The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1856-07-14
The New York Tribune vs.. Resident Ministers
Abroad.

The New York Tribune VS.. Resident Ministers
Abroad.
The Tribune sets forth some novel IDEAS in
an article relating to the United States and
Great Britain. It suggests the entire aboli-
ton of foreign resident diplomatists, as a use
less and expensive branch Of Government poll
.cy We quote two extracts from the article,
which will convey the idea there promulged:
Indeed, so far has the private or extra diplo-
matte intercourse of the two nations so domin-
ated in the discussion Of this Champion diff
Guilty, overriding the fact of his dismissal out
right, and being superior to any trouble had
even Mr.. Dallas been sent home. thatit should
seriously set this people to think that the
chances of good intercourse could be multi
piled by dispensing with the useless institu-
ton of resident ministers.
If there had been no Mr.. Champion in this
country there would have been no fuss; and
no Mr. Dallas in England no danger Of his DIS
missal. 1t is high time, in a word, that the
Haunting pomp and political jobhing of our di-
plomatic missions were knocked in the head.
1t is uttecy false that the American Ministers
to France or England have the slightest value
in promoting what is called good feeling. In
the first place good feeling ST ould spring from
our selfrespect, and if we have That and such
international comfy be wanting. we need not
care. And as for resident minister doing any
service IN case of menaced difficulty it is all
sham.
Under these circumstances it would be well,
now that England has no representative in
this country, to recall Mr.. Dallas, with view
of breaking up the whole system Of resident
ministers, and depending ON the ocean mail
81
ter for our entire diplomatic intercourse in fu-
ture.
/ This scheme of course involves our entire
diplomatic is olatior., from the world. 1t would
appear to leave US without any means Of Off
cial information of the designs or plans which
might be laid against US 1t throws US de-
pendent upon the advices of private individuals,
who having no or at most but very limited
intercourse with diplomatic circles, and are
not admitted into the confidence Of the court
could be but lily posted on anything which
! seriously affect our interests. 1t would
devolve upon US to assume an extraordinary
degree of aertness to find us always prepared
to meet events of which we had no notice
And as to the special minister, such charac-
ter would do very we'll provided ne could on
every occasion be at his post in the incipiency
of the difficulty. But before the Government
could he even automatically notified Of diff
Guilty and an embassy duly commissioned,
matters might be involved in such intricacy
that the point Of the hayonet alone could I'M
tangle them. To our mind, the expediency
of doing away altogether with the resident
minister system, is not clearly established by
the arguments contained in the Tribune's ar
ticle True the system has been abused. We
quote another extract from the same article
/ the latter clause Of which is undeniably true,
particularly when applied to our present adj
ministration:
Mr. Benton and Sir. Badger are the only
eminent members Of the National Legislature
who have had the manlinesS to characterize
Jour sytem ofreSident ministers useless in
lstition-a mere means for rewarding partizans,
pampering political wire pullers and Iobbing
the public.
| When 1t is reduced to this, it might seem
that it could with safety be dispensed with,
provided we had no interests conflicting with
those of other nations. We are still, ho1eT-
er, disposed to doubt the soundness of the pol
icy of an entire diplomatic isolation, and the
consequent assumption ola semi hostile atti-
tude towards the family Of nations.
/