The Montana post., 1868-10-16
AMERICAN DIpLonAox.


There is one feature in American pol
itics. of which we may, without indulg-
ing usual party asperities be proud
That is our diplomacy with foreign ma
tions. With the exception of Van Bu-
ren's humiliating correspondence in re-
lation to Pope Gregory XVI Gen Cass'
quintupal treaty and Buchanan's ostend
letter, we can find nothing in our diplo-
macy to blush for, and very much that
excels in all essential elements the
diplomacy of any other nation.
Doubtless our greatest Secretary. was
Mr.. Webster. His correspondence dur
ing the two administrations In which
he served in the State office, furnishes
the finest models of intellectual grasp
and breadth. clear and forcible states
ment, and direct and positive assertion,
of any minister OF modern times. Meth
er Franklin, Adams or jefferson pos
sessed in equal degree, all the diplomat
ic qualifications of Webster. How
grandly he spiked the guns of Hulse-
mann in the Kosta affair! The Senate
rung with plaudits. which the hammer
of the Vice President failed TO allay,
when the ponderous sentence was read
in which the Austrian chevalier was
told that his country might be called
upon to- exercise power which would
try all the military energies she possibly
possessed. Again, in the Creole case
the Amistad-the Mcleod and patriot
difficulties, and lastly. the never to be
forgotten treaty OF Washington, nego-
tiated with Lord Ashburton. Mr.. Web
ster's fame as a Statesman was 50 decid-
ed that his powers as diplomatist seem
to have been obscured by the splendors
of his greater fame.
Marcy was a grand Secretary, keen,
sagacious, satirical, welding blade as
sharp as that of Terence; well acquaint-
ed with men; in all his correspondence
he aimed to elevate the character of his
own country. How quiet, and yet in
ferentially, how severe is his advice
to our foreign ministers, not to appear
at the courts of Europe in court dresses,
They were, in his opinions, gew gaws,
lily becoming a Republican people.
Our great Secretary of to-day has had
an ample field for the display of his
abilities as diplomatist. Take his
letters to Minister Adams all through
the war! How adroitly did he manage
in the most trying cases; not, on the
one hand, to compromise the honor of
the country, and on the other to avoid
offence, by any pretentious bullyism OF
bravado. The surrender of Mason and
Slidell, at time when every loyal voice
was raised against it, was one of the
finest successes of diplomacy known to
modern times. The volumes of our in
ternational State correspondence have
grown bulky in the hands of Mr.. Seward.
They embrace an immense amount of
matter, ON a great variety of exciting
topics. Yet neither party has had the
audacity to find fault with them.
Long after the grand old man is
gathered with the dust of the mighty,
these attestations to his greatness will
excite the admiration and challenge the
gratitude OF his countrymen.
The occupation of diplomat iD this
country, is a thankless one. His fame,
if successful, will be of course, enduring.
bat there are very few of the great
mass of the people who will ever know
of what it consists, They will not read
and with the exception of careful
politicians, few, who do read, will un-
derstand. But there is really nothing
in the political action of our country,
not even the greatest speeches ever de-
livered upon the floor of the Senate.
that so fully illustrates the great merits
of our statesmen as our volumes OF di~
plomatic correspondence. They are en-
during records of all the higher and
most acute powers Of intellect.
We have beeen betrayed into these
remarks from having received-as well
as noticed others gett:ng-three or four
volumes of Mr.. Stewards correspondence
with our Ministers abroad, since the war,
which were sent by our discriminating
Representative, Mr.. Cavanaugh. We
hope every one will give them a care
full perusal; for they are worthy of
more attention than is usually bestowed
upon them by the public.
WE SHOULD SAY So.--The Troy
Times. from which the Gazete re-
cently coDied pives account of some