The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1860-04-13

Mr.. WIGFALL distinguished himself in the Sen
ate, on Wednesday, by an assault on the British
Minister, that for gross improperly has not been
surpassed by any of the many discreditabe occur
rences which have dsgraced the present session.
In the course of some remarks upon the Home
stead Bill, the Senator insoently drew the atten-
ton of the House TO Lord LYONS, who was then
holding conversation with Mr.. SEWARD. He
alluded 10 Mr. SEWARD as the embodiment of the
Republican party, and when in this connection
he termed the cooquy between the Senator and
the Minister a Significant fact" he either meant
to insinuate that the two were Matching some evil
together, or to throw odium upon the latter,
because he chose to hold friendly intercourse with
one who was so Objectionable to the representa-
tives of the South. His acute faculties may have
detected in this confabulation the inception of
grave conspiracy against our Government, and
his indignant patriotism may have been as I'M
comfortable as was CIcERo's, when, with burst
of decamatory invective, he turned upon the
guilty CATILINE in the Capitol Or, perhaps, he
looked upon the Minister as "a bloated aristocrat"
"a minion of royalty" and "too of despots,"
and thought it well to let him know that
the eye Of an American freeman was upon
him, that the tongue of Texan, at least,
was not afraid TO expose his intrigues.-
But what Mr.. WIGFALL meant, or whether he
meant anything at ALL are matters of no import
ance. 1t only concerns us to know whether his
course has been so indicative of want of good
taste, good temper, and good sense, as to give the
people he represents sufficient cause for except
ing to it. In our judgment, the whole country
may, and ought to be disguised with this exhib-
ton of pHerility and impertinence in the Senate
chamber. If Lord LYONS had been the humblest
citizen in the land, he might very properly have
resented this unwarrantable assault upon him.
Neither his official conduct his private charac-
ter was in the remotest degree connected with the
subject under discussion, and any comment on
either was merely gratuitous insult As he is
precluded from replying to any odous or uncom-
plimentary charges that may be insinuated against
him in the Senate, he had the right to expect that
these would be made, if made at all, with becom-
ing gravity and deliberaion. But, in this in
stance, the grossest and most unfounded aspersons
have been cast upon him, not only in the place
where he had least reason to anticipate them but
at the moment when his presence ena-
bled the aggressor 10 point him out in
person as an object Of general suspicion or
dislike. Had Lord LYONS, therefore, been only
simple citizen, he might have been Justly indig-
nant at Mr. WIGFALL's wanton attack upon him.
But the Senator who repudated the ordinary re-
quirementS of courtesy and fair-dealing between
men, should at least have paid some slight regard
to the position Lord LYONS occupies A foreigner
is entitled to more than usual consideration, be-
cause he is, in measure, defenceless and the am
bassador of great nation demands to be treated
with additional respect, because of the immense
influence he necessarily exercises over the desti-
MES Of the countries to which, as well as from
which, he is accredited. All civilized people have
recognized the proprety not merely of accord
ing certain privileges to the representatives Of
foreign governments, but of cultivating as far as
possible, the kindliest relations with them; and
considerable feeling was once aroused in England
When BENJAMIN FRANKLIN, the agent of four re-
belllous Colonies, bullied in the presence of thu
Prlvy Council. But apart from this discourtesy
towards the British Minister, Mr.. WIGFALL's ami
madversions upon that gentleman were eXtremel
Objectionable in another point of view The at
tempt to excite public feeling against Mr. SEwARl
or his party by the intimaton that England is il
close connection with one the other, is wors
than diSreputable If Mr.. WIGFALL believes thi
to be the case, he has every right to say so, ant
to maintain his opinions; and if any proof exists
it is his duty to seek and to publish it, But 81
far as his surmses about an alliance between tn,
Republicans and the British Minister rest solely
upon the fact that the latter talked to Mr.. SEwAR1
in the Senate, he had better keep them TO himself
otherwise he may be instrumental in misleading
the country and engendering ill-blood, through
which we may be brought into difficulties, com
pared with which the absurdites he commits him
SELF or the wrongs he does to Individuals will b,
of trivial importance