Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1871-01-25
A DEFUNcT Diplomatic.

dents in our diplomatic history The
whole case is marked from first TO
last by striking and even ludicrous
features. 1t has also its painful as.
poets. No one likes to see the col
lapse of an amiable and well-meaning
man, who has acquired certain dc
served reputation, like Mr.. Motley
But whom il comes of foolish social
ambition, or desire prompted by
vanity to got into high places, our re.
grots are abated. Mr. Motley never
was fit for the English mission On
the contrary, he was totally unfit for
it and tho point of the whole cores
pondence is that the last paper ema-
mating from the State Department
fatty and plainly tells him so. The
statements made in that paper are
very damaging to Mr.. Motley, because
they are so fortified in their details as
TO be seen to be perfectly true. Mr..
Motley might have escaped this cut
ting reply If he had sense enough TO
say nothing after he was asked to re-
sign. But his vanity becloudcd his
perceptions when be sought the place,
and it continued to becloud them to
the end. He could not see things as
they were. In word, he did not
know himself.
We believe him fully when be says
he tried his best to follow the instruc-
tions of his Government. But, really,
the truth must be confessed he did
not know enough to do IT, This is
what he is fatty told by the Depart
ment, and it is what makes the final
rejoinder so bitter and so crushing. 1t
really extinguishcs Mr.. Motley so far
as his diplomatic qualifications are
concerned. 1t is shocking fer a di.
plomatist 10 be informed over and
over again that he is vague and loose
and cxtravagant in his language, and
that he does not perceive the points
made in his instructions, and fails to
discriminate 10 his discussions between
what is important and what is not
And vet this is what Mr. Motley is
told, and what is said and reiterated in
reply to his complaint that he thought
he was doing just right, and could not
see why he should be removed The
constant refrain of this memorable re-
sponse from the Department is, "Mr.
Motley, you have facility for writ.
ing snowy periods, but as diploma
tist you are really quite incapable"
The most grevious misfortunes of
this case consists in the fact that this
incapacity was not recognized in the
outset, before Mr.. Motley was ap-
pointed. We tried our best TO in
struct tho President and the Depart
ment on this question at the time
While the subject was yet pending,
we begged Gen. Grant and the Sen
ate mot to send boy to do q mans
errand." We pointed the futility of
intrusting the Alabama claims, and
similar important national questions
to n man Of the marked deficiencies
of Mr. Motley. He is not man OF
political instincts, He has neither
tho education nor the high qualities
of a statesman. He lacks penetration
reticence, and judgment. He is a
scholarly man. He is happy in
sketchng fancy historical pictures -
He has rotund aud declamatory
style. He dotcs on a picturesque ar.
imation of delivery. lie is fond ot
the snowy. He loves social distinc.
tion. lie is happy in the presence ol
titled ladies and gentlemen. We not
impute these as grave faults, but VIC
regard them as weaknesses aud fail.
ings, disqualiliBg their possessor for
important public stations
We turn now to another view oi
this case, in which we confess our
sympathies are little on the side oi
Mr.. Motley. He could not see what
he ought to have seen, but what his
natural inaptitude for his position
prevented him from seeing. Thi:
was the weak as well as the strong
points in tho Alabama case, and hi:
failure here was partly due to the an
omalous condition of the State De
parlment, most important feature
in this imbroglio, as we shall presently
demonstrate. lie had come under
the influence of Mr.. Sumner, who had
inspired him with a profound regarc
for the whole budget OF ordinary anC
extraordinary complaints made by
that Senator in his remarkable speeol
on the Alabama question. Mr.. Mot
Icy had swallowed tho whole dose. IL,
had red.tapcd the entire budget, as 1
precious magazine of projectilcs whicl
/ he was TO explode from time to tim,
upon the British Cabinet, rs opportu
nifty served He reckoned their vau,
, rather by their number than thei
kind and quality. He could no
quickly discriminate, If indeed at all
, between their relative power and mor
it, and this proved prolific source o
4, his subsequent woes. lie especially
made the great mistake of laying a
much stress upon the complaint o
the precipitate action of the British
Government in recognizing the bclig
erency of the rebels, as upon its nc
! glcot to arrest the Alabama, either a
the start, or afterward ut her numer
J, Gus visits TO British colonial ports.
At this very point Mr.. Motley dc
= serves our sympathy. He was con
fused by the action, or rather tn
writings, of the State Department. Il
p Mr.. Cushing's very elaborate despatch
signed by Mr.. Fish, summing up tn
: the Alabama case as viewed by thi
o Administration Just after the reiectio
G Of Johnson's treaty, he had followe
l. very closely-quito too CLOSELY
/, the track of Mr.. Summers speech, AN
o had laid great stress upon the pre-
n ciptate recognition of belligerency.-
y Aud the best and strongest argumer
70 Mr.. Motley offers in his defence
o where he quotes from this documer
e, to sustain bis own action. IL he is
G, bo excused for not being able TO pc
Q, ceive the true merits of the case f
N himself, he must he held oomparativ,
IA ly blameless for this particular fan