The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1885-06-22
OUR FOREIGN REPRESENTATIVES.
Should They be Changed when the
Government Changes.
Liverpool Mercury.

ldferpOOl Mercury
1t is drawback of the American political
system that the displacement of any party
in power entails change of all the civil Off
cials at home and abroad. There may be adj
vantages as well as disadvantages in the Gus
tom; and if SO, the former could be retained
and the latter removed by a little diserimina-
ton 1t is pity that any change of govern
ment should affect the representatives of the
country abroad. Ambassadors and consuls
require some time to know the people among
whom they are sent and the duties they have
to perform; and if after four years they
may be recalled and substituted, the nation
al service can hardly fail to suffer Mr..
Lowell, for example,, is going away just
when everybody in England had begun to
classify him as one of the leading personal
and Intellectual entities of the country; and
in the same way the Hon. S. b. Packard is
surrendering the Liverpool consulate, to the
regret OF every merchant and man of busi-
ness in the city. The best and most adapta-
Bile official needs time to familiarize himself
with the requirements and the commercial
life of a great port like this, and when he has
succeeded in the task, and also won the es-
TEEN OF the whole community, it is very
doubtful wisdom to decree that he shall lay
down his responsibility. However, the
Americans are entitled to conduct their own
affairs in their own way, and we only make
passing remark upon regulation which
people in this country would consider injuri-
0nS to the efficiency of the public service. Mr..
Packard has fortunately not been allowed
to take his departure from Liverpool with
out some enduring tokens of the esteem in
which he is held. The banquet given to him
by the members of a political elub-as citi-
zens, not as politicians-has been succeeded
by another in which the Hon. gentleman's
hosts were the principal merchants of Liver
pool, and at which presentation was made
that will long be a pleasant memento of his
sojourn amongst us. In replying to the toast
of his health and for the gifts, Mr.. Packard
said it would be vanity to attribute the COM
pliment to his personal worth OF the ex-
cellenee of his qualities as an official. He
rather regarded 1t as a manifestation of deep
affection for the American people. Both
motives, he may be assured, animated those
who surrounded him.
Throughout the British Isles, and especial
ly in the centres of commerce, there is a feel
ing of brotherhood towards the great nation
known as the United States. There is a
commOnness of origin, kinship of blood,
similarity of pursuits and interests, and a
peoples, and these affinities bind them to-
gether in the bonds of mutual esteem. One
could easilyl.cOnceive circumstances which
would produce disc0rd, and even hostility,
for when nations are touched in their corpo-
rate capacity, patriotism overpOwers every
NsASA aSNe ~ SUI. uiitoOu
are ever likely to become realities, so wide
apart are the interests that might clash and
engender friction, The kindly relations
would exist apart from personal contact on
either side with officials. Nevertheless, they
are deepened in strength and heartiness
when either country happens to be intimately
represented by gentlemen of great ability,
courtesy, and character. Mr.. Packard had
for predecessor Gen. Fairchild, who made an
admirable impression upon this mercantile
community; and during his own tenure of
office he has shown that, arduous as was the
part that he came to fill, he was in every
sense equal to it. When a representative
man can win respect and confidence to a
marked degree, his country gains lustre from
his qualities. For his own sake, however,
Mr.. Packard deserves all the evidences OF
high consideration of which he has been or
may be the recipient in Liverpool, and his
modesty ought not to prevent his recognition
of the fact. He brings America closer to us,
as it were, by his ability and geniality, but
one forgets that the Individual has fairly
won all the honors with which appreciative
business men desire to brighten his path
homewards. On the other hand, he cannot
help carrying away with him the most salts
factory recollections of those with whom he
has brought himself in contact in this conn-
trV