The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1855-01-14

On the bill 10 remodel the diplomatic and consular systems
Of the United States.
Mr.. PERKINS said I am instructed By the Committee
on Foreign Affairs TO the House. put upon
passage the consular and diplomatic BILL which has had
under consideration
There are constantly referred 10 that committee claims
OF different kinds arising under our foreign intercourse
upon the justice and legality Of which il is expected 10 give
an opinion The investigation of these claims involves
reference to the existing laws and the customs and
ce of the State Department In the discharge of this
duty the committee has abored constantly under embar-
rassmen from the unsettled character of the rules regua
ting the duties and pay OF our foreign agents From a
want Of thorough organization of the foreign service Of
the government in the first instance reference has
be had to precedent rather than established law The
sequence Is that great variety Of claims are annually
presented against the through uncertainty
10 what services properly required to be discharged
and the remuneration that should attach them In de-
Gliding upon claims Of this character the committee has
had TO be governed either by precedent the peculiar
cumstances of equity in each particular case
In this too they have met with difficulty for it has hap
pened that secrearie of State have differed to the
rules that should govern in many of these cases and the
decisions OF the department have, consequently changed
with its administration As the Committee on Foreign
Affairs changes too with each Congress some of its men-
bers going out and being added, its decisions
have increased the uncertainty In order relieve them
selves and the House from the evils of this uncertainty
early last session the committee called upon the head Of
the Department OF State for his views thorough
modelling Of our consular and diplomatic system in order
its establishment definite principles The Secretary of
State replied referring the committee the several
heretofore proposed TO Congress for that purpose and
to the expression of his predecessors in Office upon them
He also offered the committee the suggestions of
persons in the foreign employ and upon file in the depart
ment The report of Mr.. Livingston made to Congress
in ls33 and that of Mr. Buchanan in 1876 the report of
special committee raised upon the subject in this House
i'll l845 and the bills introduced into Congress in 1914
and ls46 and other plans prepared in the department
but never presented to Congress- all examined Con-
sultaton was had with those long engaged both in the
consular and diplomatic of the country and after
examination and comparison the result of the action of
the committee the report and bill unanimously pre-
sened to this House last session. That bill printed
and referred to the Committee of the Whole House 1t
distributed among members OF the House. and abroad
to all our consular and diplomatic agents.
During the late recess of Congress- and valua
bic suggestions received from those the actual and
past foreign service OF the country and at the opening Of
the present session. the bill taken up from the Com
mtee Of the Whole and referred back again the Com
mee on Foreign Affairs that it might be revised and inn
proved in some of its provisions.
The bill that have reported TO the House is the
original bill thus matured il has been modified in some
of its minor details but in its general and prnc
pies IT is identcay the bill that originally
ported II oms things contained in each of the bills
heretofore before Congress- and embraces everything
believed in whose approval previous bills have been
imou lis provisions cannot therefore, be regarded in the
light OF experiments but rather the results Of the expe
rence of all who have been heretofore occupied with or
have examined the subject
In asking Mr. Speaker the attention of the House for
few moments, while point out the reforms in existing
systems proposed by this BILL painfully sensible ofmy
inability to make interesting to the House subject neces-
sary of so much detail do design speak of the
kna n nof Of s % take i granted
that the age of entire national isolation has passed. and
that however independent may be of other govern
ments in our foreign policy still now and viii ever
be- necessarily bound them in certain degree by ties
of and humanity that with the increase of
knowledge among mankind, will have the effect of bring
ing the people Of this country into connexion with
the people Of the rest of the world and of at the time
multiplying the points of contact between our own and
other governments.
WILL Also in what have to say take it for granted
that system of foreign ministers and consus resident
abroad such has been found necessary in the experi
ence of all other civilized governments is also required
under our own government
To the exertons of such class of men, Wheaton, in his
Law Of Nations has ascrbed the great advance Of Europe
within the last century and forethers, after
ployng special ministers during the revolutions and UNI
der the confederation decided on the first nominations of
foreign ministers lin l790) under General Washington
that they should be permanent and such both ministers
and consnls at once and 1--we ntnued to be since
appointed shall take ii for granted that their existence
has been wisely provided for.
wish simply to call the attention of members of
the striking evils in the machinery of foreign in
tercourse and shall indicate, without arguing, the
remedies proposed for them in the bill before the House
The first great evil results from having originally
adopted in 1885, with very little modification the foreign
system of the English government
1t the growth Of Institutions directly opposed in
principle to own and its pccuarities l-adapted to
the nature of our government at its origin have grown
with development into great and positive evils.
The grade of diplomatic rank artificial and involved
required expensive provision of ontt entirely un
suited TO our institutions.
Its salaries left chiefly the discretion of the Ex
ecutive.
1t without proper guards upon the action of minis
and the foreign policy of the British government
under the control Of the British soveregns, So
adopting its machinery larger share of influence and dis
creton imposed by il upon the Executive of this
try than consistent with the theory Of government
On the acknowledgment of the national existence of the
United States by the treaty of 1888, there full
and unequivoca expression of national rights 1t
not until after the dissolution of the confederation
and the adoption Of present 7S9hat
commercial treaty could he formed with England.
Before that time she not represented here by
minister In fact il long after that date before
be said have had other than existence by suffer-
independent nation. The position our govern
world undetermined the rights of citizens were
continually violated and our deprecated upon
and driven from the II only when had fought
ourselves respect through the Of 1872 that these
rights practically recognised That this was the case
is remarkable The domestic policy of government
is always and felt in the homes and business OF
Its foreign policy although often almost as import
ant, more remote.
The great interest therefore Mr. Speaker felt at the for
nation Of government in adjusting internal affairs and
the establishment of the constitution, kind OF interna-
tona law between the States themselves diverted atten-
ton from the importance wellreguaed system of in
ercours with foreign nations while the general confidence
reposed in the moderation and good OF Cen WASH
naton who was then President checked all disposition TO
question the of power left 10 be exercised at bs
discretion Thus sir, while our constitution, differing
from the British divided between the Exeeu-
tive and the Senate the control Of foreign affairs our early
legislation conferred upon the President degree OF dis
al