The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1856-07-14

side, of their Presidential ticket subor dinate to
his grand scheme of Camden and 4 .mboy mo-
nopoly for the State of New York. The scheme.
at all events shall not be worked out in the dark.
The Costume Question and that Yellow
waistcoat-Marcy's Victory ,ver Victoria.
1t must be especially gratifyh az to our indom-
table Premier, Marcy, that Notwithstanding all
the ridicule mockery and Contempt with which
his official circulars on dipl omatic costume have
been treated at home anfi abroad, at last he
has achieved signal victory upon this initial
point in his foreign policy. This victory is over
Victoria herself and IN the person of that mystic
rious West Point professor in the frock coat,
black cravat and yellow waiscoat. Strangely
enough the breaches are not mentioned-the very
article of the highest diplomatic interest to our
Premier. Perhaps they were blue, perhaps they
were black, and perhaps, in having a fifty cent
patch or two, they may have come up fully to the
regulation Of the State Department.
However that may be, it appears that when the
Queen was informed that Mr. Dallas was present
with an American constituent in the costume des-
crbed, her Majesty, with her usual good sense
and courtesy ordered that they be admitted, not
withstanding the rules and regulations of such
occasions Said She (but she was too late,) Il
shall be happy to see the gentleman in any cos
tune" What better proof could we have e
the restoration Of the entente cordae between John
Bull ayd Brother Jonathan? :" He is an American,
and whether in dress or frock coat, or with or
without yellow wastcoat, or however dressed,
or clean or dirty, let him come along We ac-
cept his visit, bona fde.n Such is the fair inter-
probation Of Queen Victoria's queenly and lady
like remark. And we are indebted for this mani
festation of her sincere desire for peace and good
will between the two countries to that happy ex-
pertinent of Mr.. Dallas with the mysterious gen.
tleman in the yellow waistcoat.
We must say however that under this dynasty
of Messrs. Pierce and Marcy our diplomacy and
our diplomats, have not in the aggregate left
very favorable impression upon the public mind
abroad. There has been great deal Of folly
and nonsense among our legations in Europe
upon this very thing of court costumes. Then,
again, while some Of our diplomatic attaches have
run into extravagances, from which they had to
run away, and have used the facilities Of official
position in behalf of birds Of passage Of doubtful
plumage Others of our ministerial famlies-or
outsiders admitted to their confdence--have
used the seal of this or that legation in the cir
culation of revolutionary documents on the Con-
tinent. All these malapropos transactions,
however. are overshadowed in that browning cnor-
nifty Of the Ostend Conference and Ostend mani
A of ~.
Europe, consisting of English socialists, French
refugees, Austrian Jews, Irish filibusters, Ame-
rican adventures, and what not, might be tole-
rated with all their folies, upon diplomatic coats
and breeches, and with all their other revolu-
tionary sympa,hies and proceedings; but that
Ostend manifesto was too much. Hence the bar
harlan ideas since 20 prevalent In Europe, Of the
American national charactcr-ideas, too, which
win not lose anything of their influence from this
little affair Of the yellow waistcoat.
This is a fitting occasion TO remark upon the
folly and mean ambition Of too many American
London or Paris i to be presented. That is the
purgatory Of the Minister, the worry of the Lord
Chamberlain, bat the greatest Of events TO Yam
kee doodleitm. In Paris Il II not difficult to en-
counter royalty-in London IL il quite 50; there
fore the greater triumph for an American
snob No matter how fortune has come to him
whether in the shape Of Goldfish or whale oil, or
garden truck, or patent rights, or short patterns
Of poor cloth--a presentation AZ Court glds the
coin afresh. and makes II current, and a legal
tender everywhere.
Say what we please, we have among us the
greatest tuft hunters and toadies in the world. A
smile from lord will penetrate the soul Of the
most independent free born American humbag
Our greatest heiresses give away all they possess
TO win titled husbands; in short, our red hot, I'M
appeasable indignation-such fine staple in the
newspapers. at public meetings, in barrooms, and
just before Presidential electon-isoften cooled
down in the twinkling Of an eye by the very fir;
sprinkle Of condescension from the foreign
nobility
Thus some ofour countrymen make the veriest
fools OF themselves abroad by their absurd con-
duct and bad manners-pretended democrats in
words but petty aristocrats in reality. A rebuff
once in a while win do no harm to these illus
trious Jonathans while on their wonderful travels
by sea and by land. How Mr.. Dalhs came 10
make such blunder az to attempt to introduce
the West Pointer in a military undres@-for II
wse nothing more--we are unable 10 conceive.
lie had experience Of courts, and should have
known better. Without dress sword and a re-
gulation chapeau, the ondcM could not be said
- rs0gs even here much loaa In Tho d~a v,;r>.