The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1882-01-12
Tnn .AmEnIoAN, PRoTtE,CToRATE.
7Dip1omatic Comments in Washington
ON Ex.Secretary BIafne's Circulars.

IDipIomatic Comments In WashingtoE
ON Ex-Secretary BIafne's Circulars.
WASHINGTON, January ii. Mr.. Blaine's
1.-TWO notes or series of notes to the South
American Governments have excited q
great deal of. talk in diplomatic circles
though, of course, the diplomats are very
cautious in their comments. So far ascan
be ascertained Mr.. Blaine sent two circu-
lars one to the South American Govern
ments direct, the other to our represents
tiyes accredited to the different powers.
The first was sent to the different Govern
ments without consultation with their rep
resentatiyes resident here and without
their knowledge. 1t seems that no
legation was consulted, either of the
South American Republics or of European
Governments. The import of the first cir
cuIar was to invite the Governments to
send delegates here for consultation on
matters which apparently We're not directly
stated in the invitation, but which, it is
inferred, looked toward a league of Ameri-
can Governments, commercial and politi-
cal. 1t is probable that among the meas
ures discussed would be discriminating
protective tariff to the advantage of Ameri-
can trade, and to the corresponding disad-
vantage of European competitors. The
second circular was sent to our Ministers
accredited to the various South American
powers, and directed them delicately to in
dicate to the Governments where they re-
sided that the expenses of the delegates
would be paid by the United States.
The second circular is considesed by
South American diplomats here to be in
particularly bad taste, and its intimations
of poverty are resented by the representa-
tiyes of South American countries here.
AS one of them has said, it is like asking
man to come to dinner and suggesting that
you will pay for his carriage hire if he will
only come. Owing to the fact that these
circulars were sent away without consulta-
ton with the diplomats here, the latter
have no official or certain information as
to their contents, but they have, they
think, good idea of their general tenor,
and they express themselves adversely
upon them, saying that the step was unwise
and needless.
But the correspondence has excited anx-
iety and dissatisfaction not so much among
the representatives of the South American
republics as among the European legations
here, for it is theirgoyernments that would
suffer most from any such diplomacy if sue
cessful. While the interests of the United
States would probably be furthered more
than those OF the South American repub-
lies, the latter would be benefited far more
that the European nations. The manufac-
turing and commercial interests of the mari
time powers of Europe might be greatly dis
turbed by the concerted action contem-
plated, and hence the European legations
here were considerably exercised when
they learned of the action of the State De-
partment. They were doubly surprised,
knowing that Mr.. Blaine was morally GER
tain, when he took this step, that he weuld
soon leave public life and could not, there
fore carry out. the policy to which he had,
so far as possible, committed the Govern
ment. They regard it, therefore, upon the
whole as very unusual and curious freak
of craftsmanship.
AS the case stands, there will probably
now be no conference. 1t is not at all
likely that any of the South American re-
publics will accept the invitation unless it
should be repeated by MIR. Frelinghuysen,
with the understood concurrence and
sympathy of the President, and it is not
thought probable that such a ratification of
Mr.. Blaine's proposal will be given by the
present administration.