The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1875-05-11
American Diplomacy.

Nations are always inclined to make much
ado over the deeds done by their soldiery and
to observe with some pomp and much noise
the anniversaries of famous victories. Beside
triumphs won in the field, triumphs won in
the cabinet are little regarded, The historian
even, is prone to give fifty pages to the de-
scription of battle where he gives scarcely
five to the account of a master-stroke of di-
plomacy considerably more fruitful in results.
The reader is told with tedious minuteness of
the meeting of two hostile armies, of man
ouvres on the right wing and on the left, of
turning of flanks and much hurrying here
and there, of decisive defeat and remorseless
pursuit. Perhaps he is then told in half
dozen lines, that through negotiations skill
fully conducted peace was concluded on such
and such basis.
Americans are quite as well pleased with
the echo of cannon from victorious fields as
others have been before them, and the COM
memorative ooservances Of the centennial
years are chiefly of battles and sieges and sur
renders. 1t cannot well be otherwise for a
battle is the work of a day and takes place
upon some spot which is thereafter forever as
sociated with it. A diplomatic intrigue, taking
months to develop, carried ON alternately at
Philadelphia and at Paris, presents no sali-
ent point which can be seized upon for COM
memoratiye purposes. Yet it is to the skill of
her diplomatists quite as much as to the abil :
ity of her generals or the bravery of her SOL
diers that this country is indebted for her in
dependence. ,.t -'
Mr.. Bancroft has, in the latest volume of
his History, done full justice to the extraor-
dinary ability of the dplomatists of the Revo-
lutionary period. The negotiations leading
up to tho recognition of Independence and
the treaty of peace are set forth with mi
nuteness OF detail fully justified by the i'm
portance Of the subject. The Colonies were
fortunate in the men who represented their
cause in Europe. franklin was eminently
suited by character and training for the dip
lomatic service, and at once took command
ing position among diplomatists. Adams
too, showed remarkable talent in this branch
of the public service, talent which he
handed down to his children, and which has
now become recognized as family trait.
We are too much in the habit of lightly re-
garding the work of these men, saying to our
selves that it was easy.to infiame the jeal-
ousy of France and TO induce that country to
join in an alliance against England. But it
was not easy. 1t required great judgment
and tact and knowledge of men and affairs
to convince France that few weak colonies
could with the aid of small contingent of
men and a'scanty supply of money, success
and so powerful as Great Britain. 1t was no
easy task to persuade France to advance
money from an exhausted treasury. 1t was
difficult to induce a despotic government to
expand blood and treasure in the dissemina-
ton of republican ideas. 1t required the
highest skill to convince other nations that
the preservation of the balance of power in
Europe necessitated the establishment of a
republic, unfriendy to England, on the
Western Continent.
The wise and mastery policy which Frank
lin and Adams framed lost nothing of its
force in the hands of their immediate success
sors. For years the management of our for
eign relations was able, discreet and digDified.
The infant years ofthe Republic were years OF
danger. The war of the giants was going on
in Europe, and France and England sought
by coaxing or bullying, to embroil every ma
tion in the strife. The people were divided
at home. A large faction swore by Pitt, a
larger faction by the Convention. 1t was not
easy to hold the balance in face of so great
pressure from without and within. But
more was done than to avoid participation in
the quarrel. The qnarrel was turned to pro-
fit, and we acquired the vast territory Of
Louisiana. -
In those troublous times, traditions and u.s.
ages sprang up which have, in the main, been
adhered to since. There was a periol, il is
true, during which American diplomacy
ceased to be even respectable; during which
the highwayman style was in vogue. We
were wont to seize weaker nations by the
throat and call upon them to stand and de-
liver But we have, it is to be hoped, gone
out of the Dick Turpin business forever, and
have returned to the policy of the Fathers.
Our foreign policy during the last fifteen
years certainly suffers little by comparison
with that of the Revolutionary period. We
all used to laugh at the prolixity of Mr.. Sew
ards despatches,bu there is no question that
his consummate skill brought us safely
through time of great trouble and danger,
and that TO him more than any other man is
due the warding off of foreign interference.
The accomplished gentleman now at the
head of the Department of State, has shown
skill, moderation and firmness in the con-
duct of the delicate negotiations attending
the Alabama claims aud the Virginius affail
emitting him to very high position among
ministers of foreign affairs.
The American people have certainly quite
as much reason to be proud of their achieve
ments in diplomacy as in war.