The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1867-05-04
DIPLOMATIC REFORAz.

and more, and it is absolutely necessary now
that they should be paid = ~ it.>* s'
,-# ~ ''5 - E''N
%a.s., DIPLOMATIC REFoRM.
A. q time when there is not only great diplo-
matte activity in Europe-when the gathering
Of starred and gartered ambassadors gives
promise Of elaborate dispatches and equally
elaborate dinners, but when the diplomatic i'm.
portance of the model republic is rising even
in the exclusive capital Of Vienna-when q
messenger from an American legation is stumb-,
ling in haste over the cactus thorns Of o Mexi-
can chapparal to save the life Of an Austrian
Archduke--when Mr.. SEWARD proposes Con-.
gress in Washington Of South American repub.
lies, d.when even the superciiousness ,of the
English foreign officer thinks that d war with
Spain might lead to unpleasant complications
in the West Indies with the United States til is
not surprising chat the diplomatic service
should receive attention at the hands Of
statesmen, who, in the recent Congress, have
shown o spirit of such broad and energetic
national reformation. s
Gen. BANKS, Of Massachusetts,, who knows
what an uniform is, and>who shas had also,
we believe, especial opportunity of learning
the quality Of American breadcloth, inaugu-
rated the necessary reform and commenced On
attack, upon s'the eminent deadly. .breeches Of
the United States diplomatic corps. We are
not exactly sure of the result, whether or not
the Senate perfected-the legislation which was
introduced into the House, but we see that the
English papers are giving due attention to the
very important debate which occupied the time
Of our Imperial Congress ~. "a '.'',|3,t. Z,
There has been we admit, considerable va
sriety in our diplomatic costumes, especiaDy Of
late years since Mr.. CARL1LE's Sartor Resartus
impressed upon the American mind the philos-:
Alright, invented q very lovely; velvet Coat; one
of our Consul-Generals, at Alexandria, dis
| played great originality in the design of some
gold embroidery that was orientally gorgeous;
and one daring minister carried his inventive
faculty 80 far as to appear upon the balcony of
a hotel ia Berlin in nothing but shirt whether
embroidered or not we never learned; and
some Of those familiar with the diplomatic gog-.
concefn with sf ED nsa
inform minister that his waistcoat was-aw-
not quite clean enough for presentation
1t is, therefore, only fitting that General
Banks should insist upon our diplomatic cloth
being cut according; to rue;s hut lit seems that
there was great difficulty in getting the rule.
The naked simplicity Of truth would, we think,
naturally have suggested itself to Mr. CoVopE,
and the earnest wish of General ScHEscK must
have been, that our ambassadors should be
clothed, as the Scriptures say, with righteous
ness and, certainly, every one who remember-
ed General FITzPArR1cK's diplomatic perform
ances' in Chill, would have been satisfied with
any legislation that made it sure that our For,
eign Ministers should be s<clothed (never mind
how) and in their right: minds
Y But Gen. BASKs who. is,we believe, an i'm
provement on :BuRKA patented in Boston, felt
| that: this country had missiora6 Gen. Bur:-
| IEa's case it would have been o; ;commissionA II
impress upon the world the meaning Of clothes:
AS the Saturday Reoieso says: t.Mr. BANKss il ap- s.
parently believes. in an original and peculiar
modification of the famous saying Of FIE7cHEn,I
Of saltoun. Let who will make laws for Eu
! rope, provided America may furnish the pat
tern for its coat and breeches." So he demon
strated that the Declaration sof Independence
! required our ministers to dress as stordinary-
American citizens:n ,Now; in. one point Of view,
Gen. BANKS. is clearly: right Most Of our for
eign representatives are very ordinary Amer:;;-i
can citizens ii ems and diplomatic Disguise
which is to. obscure this characteristic Of the
Foggs, the Pixies, and the Harveys from the.
eyes 2f wondering masters Of ceremonies ought
to be abolished. 2si 5-- f:: Y z -: -, &
w we confess, however, that the phrase is some
what obscure for law. Who and what is an
ordinary American citizen Does Gen. BANKs
admit that he himself would fill the descrip.
tion Would 2HonAoE GREE1Y q Would Mr..
CoLEB LYoxs, Of Lyonsdale, who, some years
ago. .sstreamed ike e meteor through the
troubled air. Of oil the American legations in
Europe Would 8 Mr.. sJEggERsos* BR1oK, J o.,
s'MosE, !" meet the requirements Of this mis=-
| sionary character? And how would til Sthe; Hon.
and gallant M. c.. check the va. lies of cos,
| tune, from 1the white hat'' of the philoso-.
pher Of the Tribune to the red shirt Of the
tb-h-o5y who runs with tie machine :ss s &
&, However,, Congress lis to meet again. II the
eoonstruction Act has14 not worked out the
proper result, the wisdom Of the country VIII
correct it. and 50 we may hope it viii do with
the Diplomatic Dress Act. There are d great
many thousands in the South who would be
very glad to be ssordinary American citizens.
and when we are re-admitted, perhaps we win
understand the term better. i si. R,s 5s *5.sa
At. any rate,;5-it must besa great encourage-
mont to General 5BAaKs that his reform seems
/ TO have touched many many sympathies even abroad,
and we conclude. with, o criticism from an Eng
lish paper, which must encourage the :benevoltI
lent republicanism Of the diplomatic reformer:
We are not sure that from the aesthetic
side they are not Eghi in their new. .resoiuiis.
Take the court dress Of St. James, for exam
ple What can be more ugly, unreasonable and
inconvenient il, % than the costume in which, on
great occasions, respectable gentlemen are
made mad te tfgnresS .They will be mistaken for
sDutlers and m'en-servants, one gentleman said;
n depreciation of Mr. suxNER,s motion, 81 !
they only dress like ordinary American ci.s
,e' ,zen;' Most men, Who hayss' arrived
ct deeerops Would, . we ahopla
think much rather run the risk Of be;nc -, mis- =