Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1854-09-09
OUR DIPLOMATIC AND CONSULAR SYSTEMS

close of the late session Of Congress by Mr.. PER
KINs, of Louisiana, from the Committee on Fo
reign Relations, to remodel the Diplomatic and
Consular Systems of the United States, and under
standing that the bill will be pressed on the atten-
ton Of Congress at the next session, successfully
we hope, we have thought that succinct view of
the subject may possess interest for our readers
generally, and accordingly we submit the following
notice of 1t.
We have long been convinced that extensive re-
forms were demanded by our Diplomatic and Con-
sular Systems, and we sincerely trust that those
branches of tho public service will now be tho
roughly overhauled and their defects remedied
Among other important provisions of Mr.. Per
KINs's bill are the following
1s The abolition of the outfit equal to years.
Larry and return allowance of six months salary to every
minister his going and returning from his mis-
sion, the salaries being increased to render these
gratuities unnecessary.
I'd. The allowance Of fixed salary instead Of fees to all
consus and commercial agents. the abolition Of all fees
passports and udicious and necessary change in the
tariff Of fees for other consular acts oil Of which fees
be accounted for to the United States and paid into
the public treasury be used general fund to assist
In paying the consular salaries
pointed any diplomatic consular post and the
to apply to the secretaries or other employees attached
thereto.
4th The consus at all the principal ports to be pro-
hibied from transacng any business either in their
name or through the agency Of others
9th. Dispensing with the inferior appointment and
title Of charge Tafar and raising oil diplomatic
agents to the rank Of ministers plenipotentary, and
graduating the salary by the Importance Of the post
and the probable expense Of living at their respective
stations
9Th Prohibiting the absence from his post of any
lister consul for longer period than ten days without
leave from the President and stopping the salary for any
absence over ten days, even Nth leave Of absence.
It'll No salary to commence until the incumbent has
sotuay arrived at his post and entered his official
duties.
There are, of course, other provisions in the bill
of minor Importance, which appear to us generally
to be judicious and proper.
One Of the abuses of the system has been con-
nected with the outfit and Unfit Ministers have
accepted appointments with the intention to return
in about year, and thus, by the outfit and Unfit,
receive upwards Of $4,000 for services not exceed
ing twelve months, and even considerable portion
of that time spent at home after their appointment
from the date of which latter the salary has hereto
fore commenced. All these abuses are corrected by
abolishing the outfit and making the salary COM
mence only when the Minister arrives at his post
On this latter point, however, we would suggest
as being more equitable, that the salary should
commence from the time of departure from the
United States, allowing reasonable time for the
arrival of the Minister at his station
Restricting all appointments of our foreign agents
and all subordinates connected with them to citi-
Gems of the United States is highly judicous; and
prohibiting their absence for an unreasonable time
is also wise and necessary provision.
The fees passports of our citizens travelling
abroad has become not only nuisance, but actually
oppressive. In Italy, for instance, where there is
Consul at every seaport and at many Of the int
rior cities, such Turin, Rome, Florence, &C., the
constant call Of two dollars for certifying each pass
port swells in the aggregate to very considerable
amount; and we have heard travellers assert that
there no doubt some Of these petty Consuls had
m understanding with the local police that such
signature should be required before the traveller was
allowed to depart, and that otherwise the formaity
would be dispensed with At any rate, SO far as
passports concerned, the fees are wholly abol-
ished The changes in the rates of other fees
appear to be judicious, and, as they are all for
account of the United States, no inducement exists
for over or illegal exactions.
The prohibition to Consuls doing business is not
only proper, but highly necessary, as in various
ways it gives them advantages over others engaged
in similar business and particularly by having access
to all the invoices which they are called upon to
certify, with full knowledge of the kind, quantity,
quality and cost of goods that being shipped to
the United States. We understand the French Co.
vernment has recently refused to recognise newly
appointed Consul to one of the French cities, and
assigned as reason that he was a member Of
commercial house there, and that it gave him undue
advantages over French subjects trading to the
United States
We make the following extracts from the report
of the committee which accompanied the bill:
The proposed bill elevates all United States missions to
the grade Of Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Penipo
tentiary and provides Secretary for EACH Represen-
tatyes below this grade by the etiquette Of the
rank restricted in their influence with the Government
which they accredited The letter Of credence of
Charge s addressed merely to the Minister Of
the Foreign Department. and the presentation Of the
bearer of it to the sovereign chief of the State is
presentation is matter Of right Chargt flares
quests, Minister may demand an audience. At the
more fasdious Courts the admission of Chargt the
ROYAL regarded b;a