The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1858-08-26

American CisSnaants agsi~st Fe~esxS Govern.
meats ara American PrSses siom Abroad
An article from the Washington Union, which
we print elses here. uskes some candid ackuow-
edgments In regard TO the laxity with which
the claims Of our oitizeus upon foreign govern
ments are prosecuted aad copfesses to the com
plants of our citizens abroad that they are
left to the chances and accidents Of life and
native sbrewdness" to protect themselves.
There is some consolation in the fact of know
ing that the government at Washington has
come to an acknowledgement of this crying
evil, and deems it necessary 70 present an ex-
cuse to the public for the do-nothing policy which
has in former times characterized our State
Department. The Union pleads in excuse, thas
these complaints ''result directly from the in
efficiency and Indifference of Congress- and
that the Presidents hands are tied because Of
total want of authority, and Of the entire in
difference Of the public to anything beyond the
local political characteristics Of their represen-
tatives" There Is DO doubt some reason for the
excuse that the Presidents hands are in mea
sure tied but that the action of Congress is
always necessary to enable the Department to
oct upon the admitted law of nations, or
that the people spend too much time
in considering the political characteristics
Of their representatives, belongs solely to the
peculiar logic of the Union. The great source
Of the evil complained of and admitted by the
Union, lie the inefficient organization OF the State
Department, and that the chief officers in II
spend too much time in studying 'the local
political characteristics Of the parties who are
obliged to appeal to them.
The State Department has to-day the same
oreanization-with exception of q few cleri
cal additions-that was given to it 10
the formation Of the republic. 1t is evident
to the most Common mind that what was
sufficient for the business Of country contain,
ing three millions Of people must be inadequate
to one combining thirty millions. The whole
Department imperiously requires an entire :e-
organization, and until this is done the public
business that passes through ii must be inefi.
GENTLY performed. Mr.. Buchanan has done what
he could in the matter, and has succeeded in at
tanning, in regard TO our foreign claims, what no
one before him has attained. He has made q
treaty with New Granada tor the settle Dent, by
joint commission, of all the claims Of our citizens
against that republic, and 1t Is to be hoped
that they will soon have justice rendered
them. He has also succeeded in OBJ
tanning the authority from Congress to
bring Paraguay to terma If the Paraguay
expedition is conducted with proper energy and
spirit it will 90 far towards bringing about 9
settlement Of some Of our other claims upon the
Spanish American States
The State Department is now engaged In pre-
pairing report to Congress, in answer to re-
solution proposed by Mr.. Benjamin Of Louisiana,
showing.the claims against foreign govern
ments that have been presented to that
Department, and what has been done
In regard to each. II will form the most vo-
luminous report ever made to Congress. and
will show that not one In every hundred of the
claims presented has obtained any redress This
document will exhibit more than volumes OF
argument could do the necessity Of giving new
life to the present one horse concern called the
State Department. The course the President
has determined TO pursue in regard 10 Para.
quay will form aprecedent in our foreign policy
that we hope will be soon followed by similar
action towards Spain, Mexico, Venezuela, Peru,
Chile, Central America, aud ell the other petty
spanish-Americsn powers that have connded 10
their own insigni6cance and weakness TO plun-
der our citizens II Is time that this abuse Of
weakness was stopped, and we hope Mr.. Blu
chanan will continue the policy he has adopted
until ii Is done
KANSAS IN THE NEXT CoSaRsss--Mr. Jobu