American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1872-01-13
Schenck and the Administration

The Washington correspondent of the
New York 1iibHHe has supplied some
facts heretofore not generally known, in
regard to Minister Schenck's connection
with the Emma silyer-mn- speculation
1t appears that when articles first APP
peared criticising his course, he at once
wrote to the State Department, setting
forth the facts in The case. and asking ad-
vice as to his future action To Mr.
Schcnck's communication Mr. Fish re-
piled that he was perfectly at liberty to
invest in mining or any other stocks, but
that he deemed the publication of the
Minister'S name by the promoters of the
scheme as one of the Directors, to be an
unfortunate circumstance, and advised
him to withdraw from the Dictatorship
Says the correspondent: "The Prcsi-
dent and Secretary of State have both
publicly declared that the affair has not,
in the least, changed their cordial rca-
tions with, or regard for, Mr.. Schenck,
and it is known here that the latter has
no intention of rcsigning his position as
Minister
Mr. Schenck still holds on to both the Di-
rectorship and the Ambassadorship, and yet
his cordial relations with the government
at Washington are uninterrupted. 1t fol-
tary nor the President sees any impropri
ETY. in Mr.. SChenck's course, or else that,
seeing the Improperly, neither of them
cares to do anything about it. The mate
rial facts are all admitted and practically
justified, and the only remaining question
is one of principle. Is it proper for a
foreign Ambassador to engage in business
in the country to which he is accredited
That is the single question which re-
mains open, Notwithstanding that three
high officers Of our government have as
sumed to pronounce a decision in the af-
tirmative.
There are many things to be said on the
other side, but two considerations only
need be adduced, because they ought to
be regarded as conclusive in themselves,
apart from all questions of authority and
precedent.
l. If Minister lends his Endorsement
TO representations made in behalf Of
speculative scheme, and those representa-
tions turn out to be false and fraudulent.
he not only comes to be regarded as
scoundrel himself, which is a matter of
comparatively little moment, but he in
some degree reflects his own character as
swindler upon the country which he rep
resents. and Injuries the credit both Of his
government anu ul- lCllDW-tltlLcus lar
more than any citizen could do, operating
in purely private capacity.
? Ii is held TO be incompatible with the
interests aud dignity of government that
it, representatives in foreign countries
should be liable TO arrest for crime OF to
I've prosecuted against in a civil suit under
the laws If the governments To which
they are accredited Indeed. such liabil-
ity would destroy their charlctcrhs repre-
sentatives Of the sovereignty of theirown
government But If a Minister engages
in business he incurs just that liability.
If. for example, Minister ScheBCk should,
BY false representations, induce Eng
li~hmcn 90 invest in The stock 81 the
Emma mine, he would become liable 90 BE-
s1ed for damages. and even 10 be arrested
and punished a. a swindler, by the judi
cial authority Of the British government;
he would subject the sovereignty II the
United States, - represented i'm his per
son, to an int0lerahle humiliation. ii the
government insists on the invi0lability Of
the person of it, representative. rs II must
do, or sacrifice it. power tn maintain ifs
own dign ty and defend iis own Interests
abroad, lt become. responsible for bic
acts; and the Ambassador may involve his