Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1852-09-04

real Study. BY WILLIAM HENRY TRgscoT. New
York D. Appleton Co.
Barbeyrac says that "to look into the manners
of antiquity and recover the memory Of preceding
years is an entertainment of the highest pleasure
and advantage to the mind it establishes very last
ing impressions of virtue In us, enlarges the soul,
and moves our emulation 10 follow and excel the
leading characters before US"
This is brief and beautiful as an incitement to
the study of the lives and actions of great and good
men who have passed away. 1t is common to re-
gard diplomacy species of cunning and diplo-
matists mere trcksters, arrayed in ine clothes,
to amuse nations with unmeaning words, or deceive
them with false ones. Especially is it SO at this
era of the world, when many imagine that good
sense has only of late, through the supposed new
spirit of Democracy, found its way into Govern
ment and, above all, into diplomacy; at this era
when Kossuth, in one of his discourses while here
recently, denounced before enthusiastic masses of
our countrymen Grotius and Pufendorf as little
better than fools The wise and well-informed
however, know better. They know that diplomacy
in It's high paths is founded on international wis
dom, and ever must be, as far as wisdom can be
perceived and attained amid the many complications
and frequent uncertainties Of international interests
duties, and Obligations.
The author OF the original and exccllcn, prvduv-
the chief merit of diplomatic skill is in what it
prevents, rather than in what it achieves and, as
it usually happens that important negotiations are
not made public until after the men and events
which governed them have passed away, this very
cess contributes to its depreciation for each gene
ration finds itself too busily employed in dischargng in
slant claims to give much time study to past history
and past heroes This remark is just in itself APP
plicable to his subject Again he remarks that the
leading fact in modern history sto borrow philoso-
phical phrase almost generalzed into use-its
progress byanagonism; for if any period be selected
for special examination while it will be found have
general tendency, uniform character, and precise
result yet all this viii have been attained by the
fict of opposing national interests and in each nation
the governing interest will have been matured through
: the contest of opposing parties. = y To study
proftaby such periods want not merely to catch
what is called the spirit of the times-a vague con-
seriousness of the onward sweep of the historical cur
rent-but need the careful analysis of those con-
ficting elements which have modified each other into
broad result the items of those great national
claims upon which time has stricken the balance Now
at the fulfment of all these periods at the close of
every Of these fearful struggles which have cenvu
ed in order to calm the nations of the world the d
pomatss of each have been gathered together to
determine the objects of national desire count the cost
of national success and readus the respective values
of national power"
This is well-weighed estimate of diplomacy by a
mind competent to appreciate it. 1t points to the
whose dispatches, he elsewhere remarks, " have
corded the phases and whose counsels have governed
the crises of modern history whose names stamp
ed indebly upon those great charters of modern civil
liIation, the treaties of Westphalia of Utrecht and
others that might be enumerated which attest the tr
nd lsiIa in
the affairs of nations The extracts cite show also
the authors of writing though they only
from the introduction.
One more, which rises higher tone, viii take
from his introduction There is special value
be says Sin the treasured experience Of diplomatic
cords The periods of modern history have been
characterized by the domination of great and
absorbing empire The civil code of mighty capital
has been elevated into the supreme law of a sub
ect civilization the vigorous spirit Of people
has controlled the direction and the form Of modern
thought. The results Of centuries have been
tanned by the constant conflict of equal nations In
that struggle has been developed the grandes system of
national justice that the world has The suf
ferngs of every and the blessings of every peace
the varied sagacty of every nation and the common
instincts of every people the practical experience of
busy life and the profounder wisdom Of studious phi
losophy have all contributed its glorious perfection
And the law Of nations founded on principles Of uni
versa justice, sanctioned by the precepts Of Christian
revelation illustrated and justified by the great events
Of history appeals both to the pride and safety of the
nations for its sacred preservation But in the strife Of
many interests it has been and viii be to the
temporary advantage Of nation to deny the
force of these impartial rules and refuse wise obedi
to this authority On all such occasions
it has been the peculiar duty Of enlightened and in
sructed diplomacy invoke the experience of the past
and to yndcate all hazards the absolute invioabiy
of international law And in those disastrous pc
RODS which the world has when the unreasoning
right the language Of diplomacy has been that Of
slant and spirited protest. and history has preserved
upon its records strong testimony for truths appeal to
after and better times"
These are sound and elevated sentiments We rejoice
to give them currency They in the spirit of Vatte
Of Macintosh (vho has read Macintoshs manly his
morally grand defence Of Peler y Of Ward, Of Monies
queu OF Grous, Of Madison, and other illustrious
Founders Of public law and the ethics for governing
lions They show the author to be imbusd with doctrines
and feelings flowing from the rich fountains Of genius Of
wisdom, and Of virtue.
We call his work original and excellent II is the for
aractvely and those who do not find II the lat
will read it with different eyes from ours Il is to
his description Of IT, " Historical Essay ra-
Their than history 1t is small thin volume Of less
than three hundred pages heightened out by world
1t is compact in thought, terse in language and
definite in its purpose His labor has BEEN as he says
10 condense his materials into the fewest possible paQes