Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1885-04-24


lMr. Phelps aud the American Legation in London As
discouraed by q. W. sweeney In . Letter to the New
York Sunday Tribune.l
The nomination of Mr.. Phelps as American
Minister to England was received by the Eng
lish press civilly, with one exception, the Pail
Mall Gazette. That paper met it with an ell
aborate sneer-a Vermont lawyer, name i'm
material, no one here ever heard it, though
no doubt he il a most competent and respect
able person, who will serve as foil to Mr..
Lowell. An odd sort Of welcome, truly, to a
new envoy.
Mr.. Lowell, however, with a generous i'm.
pulse which will be appreciated, thought il
worth while to correct this "mischievous mis-
apprehension" about Mr.. Phelps. The pres
ent minister Introduces the new minister to
his English friends in hAttering terms, as a
man Of high character, of marked independ-
ence, snd OF the most agreeable social quail
ties. A certificate for President Cleveland is
added he would be the last man TO make an
inconsiderate appointment. aud "a change OF
ministers was unavoidable"
No doubt Mr.. Lowell has made the post of
American minister difficult one for any pos
sible successor. Nobody could conquer all at
once the esteem which has grown up out Of a
long acquaintance with one whom all Eng
li4hmen speak of as a sort of personal friend
whether they know him or not. But Mr..
Phelps's friends in America need not suppose
that he will have to encounter either preju-
dice or coldness in London.
All that needs now to be said il that Mt
Phelps has the question Of success in his own
hands Many kinds Of success are possible
to a man who holds this brilliant and difficult
position. II be wins respect and confidence
at the foreign Cfiice. the opinion of the for
| egn office will soon filter through the social
strata which the young and old men of what
is commonly called the F. o. adorn. II he is
liked personally, few people will care about
his credentials as dplomatist. If he hits
the taste Of the town as a speaker, his writ
ing table will be Uttered with invitations TO
public dinners, coupled with hint that q few
words will be expected from him in response
| to a toast. The lawyers will be eager to take
the measure of their American brother, and
their American brother will soon find that
among his English brethren are some OF the
| keenest wits and cleverest takers in London.
| He will meet "smRrt" set who will make
upon him no other demand than that he shall
| be amusing, and will not care one straw for
him if be is not.
In Mr.. Phelps's case, as in that OF those
who have gone before him, the old question
Of the style In which an American minister in
| London ought to live is sure to be raised.
We seem to have made up our minds-or our
made them up for us-thst it is not desirable
to maintain an American legation in London
on the scale adopted by the other great pow
ers of the world. In the early days of Gar.
| fields brief administration, II was understood
that he meant to recommend TO Congress
the raising of the legation to the rank of EN-
bassy. Had he lived, we should perhaps
have seen, for the first time in history, an
American ambassador at the court OF st.
James. Much would have been gained by
the change had It been complete. An Amer
lean minister who had been waiting an hour
in Lord Granville's ante room would not then
have had to wait another hour while the am
bassador who arrived after him walked 10
before him and transacted his errand. That
is but one of many practical advantages to be
| gained by such promotion; 1t would faoili.
| tate business. Yet unless the pay of the am
bassador we're to be raised, II is a question
whether he had better not remain minister.
| The ferocious economist who wants TO cut
down the present salary, $l7, 800, no doubt
believes that the lucky man who gets all this
money lives like prince on a third of 1t,
| saves the rest, and retires with a competence.
He will not understand that a minister on
this stipend has the greatest difficulty in
making both ends meet. II he has a private
fortune, well and good. II he has none, be
will hardly know which way to turn.
Report has it that President Cleveland is to
set an example of plain living in Washington
He may expect his envoys in Europe to imi
tate him. 1t ia more difficult, but it can be
done. The Que thing which ought never Il
be done is to maintain the legation here on
shabby geDteel footing. Splendor if you like
republican simplicity ifyou like; but avoid o
all things tho horrible attempt which so many
of the English middle class make, that o.
| keepiup nm apDearauces on an inadeouRte in
come. The powers of Europe provide thei
ambassadors with a palace TO live in, ant
pay them enough TO enable them to live In /
on footing of equality with the society they
most frequent. The United States does Meth
er. London being what II is, and diplomacy
depending so much as it does on social sue
cess, the penurious policy is probably thu
most expensive in the long run. Mr. Lowell
has managed somehow to live in good hous'
in a good square, and has given dinners
though he has never sought to rival the grea