The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-12-10

year, on tho Twenty day Of February;
but how many hearers reflect that We arc
strayng further and further from the path
thus marked QUIT We have not only, IN con-
tempt OF this counsel, extended the ongago-
mcnts subsietng in WAsHIvuToHs day. but
have entered into e4-AHmbcrcd new ones
II already then II was time to stop" surely
I IL IL time now; and although such change
be etlgmatzed as retrograde by the modern
dealers at wholesale or retail in places and
political pclf, it can claim the sanction Of
| the founders Of tho Government.
| WASHINGTON rested his warning solely on
tho dangers OF mingling nccdlcssly In tho
Affairs of foreign courts. But the question
OF economy was also regarded by the fathers
Of the republic. Tho extract which Mr.
| HEWITT made at tho last session. from tho
| Annals OF tho Fifth Congress, shows what
was thought eighty years ago. The follow
Ing words are Mr.. GALLATTN's:
III the wisdom Of future Legislatures shall think
proper to abolish tho establishment OF foreign political
intercourse altogether II must be len to thom decide
lie believed. situated as were. neoe ssarv to
have some political intercourse but he believed So4d
's be't " d,gre,', 10 dc',as IL ahoy,dl,.n
After urging that "thc extension OF our
political Intercourse with foreign nations
was highly dangerous to u.s." Mr. GALLATIS
also pointed out especially that all our troa-
ties had been made, up TO that time, by en-
voys extraordinary and not by ministers
resident "Sinco our treaties were always
made by special ENJOYS, what advantage
could IL be to have numerous ministers pleni-
potentiary" He continued, in language
which has lost none Of its SAVIOR after four
score years:
"Gcnucmen might II they pleased callha J,iiy ~irrq
hut having first established the fact that these officers
were not only unnecessary hu, dangerous though the
saving was not large, Il ought to b. made
Columns Of such expressions from the
statesmen Of that day could easily bo quoted
For example, Mr.. NICHOLAS gave II az his
opinion that :" our foreign intercourse would
be benefited by having no ministers at ALL"
Mr.. PINCKHEY said that iii peace were re-
stored in Europe, and we had no differences
to settle there, he should agree with the
opinion Of the old Congress. that IL would
be we'll to keep no foreign ministers In Eu-
rope" Mr.. LIVINGSTON declared that Mr.
PINCKNEY's belief that "our diplomatic
connections ought to be got rid Of as soon
AZ convenient was one Of great weight"
These. be il observed, are not the conjectures
OF average Congressman, but the opinions
OF renowned experts in diplomacy. IL indi-
Gates the extent OF our drifting from the old
moorings 10 reflect that such words, ut
tered, without making known their origin,
In Congress of to-day. would be sneercd at
as sensational.
Tho changes wrought between 1898 and
1878 confirm the lessons Of the earlier date.
1t is true that the old danger based on the
puny condition Of the infant republic, no
longer exists; but in its place has come
new danger, arising from the temptation Of
fered to Ministers and Consuls TO cut
figure in foreign lands. from tho very i'm
portance OF the young giant Of tho West
10 excite hopes Of alliance that cannot be
fulfilled, or jealousies, enmities and misun-
dcrstandings that store up future evil.
But tho great change, after all, is n mate
rial one Steam and electricity have brought
the leading courts OF tho world as near TO
our scat Of Government as Of Old were the
capitals OF most OF our own Statcs-as near
for travel and far nearer for corresponds
encc. Paris and Washington can talk forth
ana back on the same day OF what use.
thea, 10 maintain the costly machinery OF n
bygone day in order that Lawyer EvARrs
may have some PURIo WELSH or INDEX
MOVES as a medium through which to write
" You will say TO Lord * this, or TO the
Marquis Of y" that
Such is the field for the work of the House
to-day. At the last session Congress made
lamcntabe failure ON this subject retreat
ing from nearly all the moderate economies
proposed by the Committee then, and now
by the same Committee renewed. Surely re-
form should not be baked through senti-
mental consideration for diplomatic SER
vice which abroad has given us appoint
ments like many of those of GRANT and
HAYES, and at home, through bungling, has
cost the $500 900 of tho Halifax award.