New-York tribune., 1872-01-15

E.,yn
assurance upon this point would DO oi
great value in the diplomacy of the continent,
H. was in vain for Americans who happeno"
10 be abroad ut the time to assure any o'0
that there was no understanding between ,'o
Governments. All statements to thab o"'o,
were met with shrug of the shoulders anu
an ANons donci In spite OF Ourselves "o
have been bugbear to Europe, on account OF
tLis imaginary alliance, ever since tho VISIT OF
Admiral Lessowsky TO our harbor.
OF course, there was more or less goou
fcelinc indicated by all these loud demon
strations. Flrtations are proverbaly DAN
ecrous, and many time diversion OF TINS
kind. begun for spite, has resulted in lasting
union. There was unquestiOnably kindly
sentiment existing between the better classes
of the two countries. No popular demonstra-
ton made to the Grand Duke in this country
could compare with the obSequiOus homage
paid to the Fox embassy by the Russian
pcasantry But intelligent mon OF both
nations recognized clearly enough the
impOssibility of any alliance between
powers so distant and so different. Yet the
rumor OF such a thing was of decided value
to Russia, and there is no doubt that the visit
of Prince Alexis was planned at this time to
prevent this appearance of special friendship
from dying away. There is as little doubt
that strong instructions were given to Mr.
Catacazy TO DO all in his power to prevent the
establishment OF a cordial understanding be-
tween the United States and England. For
his supcrserviccabo zeal in this direc-
tion and other kindred lndlsCrcllOnS
our Government very properly asked for
bis recall. His peculiar relations with Prince
Gortschakof, and the fact that after all he
had probably done no more than obey his in
srt.ctions, prevented The Russian Government
from acting with the expedition which would
have been agreeable to Mr.. Fish and the
President. This delay gave rise to the angry
reference to the matter contained In the PIeSi-
dents Message, and to the publication by the
State Department Of the correspondence on
the subject in which indulge III the
use of language not within the limits of Official
reserve and propIirty. Perhaps, the incident
of the whole matter, which is most to be re-
GREETED, is the scant and grudging courtesy,
with which the son of the Car was treated
bv the President on his visit to Washington.
1t WAS, of course, unhcard of in our annals, or
those of any other nation, that the son OF a
friendly sovereign should visit The capital with
ont being invited to break bread with the
Chief of the State
All these successive conirciempS have proved
TOO much for even the prudent policy OF the
Russian Cabinet. They that the gloss has
faded away from our romantic Affection ana
that tho world cannot much longer DO fright
cned by our mutual attentions. Prince
Go,tschakoif seems to have determined that
the rudcncss and dScOurtcsy shall not he
all ON one side, and has addressed to
Minister Curtin and-follOwng our example
las published in The official gazette one OF the
most raspng among all diplomatic notes which
have lately been exchanged among civilized
nations. He clearly does not intend chat our
state Department. shall carry away the honors
of offensive language. He accuses our Secre-
taIy catcgoricaly of "a want of respect
land consideration" for the Russian Min
istcr; speaks &C his serious, though vague,
complaints" many of which Catacazy has
satisfactorily rcfutcd' and the rest, 1t Is
clearly intimatcd. he will rofute when he re-
turns, and The note ends with the n'r'"S'i"
expression of the ChanceIlor5 hope that jas
"tico is sufficiently understood in the United
Estates not to expect it before"
n passage IKE thls oet"c'h 'ii' W" ''P"',
ments of State has double significance. 1t
not only indicates decided GOODNESS in the
relations of the respective nations, but it also
agmavatcs the very alienation it announces.
1t is not impossible that the rift thus created
may be widened by mutual recriminations
to the point Of temporary suspension of
diplomatic relations. But it ia not likely that
any important results can flow from the dis
| agreement, even if it reaches that extreme
point. We are too far apart to fight about
Catacazy. The only consequence of the matter
will be that Russia will lose the moral weight
of her supposititious ally in future intrigues,
and we shall get out of liaiSon which always
had in it more of protestation than of SYM