The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1854-12-30
THE DIPLOMATIC AND CONSULAR REFORM ~ r, 'I'Tr sprr
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Mn kp1roR: In your Daily Union of September n
1854 find published bill to remodel the diplomatic and
consular systems Of the United States introduced by the
Hon John Perkins r, and referred Committee OF the
Whole House the Of the Onion on the lst of Au-
gust last and through your columns beg to offer few
observations on the proposed change
The object of the bill was doubt to render the diplo-
matte and consular services effective and ut the came
time TO give TO the officers employed in these two ranche,
salaries sufficient TO maintain them deceny in the places
OF their Official residence thus doing away with tie ne
cessity to which most of diplomatic agents are sub
eced of using their private means to enable them 20 sup
port the dignity Of the government and their own
can speak from experience these mattera having had
the honor TO serve the country in the different pactes Of
secretary Of legation charge dare and envoy exraor-
dinary at St Petersburgh Vienna and Lima during up
wards OF twenty-four years and still Interested
r~rty fhis, *ss viii serve my sxtuse vk,r safnis.
ting TO the consideration Of our national representatives
few observations upon the provisions Of the proposed bill
Ny opinion of can be stated in few words II will not
answer u does not meet the case and the diplomatic
agents Of the United States far better off under the
present system Of outfits salary and the quarters salary TO
return home upon than they possibly be under the
system proposed by the BILL with the exception Of those to
be sent 70 China and other places Giving the
honorable author of the bill full credit for beraity and
the desire 20 place agents abroad the situation
to promote the interests Of the country it s still evident
me that he has been in the diplomatic service of the
government and most probably has never resided and
kep house out Of the United States The reporter re-
marks that he scale of compensation ministers and
secretaries has been graduated correspond with the
importance of the duties be performed and the expense
of living at the respective capitals
III s desirable that the salaries of our
abroad should be ibert without being extravacant" This
is the true principle upon which diplomatic system
should be based and in order arrive the relative inn
porance Of the legations and the duties be performed al
them the geographical position of the country with re-
spec to the character Of the inhabitants the stats
teal views Of the Of the United States published
annually by Congress- and other documents should be e.
amined and estimate made of the probability Of ques-
tons arising in which diplomatic interference might
quired To ascertain the probable expense of living at the
respective capitals the opinions Of diplomatic agents ae
tualiy in the service who have been formerly employed
in it, should be consulted neither of which the committee
appear to have done
In the first place with seeard 10 the Importance Of the
several missions and the duties TO be performed at them
shat oonfne my observations to Russia Austria and
Peru--conntries in which have lived and with which
! am well acquainted ! resided in ST. petersburph
nine years Vienna seven, and haye been about seven
in Lima. During my residence IN Russia there were
few occasions which a interests Of our citizens de-
manded the interference of the representative of the United
States ana those that did were of triaing impor-
tance There only negotiations in which the gem
eral interests Of the two nations Involved The same
be sad concerning relations with Austria Whilst
IN Vienna thc necessity k the Interference nf the d.
plonatc agent ss frequent than In Russia This
is owing 20 tie geographical situation Of the two empires
with respect TO the United States the few seapor,s ,sess
ed by Russia and Austria the form Of their governments
and the character Of the inhabitants
In Peru on the contrary the interference of the di.
plomac agent Is costnty required protect American
citizens from the Illegal and vsxaions committed by
the authorities the prosecution Of claims and other mat
tefs. The great number Of vessels engaged in the
gnano trade bring crowd Of mariners CaIlao who
often in collision with tho authorities whils the repeated
revolutions which distract the republic another fruitful
of labos the representative of the United States
The necessity for his interference with the government,
Lima is at least times frequent than either 81
Petersburgh or Vienna.
AS the statistical view Of the commerce OF the United
States during the year 1889 published annually in the
Senate documents has not been received this legation
cannot say what the number of American vessels
employed in the trade with Russian and Austrian ports
but according table No Senate documents LIST sess
32d Cong vol l6 1922, The number Of American ves
sells which cleared for Russia 81 and for the Austrian
domnions 2G; for Peru, 47-being exactly double the
number In 1853 the number of vessels under the flag
the United States which entered the port Of Calao was 20s
measuring 1918 tons register and from the FIRST Of Jan
uary to the 3oh of June, 1854 l02 vessels measuring
pearances the number ana tonnage of the vessels coming
to Peru this year viii be greater than the last This
statement proves sufficiently the greater Importance of
commercial relations with Peru as compared with Russia
and Austria
Secondly with regard the expense Of living in the
capitals where the United States represented by diplo-
matte agents The report proposes TO give To the minis
to Russia aad Austria $4,000 each whilst those
Lima consantinople and Santiago de Chill only $4,000
each without outfit return salary, Cif" the
language of the reportl
A little examination into the proposed change viii show
how unequsliy it viii work. and that far these last
mentioned missions concerned the present system
Car preferable.
Supposing the ministers named these capitals remain
during four years they would each receive under the
sting law outfit $4,000; salary, $4,000 int s2,25o
equivalent TO Sii8l2 so per whereas, under HE
system proposed by the b the ministers Russia and
Austria would be in the receipt Of $4,000 making die
ference in their favor during the four years OF $3.50
Sis7 so per This scarcely be called iberal
On the other hand as the outfits and @infsn are TO b,
taken away from the minister Peru the result in h
case under the proposed bill compared with the present
system, would be as follows:
Presea gstesaary for four years oot
Outfit and limit il 2o'
f725c
p Proposed systemsalary for four years....-.. s6oo
Making deduction or loss minister Peru off,. 125
during the four years or S2s2 50 per annum which,
comparison with his colleagues 81 Petersburgh sn'
Vienna is equivalent 10 placing him salary Of S7lsT
and he would feel it SO
The truth is, and know it from experience miuste
D a.