New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1879-05-14
PRESIDENT WHITES Address

Mr. CHAIRMAN AND GENTLEMEN: Speaking
in this place TINS time. am seriously enDar-
raised for when charges have been made upon Jhe
American people account OF municipal mismanage-
ment ia mis- city, now happily passed, We nave con
stany heard the statement made that American inst-
ttons are not responsible for it that SewY0rk Is not
an American city. must confess that when very hard
pressed have myself taken refuge in this statement
But now back to plague me- for on looking over
the general instructions furnished by the state De-
parrment 1 find it laid down that American Min
listers on the way their posts are strictly
forbidden 10 make speeches I'm any foreign city, save in
the country which they are accredited You VII par
don me. then, II proceed very gov" anu V"u'ioiS' III
discussing the sentiment allotted o. me.
No one think. will dispute the statement that com
nerce has become leAoE agency anus ion al ~
maintenance OF peace. COmluefcH interests nave ne
minute thar they pcrmeare every hamlet Of every nation
War nrerferes with these interests and thwaris
then then ngnce 6,tc1 AS to the flcf then. IN
voived IN your toast it needs argument IN It's sup
commerce in the midst OF this great commercial merop-
oils should doubtless place 10 her hand as an EN-
49, t "a fa.ten tben more securely and more per
NSr think viii the Other part Of the sentiment he
disputed bv any thoughtful person. OF course, much
NAV be said upon The solemn nutnss which have Occu-
pca diplumaJsts much historic ruin may De auuuctu
To that dIplomatsts have often proved 10 ne %hat
CARLYLE calls solemny constituted impOstors" But,
after all think that no one can LOOK over the history Oh
mankind without feeling that u was vast s'ep When,
four centuries the great modern powers began 10
at the centres Oh gov
eminent. Ana uom tiat gay 70 lIls tliso u,eL ~,
proved themselves with ali their weaknesse7 worth Tar
than all their cost I'D Wardng on OF ihluEathg Tue
horrors OF war, ana III hcfetahE INC VI
meIca Not long since made lsflna q 10 lhh quaint
town bali IN tha O.d GERMAN Gu! Oh ,r @
signed the Treaty oI NestphtII mere aa" . .,
same long table, the ola seats where once SAT- me
representatives OF the various powers VINO III 1o45'
War-the most dreadful struggle Of modern umcs-but
winch forever put END 10 wars {" feleloh nav
stood In the of grant cd.hedras ana solemn ser
vices, never have sat IN any room or ID any pres
Faa ling al
na where the diplOmasts Of Europe signed mat wOre
renowned treaty fruitful blessings, not sGy to Ger
We shall ali douorcss concede, then that on the
whole u is best to have diplomatic body that II II
only once in ten, twenty, or hundred years pre-
vents serious understanding between nations ~ wiz
far more repay It's cost But Ohe point 70 Wlch
%sh 10 call your attention what little have say
this evening, This That this idea OF ne yaIe OF COM
merce and diplomacy In maintaining peace has by no
means always been ned fully az now, nor are com
m,rce and diplomacy, and all they represent al thls
moment out OF danger. Two hundred years ago
. realIv great practical statesman IN France
Colbert. bv crude legislation IN behalf as ne thought
of manufactures and commerce, brought his country
INTO vars winch at last led ruin The history OF
the colonial policy OF England also is fruitful III mis-
~ zen legislation commercial poiitlcal ana SO
cIsI questions, which have produced most terri
bic evils. InGeed, IN an nau9hS we n"'e con-
sTantly to lament short-sghied policies, hl-coh-
sldcred constitutions crude legislation "ch ndVede
fearful blows 60 the neresso CONNER &C. o. 'ii
political ana soelaI Ne ana ol pGaVe r,,-i -
own country been free from these; IN our OtneIi us
ernmcnt and IN al our 1oIly Lesisia'uIos, ceip a.
measures frequently proposed sTlAIhg al
,1er.zt al financial interests, az weston fishts, 10
Of great UOuIfdl ann 'Otiti ih'eAV'.''
which though often tnwart,d by inc common solso
~ me peouIe are sometimes too SUCCESSFUL
moment the news comes 10 Us tutt al4NH
Trinty led arrdnt drma gogue-, nave IasIeheu upon
ne ,,rsa Empire State OF the Pachc "a crude Ill
,gesfed cons, tuition. which, while II doubtless con
t'Ius -nme good features, emb0dics some OF the
most primitive and psrnlcuus notions regarding com
merce and manufactures ano me "hoIe Poil'''1i anu
socia fabric OF t4at common wealth.
EVILS or CRUDE THOUGHT N POLITICS.
So too in regard diplomacy there Il constant oa-
-er and loss om this crudeness IN po1tIc" ihA
a., year or two since the Congress Of the united
s,t-s efforts were put forth virtually to cripple the
5iplomatic service what was far worse 10 cripple
tbe Whole consular sysem OF the United Sta'eS'
en- ,,srlar service OF our country more than pays ioi
g drsctIv and pays for itself thousand times over
t,,rectiv although It's labors constantly directed
., Increasing commerce. 10 Anding new marAels' 10
s., ling home valuable information regarding Ioi-
-, ipdu.tries TO enlargJng the foreign ntIu
crr own manufactures. ana A.nouEU
80, cusstfon involved not only nnahclhl quoruoi'so
80. bgnesr i'm purtance, but The honor OF tno -
no ,tar Us argued many Of our Legislators III
- which would have done dlscIo1lt 10 V'n 80 -
.oIis,a .nuu9mores. / am glAd 10 say 'b'' -e n
49, M botl parties Bt Washing Ton az 10. 49,,
.,atnsf this monsTOus Legislation anu tiIt 49,,
them were some rtprthoHlHb '0''' F
and CITY Of New-1Ofk' .,, o,,,-,, a., its National
TeJsitre ana In lis multitude OF State IL ~,
49, nf know edge l. simply cnOrmou@ no ouo W. VIZ
49,. anything OF the history OF the icEiSlatIo -
-tate will m sDute this for moment Aho
~ is suc6 state Of things necessarily cohnccttu
nttb a reDublican Government 10 ibs s'' -.
cidedIy no. The next question ~, Is ,btna. 10
teal means OF improving tbs stare oI INNS a- M
tais 1 answer decidedly yes no'0 'O-'''