The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-05-26
IGNORANCE, AS A NATTER '

OOUhOE.
The Hon. JOHN P. HALE, our present Minister
to Spain, has been under cloud for some time
past, in consequence of a charge preferred
against him to the effect that he has taken ad-
vantage of his ministerial franchise to engage in
the wholesale importation business, without the
usual hindrance and expense of customs duties.
Mr.. Hale, however, has at last been heard from
in answer to these charges, and in the letter
which he addressed to the New York Tribune
relieves himself of the burden of apparent guilt,
by showing that Mr.. Horatlo J. Perry, the Secre-
tary of Legation, by whom the charges were
preferred, was himself directly engaged in the
frauds upon the Spanish revenue, imposing upon
the Ministers misplaced confidence to secure his
signature to the petitions on the strength of
which the merchandise was permitted to pass
through the custom houses without the payment
of duties.
The prominent part which Minister Hale took
in the early anti-slayery agitation his bold and
manly stand upon the broad platform of humanity
and freedom and the sterling service which he
rendered the good cause in the days when il was
fatal to reputation, and frequently to life, to
espouse it, will cause his acquittal to be
received with unqualified satisfaction throug-
hout the country. But, in the letter in
question, Mr.. Hale demonstrates clearly that he
never should have left the shores of his native
land with commission as representative to
foreign country in his pocket. He attempts to
shield himself from all the consequences result
ing from Mr.. Perry's smuggling operations upon
the plea of ignorance. "When l came to SPAIN {"
he says, ~ 1CdS Of course unGCquGinted eoih The
people, their ld'CS, manners, customs, and Ian
guGge"
Why ''of course ?" Simply because it has
been the custom for our Executive for the time
being to send abroad rs representatives of the
interests and intelligence of this country men
whose qualifications for the special service for
which they are selected may be summed up in
one word-nothing. Indeed, so strictly have we
adhered to this diplomatic principle, that Mr..
Hale anticipates a rejoinder from his enemies to
his plea of ignorance by stating at the outset
that his ignorance was n matter ''Of COURSE"
According to the traditions of the service it was
not to be expected that he should know anything
about the laws, manners, customs, and language
of the people to whom he was accredited,
and Mr.. Hale was desirous of assuring
the world that in his own particular
case there had been no infraction upon the esta-
blished and time-honored rules of our diplo-
matte service. For the sake of the honor and
dignity of the country abroad, and as guaran-
tee that whenever our foreign ministers have
any business to transact beyond the regular
acknowledgment of the receipt of their monthly
allowances in gold, there will be on hand man
who is qualified to attend to that business, it is
about time for the Inauguration of a reform in
this matter. What the country imperatively re-
quires is n civil service code. When Congress
sees fit to enact it, there will be no repetition of
this pitiful plea of ignorance "of course" when
one OF our most responsible representatives
abroad is charged with committing or permitting
a violation of good faith which may bring dis
credit not only upon our entire diplomatic SER
vice, but upon our whole system of government.