Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1855-09-21
WASHINGTON NEWS AND GOSSIP.


timation of the statesmen and diplomatists in
this Metropolis, from the official dilemma in
which his original fanr pas of assuming the
right to make a publication concerning the
affairs of the legation, of which he was men,
Der, embracing disclosures of matters con-
nected with its negotiations with Spain. That
was grave mistake indeed, and proved that
however honest his intentions may have been,
he lacked wofully the very first requisite for
success as an agent of his government abroad
discretion. He is evidently a gentleman who
takes counsel-frst, with his personal pride
and ambition, and considers it justifabc to
sacrifice everything in the way of public in
terests committed to his care, to ''put himself
right" with Messieurs, the public.
We have never professed admiration for Mr.
Soule's diplomatic abilities or exploits, both
far too cometary-erratic-fo our subdued
tastes. But that gentleman certainly possess
ed lover his antagonisD the merit of smother
ing his own grievances, until, being fully out
of the diplomatic service of his Government,
he could fret in print without being fairly
chargeable with having, very undiplOmatical-
ly, spread before the world what should right
ly be the secret history of his mission, to sub
servo an end personal to himself, without per.
mission from the functionary whose agent he
was. Faur pas, such as that of Mr. Perry, to
say nothing Of the many L" situations" of Mr..
Soule, to our mind, counsel the adoption by
the Government of the United States of a
diplomatic class; of diplOmatists disconnec'
ed with American party politics, not to be
appointed on shictly political party grounds;
but rather to be regularly educated in the
calling or profession, and to be advanced in
position as their diplomatic achievements show
that they advance in their capability to be Of
essential service to their government in the
discharge of the diplomatist's duties, which
are not learned intuitivoly, and arc essentially
different from any class Of duties that the do
mestic statesman or citizen, not in the diplo-
matte service, may possibly be called on to
perform; requiring, too, knowledge (informa-
tion) varied and extensive, of kind by no
means to be obtained in ones own country.
Mr.. Perry was the original appointee of the
last Administration, while his late chief of the
legation owed his position to the present Ex-
ecutive. The lamentable failure of both these
gentlemen, thus shows plainly that one partyis
as liable as the other to make mistakes in the
selection of diplomatic agents when compelled,
as under our present system, to choose almost
wholly from among gentlemen whose career as
public men has been at home, not abroad
The Whigs.-Our exchanges formerly iden-
tilted with the Wing panty, except those which
have gone heart and soul into either the Know
Nothing movement or that of Republicanism
IN black domino, appear to hail the prospect
Of the reorganization Of the Wing party pro-
per with unfeigned delight. We cannot be
mistaken in our appreciation of the sentiment
with which they have received the demonstra-
lions of Ex-Governor Hunt, the National In
telItgencer, the Wing State Committee of Mas
sachusetts, tho Boston Courier, and Adveyti-
ser, Senator Pratt. the Hon. Reverdy johnson,
the New York Commercial AduertiSer and
other renowned Wing leaders and authorities
There Is, to US, a moral in the alacrity with
which the Wing mind of the country seems to
spring to the support Of the idea of a reorgani-
zation Of the Wing party, on the principles
and policy upon which it was based up to the
commencement ofits semi-demolition, first, by
the rise and progress of Abolitionism, and
subsequently. by that of Know Nothingis1u
We cannot possibly be deceived in estimating
the Importance of the now Wing movement
upon the immediate future of the politics of the
United States. Those who are responsible for
IT, certainly hold in their hands the fate Of Il @
opposition, II not that of the country Their
object is to bring the opposition back to their
senses; to contest with the party in power on
principle. They have no idea of abandoning
every issue based on Wing principles, and
adopting the principles of the Democratic
party on all practical issues, for the sake of
fastening on the Government various vagaries
and idiosyncracies, which, they believe, are
after all based on the widest and most dan
gerous doctrines of the party in power stretched
to Inc ct the temporary views of the most ultra
members of " the party Of progress"
The truth is, the Wing party proper repre-
sents capital in active business not asricu:-
tural. Its interests, and, therefore, its tastes,
arc cminently conservative. Of late, most of
Its prominent leaders and newspaper expo
nents have ventured to extreme radical lengths
only to compass the overthrow of their great
opponent. The result of the fall elections in
almost all quarters Of the country, shows thai.
while the portions of the masses fond of
change and willing to do almost anything DO
litical for the sake of overthrowing the Demo
Gratis, have gone nearly to tho dangerous
extreme of revolution, they cannot carry as
heavy vote Comparatively as the old Wing
party welded in its palmy days
Thus, they perceive that while the new
phases of opposition threaten the country with
the evils of practical revolution, in which
there is great danger that every vestige of
Wing conservatism will be swept away, no
real Roadway whatever has been made there