The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1877-06-04
Monday. June 4. 1877.
THE American diplomats Service.

NetO I0Tk sun.
Notwithstanding the desire for demo-
cratic simplicity among the founders of the !
republic, they were led instinctively to copy
many Of the custom of European mon
arches. A court" wasimaintained at
Washington upon thesEuropean model the
executive. the military, aud the judiciary
wore regalia; state dinners" copied those
Of the royal houses as closely as finances
permitted; congress itself yielded, so far
as it was able to do, to the practices which
have prevailed in parliament, and nothing
but downright poverty prevented geLer-
al initiating of monarchical insignia and
usages. As the country became accus-
toned to the sense of independence, the
spirit of initiating what we had been at so
much trouble to repudiate, gradually de-
clined. Our supreme judges still make
themselves ridiculous in old women's
gowns; the house of representatives still
tolerates a relic of English barbarism,-a
b mace, but the obsolete device is, hap
PLY, rarely used; and President Hayes has
shown honest sense and excellent taste in
dispensing with the service of grand
chamberlain,-an Office and a parsonage
necessary and useful in the management
of the seraglio at STEAMBOAT, but both ridi-
culous and useless at the white house.
The American Minister" is one Of the
surviving relics of our early national toAdy-
ism. The history of courts" shows that
the business which this official is expected
chiefly to be engaged in is to tell lies about
his own country to the court" at which
he resides, and to act as the spy upon its
affairs for the information of the"court"
which employs him. In the past the
Il.
dered their governments consisted OF Sc
cret reports Of scandals, knowledge of
which they obtained by violating the can
ons of decency which prevailed universally
In decorous life. Next to reporting scan
dals, was the duty of making matches.
Whenever any serious affairs demanded
attention, special envoy was sent
1t is difficult to understand why the
United States should maintain this Gus
tom, at so great expense, for no good re
suit. There is no difficulty whatever in
theway of abolishing it. Itcannot be urged
that European powers will refuse to
award adequate functions to an American
representatives who does not maintain
dignity and an establishment" on a par
with others who arc accredited for like
purposes. No European power can or will
which is becoming and reasonable They
yielded everything when they received de-
legates from US at all; for the acknowl-
edgement Of our right to send and their
duty to receive, amounted to an abolition Of
the entire code of diplomacy In our favor
The previously essential principle oil
equality and reciprocity was abrogateG
when the first power in the world welcomed
81 bo
tatives of her own colonies which had pass
ed through lnsolent rebellion into impover.
ished independence. Prior to that time
the rules regarding official international
courtesy had been rigid and inyariable
Only states Of the highest order of roya
government sent or received ministers
of the first class, and no state not so cassi
fed was permitted to send an ambassador
claiming the diplomatic functions, the
social distinction, OF the petty parapher'
MALTA OF ministers, -one of whose chic
privileges was the right TO both public
aud private audiences with the sovereign
The rule OF equality and reciprocity, bro
ken for an American democracy which, a
the tune OF the innovation, had neither al
army, "a navy. nor dollar, is still rigidl
maintained toward the European mon
arches. Roumania, for instance whose il
dependence is guaranteed by the treaty 0
Paris, is not permitted to send Iepresen
tatives of any rank abroad, and is entities
to receive none higher than consuls am
vice consuls
The institution of the Office of America
minister was made at the time when, jus
emerging from the hardships and penur
OF the Revolution, the American court
was strenuOusly aping aristocratic styl
and prlncely apr earances, WashingtO
rode to the capitol in gorgeous equipage
decorated parti-colOred carriage draw
by four cream-colored horses, attended b
gaily Everied grooms. Adams delighte
IN travelling Estate, from town to town
followed by a company Of gentlemen-in
waiting, with couriers and pursuivants
the company hating at the towns to receiv
the plaudits of the people. Both these faith
ers of the republic held court" levees, ca
DarisOned In black silk velvet, powdered hal
gathered into silk bag, knee breeches, silve
buckles, silk embroidered hose, and io'
shoes with more buckles A familiar Die
ture of Washington represents him in thi
attire, long sword dangling at his side
his hands glOved in yellow, holding in on
of them a cooked Lat trimmed with
jauDty feather; and thus millinered. b
received. as president of the America
Democracy, his titled callers, who though
themselves sufficiently honored with hi
excellencys stiff bow. for his excellency di
not cOndescend TO shake hands, The ia
dies who attended Mrs. Washington's re
ceptOns wore costume copied as nearl
as possible from la mode at ST. james
long, tight, tapering waists, stitf-hoope
peticOuts, and towering head-dresses; an
when the French colony which accom-
panied Genet arrived, with the mode of nal
row skirts, immodestly low corsages, shol
waists, and skirts to the ankle, the court
fashion for women changed mt once, but III
fathers OF the republic refused TO surrendt
their small clothes and buckles for III
pantalOOns which came at the same tim
and which were described as 'garmen
with feet en- them, fitting close 10 the legl
and let into the shoes" Thomas Jeffe
sou was the first American high ofici
who had the good sense to discard th
ornamental toggary OF carpet knights an
elOthe himself in pants. He tied his shot
with leather thongs; concealed his brit
day 20 prevent It's being celebrated /
lacqueys and Office seekers; went to col
gress alone on horseback TO be iuaugurate
tied his nag to aihitching post, and Gellvert
his hrst message III person, "a fftee
minutes speech His subsequent mis-!
ives were carried by his secretary.
The home government has gradual
come down voluntarily to common SEN
IN AFFAIRS of etiquette, but our ministe,
chung tenaciously to the early fashion
pretending to be lords in lords compar
by wearing court" costumes and iDduI