The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1865-03-27
MONDAY MORNING. MARCH p. lse


Our sincere condolences are respect
fully proffered to Sir Frederick Bruce,
the new British Minister to Washington.
His predecessor, Lord Lyons, has been
literally talked to death by w. H. Se-
ward, in the interminable diplomatic
correspondence Of the last four years.
The English Government has selected in
his place stalwart Scot, who may be .
descendant, for aught we know, of the
royal hero of Bannockburn, and who has
just emerged unscathed from a protracted
campaign OF wordy war with the long
winded diplomatists Of China. We look
with breathless interest to the encounter |
that is now about to begin. The Scotch
are an athletic aud pertinaeious people
high checked, raw-boned. capable Of im>
mense endurance; but unless Sir Frede-
rick has q tongue that combines the
flexibility Of an elephants trunk and the
iron sheathing of monitor, we expect
to see him, in less than two years, in the
condition Of the Frenchman in Kentucky
who engaged in trial of talking powers
with an American competitor stone
dead, and William II. Seward whispeing
in his ear. We have never heard of any
European whose inexhaustible capa-
cities of controversy and peculiar
style of conducting an argument
would meet the exigencies Of the British
Government at Washington since the
days of very different Frederick from
Bruce, viz: Frederick the Great. He is
said to have been very fond of disputa-
ton, and, at the same time, very over
bearing. When arguments failed. he
had recourse to kicking the shins Of his
opponents. He one day asked ones of
his suite why he did. not venture to ex-
press an opinion on the subject that was
being discussed. "Sire, it is impossible" !"
was the reply, Ito express an opinion in
The presence of sovereign who has such
strong convictions, and who wears such
thick boots" That kind of diplomacy,
however. would not suit Lord John Rus.
sell, who dare not, for his life, employ any
other weapon with America than words,
and the servility Of whose house, with
some illustrious exceptions, drew from
a great English orator the scornful snee'
against q former representative Of thu
family: "It is little to be doubted thai
several of his foorefathers, in long Sc
ries, have degsnsrate4 into honor ant
virtue"
England is nation of facts, and no
of words, its parliamentary speeches
and diplomatic correspondents being
always condensed and to the point. Al
a general thing, an English orator o
{ ambassador will express. in ten word
. what IN American would not set fort
in hundred. We do not say this in dis
paragement Of British taste. We n
: willing to take the advice Of Burke
when he said, "Becaase half doze
!, ; grasshoppers under . fence make th
\ field ring with their importunats chinl
: : whilst thousand Of great cattle reposin
!. under the British oak chew the cud ~
; are silent, pray do not imagine that thos
who make the noise are the only u
= habitants Of tho field" We imagine n
Il such thing but the fate Of Lord Lyon
: bears witness that . British Ainists
!. condemned for four years to engage
> : competition Of words with the-volnb
u representative Of the most loquac'ot
4 people on the face Of the earth. has bs
ns listle chance Of surviving the exper
i ment In America. where the peop
9 e are looked to for tho energies that 9
to work out politisatAshasgse tho
ID anencs Of talking Or writing
= mot likely to b undeeratsd. Than'
e :. to the free institntions and pult'tnds'
= deliberativs .asssmhlias, sssssy nosnel
ior con horn 10 AmslIie MAo has : ~
= lunsA hsllpTn hlnss,l eavs = -
=