The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1858-11-08
should not have been allowed 10 weigh against
Mr.. Reeds duty TO his country.

We must make allowances however, in estimar
ting the degree ofrelabiity with which thiseharge
is to be received. from the fact that Mr.. Reeds
position in China was not by any means pleasing
to Great Britain. Our government had been APP
piled to to act in harmony with the British and
French governments in coercing China into the
making of these treaties, but in view of its
policy Of avoiding entangling alliances, it had
declined the invitation. This course of ours
may have given offence, particularly as it hap
pened to coincide with the course Of Russia on
the same question. and it may have given rise to
suspicion that our sympathies still as in the case
OF the Crimean war, leaned rather to the side Of
the Muscovite than Of the Briton or Frank. 1t
was suspected, besides, that we might have
been making some profitable arrangements
with Russia in regard to the future trade Of the
territory Of the AMOR river This may have ex-
cited the hostility of the English press, and led
to the aspersi0ns that have been 80 literally cast
on the conduct of our representative at TEN
tsin The encomiums bestowed from the same
source on the Russian Minister may have been
attributable to the effort to lower Mr. Reed in the
estimation of his coutltrymen by contrasting the
American and Russian diplomacy.
We do not mean to be understood as defend
ing the action which Mr.. Reed is said to have
taken. If, to cover up the bad bargain which he
made himself, he endeavored to prevent the Eng
lish and French representatives from making a
better bargain, in the advantages of which his
own countrymen were to participate, it argues
a mean and contemplate spirit, and the diplomat
who would he guilty of such meanness deserves
the severest censure of his government. We
trust that the administration at Washington will
have the matter fully investigated, and will
either approve or disavow the conduct its rep
resentative in China as the facts may warrant
OCToGENARIAN LECTURERs-OLD MEN ON THE
Observation-Disclosures will be found a report of
the interesting lecture delivered last week by
ex-President Tyler before the Richmond Me-
chanics' Institute. This is the second effort of
the same sort made by the venerable ex-Pre-
sidcnt, and is, we understand, to be followed by
others on subjects connected with his personal
experiences II seems to be necessity with
men who have occupied high official positions to
keep up their relations with the public through
this or other channels The sweets of political
influence and magisterial functions once tasted,
it is impossible for the majority ofpubic men to
initiate the example of the patriotic Roman who
returned contentedly to his plough after having
filled the highest offices in the State II would
appear as If the mental and physical qualities
which elevate them to posts of dignity and power
leave them no taste for the retirement and repose
which others seek after long lives of labor.
The conclusion is that their organization must
differ from the generality of mankind. and that
they must be endowed with vitality greater
than that of ordinary mortals.
AS an evidence of this assumption. we have
only to point to the recent remarka-
bic lecture delivered by the octogenarian
Lord Brougham, on the occasion of the erection
Of a statue to Sir Isaac Newton in his native
town. Taking into account the wear and tear
through which this remarkable man has passed.
we believe there is no record of so extraordinary
an effort at his advanced age. Lord Lyndhurst.
to be sure, occasionally astonishes the House of
Lords by the vigor Of his understanding and his
wonderful powers of memory; but though the
ages Of the two men are about the same, there il
a great difference in their capacity for work.
Lord Brougham is not only great talker but q
great writer, and snatches only brief intervals
of repose from his labors. Lord Lyndhurst's in
dustry is spasmodic, and is confined to important
political questions and the occasional decision of
the judicial appeals brought before the Lords.
The lives Of our retired statesmen are not
wanting in examples Of this distaste for repose
and revived thirst for occupation. Amongst
many we may cite John Quincy Adams, Colonel
Benton, Mr.. Everett, and several other distin-
guished statesmen, who had filed up the measure
Of ordinary lives Of industry, and who might,
therefore, have been supposed glad to avail
themselves Of the indulgence and quiet usually
deemed indispensable to their age. In the Anne
rican character this spirit Of restless activity
from the cradle to the grave is more observable
than in that Of any other people II is a condi-
ton of climate as well as Of education; and we
must not. therefore, plume ourselves upon any
deduction Of intellectual superiority to which II
might lead. The man who, in this country.
ceases to work while there Is work in him. can
only count on short lease Of his life. We do
not possess an atmosphere in which social enjoy
mcnts can be cultivated with impunity and to
old men there remains no alternative but regular
occupation or death
We know no way in which the surplus energy
Of veteran politicians can be more proftably en-
ployed than in the lecture ROOM There they can
instruct and amuse the rising youth Of the couu-
try by their experiences, and at the same time
crafty that tendency towards sclflaudation
which is natural TO old people. In this way they
may form useful links between the past and the
present generation, and serve as landmarks to
the progress we are making.
Williamsburg City News.
DuRgLARus AT RAyKSswoop.-On the 10Th or October