Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1871-02-01
Diplomacy.

MIR. John Quincy Adams delivered a lecture
with this title at Albany, last week. Governor
Hoffman and other democratic magnates hon
ored the speaker by their presence on the plat.
form. The subject of the lecture is not fully ex-
pressed in the bill. The characteristics of
British Diplomacy" would have been more ac-
curately descriptive. The illustrative anecdotes
in which it abounds are all taken from the am.
pie diplomatic experience of the Adams family.
The lecturer introduced his subject in the follow
ing effective manner:
81 was sitting, few nights since, very peace
ably smoking my cigar, in the smoking-room of
the hotel at which was stopping, in the city OF
New York, when in came a handsome, we'll
dressed, and apparently thoroughly gentleman
like man. He was perfect stranger to me,
and, as have said, of prepossessing appear
ance; yet my first impulse, as soon as my eye
fell upon him, was TO fly at his throat / en-
phasize the instinct by this ferocous form of
words, not so much TO state its strength. for il
was not violent, as to strike firmly, at the out
set the keynote of what have to say. Do not
imagine that, in point of fact ever DESIGNED IN
otter the least rudeness to my gentleman. On
the contrary, soon fell into conversation with
him, and found him as intelligent and we'll in
formed as he was good looking. What | wish
to impress upon you is, that this man aroused
in me at sight strong impulse of antagonism
and hostility.
Now, my fances or dislikes can, of course. in
terest nobody except myself, unless they are
very generally shared by my neighbors. and in
that case, the inspiration must be broader than
the individual. And it is because believe that
the feeling which then and there sprang unbid-
den to my eyes, is shared by substantially ali
Americans to-day, that deem it worth your con-
sideratioa for a few minutes this evening,
For Uhy did polite and inoffensive stranger
instantly excite such inhoSpitable sensations in
my hearth What could seem to be more absurd
than for peaceful man suddenly to incline 10
hate and almost banker to assault pleasing in.
dividual in no way known to him? 1t NAV seem
strange to you until give you my reason. and
then think that good many of you will recop-
nize my sensation for an old familiar friend
Well, then, it was simply and solely because the
man, as it were, exuded his nationality from
every pore, and, as is the wont of his country
men, shouted, 81 am an Englishman" without
saying word. Andin one second, as have said
the equally aggressive American in me was brist-
ling up his back. Now as the lamented A. Ward
used to say, "Why is this thusF' This question
occurred to me as | sat smoking and talking
with my fIiend-the obnoxious Englishman
and as | have since turned it over in nv mind
| determined to discuss with you some reasons
which occurred to me. For YOU NAV he snre
that nature does not implant these subtle in
stinctiye repulsions for nothing. Not that any
theory Of mere animal attraction or repuIsion
will meet all our requirements here, although
the Doctor Fell philosophy does contain a fact
of experience. Undoubtedly we all at times
feel what Mr.. Rufus Choate so wittiy expressed
when he said: "Some men hate for cause, but
Brown peremptorily." And, think, as a gen.
eral rule, that Americans generally dislike En-
glishmeu generally and on general principles
and by kind of innate and hereditary hostility
Still we must remember that no one can tell
how much of this is derived from the traditions
OF childhood, and instilled by the legends of in.
fancy.
What British diplomacy is from Mr.. Adams
point of view may be learned from the follow
ing extract
The diplomacy of a people is, after all, its
method of conducting its public relations with
its contemporaries. And as a mans manners
display bis character and express the man, SO
| the diplomacy of nation is the issue of its
| characteristic traits and the expression of its
dominant morals. Now no one of us can have
everything, and the vices and virtues are for the
most part strangely mixed and balanced in poor
humanity. The aggressive and conouerinp
races are apt to be rough, and a sensitive regard
for the feelings Of Others has not usually been
found along with the fierce energy which fights
its way to empire. From the earliest times the
people of England have evinced the same strain
Of breeding, bold, self-satsfed. arrogant and
overbearing. Mr.. Emerson quotes. Venetian
traveller, who writes of them $40 years since:
"The English are great lovers of themselves aud
OF everything belonging to them. They think
there are no other men than themselves, and
no other world but England, and whenever they
see II handsome foreigner, they say that he looks
like an Englishman, and it is great pity be
should not be an Englishman." And John
Adams, who has been in his time much abused
for loving England, not wisely but too well,
delivers himself automatically and officially flor
he WAC plenip9sentiarv ~ the tirae) thus, in a