The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1854-12-30


we have representatives show that this provision is IN
e1pedent unequal and unjust minister with his iai-
ly may travel from the United States TO London or Pars
for four or five hundred dollars he could scarcely reach
Vienna under $780, St Petesburgh or Consiantnopie
under 1000 To go to Peru or Chile know would cost
more for when transferred from ST. Petersoufgh 10
Lima in ls47 my travelling expenses amounted toupwards
of 81 oOo notwithstanding that was conveyed IN inc
sloop-ofwar albany" from New York to Chagres what
it will cost to go from the United States to hio 1aneiro
Buenos Ayres China, cannot say The same relrhS
will apply section it will cost the minister as mueh
to return home as to his post And may DC OBJ
served that the bill should contain clause granting
quarters salary enable the families oil ministers anu
other Diplomatic officers dying abroad to return home
Section sboud in nv opinion be struck out leaving II
entirely to the President grant leave of absence to our
diplomatic officers allowing them half pay or not during
the time they shall absent themselves from their posts
his discretion and according TO the circumstances connect
ed with each
The bill contains provision for the contingent ex
penses of the legations fixed sum should most certain
ly be given TO- every minister for conngencies-sueh as
hostages stationery &C.; which for London and Paris
might be calculated according to the amount expended
during certain number of years giving to the ministers
in other capitals the allowed at present for that pur
for which they should not be bound to render an
count This would greatly reduce the business in the
Fifth Auditors Office and the diplomatic agents much
trouble ana Inconvenience IN obtaining VOUCHERS W
accounts One who has been in the service have
no idea Of the accumulated business the office of Audi
tor or the annoyance ministers in procuring yonch
ers occasoncd by the existing system of contingeneX-
pense accounts.
Having pointed out some of the defects of the BILL let
take glance what called the Diplomatic System OF
the United States which is in fact no system at all, or
rather the unsystematc and Irregular service ever
adopted by a nation, as experience and qualifications
tn O
Services rendered the dominant political party or the
local political influence possessed by the applicant too
frequently considerations looked to in making foreign APP
ponments We have regular service in other coun
tries or AS is the with the army and navy in
Both these branches Of the public service filed by
who enter them profession, and who remain in
them through life whether in active employment not,
unless they resign commit some act merng degrade
ton Common would to dictate that this should
be also the practice of the with regard TO the
diplomatic service which is more important and respon
sble than either the army navy There times when
the relations between nations involved that
may depend upon the pursued by the min
lister. His acts may preserve the one or bring ON the
other The weight of responsibility falls him in the first
instance that Of the other branches only second
ary Yet training and experience considered inds
pensabe to form officer of the army navy whereas
our diplomatists are mprovised.
But the extraordinary part of this matter is that
do think in the least necessary that diplomatic
agent should speak the language of the country to which
he is sent The affairs of the nation the furtherance ofour
relations with other States and the protection of
ercal interests and of the persons of citizens
trusted agents who cannot make themselves understood
and who when in society," do comprehend ten words of
what said around them Intelligence of moment and
the knowledge of measures of the policy contemplated
by government which affect the interests of his
country directly indirectly frequently CLEANED by
the minister in the salons of the capital to which he
credited.
We people distinguished for business habits
and practical knowledge Of affairs given to speculation
and enterprise. None of us in the common Of
life would think of employing, agent man who could
not make himself understood Many merchants carrying
on commerce with foreign country have more
clerks with the language Of the country and
yet in service where it is necessary for the agent employ
ed to have all his ideas about him. frequently send
ministers who have to engage others to translate for hem
signs TO express themselves This singular
may SEEM is nevertheless the case and to show how
little regard is paid by the government to the essential
qualification of language in the choice Of its representatives
abroad may state that when in ls47 it intended to
transfer me from St Petersburgh another capital
charge dafares, although the department that
had acquired several foreign tongues instead of employ
ing Europe where French is the language of dplo
macy, sent to Lima, notwithstanding that could
neither speak write Spanish
There few situations disagreeabe than that
finding ones self surrounded by persons with whom
cannot to be in society wondering what they
saying You feel embarrassed and although those you
address generally polite enough not to smile your
efforts convey the simplest dea you conscious that
they sympatlze with your awkwardness. This happens
continually and it is of the why ministers
become dissatisfied another that the persons chosen the
government represent the United States in foreign
tries mostly who have been in public life at home
The minister has probably been member of Congress
and devoted himself long and energeticay local poll
tics has been always consulted by his constituents in
every matter of Importance and invariably called upon
public meetings to act chairman address the peo-
pie upon the questions of the day to have
"hs speeches written in their bookstore who in short
possesses influence and control public opinion
less within hisdisrct State Having been educated
upon the old PLAN he is good scholar in Latin and
Greek, bn only speaks English. After receiving
ton from his friends the newly made dplomast proceeds
to Washington reads the dispatches of his predeces
in the archives of the State Department. gets his in
sructons and embarks for his destination During his
passage board the man-owar steamer he occu-
pied in reading "Wheatons Elements of International
Law and looking into the rudimens of the French lam
gaage and all goes well enough until his arrival his
post Once there the minister begins have mis-
gvings as to his fitness fol his occupationon find
ing that all around him talking gibberish y that
neither he his secretary ask for the simplest thing
except through transator and that hs exceencysp for
eign servants combined with the foreign tradesmen in
taking advantage of him in every way But the minister's
eyes only completely opened TO his situation after he
has got through his interview with the Minister of Foreign