The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1855-01-27
our DIPLOMATIC AND CONSULAR SYSTEMS.
10 tAe Ehtor Of DC Union


consular diplomatic service but have resided several
wears Europe and have many things that had they
fallen under the observation OF any Of members Of
Congress- would have much influence ia their action ON
Mr. Perkins bill certainly like the bill much in its
main feature and know that such enactment - Of
real and urgent necessity All shall have to say viii be to
show It's necessity aud give certain iaes all Of which
have come under my own observation and OF my
statements think will show that the compensaons are
not Ia all cases adjusted the locality and the expensive
ness OF the particular city place Of residence Why sir
would ou believe it2 have soourned in several cities
tina, much equented by American travellers maritime
cities OF 100000 inhabitants more, where had no
consul all any other representative aud where the
American consulate the flag and official seals in the
hands Of calling himself vee-consu and who could
not speak word of English, had never America in
his life and who had interest in this country than
the King whose subject he Yes sir and where
the grossess imposition attempted me- and which
only escaped from by daring him to act and holding him
at defiance
At Naples we have consul gentleman in and
spirit who knows his business and attends to it, had
my passport yised here for the kingdom OF the Two Sces
and for which paid the usual prcetwo dollars sailed
Messna and there found we had no consul he had
leftsarved out his consular business not supporting
him. The Office was charge Of Sicilian merchant
Of wealth. and he had been made vice-consuL You viii
not accuse me sir Of yilianous attempt pun when
say the rice found, but thescoasu Ny passport had
been taken BY the police. according TO the custom
of the country and though vised but two days be-
fore in another part Of the kingdom the merchant told
me should have to get his wise it and pay him two
dollars could not stir from Messna go into the in
terror Two dollars is not large sum- but too much to
pay unusy. Having psehaa for volcanoes and other
pyrotechncs, and Mount Etna being at that time in
lent eruption certainly wished for leave to travel in the
interior Our vcs told passports be en- rsgls
we should be stopped Hearing there robberes
and murders not unrequently inquired about arms and
he told me could not be permitted carry arms of any
description; that the laws strictly forbade it, and that
court-martia trial. and deathpunshnient followed
its evasion very comfortable prospect certainly for
pleasure ride to old Ena send forth his flames and
liquid FIRE. told the Sicilian representative of Yankee
land, through interpreter, that guessed had smelt
gunpowder that had been bamboozled many times
in my life; in fact, like the cells being skinned quite
used to II, but still didn't like it. told him had no
doubt but be very clever fellow but would him
in that place that Etna imports all his fire from before
would pay him two dollars for another United States
wise when had from the last passed through
He finally said he would wise my passport for nothing but
thanked him. and told him would decline his favors
In company with another American left for 4Ena and
the Interior leaving my passport behind but taking along an
elegant ix-shoong pos that bore the impress Of "Sa
CoA Now York" My companion had another six-shooter
and be had passport but whether the last wise on
SieiliAn, Ecapoian Timbuctooan, / have forgotten
We had long journey gone several days; Eft
m In al his glory and fire. prickly pear fruit and
oranges that grew by the wayside bought pomegranates
and other fruit when the at hand; look when
he was not; shot at mark; woke up the long echoes
among the lofty cliffs of the Mediterranean tumbled rocks
down dizzy prccpces into the brine talked and felt sub
lime while contemplating the ruins Of Taormina; spouted
poetry among the vineyards Of Gardni and Mola and
asked for passports court-maraed
for deciding by direct practice that sapere would
plode So much for United States viceconsul Mes
sina My passport handed to vsed without fee
leaving, and 80 left
In the city Of Venice found American consul but
good many American travellers An Austrian banker
vice-consu for the United States and he is certainly
polite and oblging Official STILL he American
and there is American there to represent As re-
CARDS compensation the salaries at Venice and Messna
they not adjusted rightly in the new BILL in my opn
ion and according my experience in accordance with
the circumstances and expenses OF the two places The
salaries Of the consus at Basic and Zurich Switzerland
in the original BILL put at $1,000 EACH and in Messna
at $1,000 The latter place is to my certain knowledge
the expensive place live and by far and
unhealthy climate, and requiring of those
will say luxures but necessares of life that cost
money and very essential to health Fifteen hundred
dollars is certainly low enough at Basic Zurich but
thousand entirely low Messina unless the consul
live like sailor aborer He permitted to
20 into business Messina Two thousand dollars is not
higher Messna than fifteen hundred at Basic At Ven
ice the salary fixed at $780, with permission do bust
The permission to do business is not worth dollar
unless the holding the consulate chooses open shop
for the sale Of cigars hum wines, ornamental kick
shaw unless he keeps gondoas sells vegetables and
fruits in the market makes himself He
might perhaps open clearinghouse if he had the cap-
tai and the ground not all occupied have men
toned all the mercantile pursuits except designate every
kind and style Of goods kept by the petty Italian trades
II must be understood that Venice has little or
foreign trade; probably not American vessel there
in five years. | heard of one; and in fact
the harbor of Venice is nearly filed up and will float
ordinary vessels and this account Trieste long
since made the Austrian packet station There Venice
throned on her hundred isles MS in the days Of
g blind old Dandolo
TIL octogenarian chief Byzantiums conquering foe
There is the Ralto but instead Of the mercantile
the place where merchants most do congregae it is but
of petty shops covering the still unique and elegant
bridge Business for American living in Venice is to-
tally Of the question: and have only say that if
consul expected to live his salary and with the
comforts of life setting aside all ideas of living in ee
gancc supporting family less than $4,000 year,
there at Messna out Of the question II he gets less
has other csns chooses for the sake of the
dignity Of the position then il becomes purely matter
Of taste AT Jerusalem have never BEEN and will leave
others to calculate the value Of $1,000 there How al
would live on $3.50 year at Carsruhe or 81 900
year at Lyons, Nantes, La Rochelle Munich cannot
tell Still, it might perhaps, be done Why the consul Mt
Amsterdam Is to make 900 go far as So 600 with his
Is a..