
The Evening Post, on the other hand,
is of the opinion that the manner of it
was very ungracious, and that the recog-
milton of our minister was put upon the
ground of special grace, whereas it was
matter of right. 1t then proceeds to COM
ment upon the political opinions Of Mr..
RIvEs, which, it says, care such as to
make him acceptable to a government
which holds the rights Of the people so
cheap as that of France; and if he bears
with due patience the incivility of his
reception, he will, no doubt, become still
more favorite."
Language like this from the Post, no less
than the defence of the MONROE declara-
ton by Democratic journals, verifes the
couplet Of the great English satirist:
Manners with fortunes, humors turn with climes,
Tenets with books, and principles piD. times"
Who would have imagined, in the days
of Mr.. ADAMS, that the principles of Mr..
RUSH would become in twenty years the
very essentials of Democracy, and that
those of Mr.. RIvEs would lose so entirely
the Democratic odorl We should be pleased
to learn at what time and in what manner
Mr.. RIvEs has ever abandoned the tenets
of the Jefersonian faithl For aught that
we know TO the contrary, Mr.. RIvEs pro-
fesses precisely the same principles now
that he entertained when he formerly
represented his country at the French
court. He went NTH his principles, he
did not abandon them, when he resisted
the transformation of this Government in
10 an Executive absolutism. He went
NTH his principles, he did not abandon
them, when he shrank from the mean
corruption and wholesale plumber which
marked the administration of Mr.. VAN
buren,. He went NTH his principles, he
did not abandon them, when with the De-
mocracy of numbers he hailed the acces-
sion of General HARRISON TO the Presi-
dency. He went NTH his principles, he
did not abandon them, when he fought
under the banner Of HENRY CLAY in 1874,
and with that great statesman and pa
triot suffered defeat through the Abolition
alliances with Locofocoism in New York.
With his old principles, though widely
separated from his old companions, he
now stands-of eminent talents, unsullied
integrity and rare accomplishments, a
SHINING UdIk lOI lut dIOWs vi Itlenless
party prescription.
We have no knowledge Of the recep.
ton of Mr.. RrvEs but that which we de-
rive from the telegraphic despatch which
brings the latest public intelligence. II
states that the manner of President Bona.
PARTE was most gracious, and that he OBJ.
served that, in consequence Of the difficult
ty that had arisen between the two gov
ernments, he would have been deprived Of
the honor Of receiving him, if, instead Of
being republican minister, he had been q
monarchcal ambassador. There seems to
be nothing in this beyond polite way OF
putting aside a cause Of embarrassment.
1t means any thing or nothing. The min
lister is received. Under the circum.
stances, il was necessary, perhaps, that
the President should say something, and
ne tells the minister that, in the case of a
monarchlcal ambassador, he should have
been inclined to stand rigidly on point Of
| etiquette, but that, as between two repub-