The New York herald., 1874-08-21
Diplomatic Fishing In Troubled
Waters.

W o4CiSa OoCIoInKJ WIZ obtc& sAAho 1o~
Hamilton Fish's sublime estimate of the fas-
tidious respectfulness to official persons and
immaculate sense Of propriety Of men in the
diplomatic service of all governments the
amiable head of our State Department has
had q great deal to disturb his serenity.
Poor Don Quixote's rough treatment by the
knights and princesses he met in his quest of
adventures had no more effect in disenchant-
ing him Of his strange illusions than Don
Hamilton Fshs uncomfortable experience
with diplomats has in convincing him that
they do not all wear the laced suit Of faultless
breeding with which his imagination has
clothed them. When we recollect that he was
stung into exasperation by Catacazy, by Mot
ley, by Sickles, making accusations and in
dulging in quarrels which the world thought
more remarkable for passion than dignity, it
seems as odd as anything in the adventures
OF the Knight of La Mancha to find Mr.. Fish
denouncing the Able McMaster as 90
damned fool for believing that per-
son in the diplomatic service could
possibly violate the incest official eti-
quette. Mr.. Fish says that the very print
ers should have detected the absurdity and
sent back the article to the editorial room.
But what if the same printers had helped set
up the Catacazy correspondence and the Mot
ley correspondence, and have got their ideas
of the improprieties to which diplomats may
descend from MIR. Fish's description and
trouncing of those unfortunate minister's, one
of them European and the other American
Why is it any more improbable from the
nature of the diplomatic service that Admiral
Polo disapproved the action OF his govern
ment in the Virginius affair than General
Sickles, who is known to have differed from
his Each was bound to obey instructions
SO long as he held bis Office, and each resigned
to vindicate his patriotism and wash his hands
Of measures he disapproved.
Mr. Fish has unconsciously furnished an
argument against himself, like the woodman
fifty feet up in the air who unwittingly
slashed his axe into the branch on which he
stood and fell with it TO the ground. For if it
be impossible that men in high diplomatic
positions ever use indecorous language
Mr. Fish binds US in strict logic
10 QlSCTcOlt LIB OWA OculdA. lu1souAuCu
as it would be unbecoming and is
therefore impossible, for the Secretary
Of State to have called q public writer "a
damned FOOL it follows on his own principle
that his passionate contradiction Of the Able
McMaster is apochryphal Considering that
he is believer in inviolable diplomatic pro-
priety his own practice is as singular as it is
laughable. But doubtless all the harsh things
he said of Catacazy and Motley, as well as
the epithets he so literally applies to the
Abbe McMaster, were meant in Pickwickian
sense, and he as fully believes in the virtue
and wisdom of all these gentlemen as Don
Quixote did that the barber's brass basin was
veritable helmet Of pure gold
But we fear the Able McMaster will not
consent to receive the Secretary's language in
a Pickwickian sense. And if not we may ex-
pect regular tilt between the two distin-
guished knights, Don Hamilton Fish on one
side and Don Iago McMaster on the other.
Compared with such an encounter the Cata-
cazy fracas was the contest of dwarf with q
giant. 1t will be the first encounter in which
Don Hamilton Fish has been placed at dis
advantage. He has so frequently betrayed
symptoms of sensitive touchy, punctilious
nature that the Don Iago McMaster possesses
the invaluable secret Of knowing just where he
can wound him. A man in public station,
exposed to constant criticism, always makes a
mistake when by wircing he discloses his sore
spots. Don Hamilton Fish could not bear
-. of l.. 11,l
from the country In like manner he re-
moved Motley from his mission and compelled
Sickles to resign. But over the Abbe McMas-
ter he has no such power. The Abbe will
remain in the country. with the advantage of
speaking weekly through journal which MIR.
Fish has lifted into universal notice by show
ing how deeply he can be annoyed by it.
| The Abbe's European connections will put
him in possession of many secrets whose pub
lication will sting and exasperate the Secretary
of State, who will be compelled to endure
from McMaster much heavier blows than
those which he found intolerable from Cata-
cazy. Secretary Fish has suddenly made the
| Freeman Journal one Of the conspicuous news
papers of the country. Until this tournament
is over it will be more read and quoted from
on foreign affairs than any other in the coun-
! try. hundred active minds in Europe
will be glad to furnish it with hints
and surmises, and the wrong side OF
Mr.. Fish's diplomatic tapestry is sure
to be fully exposed. Catacazy's under
hand contributions to one or two Ameri-
can newspapers were as nothing to what the
| Able McMaster will be able to furnish, with
perfect security, which Catacazy did not
enjoy, from Mr.. Fish's vengeance
| So let the country, tired of boat races and
horse races, prepare for new spectacle. Be-
| tween the contestants in this arena our SYM
pathes will 60 entirely with Don Hamilton