Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1856-07-14
The yellow Vest" Difficulty.

L SeoA "Shs " pICcs.
The yellow Vest" Difnculty.,
We give below the comments of the leading
London papers upon the last diplomatic en-
breilment. viz, the rejection, at the Queens
levee, of the West Point Professor with the
yellow vest
From the London Times, June %
When will the Americans learn manners
Who shall teach our transatlantic cousins how
to behave? Here is one of them who tried on
Wednesday, in defiance even of an etiquette
modified to suit his countrymen, to parade
his republican person before the Queen at her
levee, In frock coat, black neckcloth and
yellow waistcoat. The thing itself was trivial
but the object unmistakable. He wished to
have it to boast that he had compelled the
Queen to forego the usages of her court in this
especial behoof He tried to accomplish this
national feat under the wing Of Mr. Dallas,
who, when appealed to, supported his coun.
trymen and left the palace in q pet Well,
after all, We suppose her msjesty will continue
to hold levees in spite of Mr. Dallas displea.
sure 1t is scarcely worth while to confute
the absurd pretensions of people who, with
the most irritable loneliness in regard to
themselves, combine the greatest disregard of
| all decorum towards others. The Queen of
England says to her subjects and to strangers
who visit her in her own house, 81 am happy
to see you on all state occasions, but IL VI
| come, you will find me gorgeously arrayed to
do you honor-return the compliment, then,
and come in your best" She tells her guests,
in fact, as hundreds of ladies and gentlemen
in this country are in the habit of telling
| their friends, This is q full dress party,' y
thereby implying that all who do not choose
| to observe the rule had better stay away.
What should We think of fellow in private
life who, after accepting an invitation to a set
dinner, at which every body else wore full
| dress, presented himself in a shooting Jacket
| and shepherds plaid trousers? In all probs-
bility, should such portent appear on the
horizon of a gentleman's hall, it would never
| rise to the upper regions of the drawing room,
for the butler would infallibIy show him to
the door. Now, this is what the Queens m as
ter OF the ceremonies very properly did in the
case of an American who, in a frock coat, vel.
lew vest, and black neckcloth, chose to present
himself at her Majesty S levee yesterday. He
knew the usage of the court. and be perferred
to with hold from the Queen and her august
company the compliment which every gentle
man would have rendered Our American
cousins must really learn the good old pro-
verb abont doing ut Rome as they do at
Rome" and though they may live at home in
the enjoyment Of all liberty or license of dress
or undress, they must, when they visit these
communities, either disguise themselves and
their republican prejudices in decent attire on
occasions of state solemnity, or forego the
greatest delight on which a true republican
can feast his eager eyes-the sight of a live
Queen on her throne.
(From the London Atlas, June PSI
On Wednesday Her Majesty held levee. &C.
companied with all the promp and state be-
longing to such occasions The gentlemen
blazed in uniforms or displayed the uaint
oddities of court costume. Into this gay re.
gion of old-world magnifcence, garnished with
folly enough to make the old world happy, q
small party from the new world endeavored
to make their way. In consideration of the
severe simplicities of republican Washington,
the court sticks of gold and silver have long
received instructions to admit American di.
plomatists tailored in the common evening
way.
Notwithstanding this, Mr.. Dallas wore a
court dress, but one of his attaches had a mil
ltary uniform, consisting Of a frock coat,
white waistcOat, and black stock and, unfor.
tunately, the hearts of Gold Sticks and Silver
Sticks were stirred within at the horrible
sight, and a general presentation Of sticks
warned off the intruder from the royal ground
Mr. Dallas regrettipg the error which had
been committed in the belief that an official
military dress was quite correct retired with
good temper and Her Majesty on hearing of
the indisoretion of her Sticks sent message
to admit the uniform without delay The
message arrived too late, and the party had
left.
Next morning the Times, ever ready to mis-.
lead. had an impertinent and incorporating
article on the subject, and the whole tribe Of
gents" and "snObs" assumed that an in.
territorial insult had been committed, and were
greedy for retaliation and war Happily the
matter is very simple and straightfor ward.
The real facts make those who INDUCED in
an ungentlemanly readiness to impute rude
ness to the American minister look supremely
ridiculous. Mr. Dallas and his attache have
nothing to regret, and the good sense and the
kind feeling Of the Queen have been agree:
ably shown.
The incident has demonstrated that the i'm.
portance of clothes has not declined. The
breeches of Mahomet constitute the great
standard of Turkey; a blacksmith g apron and
Phrygian cap have figured largely in his
tory; but, In spite of the Times, the clothes of
the attache will descend peacefully to the
chosen people, and no Sartor Resartus will
have to tell of dire commissions or even of Dor.
tentous protocols upon the coat, the vest, or
the cravat of this diplomatic invader of st.
James's habilimental laws
From the London News Of June 2s.l
The conduct of the Queen on the occasion
of the coHtrsteznps at the levee was exactly
what might have been expected from her ex.
cellent sense and presence of mind When
informed by Lord Clarendon of what had hap.
pened, her Majesty at once replied Z" Let
the gentleman be admitted; I shall be happv
to recetve HIM tn any costume"
From the London Post Of June27l
Every body is by this time aware of an 90.
currence that took place at her Maiesty's
levee on Wednesday. As it evidently arose
out of the indiscretion or ignorance of an in.
dividual, we abstained from giving publicity
to this unpleasant affair; and We are the more
satisfied with having taken such a course, as
We have now reason to believe that the United
States Minister lost no time in Offering apollo
getic explanations and that these have been
accepted.
POLITICAL ITEMS.