New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1860-11-10
OF PRRCEDENCIEs AND GOOD
MANNERS.

MANNERS.
Poor Boston! Ichabod is written upon the
dome of the State. House. The glory in which she
goried hath departed from her. If there were
one thing more than another on which she prided
herself it was her good manners and strict observ-
ance of the rules of good breeding She hath been
weighed in the balance and found wanting. And
her shortcomings have been made manifest in the
sight ofthe fret Prince Oftde Blood England!
She hath exalted her horns even against New York,
and 10 they have been cut of. We have never
boasted ourselves of our Municipal manners. We
have humbled ourselves before B0ole, aud been
abashed in the presence Of Van Tine. But when
private citizens have undertaken to exercise pub
lie Inequalities, we believe that they have shown
themselves acquainted with the propretes of so
ciety and the rules of etiquette. 1t is true that
the floor of our Academy of Music was broken
through on the night of the Ball, but the essential
laws of good breeding, we believe, were not broken
through as far as the treatment of the guests en-
titled to special attention was concerned. We
grieve TO say that though the Boston floor was suf
fcient, the credit of Boston manners has suffered
a compound fracture
Our Boston correspondents have made our read
ers acquainted with the griefs of the Ball there in
honor of the Prince of Wales We do not propose
going deeply into the subject at 90 long period
after the event, but merely to give few HATS as
to the recognized laws of etiquette on occasions Of
ceremony, such as was that festivity. We do this
| from motives of philanthropy, because it is les
-, ha ri RI led in
ton; ard we have postponed it till after the cleo
| ton and till the BOstOnian mind has regained its
| natural equilibrium, in order that it may be re-
| ceiyed with the greater attention and pondered
with the greater profit by those for whose benefit
| and improvement it is designed
We presume that it is true that it was psrti-
San maguity that was at the bottom Of the unman-
nerly treatment Of the Governor of the Stste on
| that occasion. But we think that even partisan
maanity would have restrained ITSELF had the per-
sons concerned known how gross an act of ill-man-
ners they were committing, and what an impression
they were giving the Prince and the nobemen and
gentlemen of his suite of their ignorance or of their
lll-breeding. These Masters of Ceremonies, as we
are informed were not persons of the BOOle and
| Van Tine order; but claimed to occupy social
positions which eminenty qualified them to con-
duct such high solemnity with all decency and
propriety. And yet they DID not know the rules of
ordinary etiquette and well established presidency,
the observation of which is of the very essence of
good breeding; or, knowing them, set them at de-
fance, for the sake of gratifying paltry grudge
| against men whom the fountain of honor and pow
er in this country had constituted their mperlors
For, we will inform these gentlemen, if they do
not know it, there is as wel-established order OF
proceedings and due graduation Of rank in this
country as there is in England, which every we'll
bred person acknowledges, and conforms himself
| to it. The Governor of State is, of course, the
first person in rank within bis jurisdiction except
ing when the President of the United States is
within its limits. This was recognized by the
Prince Of Wales in Boston, bis Royal Hlghness
paying the first visit to bis EIcellency. Then,
again. the Senators of the United States have q
certain fixed presidency, which is always allowed
by persons Of good manners. These functiOnaries
take rank before the corps dplomatqss. Conse-
quently the relative rank of the personages within
the limits Of Massachusetts during the Princes
visit, was this: Frat, Governor Banks; second,
the Prince; third, Senator Sumner; fourth, Sem
ator Wilson; fifth Lord Lyons, a. her Msjestys
Minister; sixth, the Duke of Newcastle, and 80 on
| through the list.
| Now we can very well imagine and make allow.
ance for the bitterness of spirit felt by politicians
of the defeated party in seeing men like Governor
| Banks and the Massa chusetts Senators promoted
over their heads to posts of dignity which they
thiLk peculiarly their own due or that Of their
parttans; but they should have had control enough
over ID to prevent it from overfowing in a way
which not only reflected discredit on themselves,
but on their State and their city. And if it were
indeed ignorance, as we incline TO believe it was,
that made them think they could crafty a mean
malice with IMMUNITY, We trust that the rebuke
given them by the Duke of Newcastle will teach
them better knowledge and better manners, should
any like opportunity be offered them. For bis
Grace, in making up the party to be invited to
accompany the Prince to his port of embarkation,
confined himself strictly to the persons entitled by
their rank to approach the Royal person-the
Governor, the two senators, the members of Con.
gre,s from the Boston District. He ignored on
tirely the claims of tho persons who had been
thrust, or had thrust Themselves into the compa-
ny Of tho Prince during bis visit in virtue Of their