Southern standard. [volume] (Columbus, Miss.) 1851-1856, 1853-10-29
The French MiSSiOn-Gen. OuItman. ~ ~ =
SiDDi, "lSSlS-

The Charleston Mercury in CLOSING an os.;-,
the French Mission, in answer to one on bneo On
question from the Richmand ENQUIRER sam. oane
Gen. Quitman of Mississippi as its first 81 ssests
that important place. Says the Mercury v4O'ce Tor
FINALLY, we must remind the Enourer h.,
Dix was no choice of ours. We found him = ar
the country, and his claims canvassed bv Wore
ington letter writers in connection with tboso
other politician, and we expressed the opin;oo an
he was, of the two, the best qualified for the uat
The Mercury is not in position to nominate aSe
didates for executive favor. If it were tbo Can'
of It's choice for the French Mission would ne,I IAN
have been Mr.. Dix. nor Mr. Wise. nor yet J "dst
Mason, but Gen. Quitman, of Mssssinni ~ sse
uprghtness, soldierly dignity and frankness aaS
eminent ability, make him of all the men we aug
the most fit to represent the interests of the In
States with nation quick to appreciate these
to its respect" "S
The suggestion ofthe name of this eminent ,,,r
Ter and civilian for the French Mission is 9.
propriate, and strikes the mind at once as 50 ~,
calculated to give dignity, strength, and in6neDo.
both to the character and motives of the Admis;"
tratIon and to the mission ITSELF that we arc smr
prlsed, the appointment has not before been enc
ken of. of all the public men within the ram.
OF our acquaintance, we cannot think of one v2o
combines all the qualities necessary to an eIev..
ted character and enlightened statesmapsbin IN
more eminent degree than GENERAL JoBy A
QUITMAN of Mississippi. His character, and his.
tory, running through long term ofdistingusbea
civil and military services, are unstained by g.
gle bemish but on the contrary, time and exneri.
ence have only added additional and brighter lus.
tire to his name. If there be such term in tho
English vocabulary as an honest politician, no man
will deny its application to him. Gen. Ouitman
has sometimes been styled can impracticaBLe poi.
tcian." If this be SO, then does his impracticab.
ty arise from a somewhat curious habit he has If
going as far as his honest convictions of RIGHT and
duty lead him, and when they stop be stops Yet
he posses an equally remarkable trait which some
how leads him to act up to his convictions and SEN
timents, though the whole world oppose him. IF
we mistake not it was this peculiar characteristic
which drew upon Andrew Jackson, in his day and
generation, the sneering epithet of BmI-keaaed"
term, the propriety Of which can be best estima.
ted when it is recolleced that it was applied to one
of the most remarkable men of this or anv other
age.
Men ofthis calibre, whose maxim IN information
al intercourse is ''to ask nothing bat what is right
and submit to nothing that is wrong" are the
most successful diplomatists that We have ever
had. Besides that the maxim itself is sound when
applied either to public or private offarS 1t is better
adapted to the genius of our Government and to
the stra'g htforward way OF thinking and acting
Of our people. The public sentiment approves it,
while the civilized world is fast eondemning and
eschewing the diplomatic policy Of Taueyrand
which practices craft and deception, and regards
language as an instrument for the concealment Of
thought. American diplomacy was forciby e1-
empliied by Gen. Jackson when he demanded
the payment Of the indemnity due to American
citizens from Louis Philippe, in that terse and En-
ergetie language, which backed by his welkncul
determination quickly brought about q settlement
OF the controversy
No American >oIdier during the Mexican wal
won more enduring IauEci> IA bT!,i space. Hi
lame Is part and parcel OF American history. H,
Is AL accomplished gentleman ana sea- elevated al,
enlightened statesman, courteous, sIaLA ..Hl MAJ
unanimous IN all his relations. His appointment L
the court of Louis Napoleon would challenge uni
Versal respect, while it would be tower 0
strength to the Administration. Had we a voice
or could we venture to nominate a man to fl
the place, we would unhestatingly give our sane
ton to the Mercury's suggesion.-Ae'aphi
APpeat.