The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-06-02
American Diplomacy.

In q notice OF the volume OF diplomatic CORE
spondencc entitled Papers on the Foreign Rela-
tons Of the United States" the London Times
makes the following observations on the general
character of American diplomacy
The great poet who has left to the world an I'M
perishabe record Of the brilliant life, the vices and
oes OF classical Athens, describes the restless and
jealous people continually prying iptO every spot
aof what was then thought the nabitable globe,
swith one eye at Chaicedon and another at Car
thare.n The volume before US, which contains the
diplomatic correspondence OF the United states
during large part of the last two years, reminds
us that the spirit Of enterprise Of keen inquiry and
lof active research, attributed by Aristophanes 10
the little democracy on the Iliisaus, has been in
herited by the mighty republic which 0vershadOws
the far Western Continent, and within living
memory has extended its power from the Allie
ghanies to the Pacific Ocean. Yet we are bound to
say the grasping ambition and the lawess and
reckless passion for conquest which disligured the
annals of the old State not reproduced In these
records OF the policy OF the modern Commonwealth;
and these papers, while they bear witness to the
intellectual energy, the extensive aims and the
clear perceptions ofAmerican statesmen, attest on
pacific tendencies and their sympathy with
the cause of International right. On some
particulars of Importance our opinion GER
tainly widely differs from that which seems
10 prevail at Washington; ana, as might
have been expected, our point Of view with regard
to Russia and the Eastern question and 10 the UNI
fortunate Alabama controversy Is not Identical
with that taken or generally implied In this corre-
spondence. Yet the tone OF these documents Is, !or
and Just and it is gratifying to find that American
diplomacy, though properly tenacious OF the dig
nifty and honor due to u great Power appears
principles and to desire to throw the influence of
one OF the chief communities OF mankind into the
scale of equity and human progress. We rejoice,
for instance. to find that projects for extending
commerce and facilitating the intercourse Of the
human family, for lettering the condition OF bar
barian races, and winning tracts OF the earth to
improved uses hold very prominent place in this
work. and that schemes of intrigue and mere az
irandzemant are honorably and conspcuously
absent; and though 1t would be unsafe to infer
from this the general character OF American policy,
we willingly accept il as reasonable evidence of Its
present direction and aspirations Independently,
too OF its general interest this volume abounds In
information respecting late historical events, occa-
sionaly OF no common value, and not seldom very
happily expressed and the accounts 1t contains
from the pens or witnesses Of incidents In the
war between France and Germany, OF the sieges Of
Paris, OF the Iientsn massacre and of variety OF
other occurrences have not only all the freshness
OF truth, but sometimes are remarkable for their
observation and descriptive power.