The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1859-08-01

WI VI Si0os Iuuu party A0r AoOV. 1ue re6ulC6
of these elections of the next four days will go
very far to confirm or destroy the sectional cal
culatoDs Of W. II. Seward, Stephen A. Douglas
and Henry A. Wise.
Our Missi0ns TO Mexico and Central America
The Lesson Ten Years Of History Teach.
The history of OUT diplomatic intercourse with
Mexico and Central America has been, with few
exceptions, a continued history of diplomatic
failures For some reason or other the public
men of those republics seem always to get the
best Of the argument, whether they have reason
on their side or not in the sundry little spirits of
diplomatic discussion which occasionally come
up between them and our representatives
What may be the causes that lead to this state
Of things it is difficult to determine. Our Minis
tiers usually come home in that state of mind
known by the expressive word disgust; and al
most in every instance they complain that the
government has not sufficiently supported them
in their labors to advance the glory of the great
American name, and the interests Of our free and
enlightened citizens On the other hand, the i'm
preston generally prevails in the official circles
at Washington that the Minister, in any given
case, has not exactly understood the duties and
position he was sent to fill; that he has advanced
some extraordinary and high1alutin doctrine,
which comes in excellently in stump speech,
but is rather out Of place in diplomatic
despatch; and that 10 fact, he has made fool of
himself The consequence Is, that the gentle
men are generally allowed to retire to their ma
tive obscuri.y, much to their own discomfort;
and as it seldom happens that any of them arrive
ct the Socratic' degree Of knowing themselves
and thus becoming aware of their incapacity
they look upon themselves as hardly used men,
and on the government as an ungrateful set.
The public interests somehow manage to survive
this loss, but they are sometimes damaged by
the letter writing fever which not unfrequeEtly
takes possession of the retired gentlemen, in
which they divulge important secrets which have
beer impaired to them in their official capacity
OF this class of diplomatists Hon. John For
syth, Of Mobile, Alabama, is type Mr. Forsyth
has tie misfortune to be the son of celebrated
man who was he friend of General Jackson,
and the fathers reputation would pale the cape
city CT the son in any event; when the two ere
contressed, the abilities Of the younger Forsyth
present very dhminished appearance. To this
must be added that he had the misfortune to be
selected to represent in Mexico the administra-
ton Of poor Pierce, and as the world generally
believes that 'firds of a feather flock together"
Mr.. forsyth was readily accepted as having very
little in him. Subsequent events have shown
that he really lid possess good deal of malice,
with no small share of ingratitude. When he
entered upon this mission the an.ecedents of the
post were not very brilliant and consequently
his own proportions did not safer by that con-
trast
Since the war with Mexico-we need not 20
further back to show the character Of our diplo-
matte intercourse with that republic-.Mr For.
syth had boon preceded by two Ministers. Mr..
Letcher, Daring his incuabency, kept up admi.
rably the sOcial character which has gained for
him, in Kentucky, the nickname of GLORIOUS
Bob" and was never accused Of anything more
harsh than letting somebody else be the real
Minister, while he kept his legs under certain
very excellent mahogany. Mr.. Gadsden went
good deal further than Gov. Letcher. He would
not let any one else be Minister, and did not
know how to be one himself He made treaty
with Santa Anna, who cheated him awfully, and
then getting angry at being hamboozled, he
opened and kept up correspondence with
the revolutionists that rose against Santa
Anna. When the revolutiozists succeeded, he
allowed an indecent haste to recognise the new
government, then quarrelled with it, was called
home, would not resign, and became excessively
angry that another was appointed in his place.
With these anteOedents Mr.. Forsyth entered
upon bis mission. His great ambition was to
make treaty that should be inscribed in the
rolls Of bis country. The failures of his prede-
cessors were no teachings to him. Trist's unwise
treaty Of peace, Letcher's failure in the Tehuan-
tepec negotiations, Gadsden's purchase of route
to the Pacific, with the route omitted were moth
ing to him. They failed through their own want
of skill In his own view he could, and he did,
accomplish great things He made, not one
treaty, but FIVE. He sent them home in the full
nees Of triumph. AT the same time information
was sent to us that he had accomplished some
thing great, and we hoped they would be accep.
ted. When they came to be examined IL was
found they were not even ct to be submitted to
discussion in the Senate and out of consideration
for the negotiator Mr.. Buchanan withheld them
from public view.
This angered the Hon. John Forsyth, but still
ne held on to his Office. The Comonfort govern
mept was overthrown, and the priests came into
power in Mexico. Knowing the amiable Minis
tei'ss weakness, they baited hook with treaty;
he jumped at it, and was caught This was all
the priests desired Mr. Forsyth, az the Ameri-
can Minister, had recognized their puppet gov