Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1851-06-14
DIPLOMATIC SALARIES.

Extracts from debate in the House of Commons, May s.
Lord PALMERsroS said must express my strong convc
ton that the public service is greatly benefited by maintaining
officer Of the rank Of Ambassador Paris as representing
this country at the, will say court but Government Of
great country like France Hear, hear We have reduced
the salary from 9lO to fs 900; and the
honorable gentleman that although he may think a repub
form Of Government involves dimnnton in the scale
expenditure, any who knows the Of Paris this
moment will know that there not that change ia the habits
Of society which to be implied in the opinion of the
honorable member. Hear hear think it due to my noble
friend now occupying the post of Ambassador at Paris
that English travellers who 60 Paris expect
receive from him, with bis reduced salary that very large
tent Of hospitality which hitherto has been exercised,
right on their part and duty his Laughter think
fair my noble friend give tina. public warming especial
since the new arrangement Of passports may induce greater
numbers to visit Paris assuming that the passports they bear
would entte them to the future attention Of the ambassador
there. Renewed laughter.1
The honorable gentleman says we have an example in the
United States As they give only $4,000 year to their
Minister presume he implies that something like that
scale would be sufficient for It is that stated to the
honorable gentleman that when the American Envoy
into my at the Foreign Office transact business Inever
measure the Difference due to him. the weight be attached
to what he has to say BY the amount of salary be receives
Hear, hear But you cannot ask any impartial American
citizen whether the public service does suffer from the
small allowance Of salary assigned the Minister, who will
not tell you that they nconvenienty low and that they
ought 70 be increased. Hear hearl We happen now to
have most distinguished citizen Of the United States who
nus I'll uPe oitune Oh MS own, ana VINO lives IN manner
honorable to himself and the country he represents. But
there have been at former times Of the United
States In this country whose position has been painful
their own feelings Hear It has been impossible for them
to return those social cour!esies which in this
country happy to manifest towards them and think
would not be satisfactory to the feelings Of Engshmen that
their representatives in foreign countries should be compelled
70 BE- different from gentlemen residing in this country
Hear, hear y
The honorable gentleman thinks that this is peculiar
time, when you might abolish the minor missions in Germa
ny and he differs from my noble friend, who thinks the
time peculiarly inappropriate Il is true that the Government
At Vienna and Berlin do exercise they must at all times
exercise pepondeatng influence upon the affairs Of Cor
many but if there any thing peculiar in the present state
Of affairs in Germany bearing upon this question, should
remind the honorable gentleman that to oil appearances the
old Diet 10 going to be established at Frankfort and that
peculiar circumstance connected with that is that the dcc
sions Of the Diet required unanmy and that therefore the
will Of every one of the smaller States likely the
influence possessed previous to the year ls4S Hear,
hear, hesr With respect to the law, do think mat
there be imagined economy that would be injurious
to The interests of the country would be economy that
led you to reduce too low the salaries Of judicial officers
Il may be that you predict beforehand
that who is distinguished advocate shoud on that
sccoun be an eminent judge but the presumption in favor
of his being so-,hat the man who has shown great ability
and commanding talent In point law should
tinguish himsef In the judicial capacity.
isst If there is one thing than any other thst would
DC unfortunate Tor this country, would be If e bs instead
Of looking up to the bench, should look down tiff the
bench should be filled by persons whose professional repua-
ton should be less than that Of the PERSONS pleading at the
bar and II the decisions Of the judges should therefore carry
with them less weight and command hess respect in the
country in consequence Of lis being supposed that the men
who gave them were of inferior ably and character to
those who were pleading the which the judges might
decide. Hear, hear.
Mr. HUME said The fact that the whole society Of
England was in too high tone. ELndghter Every class
ofexPendue, from that Of the peer downward, was beyond
what the people would santoB, uxcepng only those who
could hang portion Of their family upon the Govern
ment; and they were only too ready 10 do that HEAR
hear He really wished Lord Palmerston was out Of the
Foreign Department He would make him Chancellor Of the
ETcheque-any thing he coufor bis talents were great
and be sorry them thrown away in his present
office. (Cheers and aughier]