New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1853-05-26
DIPLOMATIC LIvBRIEs AND sERvILIrrEs

DIPLOMATIC LIyBRIEs AND sERYILITTEs.
The new administration, has completed or nearly so,
its list of foreign ENJOYS Charges and Consuls. We
think, therefore, few words the subject Of the ap
pesrance and department Of these officials abroad may
not be unmportsnt.
The tendency of our Government should be more and
more democrasc-which does not mean pecustiOn or
misrule but the reverse The world is governed TOO
much" Among the means of ogergoyernng the world
ere clothes and ceremonies. The crown the scepter,
the regal purple the livery the coatOarms the ornate
ceremonial simply means by which knaves gull fools
Nature, childhood, genius knows none Of these Bat
70 bind and sway the masses, these external symbols
are resorted to- 1t is the avowed philosophy of our
Government that being the exact reflex of the pOpu-
lar viii and wants. il is superior such external art
fee Mr. Pierce Cor example, while taking the oath of
Office had neither crosD, scepter, purple, not even
red ribbon to indyiduaze him as President of the Uni
ted States The spectacle not the less impressive
but the contrary. This simplicity precisely character
ICES our Government. But what is truth and beauty
at home cannot be falsehood and deformity abroad
If this simplicity express the equality and freedom of
our country its must indicate the opposite Of
these qualities abroad.
OF course the philosophy of this matter cannot be
gansayed in argument but, strange to say it is and
since the DAYS when the sublime manness of FRASKLN
represented the country abroad, always has been
despsed in practice. Our Foreign Ministers 10 their
persoHRs are simply flunkeys Take the Legation at
Paris London, Berlin wherever you wil the Minis
ter so far from retaining the simplicity and subimiy Of
homedetsils 10 his household and in his dress apes
with sere ingenuity the forms and phases Of European
Court life In losing bis nationality he loses his identity
as an American his popularity a democrat his dignity
as man
Now we call OIL Mr. Pierce TO reform this He caims
TO be Democratic, and We hope to his democracy
Illustrated where il can be efecual. Our Demo
cratic representation in the Courts of Europe is aud
has always been a sham. so far as the salary Of the
Office or the private fortune Of the Minister il be have
one can enable the legation 10 identify itself viii the
outward show and the inward spirit Of the Courts Of
Europe be is the misrepresentation OF his country
He wears the baboon Court dress Of the Eysee ST.
James st the requiston Of grand Chamberlain in
stead of ssying:-"I shall precisely the Court
dress which do az Washington, which is simply the
dress of private person I acknowledge no higher
taste sanction or dignity than those Of my cOun-
airy. The President at Washington does no. presume
ito prescribe livery to the Foreign Ministers with
&c
ffsgable paralelisn, cannot take the pattern Of
Court uniform from any European authority"
This woald be national, manly, simple and effective
But what poor set of diluted spirits without originality
genius or pluck, we have almost constantly abroad who
submit themselves to be stuck body and soul into the
coats and breeehes ceremonies and bedeviments, Of
courts whose style is only refined barbaric grandeur
and whose vitality is derived from popular ignorance and
seYyility
We sell ourselves for what' Are We gainers' Do
we better cur intercourse Dove acquire thus the re-
speet and esteem Of the nations even of their classes
born to aristeerstic hyeriesl Believe il not. The
statesmen Of Europe keep sharp hook out On oar do
ines Not ship, steamboat, shaop not locomotive;
mot an inventions not idea whichis not reported d.
recty to them by their diplomatic and consular agents
10 this country That is what the Legations and consul
a.es are kept up for by foreign countries in the United
States. And If We suppose We are gamers BY merging
our grand national and democratic Peculiartss IN the