, 1873-08-31

tho State Department. to Interfere with Tho trap-
pings of Its servants abroad., nlnroy issued q
to court without Uniform. Thfa afforded Jnmoa
Buchanan m opportunity OF lnnklng ono Of tho
bost speeches attributed to linn. Tic circular
of N1r. Marcy .-.
into tho breaaB Of certain anciont functionaricB
OF tho European courts, for shortly altor its mp
poarauco tic lord high 1ladioHticA in waiting
called upon Mr. D. nuclls1n1nn, @11,. WIG 's9s thon
had heard Of the rccent wish Which the Amor
ican Government had oxproaaod with regard to
tho costume Of its agents, and that while she
would DO happy to SOC Alr. buchanan in my dross
In which ho might choose to present hinlHo!f,
shc yet hoped ho would 80 1ar consult hor
wishes as to consent 10 carry Il sword. s'1ell
TINT worry distinguished. porsonago," Aafd Mr..
Buchanan, Il that not ouly will wear sword,
will hold myself reat1y to draw it u llor dufonsch
rhis strlaon mo as in just that tono Of respectful
cxaggoration aud playful acqneaco,lco which n
| gentleman in this country nlny, worry bocom-
ingly taho toward tho wllolo question.
believe, needed the request OF tho Department,
and Mr. Marcy himself, it ID said, subsequently
repu6inted 1t.
But wat was only request Of tho State Do
| partment III Mr. Marcys time i.
1s NOW A LAW. "
Ind good opportunities to obsorve how very
! uncomfortable our poor dplomatiBts were made
by this pieco OF legislation. Its object WAS, Of
subdued importance. Tho result il. that With tho
| exception OF Dongalcsa nabols, tho aon or tue
| Mika<to Of japan, mud tho Khan of khiya tho
| American Logutions are tl,o most noticeable
people nt nlly court ceremony or feHtivity in
| Europe. Whom everybody cIsc is flaming in
purple mud gold, tho ordinary, diplomatic uni-
lorln ia exceedingly Binple and modest; but tho
Yaukco diplomats nre tho
MOST BcnuTlSlzED AND CONSPICUOUS rrnsos's
10 be geen. Ono Of tho Socretnries hnid to Inc !:
y / am atrai1 to wantlor oft by myself among
| thoHe 1adics; they inspect mo LII tho maids OF
honor iu the palace Of Drobagnag did Gut!iyer.
I feel toward Columbia III q cruel mother who
won't dreas mo lilo these other little hoys." It
would require moro tlau ordinary courage to
attompt to dntco in this rig.
should think tint our Representatives would
Auldio together in tho most unconspicu-
It. Said tho Secretary abovo quoted: II always
fool lego that am Of Honlc use to my chief:
am one more pair Of legs with which to divide
the gazo Of British society"
Tic dress III which
| OUR DIPLOMATS ATTEND COURT
at present III piatn dresB-coat and tcut, with
knee-trecces, blacs silk stockings, slippers, etc.
1t ia difficult 10 aee i'll what acnso this. IL the
"ordnary dreaB Of M American csizcn." The
decd, with the help Of white voat aud liberal
watch -ellain, it might bo made quito becoming
were it not 80 excessively conspicuoua. An
English Cabinet Minister at q party giYen, in hn
| own house usually wears IT, and all
| geuio's private parties catpo,, gut up in
TINT manner. But in London it was not till
recently that American diplornatista wero 81
lowed to GO to court even thus attired. Every
| Where else IN Europe tie Legations we're admit
ted in evening dress, the concession OF knee.
( breeoheB not having been required. But at
| Buckingham Palace Lflore are Two or three very
old meu who were courtiors when Queen Victo-
| rim was baby, and who still control the court
etiquette. The aged functionaree, who cau worry
we'll remonlbcr waterloo, and "loAo fathosa
down t1eir foot, aud would admit no Amori.
cana without the proper garments. The con.
| sequence was, that our Legation waB compelled
to stay ut home. Ths State Of things continued
until Royordy JOHNSON came out, Who arranged
| whit was callod
| ''THE nHEECHEs rnoTOCoL."
Owing to the unreasonable stale Of the public
| mind during Ills torn OF 0tce, this WRt
| the only measure which that good and
able man succeedcd in accomplishing: Ths
and tho friendly impulse Of tho British publit
toward us at that timo wrang from these aucient
chamberlainB and gold-sticks (for you may aay
what you will, public opinion il 'sresisible) wal
to a1low the Minister and tho two Secretaries ol
Legation to appear in tue breoclos above de.
ties are Ill required to wear a co,,r
dross. OF what good compelling the poor diplo
mati6tb to make 6cnrecrowB OF themselves nlRJ
was Just one Of those absurdities to which 1non
arc liable vino hare considerable conscience and
| no BeuBe Of humor. Senators and Congressnet
foil in with it because they feared to be un-Amer
ienn, and becauBo it is not tloir wont to be very
dlgni1ed or lin matters of this sort) very acru