Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1889-03-14

A Tribute from One Of the Abiest
Papers in the Country

n AftBuNb NFbfr OnG OF tnb Abttth
Papers in the Country
The time has not perhaps come TO do
Justice to the retiring Secretary OF State,
says the New York Epening Post, Few
persons who have ever occupied the Office
have suffered more obloquy. Few have
had greater difficulties to contend with.
Few have suffered in silence under
greater or more CALLING misrepresentation
No one, We venture to say, from the time
Of Thomas Jefferson, first Secretary OF
State, has been governed by purer mo.
tives, more patriotic impulses, more set
denying reticenoe and fidelity TO the high
interests under bis charge. The measure
OF his ability cannot now be determined
to the satisfaction OF all. 10 much
of hent and ranoor have entered
into the foreign complications Of the
past four years, and especially into the
fishery dispute, that'a calm judgment is
not now to be looked for; but we are
persuaded that MIR. Bayard's vindicAticn
will not be long deferred, and that when
it comes it will be lasting. We believe
that when we shall be little further re-
moved from the smoke of strife that has
clonded Mr.. Oleveland's Presidential
term, and when iii ever the Irish vote
shall cease to be q peculiar prize in the
fold OF party contention, Mr.. Bsyard's
administration will be generally re-
garded as one marked by sound juag.
ment as distinctly as it has been by high
purposes.
In drawing my comparison between
MIR. Bayerd and ether resent heads of the
state department. we must besr in mind
that the fishery question had been at rest
for more than 30 Yeas, except dlring n
brief space prior to the negotiation Of
the treaty OF Washington, and that in
this negotiation ii was altogether suhor-
dinate TO The greaterissues growiug ont Of
the war of the rebellion. The AlGba0la
Claims so oyertopped everything else that
fishing rights and fish tariffs were thrown
into the balance the one against the other
with scarcely note of cppoaition. The
Halifax award produced some discredit
able murmuring-it is always diacredit-
able for party who has submitted case
to o tribunal of his own choosing, 10
whine over the verdict. 60 completely,
however, had the fishery dispute beon
forgotten when MIR. Bayard came into
office that few people knew that such
thing had ever existed. The whole ma.
ton had to be educated upon il, and
naturally enough the party in opposition
seized upon it to make trouble for the
party in power.
This is not the time or place to review
Mr.. BAyard's negotiation with Great
Britain in detail. What we wiSh to direct
attention to--what, we are convinced,
future generations will most concern
themselves about-is the fact that Mr..
Bayard strove, against great pressure, for
peace and good will among men and
among nations. II is one OF Mr.. Web.
ster's chief titles to glory that he nego-
tiated the Ashburton treaty. Then, as
now, extravagant claims we're made to
the rights" in dispute. Then it was
territorial instead of maritime iarisdic.
tion that constituted the body OF the
contention. Probably some persons
can be found now who think that Ma.
Webster gave up too much territory
west OF Lake Superior for the sake OF
more immediate advantage 10 the State
Of Maine, but all such considerations are
sunk in the noble achievement Of peaoe
and amity between two great Stations. II
Is the true and inefacsable Judgment Of
both countries, and Of other nations az
well, that Mr.. Webster is entitled to the
4DAAs Vi mankind for hringinE - !.
peapefni and honorable clone dispute OF
/ much acscbity AID danger. and that hia
great influence was given to the shilling
Of passions and the prevention OF blood
shed.
Now, 1t must be said for Mr. Bayard =
and this nobody will deny-that he has
carried the country through an angry
fa Will bna - ~. 49,
OF otiice without breach of the reaoe or
anything akin to it. He was confronted
with this difficulty when he first came in.
lie turns it over to his successor in no
worse plight than he received it, and
this, considering the opportunities aud
great provacations for miscaief, is no
small achievement. We think that the
treaty which the Senate rejected
was good one, and that il 1t had been
negotiated in the same identical words
by Republican secretary, it would have
been ratified. But, be that IS II may, it
stands to Mr. Baysrd'a credit that he has
preserved friendly relations, without dis
honor, with Great Britain and with Ger
many, in the midst Of unwonted clamor,
I and in spite OF the strongest temptation
to reap partisan advantages from the pas
sions Of the hour.
This is MIR. Bayayd's chief claim to the
gratitude OF his country men, but when
closer investigation comes to be mado
into the records Of his offios, II will be
found that he has administered his cii %
with stricter conformity to the principles
OF civil service reform than sny other
man in recent times who has held it,
than any other in recent times who has
held my cabinet office, with the single
exception OF Mr.. Schurz. Whatever may
be the iudgmon. OF his contemporaries
on bis foreign policies, his administration
OF the consular service and OF the depart
ment at Washington will command the
hearty respect of all those who are OPP.
opposed to the spoiis system in politics.