The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1851-05-20
The NEW YORK JOURNALS,
DESCRIBED BY THEMSELVES.
THE MISSION TO AUSTRIA.

The Austrian government, by its late acts, has
become an outiaw from the worlds good opinion.
There are cooLjudging men among Us who say
that, with republican dignity and proper fear Of
God, this land can send no representative to that
court Of slaughter IfPolicy require that ours the
puress and NOS powerful Of the many nations that
sympashize with Hungary and the martyrs OF free
dcm, must send an ambassador to bow before this
BLOODY throne, 1t least he should not be one by
whose careless selection here. and trivial bearing
there, the Emperor might think his crimes, IN
american remembrance were passed gaily over TO
history.
II seems to .as that if there was ever diplomatic
trust which required the appointment ofjust such
man a. Mr.. James Watson Webb is not, it is the
cAargeship to Vienna at the present moment. The
risk Of his confirmation strikes us as one which
Overruies the ordinary restraints Of personal cour
teSy or Of literary silence upon such matters, and
calls upon ali who represent any portion Of the voice
of public opinion to speak openly and strongly.
We could not, oursef, honorably avoid expressing
opinion, because we chance to be better informed
upon this class Of subjects than most editors. With
- dponatic passport, kindly given US by one Of our
fore IN ministers, had access, for ave years, to
tho courts Of Europe, and, from the unconspicu9us
rank given by such merely nominal introduction,
noticed,) to observe We know perfectly well what
ccnr. standards are, and define, with sufficient
precision, the esteem in which the American govern
ment wiz be he'd, In the person of this, its d.
p.onaiic functionary, and the Interpretation that
viii De put upon bis ability to obtain the Office lie
os n. 4 speak Of the influence Mr.. Webb is to cxer
al his official character
A court is q small society Of men and foreign
envoy, spite of the facts which might correct such
estimate, Is looked upon fair exponent Of his
country's character and opinions In the ordinary
relations between governments, nations dignity
- vaguely weighed by the comparative dignity and
intelligence Of any Lew man sent to represent it
but when questions Of more interest come up, when
sovereign and his ministry have PLAYED q part
upon which the verdict Of distant nations is Of
@eht, then change Of ENJOYS i, looked upon
opportunity, which no government would lose, Of
expire sing its approval disapproyal; and if
The Jew minister has no formal instructions the
subject, There is an eager scrutiny 70 interpret his
co.ptrys good or i'll viii by his manners and bear
ins-to know, by the kind Of man chosen to express
the feeling of distant nation, whether that nation
Is sitting silently in Judgment upon what has been
deoe, or is thoughtful Of nothing but diplomatic
torrnaiites and unimportant bestowals Of Office
Mr. Nebb's mission to Austria will be recognized
oae mans qualification of vanity, and one man.
seareh after new varieties Of pleasure. and nothing
more. But, with the headsmans axe quickenng
or setardng by the smile or the frown with which
oiAer nations look on at the imperial butchery is
q Of no Importance what America expresses by its
ensoyl Would there be no difference, in the effect
90 Austria, between the presence Of man like
Calhoun, for instance-who would look at that
gay court, never forgetting fer a moment how its
murderous Emperor stands arraignsd before God
ard The tribunal Of nations-and q man like Mr..
Nesb, who would think Of nothing-as he has gone
thitheT for nothing-but his own personal aggran-
dssnent and pleasure. In the trivial character of
ths, America has disapprovs, to express of its
blood-thirsty policy and the world will read, that.
LED ee-pot crush and butcher he will. the purest
OF republics will still send a minister 70 kiss his
hsad az before, and seek amusement at his court
vita uninterrupted international appreciation.
v ale our country's christian and moral indie
rendencc is thus painfully compromised by the
appointment of Mr.. Webb, there is also the lesser
esi.-twhich of itself would not have induced US
to tass up the subject)-of the oft-repeated COM
promise Of our national dignity by uniting re-
preventative. As we said before, nc speak with
knowledge on this point an we Assure those of our
readers, who have never seen the new envoy to
Austria, that he is of the stamp which. in Europe,
iesss wins respect. Wanting the drecsness and
republican simplicity which would best represent
our institutions and our hrstclass Of men, he has,
ia his social phase, ahectation Of superGne
ners which will convey, to a polished European,
iust THE impression which Is given ofn: in England
oy caricaures. In the refined court circles Of the
eoali1ent, men are respected whose department is
simple and straightforward, quite rs much as those
OF consummate refinement but nothing IS more RI
dieoled and avoided than pompou, and poor mta-
ton OF snowy manners, insincere ahcctation OF
fIsaSness, clumsy and fulsome gailantry, and a
b..ndaess Of tact which knows neither the time,
place, nor delcacy Of snything-than just such a
msa, IN short, a. the new minister sent by our go
yerrmept to Austria.
osMr Webb's total want OF the altainments ne
ce.,.Ty in the discharge Of diplomatic duties, 1t
were useless TO speak, for our government ob-ti-
nsSe'y refuses to recognise the need Of them. We
30 No; speak, either Of the objections his point
meet which have weighed heaviest at Washington.
We eenfne remarks solely TO his intrinsic qua
lihcsIons for the Office. and by all usage Of public
journals 70 stop AT these courtesy Of very an
usua. foTbcarance. The unhtness We have men
tiened belongs to tho natural s.amp OF the man, OF
rather 10 coarse animal nature out Of place in the
walks q intellect and refinement but he has one
ctacr disqualification for diplomacy, which, to a
great ryree, is the result Of his vocation. We
have space only to allude to it. 1t Is that preiu-
dc~d one-sidedness 4 view, which, with all polti-
cal srsnglers and psrtixans, becomes q second ma
,urr. Mr.. Webb would give distorted and mis-
leading opinion, either Of any public measure, or
any public man, ia this country. As there are
Engish diplomatists At Vienna, English travellers,
,nd foreigners who speak English, and as Mr..
Wcbb'3 tongue tas all who know him well
awaTe,) gets beyond his reason with any degree Of
coayiyisI excitement, be Is likely TO thoroughly
miszepressnt our country, and broadly to malign
three-fouzths Of the statesmen who most honor IL.
Those OF our cultivated men who hs Ye lived abroad
VII - once understand us. Hhcn we say that q
hsets and gencralized estimate Of political parties,
sd a fair, unprejudiced Judgment Of our public
mtn, i absolutely necessary 10 do justice TO our
cgHrify IN conversation With foreigners particu-
lsry for one who speaks With diploma &c and official
agla0utJ.
Let Us close wi h one word more upon American
sspsaen, toward Austria, and its cali for some ex.
ptrasiea ia cur diplomatic relations.
fhs nations Of Europe exercise over each others
policy mouitcry restraint Which 20 ferfully keeps
sUstr0l the abuses Of sovereign power. In cur
distance by space Gnd time. and in the youth and
d.lsfoDt character II our government, We have
fOgud convenient reason, Ia former years. for call
irx ourselves q new and another world. and med
dl.g With nothing but what directly concerned our
commercial interests. steam has drawn US near 10
Europe, however. Progress in wealth and 20 pua-
ti0p has made us a. powerful r. any one Of these
contiguous nations, and a. capable II commanding
respect Put, commensurate With these spprOxi-
matio,T Of intercourse and power, LET Us ask, has
here net grown ups national responsibility Since
10 European nation would willingly offend or reok
lessiy defy us, has not our mere expression OF
op aior become talent" which we cannot justif-
ably wrap in a napkin r Were ours mo-
rarely, even. this responsibility would now rest
upoa Us. But how immeasurahly greater Is it,
weight aud pressure, when the call for our eSpFes-
800 Of sympathy Is from agonized snd trampled
ircedom-this being freedoms stronghold, sancta
ary. and home. Why, hundreds Of thou,ands Of
grants, from the very nations trodden in blood
repre- scnted in our Senate chamber now, while
Lhl nifed Sfafes sends 4 minister 10 how. Mlthnnt