The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1858-08-18

wv "ofiuS ae one WORDS Oh FRIENDSHIP auu
peace to the ruler of the master nation of this
continent Let her come by all means, aud
visit her republican cousins, too; she would get
such reception in Ne = York. just no v, as never
greeted monarch In the world before. We will
show her all our iDstitutions--the HERALD insti-
tuition included. She shall visit the Islands, and
the Navy Yard, and be welcomed to the City
Hall with aldermanic honors She will never
have go good an opportunity of learning
how tenderly attached to her person her trans
atlantic cousins are In connection with this
idea We are glad to perceive that the people of
Toronto are sending an influential citizen-Mr.
NoTis-to England by the Persia to-day, with
an invitation to the Queen to visit that city
and preside at the opening of the Crystal Palace
there.
But, whether our intercourse with her Britain
mic Majesty is to be renewed in person or not,
we have the great living fact before us that her
dominions are joined to ours by bonds stronger
than iron. With the transmission of her friendly
greeting all doubts and misgivings have
vanished The Atlantic telegraph is fixed
fact, and we will soon see submarine cables laid
from point to point throughout the entire globe.
In this age of invention there will be no want
which may be required Of it, and before another
year or two have elapsed we shall behold tele-
graphic lines, bearing the thoughts of men in
all quarters of the world upon their wings of
lightning, spanning the earth-through the air
and beneath the waters-to the incalculable
benefit and amelioration of the whole human
race; and to the two nations which, in laying
the foundation Of the scheme of which this is to
be the glorious consummation, have conquered
| the elements, bent science to their will, and
commanded a success unparalleled, to them will
belong all the honor, and we doubt not the
largest share of the benefits of the victory.
The Bav.u. Consulate and American Ships
The Evils Of our Consular System.
The recent improper proceedings of the
Havana, in regard to the seizure Of an Ameri-
can vessel and the arrest of her captain and
crew, has drawn public attention strongly to
the manner in which our foreign consulates are
| filed, and the universal expression among mer-
chants and shipmasters is one of dissatisfaction
at the incompetency of many of the incum-
bents. 1t has been too much the case that con-
suls to some of the most important commercial
ports Of the world have been sent from the
backwoods States for purely political reasons.
Thus, that at Havana has been filled for three
successive appointments by gentlemen from
Mississippi. who, however worthy and compe-
tent to perform the duties of public Office in
that State, were utterly unfit to discharge those
of the Consulate at Havana.
A consul abroad is, by the very nature of his
Office, invested with an important Jurisdiction
over ships and commerce, and has necessarily
TO intervene and advise in many questions re-
lating to insurance, maritime law and custom,
and commercial usage. 1t is slso special part
of his duty to procure authentic commercial in
formation in regard to the products and trade
Of the country where he may reside, and
transmit full report thereon to the govern
ment The very nature OF these duties of his
Office requires that he should have an extensive
acquaintance with commerce and shipping
Under the system of appointments 40 long pur-
sued by our government there is not consular
post at any important point filed by compe-
tent person. Consulates have been usually
given to broken down political hacks, whom the
political delegations of the several States find
IL expedient to get out of the way by some
foreign appointment 10 consequence of this
system of appointment nearly all our consuls,
when they first go abroad, require a wet nurse,
who is too often some young clerk who has been
a few years in the Office, or some sycophant who
finds bis account in fattering the new appointee.
Thus the commercial interests Of the country
are made to suffer.
The Havana Consulate il at this moment a
pregnant instance of the evils of this system.
Some years since Judge Sharkey, Of Mississippi,
filed 1t. Though in his private relations doubt
lcss a worthy man, in bis public capacity he was
utterly incompetent. After a short term he
reeigned, and was succeeded by another legal
gentleman from Mississippi, who found he
was the wrong man for the place. Sob got
permission to stay at home and divide the pay
with Mr.. Robertson, whose long commercial and
consular experience enabled him for two years
to Gil the Office with credit Then came another
worthy gentleman from Mississippi, Col Blythe,
who acquired bis commercial experience In the
Mexican war. Finding that bis successor had
| been appointed, be came home and left the
Office In charge of his clerk, Mr.. Savage. the
gentleman who has 70 suddenly displayed his
incompetency. We learn that Colonel Dunn,
also Of Mississippi, who was to have succeeded
Colonel Blythe, has died. and that the Office has
now to be filed. We protest. in the name Of the
great commercial interests Of this country,
az ainst the giving Of the Havana Consulate to
any other person from Mississippi; and we
would urge upon Mr.. Buchanan that he at once
oil the Office by appointing some one who has
had experience in commerce, and who knows
the maibyard from q marline-spikc when called
| to exercise his functions on board Of ship