The American. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1857, 1857-08-12
our Foreign Ministers.

VI uIpiomdtlC placeb the pubic lnterestb ana nom
or have too often been made secondary to con-
alterations Of mere partisan expediency, as though
IL we're more necessary in tho appointment ofa di-
plomatist to calculate the good win Of certain POI
litcal partisans at home, than TO have respect to
those qualities which would enable him to propi-
tate the esteem and confidence Of the Govern
ment to which he is deputed, and elevate the
character of his country abroad"
The above just but temperate rebuke of one of
the great evils of "he spos system" OF administer
ing the government Is from the National Intelli-
genccr Of Tuesday.
That the United States have lost character in
the eyes of other nations, by being represented by
men of inferior abilities and uncOuth manners.
by such as were ignorant alike of the language Of
the country to which they were accredited, of the
French which is the spoken language of all courts,
and of the re6nements and usages Of the society
into which their official positions necessarily in
troduce them, there can be no manner of doubt.
We had hoped that as Mr. Buchanan has had no
little diplomatic experience and knows so well
what ridiculous figure, rude, ill-bred, .ignora-
mus cuts at foreign court, he would have cor
rected this evil and not sent men abroad to play
dummies at diplomatic dinners, and to be made
the subjects of sneers, SCOTS and jeers, expressed
not by words perhaps, but by struggling shoulders,
curling lips, and other expressive modes.
Let us see what the situation of one of our di.
plomats is at a foreign court, who has been APP
pointed not because he possesses single qualif-
cation for the position, but because he must re-
ceive the reward due to his services as political
partisan. Suppose such man is selected to rep
resent the United States at Madrid, Vienna or
Berlin: he arrives, and makes known his arrival
to the Min lister for Foreign Affairs with whom Re
has an interview preliminary to being presented
to the King. The Minister addresses him in
French, he cannot understand In Spanish he
shakes his head; in German, ditto; in italian,
ditto; in English, ali, now he has ears and
tongue, and begins to falkland in the course of
the conversation he says, II never have seen
King"-"I once seen Baron, but the balance
OMEN don't know nothing about" Is this Eng
tish? the minister would naturally ask himself
But the reception by the King. The day ar.
ripes-he goes 10 the palace and is presented by
the Minister; makes a short speech In English
which the King does not understand, and is replied
10 in French which he does not understand, and
comes away. In short time he is invited TO a
diplomatic dinner by the minister, where he meets
the diplomatic corps, all Of whom speak and carry
on conversation in French Of course he under
stands not word that il said-is unable 70 reply
when spoken 10, and is compelled TO sit like
deaf mute during the whole entertainments This
must be very pleasant to him, very; and very
amusing 20 others; very well calculated to give
the representatives Of other nations exalted ideas
Of the learning, intelligence, and refined manners
OF our public men! a a 'wta 80
When we look at the names Of those who now
represent and who have for the last twenty years
represented and given character TO us az nation
abroad, we cannot but institute a comparison be.
tween them and the franklins, the Adames, the
jefferson, the Lsurens, the Lees the Jays, the
Elsworths, the Pinckneys, the Kings, the Gerys,
the Bsyards, the Gays, and the Gsstins of former
times. 1t Is true that some Of our foreign min.
listers within the period mentioned, have been
men Of the very first order of abilities and acquire
ments but as general rule they have been
lamentably deficient in all the qualifications requi
site 70 constitute an accomplished foreign min
ister
In other countries able statesmen are retained
in the public service as long as they retain their
vgor Of mind In this they are elbowed out by
toisterous, sefconceited, uneducated and untrain-
ed Young America" who has contempt for
wisdom and experience, denounced by him as
"old Fogyisrn." &. 'at Io