Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1862-02-13

by the president of the United States
No. 102 PARIS, Jan. H. 1862.
Sir: wrote toyou in reference toa small
matter outside OF the business of the legation,
but which it seems TO me not improper to
communicate the more especially as our citi-
zens abroad attach to such things import
ance much beyond what they seem to ne to
merit. In this mission have fallen heir, as
you doubtless know, to an inheritance of so
cial trouble and veXaton, not growing out OF
my business duties. but out of such as are
connected with presentations to the court and
such like matters. The great numbers of our
countrymen who visit Paris, the facilities
which have been given by my predecessors
for an Introduction at the palace and the great
liberality of the court itself in admitting such
intr0ductiors, have brought about state OF
things under which suppose the officers of
ceremony al the palace hafr nrt unuH'urally
become FESTIVE. For instance, in looking back
for a few years past, find that in 1851 at one
presentation only eighty -four Amer leans were
introduced at the two presentations in 1858,
there were introduced forty seven at one, fifty
seven at the other. At the three presentations
in 1862 at tile one thirty four and at The other
two, Seventy-three. In 1861, the list is so
marked that it is difficult TO say the precise
number, but one of my predecessor Dispatch
es says that at one presentation he introduced
thlrty-hye and at another ga large NUMBER
how many l know not. These presentations,
you are aware, are on the night of the court
ball, and all who are presented are, of course,
invited to the ball In addition, there is an
average of perhaps fifty other Americans, res
ident in Paris, who have been presented in
past years, some, or perhaps most of whom,
expect invitations. AS the rules of court
limit the introduction of the subjects OF
other European countries to a small and
privileged class, the result is that on these
occasions, the citizens of the United States
outnumber, not only the subjects OF any other
country, except France, but probably outnum
Der the citizens or subjects of all foreign coun-
tries of the world together. There is limit,
if not to royal hospitality, at least to space, in
ball and supper room, though they be in a
palace; fact which our country men have not
always remembered. In addition to these
matters, at one of the presentations last year,
an unpleasant difficulty occurred with young
American, and there was besides another Vio-
lation of the etiquette of the court, to which it
is needless more particularly to refer. From
these or other causes at the last presentation
OF last year (being the one next after the above
incident) Mr.. Faulkner, after he had sent in
his list, was called upon to ADD TO THEIR
NAMES "THEIR QUALITY" In a letter from
the secretary of legation, dated February LIST,
1861, he declined to do this. He said that Lis
list was in conformity with past practice, and
to which no exception had been before taken
that he could not add "the quality" because
an American abroad could legally have no
qualify except that of citizen of the republic,
but that it the number ordinarily submitted
for presentation was larger than was agreea-
BILE, suggestion to that effect would, in flu
ture, be remembered. On the next day Feb
ruary p LIE Baron de Concha writes in an
swer, that that which had been asked for was
universally practieed, and that it ought in tact
to be so, to the end that they might know who
it was presented to the sovereign. The result
was that the list, not being amended, The tick
cts aOere not sent, and no Americans were pre-
sented
Such was the condition of things when l
came here. The first general presentation
day and court ball OF this season came off al
the Tuileries on the Sth inst. On the "a inst.
had sent in (outsde of the legation), a list of
thirty Americans for presentation. Two of
these parties only had an official designation
one late foreign minister, and the other an
United States consul, with their families re-
spectively. On the evening OF the 9th inst |
received from NJ. Thouvenel a letter in which
he acknowledges the reception Of my list but
says-"You have Joined to the names of two
OF these persons the enuuciation of their quail
ity ('de Ie,r qlalite') for the others this neces.
sary information has been omitted. | pray
you have the goodness to enable me to place
under the eyes of their majesties the complete
list, adding the information it ought to contain,
to wit the social position and the profession Gle
position sOcate ct Ia profesSion, Of the individuals
to be presented" The next morning l examined
what had been the past practice of the lega.
ton, and found the correspondence before re-
ferred to in the time of my predecessor. inn
mediately addressed to M. Thouvenel a note,
of which the following is copy =
LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES,
PARIS, January 7, 1862
Monsieur lie MinIStre The letter which you
did me the honor TO write in reference TO the
list of persons proposed to be presented by
me to their imperial majesties, was received
last night, and l hasten to reply to it. The
list already prepared at this legation was in
conformity with what had been the established
usage of my predecessors, and to which no
exception had been taken, SO far as the records
of the legation show, until the last list
presented by my immediate predecessor, Mr..
Faulkner.
Where an official of the American govern
ment has been named Tor presentation here.
tofore, l find it has been usual so to designate
him, and ! have so done it in this case but
of the great number of private gentlemen and
ladies who have been hOnored by presenta,
ton to their majesties, in no instance do |
find that "their quality" Social position, and
profession" have been set forth. The reason
of this must be obvious 10 your eXcellency.
In the social and political organization of So
ciety in the United States no titles of honor
or nobility exist Every citizen of good char
acter may be so presented TO his excellency
the president, on proper occasions. The
French minister at Washington presents in
like manner TO his excellency any or as many
of his countrymen as lie may choose to pre-
sent, without question as TO "their quality, TO
cial position, or profession" But II disposed
to comply with the request of your excellency,
l know OF no mode by which it could be done.
In the absence OF any recognized rule, | can
not if / would, designate "the quality" or
draw nice distinctions as to the social posi-
ton" Of those who may apply for presenta
ton. l can only say they are gentlemen and
ladies, need not add, am sure, Of uncXcep-
tonable character. Some have been presented
at other European courts some are the wives
or children of those who have been presented
at this court; while others, a majority, per
haps, are, IS l AN informed, private gentle.
men, without, believe, profession or occupa.
ton. In view of all the circumstances, and
OF the great numbers which have heretofore
been presented by my predecessors, have
ielt 1t my duty to say this much in reference
10 the application OF your eXcelency for an
amended list. But the privilege of present.
anon IS courtesy extended by their males
ties, not right claimed 10 behalf of American
citizens.
II, therefore, your excellency will prescribe
some fixed rule, fusct piibe tt ratification
1t will be relief 10 the legation. and l car
assure you will give n G pl,aeute ia corn,ly