Los Angeles herald., 1891-04-06
MR.. BLArNE's DIPLOMACY.


James G. Blaine is the ark of the Re-
publican covenant. If any sacrilegious
hand be reached out but to touch the
hem of his garments howl of the super
stitious goes up so shrill and full of fear
that it splits the ear, and freezes the
marrow in the bones-of the other be-
levers in this fetish. As matter OF
fact, Mr.. Blaine's treatment OF the
Italian difficulty has been accorded an
unusual measure of praise from the
American press irrespective of party.
Here and there some editor we'll versed
in international law, and with some
knowledge of diplomatic relations, and
national comfy, has dared to express
the opinion that Mr.. Blaine made gre
vious error in admitting that the federal
government is at all responsible to the
families of those killed at New Orleans,
to pay an indemnity for their death.
Mr.. Bayard was the first American Sec
retary of state to admit the correctness
of such principle, and he put it dis
tinctly on the ground that the Chinese,
in whose behalf the claim was made,
were killed in territory. Mr.. Blaine
now extends the principle so as to make
it of general application. Bayard and
Blaine are both wrong. Webster and
all following him down to Evarts were
right. The principle is clear as day.
All treaty can guarantee to aliens re-
siding in this country is the protec-
ton of the laws of the state
where they may have their abode.
That is all the guarantee our own citi-
zens can claim, and surely that is all
aliens should claim.
The Italian diplomats, both in Italy
and at Washington, have said with a
good deal of supercillious irony that they
have nothing to do with our constitu-
ton; that if it is defective we must
amend it. The centralizing ultra-Re-
publicans, who have spoken on the sub
ject, have virtually admitted that there
is defect in our legal system in this
respect, and that the next congress will
pass law providing for federal inter-
position in such cases as this at New
Orleans. There is no such defect exist
ing. and no congress will attempt
to amend such imagined defect. We
want a bit of old-fashioned American
backbone that will not be so ready to
confess defects, nor SO prone to brook
the rude language of any minister OF
any foreign court. Suppose the federal
government were vested with the power
to investigate such an affair as the kill
ing at New Orleans. Suppose such an
occurrence had taken place in England
or France. What more could be done
than is being done? No constitutional
government, and only barbarous despot-
isms, can override law and take sum-
mary Justice. Such matters must be
investigated in the courts of the dis
trict where they take place.
Mr.. Porter, our minister to Italy, is
much praised for the cool manner in
which he took the affair. But is there
not a GOODNESS that amounts to meek
ness? When some of these irascible
and Incorporate courtiers forgot their
courtesy and clustered and scolded like
fshwomen, the true GOODNESS would have
been to order them from the presence OF
thoroughbred American, proud of his
country. But our people go to these
foreign courts nowadays, and prince
ling's smile, or bit of social distinc-
ton, is more highly valued than nation
al honor. The management of these
foreign relations would be improved
right now by the injection of little
downright honest American vim into it.