The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-11-20

TIE New Diplomatic Costume tine United
states EnvOys.
From tho London Chronicle, Nov
II We boy Is father to the man. tho latter unques
onsoy carries with ham 70 the grave graz.
ittic Of these is the difficulty difficulty which Is
felt even by the strongest ntelleots steadily pro-
Tossing an abstract principle without the assistance
Of some Visible and material symbol. The followers
Of the houses Of York and Lancaster needed white
and red roses to represent the causes they respect
lively served. The beggar's wallet was once the
badge Of liberty in the Netherlands, as in our own
days, the pointed hat and the still more PORTED
beard betokei cd the republican of the BouIevards-
The Ghibeines and Guelphs could only feel sure of
their fidelity to the Emperors of Germany or the
POpes OF Rome, when they found themselves arrayed
under the columns and bears of the Coonna and
0rini. The Puritans and ROya'ists never ~ COM
pletely realized the difference between their political
and religious creeds as when the hairdressers art
cropped the one party into roundheads and curlea
the other into ringleted cavaliers A the colors Of
the rainbow have been at various times borrowed for
mathematical purposes. Pistoia and Floresce had
their black and white factions. The Circus OF Rome,
and afterwards Of Constantn0pe, had its white, rod,
green and blue parties; and the followers of the
Prophet copsecrated green white and black to their
different theological schools. Even In this sober
minded country and reasonable age, 1t WAS but the
other day that an attempt to restore the ancient
practice Of preaching in white instead OF black
gown aroused a violent excitement in our Church.
With all our philosophy and learning we can sui
find matter for rejoicing or heartburning In the Gus
Of the hair the shape Of hat or the color OF coat
Such, at least, is the weakness of monarchical ma
TONS The great Western republic, however, Is
superior to en1antilages like these. The President
of the States receives at his table, with equal uncon
cen and equal poeness, the glittering spendors Of
the desp1trdden European, the universal black satin
wsstcoat Of American citizens and British trades
men, the fustian jacket Of the artisan, and the
blanket Of the Choctaw; and he would admit evea
tie striped cotton shirt of the African if the hue of
ms for ha aaatIv
his dress. Naturally enough, our enlightened Trans
atlantic brethren, instead Of selshly keeping their
philosophical superiority to themselves feel that they
have mission to illumine the obscurty OF this be-
nighted Old World; and they have acknowledgement,
it seems without some remorse for past shortcomings
undertaken to convert mankind from the errors of
gold lace and plumes to the pure aesthetics OF the
black coat It appears from the Cincinnati Gazette
an extract from which We publish elsewhere-that,
from the days of Benjamin Franklin down to the
present time the diplomatic repre- cntatves Of the
Union in Paris have gone to the Tuilleres on State
occasions Gin some kind of uniform" Mr.. Rives, tho
late Minister, pushed compliance with received
usages 20 far as to visit even the President Of tho
French republic in that guise. But Mr. Rives is
gone, and Mr. SANFORD, the Secretary Of Legation,
has under the instructions of General Pierces 70
verDment, inaugurated new era; and the mighty
revolution which he has commenced threatens to
change-if not the face Of the world-at least the
appearance of its back.
But we must give the history of this integumenta-
ry reformation. M. Drouyn de Lhuys had. 1t seems,
the poeDess some time since to invite Mr.. Sanford
to dinner on the anniversary of st. Napoleon and ait
naturally thought that blaze Of uniform would
be q delicate attention to the memory Of q saint
whose name is so suggestive Of military ideas and
"reminiscences, an intimaton to that effect was ap-
pended to the card of invitation. But here the For
egn Minister had touched the suscepMbilities of the
great republic. An American statesman must not
stoop the tomfoolery of the fancy ball. Mr. Sanford
accordingly explained that great principle was con-
cealed under an apparently significant point of form;
and the French statesman politely begged that the d.
pOmatst would favor bin with his company in what
ever costume republican propriety would permit
Mr. Sanford, therefore figured at the table sin the
humble dress OF plain citizen :" that is Ito follow
the Cincinnati journalist into details), in "black
dress coat, white vest and cravat and black panta
looms, without sign OF decoration or embroidery"
This noble selfdevotlon has, it appears not, been
lost on his couDtrymen "To take the initiative in
and in the midst Of old men of great abilities and
great reputation who adhere religiOusy and consci
eLti0usly, perhaps, to the forms rec0gn zed in all
times past was bold, courageous, and patriotic
act, for which he cannot receive too much praise"
No great cause, however has ever been won without
suffering, as poor Mr.. Sanford was made to feel.
The Duke de Guiche took him by the arm after din
ner, and made "some severe remarks touching his
personal appearance, which were answered in an
equally severe tone and the world may feel thankful
that casus hNt did not grow out of the discussion.
Then came the Turkish Ambassador, and, as il his
gove.r ment had not enough on its hands on the
banks of the Danube, he must needs comment on the
queer appearance Of black crow among golden
birds. The Secretary, however, was forbearing. He
patiently expouDded to the petnlant Mahometan the
great principles upon which the color of the obnox-
ious vestment depended and we only wonder that he
did not win over to his cause an empire which con
tributed Bloomerism to the fashions Of the West.
Elated with his first success, the Transatlantic
statesman called cab and drove to tie Tuilleries,
determined to try the effect of his sable rig on their
imperial majesties. Here, however, his course was
not quite smooth. The lacqueys :" who pave the
way' to the Emperor, scanned his drole dc figure,
and evidently regarded him as an interloper. Es-
Gaping with some difficulty from their hands, the
rufleo secretary succeeded at last in reaching the
Sale des Marechaux, where be found more golden
birds, with sutspread talons and open beak,
ready to peck and tear at the modest eagle who
clothed his glories in the sober hues Of the rock.
The Princess Matilda, it appears, and the Prusssn
Minister, either simultaneously or successfully, re-
moustrattd against the unseemly pants and the
indecoTous coat. But the triumph of freedom and
enlightenment was at hand The Emperors eye fell
on tie humble citizen, who had made himself the
obs of all observers, aid Immediately his Ma
iesty strobe across the ROOM seized the dplomatst
by the hard, " talked to him for few minutes but
said nothing about his breeches, and requested him
to remember him to mutual friend in America-thus
sienifying, morases the writer, Sin the most deli
ca:e. uDmistakabe, and frank manner, that the re-
preventative Of the government of the United States
was welcome al his court in whatever dress his gov
ERIN ent iDdicatedto him.
This is as it should be; and the histsryof Mr. Sand
fords trials will be read with deep interest by all VIII,
have been long and silently chatting under the grind
ing tyranny Of court dress. The Secretary of the
Ameri ian Legation is undoubtedly entitled to great
credit for his zeal in carrying out Messrs Doudneys
and Moses great behest reform your tailors bills'
yet We must not commit the injustice Of attributng
exclusively to Sanford merit which partially be.
longs to Pierce It the latter illustrous general
who issued the celebrated order to the diplomatic and
consular agents of the States requiring them not to
strip themselves of their Americanism in the pre-.
sence Of the European Courts. and to make them uu
derstand by their attitude by their costume that
they had the honor Of belonging to republican
country As to the attitude" We do not at this
moment recoect any posture peculiar to our kns.
on the chimney piece, while the rest of the body
swings artsdcally on two legs Of a chair But The
costume Great 10 the cause of the black coat and 1t
will pr vail. Some captious persons might object in
deed, that free people ought 10 be permitted the
choice OF tbeii own dress, and that grave diploma
TIT might be suffered in small matters, to do at Rome
as Rome toes But this is "Lberty Hall, Gays Gen.
Pierce Of his country where everybody does as