The New York herald., 1862-02-12

JnyKINsIsx Our OF SEAsoN.-Elsewhere will be
found "a curious correspondence which has taken
place l,etween Mr.. Dayton, our Minister to
France, a nd the State Department at Washing
ton, ON the subject of the presentation of Ameri-
cans at the I,ourt of the Tuileries. Our read
ers cannot fai' to be struck with the felicity in
point of time an d Importance with which these
diplomatic Jenkinsisus turn up to diversity the
engrossing cares that at present harass the
mind of our community.
Il has been the habit, as our readers are
aware, at the French Govt, to receive indis-
criminately, at the imperial eceptions and balls,
all Americans that could obttua presentation
through their Minister. The Mt has at times
comprised upwards Of fifty perscUs, outnumber-
ing frequently the subjects of ail the other
governments put together-those CT France ex-
cepted. In the latitude given in this respect
the present Emperor has been more liberal to-
wards us than any of his predecessors There
would probably have been no attempt rande to
curtail the number even now, bat for ciscum-
stances that have compelled his MAjesty's at
tention to the subject.
There was great outcry among certain of
our contemporaries the other day when Mrs.
Lincoln made praiseworthy effort to reform
the habits introduced by Southern politicians
in the White House, by inviting to her parties
only those who were accustomed to conduct
themselves like gentlemen. The drunkenness, the
rowdyism and the disgusting personal peculiari-
tios MANY that want 70 tho rooov,+;ouS a. thn
Presidential mansion had become so intolerable
that no lady of refined notions could think of
putting up with them. The correspondence to
which we refer has had its origin in similar COM
plants made against the American guests at the
Tuileries. On several occasions they con-
Quoted themselves 30 abominably as to excite q
general feeling of indignation. Imagine the
effect of one of our tipsy ward politicians get
ting entangled in the train of stately duchess,
or dame d'honneur, or of his making tracks with
tobacco juice on the highly polished floor
trodden by SO many satin clad feet.
To put an end to scenes so unseemly, M.
Thouvenel, previous to the closing presentation
of last year, called upon Mr.. Faulkner to add
to the names ON his list the equality" Of tho
persons of whom 1t was composed. This our
Minister declined to do, on the ground that an
American abroad could have no quality except
that of citizen of the republic. At the last
presentation and court ball similar request
was made of Mr.. Dayton; but he chose to follow
the example Of his predecessor The conse-
quence was that, with the exception of two of
the persons on the list, who had official designa-
tions the remainder failed to receive cards.
Now, though in apolitical controversy both
Mr.. Faulkner and Mr.. Dayton would have been
justified in the course which they adopted, they
were wrong in this case in refusing to accede to
the very reasonable demand of M. Thouvenel.
This privilege of presentation is a courtesy, and
not q right, extended to our Minister by the
Emperor; and as socially, he is responsible for
the character of the guests he introduces it il
but proper that when the privilege is abused
he should comply with such regulations as are
thought necessary to prevent recurrence Of
the misconduct complained of. We can see no
derogation of the rights of our American sove-
reigns in the fact of our Minister handing in to
the Court Chamberlain statement of their pro-
fessions, occupations and social status. These
are more or less essential to enable the officials
entrusted with the control of these matters to
decide whether the parties to be invited occupy
the positions of ladies and gentlemen-a
condition indispensable not merely to ad-
mission to court balls abroad, but to
good society anywhere. In this country
it is not incumbent upon us, because we
are republicans, to keep company With Tom,
Dick or Harry. Were it so, the advantages i'm
parted by education and cultivated tastes would
be lost in medley of discordsnt and ridiculous
pretensions.
If this common sense view of the subject had
been taken by our Minister, the State Depart
ment would have been spared the diversion Of
its attention from more important matters to .
triviality which jars upon the mind at a time
like this. 1t would be far wiser for the persons
in whose behalf these reclamations are made to
return and fight the battles Of their country at
home, than to bring it into contempt abroad by
their misconduct and misplaced vanity.