New-York tribune., 1868-04-01
or DIPLOMATIC INTEG UAIENTS.

The discussion of the Court-clothes question
has been revived. Long ago we thought II
settled, both by Congress and by common
sense. that American diplomatists should here
after approach annointed royalty in the ordi-
nary costume of civilized human beings; or at
least that they should not be compelled to.
adopt the fashions of the Court to which they
might be accredited and thus be forced, per-
haps. to present themselves, in some warm re-
gion of the world. to monarch less civilized
than powerful, with only q string of beads
about their necks bunch Of feathers In their
heads, and with here and there smear of
brilliant paint TO relieve the simplicity of their
native nakedness. SO long ago as 1854. when MIR.
Buchanan was in London, he created quite O
sensation n--these are his own words-by
declining to attend the opening of Parliament
in livery, although We really think this the
most sensible thing which we have known Mr..
Buchanan to do in the whole course of life
unusually prolonged. Before this, he had
entered into negotiations upon the topic with
Sir Edward Gust, the Master of Ceremonies.
He stated 10 Sir Edward that he considered
"a coat covered with embroidery and gold
"lacen improper for democrat; that, Of
course, he had no orders and stars" for his
bosom and no "garter" for his leg, and that
he could not afford diamonds unless hired
"for the occasion" 1t was then suggested to
him, probably by the good-uatured Sir Ed
ward, that he "might assume the civil dress
"won by Gen. Washington" In order to
make up his mind upon this point he exam
Z" ined Stewards portrait" and came to the
sensible conclusion that it would never do"
81 shouldn said poor Mr.. Buchanan, render
myself subject of ridlcule for life" 1T
"was,n he adds historically, " in this unsettled
estate of the question, and before | had
adopted any style of dress that Parliament
"w was opened" circular from Sir Edward
warned him not TO present himself upon tho
occasion except in small clothes, and, with
more than Roman herOism, MIR. Buchanan staid
away from the pageant altogether. This was
upon the 7th of February, A. ID. 1854 Upon
the oath of the same month, Mr. Buchanan
sent of another dispatch to the Secretary OF
State, written in strain of natural exultaton.
He had been to court III the ordinary dress OF
his countrymen--"in in the simple Dress he
says, "Of an American citizen" But his trl-
nmph, though considerable, was not complete.
lie had compromised little. He had consented
to wear "a very plain black-handled and
"black -hilted dress sword He had, 1t is true,
some doubts originally about this weapon,
arising, possibly, from an apprehension that it
might get between his legs upon the grand
staircase, and furnish another illustration OF
the attraction of gravitation; but he had got
back to the Legation with his bones whole
and his head unbroken, and he was. of course,
in cheerful spirits. He would not have worn
the blade at all, but he was privately informed
that, even as another princess was supposed by
Malyolio to desire to see him cross -gartered, so
the Queen of England had particular fancy
for beholding Mr.. Buchanan with rapier
upon his thigh. Besides, sword would dis
tinguish him, he said, from the upper court
servants" TO avoid being mistaken for but
ler Mr. Buchanan had at first thought OF
limited States buttons" but, as he truly OBJ
serves to Mr.. Marcy, "a plain dress sword has
ga more manly and less gaudy appearance"
Upon the 18th of June A. d. 1866. Mr.. Bu-
chanan announced, in Dispatch No. "a, that he
had presented Mr.. Tyson of Philadelphia in
plain clothes, having previously submitted tho
proposed habiliments of Mr.. Tyson to the in
spectiQa Of the inevitable Sir Edward Gust who