The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-08-04

CONCLUSIVE IN the minu OF the people, because In
any question Of veraclty between General Van
Buren, and this commissioner, the country will be
bound to believe the General, especially ss the
otnel witness oonfesses his incapacity to be wit
ness Ii any case involving truth and honor.
SOME WORDS FOR VAN buren,.
cannot learn that the report rests its nndinga
upon any further eSidei66 The general feeling
among the Americans in Vienna Is that General
Van Buren, has been hardly used 1t is felt that II
there Is no evidence other than that of General
Myer the reputation OF lifetime Of usefulness and
integrity cannot be squelched upon the word OF o
man who c0nfesses his own shame, and who nat
urally dses not care TO fall alone. II the General
has done foolish things 1t will be said truly that
under no American law can you convict man OF
scoundrelism because he has shown folly. Il is
possible that the General In his anger did some
things he would not do again. He Ia blamed for
the publication OF his violent letter to the Presi-
dent But 1t is explained that he sent this in con-
hdence to Mr.. George Jones, or the Times, his
friend from boyhood, and that Mr.. Jones allowed
his instincts a. journalist to overcome
the obligations of friendship. The General,
as nervous, sanguine, enthusiastic. cheer
ful temperament trusting and trusted, and
not In the habit OF having his name dshonOred,
was precisely the man to put his emotions on pa
per, to show anger in letters and speeches. Ii 1t
not Macbeth who asks, "Who can be wise, amazed,
temperate and furious loyal and neutral In Q mo.
mentW I should be disposed to answer, "Cer-
tatnly not General Van Buren, ~ Furthermore,
when you think of q Commissioner who comes to
Vienna full OF honor and hope, the chief oil his en-
bassy, the represen tative OF the American nation
In the presence Of kings and emperors and princes,
about to receive the sweet reward OF months OF
labor to be the frst OF his country and people in
ron n i've In wit tnUa
and walk In the same line with princes and to be
received In the circle with bejeweed and
sashed and embroidered ambassadors, to
stand as peer among the darlings and
idols OF this splendid Austrian society, only
suddenly to find himself thrown into the utter
most depths OF despair, his name dlshonored
and his friends astounded and those he loved and
who loved and honored him oppressed with
shame, we certainly can be too exacting in our
criticisms upon his speeches and actions. So 1t
was with General Van Buren,, and the rude sense
OF fair play which rests so largely In the American
mind has, in Vienna at least, surrounded him with
sympathy and follows him In his departure from
this scene OF his sorrows with the belief and the
hope that when the circumstances appertaining to
hts control Of the Commission are fully examined
his honor Will come forth without o stain.
THE CAUSES OF AMERICAS FAILuRE.
say this much for General Van Buren, partly be-
cause he has been good deal abused and partly
because feel that the HERALD will be only too
glad TO do him, as it does all men, justice. And it
is more especially useful to be said because the
mistake made py the American Department and
the almost ignOminious position, In which our
country has been placed can not be attributed
with any justice to General Van Buren, or
to his commission. The tendency TO take one man
or one body OF men as scapegcoats ia a convenient
~opzo
science from penance and moral obligations. In
the first place. nothing was done by our govern
ment to assist them in the Exhibition
until it was too late. The appropria-
ton was passed in February to enable us
to make an appearance worthy OF our country in
May The honorable members OF Congress were
too busy Investigating the Credit Mobilier trans
actions and securing their own back pay to think
Of the tremendous opportunity that awaited the
nation In Vienna. This was the first blunder The
second blunder was in the appointment OF the CON-
mssioners, In not surrounding General Van Buren,
with o stan of representative men, who would
have brought credit upon the country and done
efficient service II General Van Buren, were in po-
stiOn to be criticised should say that his chief
blunder was IN appointing the commissioners, not
upon the principle Of securing efficient and active
support but upon the theory which pertains in our
Custom House, giving the vacant position to the
person who had the largest number Of recommend
atiOn When you remember that in America the
business OF signing petitions for any purpose is 80
loose that 1t would not be difficult to induce thou
sands Of our first citizens to put their names to
paper asking for the execution by court martial OF
Mr.. Charles O'Conor or A. +. Stewart you can un-
derstand how the Judgment OF o commissioner
who selected his assistants from mass OF manu-
script endorsements can be at fault. The conse-
eral had o most unfortunate commission. This
was the second blunder. The third came from the
apathy of the American people toward Vienna.
Vienna is far from the United States; 1t lies away
by itself in those Lower Danube coun tries, the high
way between London and Calcutta, blu: the general
tide OF travel has never reached there Our i'm
pressions of Vienna not having been OF an inviting
kind the tendency OF the popular mind ut home
was to ignore tIe Vienna Exposition as Offering
little more inducements than fairs ut Constanti-
nope or Northern Russia. Again, there were
troubles about the patent laws. and the influence
of inventors, those who traffic in the genius OF
invention at home, was to destroy any enthusiasm
for the Exposition for fear that If any ingenious
American were to bring patent rat trap, or an
explosive bullet, or champion cocktail, or some
thing unusual, the tnicving foreigner would in
stantly seize upon the idea and adopt it in Europe.
THE REAL CAUSES OF THE FAILURE.
All these instances combined must be considered
when you come to pass judgment upon the Vienna
Exposition, and 1t Is neither Justice to ourselves
nor to the rights Of citizenship for US to attribute
our failure to the mistakes OF General Van Buren,.
believe that the General did the best he could
do with his material. | believe that no man
would have been more proud and happy at the
success Of America In the Exposition. In fact. j
know OF very few Americans who would be dis
posed by temperament to take greater pleasure
In the careerlng OF the American eagle and the
Mapping ofthe bunting aud the everlasting glory Of
the country than General Van Buren, himself; for,
as have said he il man OF that enthusiastic tenn
permanent and intense irankness, almost boyish-
ness Of feeling, that finds It's great pleasure In
these manifestations OF national vanity and praise,
in fireworks and oratory and the happiness and
good feeling of those around him. But we az ma