Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1855-06-18
sPIRIT OF TEX noRkIEs PRESS.

Generals recently promulged opinion upon
the new diplomatic and consular system of
this government:
GAS there is nothing in or admirable form
Of government that interdicts to any free white
male citizen OF the United States the sppoint
ment to place in either of the systems above
named, and as ambition is indigenous to eve
~ neltal soil, the opinions of our learned At
torney General, recently given on several
points Of the law on that subject about TO go
into operation. acquire an importance and gen
eral interest which gives them a claim to no.
tice in public journal. This cannot be said
of the ordinary matters referred to that Off
ciel
"The act TO remodel the Diplomatic and
consular systecI5 OF the United States though
freely and ably discussed in the last Congress,
at length passed through both Houses and OBJ.
tanned the PTesideGt's sanction in much less
perfect and intsihgihle form (ss too often
happens to our legslstiop) han might have
been given toit by little closer and more criti-
cal attention t. its phrassology. Tho Secre
tary Of Ststs-6hdirg it, as every body who
reads tbs law must fud il, difficult of such
Interpretation as weuld enable him to give it
practical eject without a seeming violation of
soms other Law or constitutional ordinance
submitted to the Attorney General, for his
construction and decision, three questions on
80 much Of the law as regards Ministers and
secretaries OF Legation. These questions are
as follows:
al Can the President, without the advice
and consent Of the Senate, appoint Envoys
EXtrsord nary and Minister. Plenipoientiary
IN the place OF the Ministers resident, and q
Secretary of Lega ion to each of then?
"'2 If such appointments cannot Be or are
not made before the meeting of the Senate,
and with its advice, can the Ministers resident
remain in office after the Both Of juno ext,
and until they are superseded by E1voys?
"'3 If they can remain in Office after the
Both of June next, can they be paid out Of the
appropriations, and at what rate?'
at will be seen at onco that th.se are i'm.
portant questions, involving in their decision
the Continuance or total disruption of all our
diplomatic in erceurse with foreign nations
until the meeting of the next Congress; for VS.
doubt whetbse the Senate alone even If pre-
viOusly called together, could go beyond their
province to advise and consent TO appoint
ments They could not interpret the law 30
as to determine whether new appointments
under il were or were not required. The At
t0rney General is the only functionarY who
could solve the doubts CT the Executive as to
bis powers and duties under tho law; and he
has done II in manner which We are surs
will meet with the approval Of all who exam
inc the questions by the simple rules Of COM
mon sense. He has not confined himself how
ever, to { mere naked opinion, Affirmative or
negative. OF the questions, but has devoted
much labor to the examination of authorities.
and mas supported his opinions by train of
reasoning which shows hi to be not only a
profound lOgician, bat a thorough master Of
the English language In the perusa al of th.ss
opinions, We could not help wondering how,
amid the oneroEs duiiss thrown upon him, he
could find time far so elaborate an investiga.
/, III, L: 4
ed, these t@o opinions alone occupying one
hundred printed pages As We cannot spread
these opinions az large before our readers, it
must sufi,e to say that tbsy are such as have
determined the Preiid:nt, IN the EXPRESSIVE
words of q WashingtO correspondent, to make
common sense Of the law by const uction,'
and that thsre will therefore be no interrup
tion to cur present diplomatic intercourse with
the community Of nations.
f'Witb regard to the Consular and Comnsr
cial Agents the Law is even I. orc defective .hap
in the case Of Minis ers or Diplomatic Agents
Blu the President, sustained By tho opinion OF
his able law adviser, has determined 10 make
common sense Of this portion Of ir also, and,
as the law will not be construed as a cesssrily
supersediDg any OF the Consus now in offioe,
much Inconvenience and commercial difficulty
will be avoided There Is enc point in tia
law, that which restricts the President from
sppoin ing ary other than an American ci,i.
zen to this ciaEs Of Offices, which we th sk it
will be found, after Little experience, eSpe-
dent to amend. There are costs and places
in Europe and Asia where 1t would, perhaps.
be impossible TO find an Amerioa an citizen will.
Ing, II competent, or competent, if willing, to
undertake the duties, and yet where our com.
De-eIal interests or the prot.c;ion Of our citi-
xsns call loudly for such an agent We can
see no great objection to the practice which
has hitherto prevailed OF appointing a resident
OF the post or place designated without regard
TO the land Of his birth or the sovereignty TO
wkich he OHes his allegiance, and We are not
aware that cur Government has ever had cause
to regret such appointments As the Law is
not considered as supsrSsdtRg any officers OF
this kind nov Ia service, We may hope that
our commercial Intercourse with foreign Ia
tons will experience ~ Little interruption
from the law as that carried on by Envoys and
PlenipotentiaTieg; for all which tho country
will be indebted to these sound and learned
opinions Of the Attorney General
The Union, with the doings of tho recsn.
Philadelphia Know Nothing and the Clevs.
land Know Something Conventions for text,
aTgues with great force to show tia. Know
NOthingism nevor WAS anything but plot to
strengthen Free Soilisu at the South az we'll
a the North. We also End in the Union q
letter from Henry A. Wise, declining an invi-
tstiOn of friends Of bis here to accept public
dinner in this city, wherein be says:
"MOre and more will Washington city be
sslt throughout the whole land IN every Sec
ti5r 81. as well az in every national struggle
The emiesaTies Of the secret societies, their
money, their tJpe', were felt in the late Vir-
gibia election How important, thsn, that
Washington should be enlightened, liberal,
moral patriots, All conservative in her pub.
lie SENTIMENT Is sac so? Your municipaI
cleo ions show TIA: bigotry and intolerance,
and priestcrsft and Hgrarian influences, are
using The ddrk-lal:erns" of midnight in
Your midst, and that your city, too, Is spawn
ing inns :"
81 would gladly 50 there and meet friends
to consult upon the means Of mildly calling
oil good men tOsstber for patriotic purposes,
whilst bad men ara banding in secret con.
claves to give tbs State up to prescription,
and the Church, the blessed Protestant Church,