The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1856-10-23
THE LONDON TIMES ON AMERICAN AMBAs.
sADORS

When important events are stirring, people
watch with interest the slightest movements,
end ligten TO tue hghtest words of those who are
connected with them, and an American Minister
cannot speak now, even at an agricultural meet
ing in Hertfordshire, without exciting more
than usual attention and curiosity.
Unfortunately, it usually happens that the
more stirring the budget Of news, the more for.
NAL and reserved ia the Ambassador. If moth.
ing in particular were going on in his country,
he might be tempted to speak out, and tell us
something about matters there; but, if his
country is on the brink of revolution, if it is
longer able to keep the peace, If it looks to the
ordinary spectator as ii the two sides must
come to blows by the next post, then our Am
bassador is particularly bent on saying nothing.
With careless, unconcerned air, he inter
changes compliments, personal and national
with the Chairman, as if nothing at all extra
ordinary were going on in his county. And if
the Chairman OF the meeting be himself pol
tioian and statesman, a member of the House
OF Commons and aspiring to office, he has, Of
Course, TOO good MANNERS to push any unwel
come subject on a brother statesman. Ee too
diapiaya more than usual amount of careless
and unconcerned courtesy, accumulates com
piments On his guest, and does the honors
with the same unexceptionable grace Such
was the interchange Of civilities between Sir
Edward Bulwer Lytton and Mr.. Dallas, at the
Hertfordshire meeting.
1t 80 happens, that sometimes, on these occa-
sions, the Imagination of the spectator is NOR
bldly active in proportion to the little it has
given it to feed on; underneath the unconcern-
ed exterior of the experienced diplomatist it sees
a world of anxious and troubled thought, and is
carried by the very force of the contrast from the
social board at which he is sitting, with its easy
talk and off-hand merriment, to the stormy scene
In the distance, and the angry surface over which
the black cloud and the sea-gull are presiding.
We think of all the things that Mr.. Dallas nsiqht
say, and of the breathless interest with which
he sooutd be heard. We see, as at the banquet
which Goldsmith describes, the place whereth
haunch OF venison is not. Our ears feed on
the Barmecidal repast of what is not said, and
we have recourse to imaginary disclosures, con-
LESSONS, apprehensions, and prophecies, such
as an old American politician might present
us at this time, were he less diplomatic than
MIR. Dallas. Once, and once only, we hear q
significant word. The word "panter" comes
across our ears; we prick up those said ears
tor an instant, but it is only for an instant
they fall again, as the following very harmless
statement is made:
IN no sphere of social action are the Uni
!ea Ststes better entitled to your esteem than
IN inc very one with which this banquet is con-
nected. They recognise their agricultural in.
terest, Mear planters, and their farmers, as
their predominant interests---the interest that
w,eids the power, originates the wealth, cher.
,shes the manly freedom, and promotes the
happiness of their entire people"
The language of Minister, who could,
whether designedly or undesignedly, talk at
this particular moment of "the planter" in
such respectable connection, put him on the