The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-01-17
ployers ia. to replace them by writer's who will

notlling'y. Gay. No fresh act OF the Cabinet or
gan could injurc its character as newspaper,
or add to the reputation its editor has already
gained for serviity. That the administration
knew the truth Of our statement we have not
the smallest doubt; it matters little whether its
organ participated in that knowledge or not.
she sonle Dueis, Our Foreign MinIsters,
In another column will be found an account
OF the Soule duels. 1t is we venture to say,
the most authentic which has yet appeared, and
will probably command general attention.
Hitherto our comments on the events which it
recoupts have been very brief: now that the
acts are placed before the public by an authori.
ty somewhat higher than that OF ordinary news
paper correspondents we may be authorized in
devoting a little more space to the subject. 1t
would seem that the grandees of Spain enter
tanned dislike to our ambassador from the
first. They knew his antecedents as a popular
leader and prominent member of the ultra
popular party in France; and felt degree OF
repugnance at associating with him or his
family on teens of equality. We are led to be-
lieve that this antipatby was manifested plainly
enough on several occasions before the incident
which gave rise to the duels took place.
Hence it is but natural that both the Soules
should have mingled in the society OF Madrid
with less amicable feelings towards its members
than they might have entertained had their re-
ceptiou been that usually rendered TO tue per-
soanel of foreign embassy.
There seems to be no doubt Of the facts mar
rated in the newspaper correspondence with
relation to the remark made by the Duke Alba
on Mrs Soult's dress at the Marquis de Iurgot
ball No denial Of the words imputed to MIN
has appeared Assuming their accuracy, there
fore, one can easily understand bow very
Young man, with warm Southern blood in his
veins, should have boiled with indignation at
the thought Of an insult offered TO his mother,
and resorted to the mode of vindcation pre-
scribed by the laws Of honor in the ,latitudes Of
New Orleans and Madrid To us, judging
calmly of'the whole matter, there appears little
ground for challenge in the language ascribed
to the Duke; but still under the rcumstauces,
and bearing in mind the interpretation which
others may have placed on his express
sions, we can hardly see in the con-
duct Of Neville Soule any greater crime
than an oyer-sensitive pride and in
tense ilial affection. There are cliques and
societies where a man who fights duel is re-
garded as a reprobate AID an assassin Those
among us who take broader views If right and
wrong. and do not try to cut down the rest of
the world 10 their own standard will repudiate
o4
wrong. Our laws aud customs are not those OF
the entire world, and we have no right to set
them up as the test Of right and wrong in
places whose customs and usages are entirely
different from ours. For our part, we confess
We see nothing in Neville Soule's conduct more
reprehensible than such susceptibility and
passion as are natural to his age.
With his father the case is entirely different
JuuglD MN NY thu la 49,.
we sec nothing in the fact of the French Am
hassador being his host on the occasion o.
the quarrel that could warrant hin,
in challenging the envoy OF foreign power
As between private individuals, the pretext was
too slender for a resort to arms. Ia the second
place, the want Of discretion and judgment he
displayed in the matter shows him to be ut
terly unsuitable for the diplomatic post he oc
cupes. In such city as Madrid maa who
would fight duel on such pretext DIS his will
constantly have his hands fall; and the cbarac-
ter Of duellist is obviously incompatible with
that of ambassador. As it is, Mr.. Soule has
already made personal enemies of one oil the
most influential grandees of Spain and of the
French Ambassador. These men will lead a
large party at the Court to which he is
accredited, and viii go a long way to-
wards neutralizing his influence. In any
negotiation with which he may be en-
oDists. They will intrigue against him, and
tbwaIt him wherever they can. Under the
most favorable circumstances he will now find
obstacles arising in his path where another d.
plomatist would inialibly succeed. In word
henceforth Mr.. Soule must be regarded as to-
talfailure independently of the considerations
which his duel Will suggest with regard to his
sidgment and discretion, we cannot but CO
slider that the daimus he has aroused again. t
him will entirely incapacitate him from con-
GLIDING any bargain or carrying through any
negotiation that could be profitable to this
country. He has been tested, and now stands
before the people at his true value.
The country will do us the justice 70 re-
member that from the first we oharac-
terized his appointment as injudicions.
We foretold in almost as many words, what
would be the consequence of sending an am
bassador to Spain whose constitutional indis-
cretion could hardly fail to bring himself into
disgrace and the country into disrepute. Our
predictions have been fulfilled sooner than we
anticipated. Mr.. Soule has committed political
suicide at the very outset of his career. He
stands on record to bear witness to the folly
which inspired the foreign appointments of the
present administration. Nor is he alone. Our
envoy to Turin, who cannot prevail on the
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