New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1860-08-06
INTERNATIONAL COURTESY.


| INTERNATIONAL COURTESY.
There has been lately held in London what is
called an international Statistical Congress- We
don't know the exact object of this assemblage,
nor is 1t necessary for our present purpose that
we should know. We wish to refer merely to
gross and gratnitous insult offered to Mr.. Dallas,
our diplomatic representative in England, during
the session Of this Congress, by no less person
age than Lord Brougham.
The Congress, it appears, Is composed Of one or
more representatives from the different civilized
nations Of the earth. Nearly all the European and
South American States are represented. In com
pliance with invitation to that effect the Presi
dent of the United States sent two Commissioners
both of whom were overwhelmingly, Judge Long.
street, of Georgia, and Mr.. Lawrence of Massachu-
sets. Besides the regular representatives, there
were many other persons present, including most
Of the diplomatic corps, and the leading members
Of the British Ministry and Parliament.
The Congress assembled on the 10th of July, and
was presided over by Prince Albert. The first
business in order was the delivery of a long adj
dress by this gentleman. This closed the pro-
ceedings for the day. But after ''his Royal High
ness had taken his seat, the following ''scene is
reported to have occurred:
Lord Brougham, seeing Mr. Dallas the American
Minister present, said stIhope my friend Mr.. Dali
| las will forgive me reminding him that there is q
| negro present, member of the Congress- loud
laughter and vociferous cheering
| After the cheering had subsidized Mr.. Dallas made
no sign, but the negro in question, who was under
| stood to be DIR. Deany, rose, amid loud cheers,
| and said: Il pray your Royal Highness will allow
me to thank his lordship, who is always most I'M
finchng friend of the negro, for the observation
ne has made, and assure your Royal Hghness
at T
This novel and unexpected incident ELECTED q
round Of cheering very extraordinary for an assem-
biage of sedate statsticans
The Prince Consort then declared the Congress
opened. and adjourned the meeting till 10 O'Clock
this day.
This is the report as given by the London Times
and reproduced in the New York Evening Post,
from which latter paper we take it. The Post is
so delighted with this public and unprovoked insult
to Mr.. Dallas that ii publishes the proceedings at
length and makes the circumstance an excuse for
aleading editorial in which it takes little pains to
conceal its Joy and satisfaction 1t cackles and
gloats this insult to Mr. Dallas as one of the
very best things that ever happened 1t almost
glories in the fact that Lord Brougham has, to use
| its own language, made public spectacle of
the American Minister"
We confess ourselves, however, somewhat puz-
lied at the contradictory terms used by the Post
It declares that Lord Brougham's remark was q
humiliating public rebuke that it was very
deliberate insult that the occasion was cIose],
by Lord Brougham to make public spectacle of
our Minister land that the purpose was +" to put
Mr. Dallas into coventry Yet the Evening Post
notwithstanding this opinion, has no word of cen
sure for Lord Brougham, and scarcely attempts to
conceal its satisfaction at the circumstance. 1t
says that his Lordshps remark was perfectly
true and perfectly iaofeasiUe.' How I" deliberate
insult to gentleman, and the making public
spectacle Of him can be characterized by the
Evening Post as something perfectly inofansive,"
is an inconsistency which nothing short Of Black
Republican logic is capable Of explaining.
We are well aware of the fact that tastes differ
and that what is considered in good taste by some
people is viewed in very different light by others
sOt course, we shall not presume to oppose our
plebeian nretensions, in respect of good manners,
to the arstocratic standard of British Lord But
II it be good manners and evidence OF refined taste
to convey public and unprovoked insult to
gentleman present BY special invitation in public
assembly, a respectful auditor and taking no part
in the debate, we can only say we have no regrets
that we were not educated in such school,
IT is custom with us, as general thing,
to send as our representatives to Great Britain
our most experienced statesmen and cultivated
gentlemen. In SO doing we intend compli-
ment to the British nation. We have supposed
that no one, unless he be scrupuIously mind
full Of the proprieties Of society, would be ac-
ceptable to people who stand SO much upon
etiquette dignity and the rules and forms Of social
life. Such men as Abbott Lawrence, Edward
Everett and George NJ. Dallas, are competent to
go into the most cultivated circles in the world,
and to conduct themselves with eminent propriety
Not word against the propriety of Mr.. Dallas
conduct personal or official, has been heard dur
Ing the seven years he has represented us at the
Court Of st. James. He il, in Europe as well as
at home, polished gentleman, practising all
those gentle amenities and courtesies Of personal
behaviour which characterize the nobleman by
nature. Lord Brougham may think it all right,
without any proyocation, to make such n gentle
man the laughing-stoek of public assembly;
but, however great may be our tefnerity in differ
ing upon a point of good manners with a British
lord, we are constrained to characterize it as in
orr opinion, gross and wholly unjustiRable
insult.
It IS said and we give the statement because
we have no desire to do an act of iniustice-that
Lord BronRham went into the Congress the next
day, and aisclaimed any purpose Of disrespect TO
Mr. Dallas. We trust that in so doing he was
prompted by his own sense of henor-not by the
suggestions of others .or the complaint of Mr.
Dallas himself. But ii would be better if Lord
Brongham had thought of the effect of his Ian
guage before using it. 1t Is rather poor eansola-
ton, after gentleman is publicly insulted in
crowd, TO be told afterwards that no offense was
meant. II people do not mean to offend other
people, The best way is not to do it. To do IT, and