The Lake Charles echo. [volume] (Lake Charles, Parish of Calcasieu, La.) 1876-1898, 1881-01-08

0Af1WMAl1C NDoh---fENNb11tA
MA AVENUE as LINE OF MrLrTARl
DEFENSE AGAINST THE INDIANs-HoD
HRE MIMIcKy OF DIPLOMACY.
Isrom our Regular Correspondent
4 wAsnroxos, D. C., Jan. i, 1855.
To-day's New Year calls, in Wash
ington, were repetition of a familiar
| programme. The President, Cabinet
Officers, Judges of the Supreme Court
--nearly everybody, official and non
official, received; but callers were less
numerous than usual. because of the
intensely disagreeable weather. New
Year receptions at the Capital are
good, if for no other purpose, to dis
play the imposing reserve streagth of
the Army and NAVY. 1t has been the
policy of our government to bring
chiefs of Indian tribes to the large
Eastern cities, in orderto impress them
with the strength of our population,
the extent of our resources, and the
hopelessness of their canse in the ire
pressible conflict. This policy has had
no apparent effect upon Indian wars,
because the savage is unable to distin-
gnish those who have been taught
French and waltzing, to qualify them
for their executioners, and the shop
keepers and dandies who promenade
Pennsylvania Ayenne. The accom-
plished pups of war" from West
Point, and the exquisite civilian, look
precisely alike when the foraer are
masquerading in citizens dress, as is
their custom for three hundred and
sixty-four days of the year. The way
to make the Army impressive and eff
fectiye would be, to bring the Indians
here on the first day of the year, and
let them see our military officers in
their warllke panoply. They would
then realize, from their epaulcttes,
scarfs, gold braid, and hbuttons, what
destructive fellows they are, and what
numerous army We keep at the Capital,
with Pennsylvania Avenue as our line
OF defense raaIaz, Sc .oF
But the New Year official ceremo-
MES are instructive and impressive in
at least one other way. We are re-
on the first day of the year,
that we have foreign relations; that
we, rs people. do not live to our
selves, nor order the fashion of our
National household; that republi-
canism is not snch new departure as
enthusiastic opstimists once hoped
and believed it TO be; that in spite of
the discovery of new Continent, the
width Of the Atlantic Ocean, and our
vauHted secession from monarchical
forms and formalities, we are com
PEELED to servilely copy that which
the "ctfete despotisms perpetuate
only an q venerable tradition. When
We see the foreign diplomatic corps,
the gorgeous ambassadors Of Russia,
Turkey, Austria, Denmark, and the
Fecjee Island, with their, numerous
attaches, any one Of them with twice
AS much gold braid and tinsel as our
own respondent Army or Naval officers,
our minds are carried back TO the DAYS
of Talleyrand and Melternich, or
further, to the ages Of Richelieu or
Machiavelli, when tile policies Of
nations were not discussed, and the
secrets of courts were not anticipated
and exposed BY the press, called. 10
the four quarters Of the globe for the
information first Of all the world, and,
finally, forths enlightenment of the
When we see tbs modern
ID lis arduous aud delicate |
work Of calling at the
White Housc one day of the three
hundred and sixty-fve, presenting his
to'the President, wishing
him and Mrs. Hayes ahappy new year,
our hearts (pot our pockets) may
sweilwith the reflection that, il spite of
the press, steam, the Atlantic Ocean,
aud the Atlantic Gables, we, also,
have the proud privilege Of paying
six millions a year, at foreign courts,
in support Of this venerable, antique,
useless, mimicry Of Diplomacy.
MOner1Rg tlae l-OE-tz's Day.