The Portland daily press., 1878-03-15
Foreign Representatives.

The discussion in Congress of the matter
of the representation of the nation abroad
naturally brings up the question as to the
necessity Or desirability of maintaining such
representation at all, except so far as the i'm
mediate good of our people is concerned. OF
course it is needful to employ consuls at all
business points to protect American citizens
and further American commerce. Their
usefulness is too well established for debate.
every commercial nation must have them.
But the case is far otherwise with ministers
to foreign courts. In the earlier and ruder
times when all foreigners were enemies and
every nations hand was against every other,
when means of communication were preca-
rious and dissemination of news by telegraph
and printing press was not dreamed of, when
the art CT government consisted of intrigue
and chicanery, when diplomacy aud deceit
were interchangeable terms, then it seemed
necessary for each government to maintain
at the court of every other an envoy who.
under guse of friendly commissioner might
act as spy upon the patton to which he was
accredited, to see that no purposes hostile to
his own country be secretly and suddenly
made effective. The whole history of Europe
from the tall Of the Roman Empire to the
eighteenth century, is the detail of series of
plots and counterplots, of efforts by each ma
tion to obtain an advantage over the others
by secret combinations or subtle intrigue.
They were compelled to watch each others
movements narrowly and ministers plenipo-
tentiary" became necessity.
Habit and custom are strong, especially
with nations. The practices of the fathers
seem to some sacred precedent which must
not be violated whatever be the changes of
circumstances. So ministers resident are
maintained while the reasons for their exist
ence have ceased. The telegraph and journ-
alism have made them anachronisms. Alert
correspondents of the daily papers keep
much closer and more effective watch upon
the movements of armies, the consultations
of. cabinets and the purposes of rulers than
solemn pienipotentiaries could possibly do.
Congratulations between governments might
in the vast majority of cases as we'll be made
directly between the foreign secretaries as
through ministers; and should any special
exlgency arise special messenger could be
sent for the occasion. The daylight which
has dawned upoD the conduct of nations
makes useless the safeguards of the night
There is no longer need to maintain spies
upon foreign courts.
But if habit be too strong, if seventeenth
century precautions must be maintained in
the nineteenth, let US, in the name of decen-
cy, keep up the show in a respectable fashion.
II we must have lay figures to represent the
government, let us trick them out in fair
guise. 1t we must play horse, let US play
horse consistently. The attempt of the Dem
ocrats to cut down the salaries few thous-
and dollars and still maintain the missions is
characteristic piece of toolishness. They
want to make show of economy to deude
the people, but they attempt no real reforms.
Let us be reasonable about this thing; either
abolish the missions entirely, which is the
best thing to do, or give them money enough
for decent and reputable maintenance.