The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1889-08-04
MERRY ENGLAND
AS SKETCHED BY Mr.. THOMAS NJ
PAGE

ambassadors W. Ministers.
Distinguished subjects Of Her Majesty.
Pleasant Friends, Etc.
special Correspondence Of the Tines
LONDON. July zl.-One often gets "a bet
ter perspective OF an Object when at q
proper distance from 1t than when
very close. so | propose 10 DeRin
by giving the Judgment l nave. AFTER
mature reflection. arrived at rs to GER
tain PERSONS aud things in England. ]
do not know that my judgment will be
either acceptable or excepted, but it, at
/ least. contains my real opinion, and
| that is something. A friend of mine
wrote me the other day that an English
friend in Virginia said had gone over
To the r sdicals. and that be could see
'Tay. Pay tO'Connorl sticking
out in all my letters. The day before
received this letter "Tay Pay" intro
duced me TO another Irish III. +. rs
81. one of these blasted Tories. You
remember Rueben's grace in the Heart
OF Midlothian. how the Laird thought
il much too lang. and old man Deans
thought it far too short. The faithful
narrator Of those chronicles hazards
the opinion that from these conflicting
views perhaps the grace was about the
proper length.
BRITISH VS.. AMERICAN IDEAS.
We have had in England the oppor.
tunlty to see all classes and a great
many things which ordinarily we might
not have seen. We have met artists
and literary men, statesmen and men
of affairs. churchmen and actors, Con-
servatiyes and Radicals. Euglishmen
and Irishmen. We have liked them
all. admire both the English and the
Irish for many good qualities, but, after
all. | believe | like our American ways
best. | admire the British Govern
ment for some things. but still | am
heartily glad that | am an American.
[ have "a great respect for the Queen,
but there are things assoc lated with
royalty which my republican principles
will not permit me to accept The idea
that the law-making power ia TO be an
Unbeatable piece OF property is some
thing which my mind rejects. The
sacredness of a particular strain OF
blood is too ancient a fiction for me TO
give 1t adherence. The Crown has now
III fact far less political power than IS
vested in our executives; but still 1t
possesses power which is unknown in
America: its social power IL enormous.
and herein lies the real canker. The
social career OF anyone is greatly at
the mercy of the Royal Family. 1t is
"A relic of the days when the first gen
tlemen in the Kingdom held il an honor
To hand His Majesty His Majestic
brooches or to relieve him Of His Royal
boots.
Ii is not customary now for gentle
men to perform just these offices, but
the relative positions are nearly the
same. Herein lies the great difference
between the power Of the Crown in the
most liberal monarchy Of the world.
and that Of the President. The latter
comes down to his reception-r0om and
shakes hands with all the decent, or
Derby people there: if he is in any other
city than the capital. he may visit any
gentleman and Is simply the most hon
Ored guest. that is all. Her
Majesty never shakes hands with
any man. She simply bows. If
she visit. a gentleman : house he will
meet her at the door. open her carriage,
and stand aside with bowed head: one
Of her lsdies hands her down. When |
she leaves the master Of the house may
bring her wraps. but one of her domes- /
tics helps her on with them. Her visit /
il an event in the history Of the estab- /
lishment. The room in which she sleeps
will be pointed out as long as the 1
walls sand, and her visit will |
add $50, 600 to the market value Of the |
mansion. An invitation TO dine with /
Her Majesty. which is perhaps the /
highest social honor that can be con
ferred on anyone. means al invitation
dine at Her Majesty palace with
other members OF her household. She
herself does not appear at dinner, but
dimes, like Joseph, alone, and only APP
pears for a short time afterwards in the ,
drawing room. No one may sit in her
presence OF engage in any occupation
unless hidden. and as she is strict in her
views OF etiquette. IL Is said that her
ladies' in waiting have in some respects
q hard time. She is fond OF being read
10. and heard that not great while
once one of her ladies. having become
exhausted by standing for long time.
whilst reading TO her, begged finally to
l. q permitted 10 finish the book on her
knees.
From these facts some idea may be
had of the social power vested in the
Crown. smile from Her Majesty
Will make fortune; frown will ruin
a family. She is, however, a good
woman. and England has during her
reign grown rich.
MINISTER'S OR AMBASSADORS.
OF one thing American | am not {
proud. and that Is the policy OF the
government in the matter of its minis
eIs In the first place. we should not !
nave ministers at all, but aubassa-
Tors. We are to-day the greatest ma j
ion on the face Of the earth, yet our I
-epre ST. natives abroad are mere minis |
ers or agents Of the second class. and i
ack the essential powers Of national
svOys. 1t is all very well To talk Of
Republican simplicity, but simplicity {
nay be stupidity If II refuses to take |
COMMON sense view Of plain facts. a
The people of nation make up
Is public opinions. Now very ,
ew of them in foreign countries {
AVE any idea Of what America IL, ex I
epl such as they get from seeing our Q
representatives and from their own G
newspaper reports of events In which C
hey figure. and in England our Minis '
er is stuffed away in little back c
Dom, and in the papers always comes {
fter all the Ambassadors. not only Of b
he great Pow ers. but also of the dozen
r So small ones. which have repre- I
eutltiyes Of this rank. 1t brings
america into dlsrepute.
Before our war the government bad {
wO war ships IN the Chinese ports a
'hich were taken away for service at {
ONE. Afterwards the same vessels b
'eIe sent back again. Whereupon the v
hinese. not uunaturally. concluded y
nat these were the only ships the u nited a
tates had. and forthwith proceeded C
, be- 50 insOleut that it took other ships v
nd a good deal OF money to undeceiye L
rem. a
HE OFFICIAL QUARTERS OF THE AMERI- =