New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-09-06
BAYARD'S APPOINTMENTS.
UNFORTUNATE SELECTIONS MADE BY THB
SECRETARY OF STATE.

WASHINGTON, Sept. 3.-In the early davs of the
present administration used to be the standing ioke
OF men about town that the Secretary of State appoint
cd TO diplomatic post who did not NJ the .arns
time also enjoy the distinction Of figuring on his visit
ing list Mr.. Bayard will employ only those" SEN
tentously remarked the chief clerk Of the State De-
partment q with whom he Is personally acquainted;
all others" aud a comprehensive wave Of the arm
AM deprecatory smile Mr.. Browns face told tho
aspiring diplomat his fate before he had heard
the last of the sentence Experienced politicians shook
their heads when they heard of these doings at the
State Department, and smiled disappointed place
hunters swore at what thsy ter rmed the q exclusive
ness of the Secretary of State and for the neral
public WELL suppose. it felt very much like ap-
paudng the good intentons-for good they undoubt-
edly were-of Mr. Bayard Hero is a man at last, it
said who will choose for the diplomatic service
with due deliberaton. who will not be intent merely
upon gratifying the clamor Of politicians and who will
convince hmself personally, before making appont-
ments. of the fitness and worth of canddates In the
case OF q strong man, firm Of purpose and with an
adequate knowledge of the world such intentions IL
strictly adhered TO- would doubt have resulted in
great and permanent bene to the service; but in the
case OF r. Bayard 1t had just the contrary effect Mr.
Bayard. such his In the Senate show wed him.
is neither strong consistent He is q man Of
moderate attanments, of little experience in
executive work. and lacks the genius of the diplomat
which should make impossible the most cautions
and reticent Of cats to conceal from him long which
way it will jump In other words, Mr. Bayard has no
knowledge of men, and TO this fatal detect may be
| trace the many disappontments which have marked
his Secretary of State so far If YOU tako
into Consideration, moreover the fact the general
impression prevailing in the public mind to the
uary Notwithstanding that he Is one Of the most
narrow minded and bgoted of partisan., that in the
Senate what passed for his so-called Independents
nothing more than mental dyspepsia tempered
times by spirit Of contradiction and that he Is
susceptible a certain kind OF fattery than any
other public of the present day-take all these
things into consideration, say. and you will have
great difficulty, think in accounting for of the
bunders which Mr.. Bayard committed in the selection
of his diplomatic agents.
Take among his earlier appointments which all
made because Mr. Bayard knew the men personally,
that Of Governor Porter the First Assistant Secretary
OF State. mild-mlnnored inofensive old gentle
man, of experience whatever dipomat and
fatal ignorance of tho questions he called upon
to deal with What laughing stock he made of this
government when within less than twenty four hours
after no had dispatched official letter to certain
NewEngland fishermen he had to revoke by telegraph
the Interpretation to the treaty Of 1918 contained in
that very letter written the day before 1t might have
been supposed that Secretary Bayard wond seek for
| his first assistant man who could supply his own
defects aud strengthen his hands where they needed
engthening. But that does not seem to have en-
tered Mr.. Bayard's mind at all when he chose Cover
nor Porter for the place he occupies The latter
had entertained him. and handsomely let it be hoped,
his plantation in Tennessee few years ago when
| Mr. Bayard travelled in that State. Over cup OK
| tea. It is said, the two gentlemen grew eloquent.
That the beginning Of their friendship But that
of Aa-is
tary of State neither of them probably suspected at the
time. The appointment of General Lawton. OF
Georgia 10 be Minister at st. Petersburg another
| of those purely personal appointments, aud in his
eagerness provide soft berth for his old friend the
Secretary of State entirely overlooked the fact THAI
| the valiant ex-Confederats had apparently noe
thought worth his while go through the fornalty
| of having his political disabilities removed though
he perfectly willing to hold Office again Judge
Manning of LOUISIANA who has just been selected 10
| ill the place made vacant by the resignation OF Min
ister Jackson in Mexico to be another OF these
apersonal" appointments Last October, it appears,
| Judge Manning spent some time in Washington look
| ing for crumbs from the spoils table. Mr.. Bayard
became very much impressed by the Jud ses manner.
| and he decided forthwith to appoint him in the
| diplomatio service. | wonder if Mr.. Bayarl knew.
| when no decided upon the appointment, that nos
| many years ago Governor McHenry OF Louisiana,
refused to reappoint Mr.. Manning Judge OF the 3D.
preme Court of the State, because because, though
considered very high-toned gentleman" in
Louisiana, Mr. Mannng's habits entirely too
oonvivia.' Another of these personal appoint
n ents was that OF the famous Kelley who, sue
cessivey rejected by two courts mysteriousy disap
peared from public view. taking 1t we're header
into Continental Europe and has bobbed up lately as
| a member of the International Tribunal in Caro-. Mr..
| Bayard had no other knowledge of Mr.. Kelley thar
that derived from casual visit to Kelley brother.
| Catholic clergyman living / believe, in Baltimore.
And comes. oappng the climax as the worst case
| OF ALL the appointment Of Mr.. Sedgwck as Special
| Envoy" His selection, too, was the work of Mr..
Bayard solely Nobody had recommended Mr.. Sedg-
wick Mr. Bayard's knowledge of the man was based
only on such intercourse with him as Mr. Sedgwick's
business in Washington last winter that OF q Parlis
| mentary Attorney" by others called "lobbyist }
would permit ought not to forget. perhaps, to draw
attention to the fact that Mr. Sedgyick had name"
| q powerful consideration always with a man OF Mr..
| Bayard's strong prejudices
But if Mr.. Bayard was particularly unfortunate
whenever he depended solely upon his own Judgment
10 making selections for the diplomatic service he
| still unfortunate whenever he sought and iol-
lowed the advice of others in such matters so con-
spicuoas has been his failure in this respect that ID
almost seems as If an unucky pursuing his
appointees. Turn in whatever direction you WILL Mr..
| Bayards appontees if they have not shown their
incompetency, have at least succeeded in making
themselves the laughing stock OF people abroad and at
home Can anything more hdcrous and at the same
time more humihating BE- imagined than the conduct
of Bayles w. Hanna at Bueuos Ayres lhis genial
specimen Of the Indiana Democracy had not been AZ
his post month before he wrote in glowing terms to
bis brother boosters whom he had left behind, how
glorious the G, untry to winch he had been sent,
how Jobs of every kind fourished, how corruption
stalked about openly and with scarcely any stigma
attached TO 1T in word, be told his friends ia
come on one and all and live in this I'll Dorado OF tho
needy politician and become ,ich. "Ihere's millions
| L.. |, That wa the burden OF Hanna'a aonQ A stern