The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-10-04

General Dix and the French Mission.
From the Herald
1t is understood that General Dix assumes the
charge of the Naval Office of this port for a
month CT two, and that then he will take upon
himself the duties OF the mission to France-a
simple ISOLATION Of the problem, how Is be to fill
both these desirable ofices2 1t further appears
that for this appointment to France he is in.
debted to the Secretary OF State, tact which is
somewhat remarkable when it is remembered
that the views of General Dix on the Mexican
are, or at least have been. in direct antaponism
to the mastery inactivity and soothing system
OF Mr.. Seward.
The question naturally follows, therefore, how
happens 1t that General Dix should be selected
oy Mr. Seward at this crisis as the man of all
men Tor the mission to France? We conclude
that, from the unsatisfactory results of his
soothing system, and from the pressure of
pubic opinion MIR. Seward has become con-
vinced that more positive and decisive policy
is demanded to meet this case OF Napoleons
mexican usurpaton. But whatever may have
been the motives of Mr.. Seward in this ap-
pontment, we are at liberty to accept it
as the turning over of new leaf, and the
opening OF new chapter in our foreign rela-
tIons, and that General Dix's arrival in Paris
will very soon be followed by Maximians
departure from Mexico, unless, from the force
OF cirCum stances beyond his control. poor Max
may be constrained sooner to pack up and turn
from the perilOus "Halls of the MOnteZumasn to
rejon his ama6e Empress in their more COM
Portable and peaceable chateau on the Adriatc.
When General Santa Anna and Mr.. Roberts
make up a coalition of Mexican Liberals and
fighting Irish Fenians for the expulsion OF the
foreign intruder from the soil of Mexico the
thing will be done regardless of the policy of
Mr.. Seward; but if it be true that Mr.. Seward is
also party to this coalition, then, indeed, we
may rejoice at the change which has come over
him. What feather IN his cap it will be to
find that his Establishments towards Louis
Napoleon and his tiunkeyism towards England
have been abandoned for a vigorous and deci-
sive American foreign policy!
The wise statesman shapes his course to the
course of events, and if circumstances demand
rs to-day abandoned. SO we would apply the
change indicated in the policy OF the ioreign
department at Washington to the domestic
policy of che Administration. Tenaclty to a
grand idea is good thing; but when it has
maniiesty become a hopeless enterprise, it is
not only the part OF prudence but of true hero
ism to abandon it, The Bourbons were hurled
from power IN France because they could not
at last be made to learn anything or TO forget
anything.
The marvellous success of Louis Napoleon,
on the other haEd, is mainly due to the fact
that, with all his 'grand IDEAS" he has care
fully noted the DRIFT of passing events and has
advanced or fallen back or stood still IN this or
that undertaking as the developments of the
day encouraged or admonshed him. This is
the policy tor the Administration. Gratifed to
believe that MIR. Seward, in adopting it, is about
to change his system of diplomacy from soft
soap to sulphur, If necessary, we still entertain
the hope that the Administration will in season
adapt not only its foreign but its domestic
policy 10 the inevitable course of events as
marked in the drift of the ruling public opinion
of the country.