Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1858-05-25
AMERICAN DIPLOMACY,

TUESDAY MORNING, MAY rs, 1855.
AMERICAN DIPLOMACY.
The management Of the foreign relations Of the
| Union has become matter of the fret importance,
only to people, but to all the republic of
nations There is none among these too insignificant
to reap benefit or sustain an injury, accordingly
our foreign policy shall be directed and this depen-
denoe becomes more reciprocal indeed, but much
more important and various as we ascend the scale
to those great powers which owe so much to our
friendly intercourse with their Industrial and CONNER
oial population.
Our diplomacy yields to no branch of the public
service the palm of usefulness and dignity. None
claim for itself prouder results in the past; pro-
mises wider field of progress and excellence for the
| future. American diplomacy marks a new era in the
formation of that code of international law, which it
found in the crudest state Of partial development
BY its endeavors, in eminent degree, vague and
imperfect system-s mixed image Of BRASS iron aud
clsy--theories of natural justice compounded and
conouuded with contradictory and arbitrary conven
tons, vicious prescriptions and uncertain implics
tons-has been subjected to process of elimination
and accurate definition, which has begun the develop
extension and modification little dreamed of century
ago.
1t has been the especial task of our diplomacy to
assert the equality of nations, to deny the rlghful
preponderance of any one power, or class of pow
ers on sea or on land, and alternately to disregard
and to combat the numerous arbitrary arrange.
ments which monarchcal power derives from
the theory of its own existence, and seeks TO
foist on the code Of international law. ln the
| assertion of the individual right of e1pstriation'
10 the maintenance of the equitable rights of neutral
commerce in defending the immunity OF nations
commerce, even from so.caed friendly search, and in
securing American soil from the encroaohments OF
European powers, American diplomacy has had
high and difficult task to perform
Many of the greatest minds among our Statesmen
have found in diplomacy theatre of extraordinary
triumphs Apart from the developments Of legal
soience which continue necessarily the slow growth
of constantly repeated efforts for the welfare of COM
merce and the security of individual righte, we can
point to great results which have been effected, as
were. by a coup de main. The accession Of all
French Louisiana, of Florida, Texas, and even Cali
fornia in which latter instance the diplomatic service
was not less successfully welded than the military
ia the acquisition Of the collective wealth OF the TO-
rest aud the prarie-of the harvest field and the gold
mine-sll has been the fair result Of great efforts OF
American diplomacy
II has TO some extent become fashionable of late
years. to depreciste the Importance of the labors OF
our foreign representatives. Certain organs OF The
press have even pushed this opinionstiVe denuncla'
ton to the extent of recommending Chinese policy,
by which our foreign relations should all be regula'
ted by negotiations at Washington This e1aggera.
ton ia not grosser than the spirit Of injustice IN which
it has originated and which, like most OF our unjust
thoughts and actions 10 generally the sheer result OF
ignorance of the details to be studied and the consd
srations to be weighed.
The primary requisite Of successful diplomacy is
secrecy. To watch the nmost workings Of the policy
of foreign nations, to calculate its bearing and inn
portance and to keep The Executive at home az we'll
informed as should be, is in ITSELF task of very
nigL requiring all the labor and wachful-
ness which can possibly be bestowed And the su'
psrvisiou of our commercial affairs, the constant ad-
vice and instruction to Consular agents, demands
very great variety of trained efficiency; the tact
| of a statesman, the erudon of lawyer, and
the mastery OF statistical learning are almost indls
penabls to an American diplomat Of thepresent day;
sources constitutes labor of minute detail, which
seldom meets the eye Of the public or even OF our
| representatives in Congress.
1t is indeed true, that among our representatives
abroad the hyperortical may And something to sneer
at in the shape Of ignorance OF oourtly usage and
even of graceful accomplishment 1t is true that
many of our foreign ministers have never been fon-
died and dawded into negotiaors. 1t is true that our
dlplomatiss often
| "Are but warriors of the working day"
But when the working day comes, they can bring
to their country's service manly and vigorous
training OF the intellect, far sighted calculation OF
policy and an intimate acquaintance with legal
scence which they have acquired in the heat and ar
dor of political struggles at home, and which cannot
be learned by dancing attention at foreign COURTS and
however frequently their own countrymen may seek
occasion to cav at their petty dehciencies they can
boast prohcencies of very high order which do not
fail TO command the appreciation anu respect OF their
most competent judges-the diplomatic colleagues
with whom they are thrown in immediate contact.
DEATH OF GENERAL PERSIFER +. SMITH.
The telegraph has brought us the sad intelligence
from ST. Louis of the death lat Fort Lesvenworth) Of
Gen. Persifer f. Smith He had been appointed to
the command of the Utah forces, and though n feeble
health entered at once upon the duties of his position.
He was en- rosie for Camp Scott at the time of his
death. When he left St. Louis for Fort Leavenworth
he was 80 ill that he had to be carried on board the
boat. He was over 60 years of age, native OF Penn.
sylvania, and one Of the most accomplished ohcers
of the service, which he entered from the ranks OF
the Louisiana volunteers; of whom he was Colonel in
1896 during elk months service in the Florida war,
and was the Brigader General commanding bril-
gads Of six Louisiana regiments Of volunteers, under
Major General Taylor, on the Rio Grsnde, in 1886
appoipted Colonel of the Mounted Rifemen, Nth
Nav 1876: commanded the Sd Brigade and 9TH Infan-
try from September, 1886 was breveted Brigadier
General in the regular army in May, lsi7, :" for gal.
liant and meritorous conduct in several conflicts at
Monterey, Mexico 23d September, 1886; breveted
Major General in August 1S4s, or gallant and meri.
torious conduct in the battles Of Contreras and Chu
rubusco" 2Uth August, lS47. He ranked next after
Cen. Wool, and fourth after Gen. Scott. For long
time he had been in very feeble health Gen. Harvey
succeeds to the command of the Utah expedition.
For the Enquirer.
The undersigped, acting as the respective friends
of Me.srs. o. j. Wise and b. b. Douglas, take plea
sure in saying that the difficulty Thicn recently ex
listed between those gentlemen, mas oeen adjusted
honoraby to both parties and In manner satisfac.
torv N their friends. THOS. P. CHISMAN,
WY +. GREGORY, JR.
RICHMOND, May 2lst. 1853
VESSELS SEARCHED.
The following is said to be list OF the vessels visit
ed BY the British shps-ofwar within the last three
weeks in the neighborhood of Cuoa
Ship Tropic Bird, fred into, boarded and searched:
Barque Clara Windsor, fred into' ooaraed and
!