Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1895-02-23
UNCLE SANS AGENTS.
HUNDREDS OF SECRET ONES
IN THE STATE DEPARTMENT.
rrainss Diplomats Sent on All Sorts
81 Missions. The World Never
Nears Of Them or Theie laboPs,

~ Missions. The World Never /
Hears Of Thorn or Their Labers. !
The activity OF American diplo- !
mats in the affairs of the world of
late, both regarding our own inter-
ests and those of other countries.
suggests some information and inter-
esting facts about branch of the
diplomatic service of which little Is
known to the general public. This
is the secret service Of the state De.
partment more especially, through
which millions of dollars have been
expended in lettering our relations
with otter parts of the world. but of
which the people usually know very
little until the result OF months or
years Of labor is announced.
Every few months, or sometimes
more frequently, the country Is
treated to surprise by the an.
nouncement that treaty with this
country or that, or some new com.
mercial relation OF some sort has been
consulnmatcd. Sometimes these are
accomplished through the minister
to the country in question, but often
by u special and secret representa-
tive, sent for that specific purpose.
Take, for instance, the visit of Blount
to Hawaii, or the tour of Prescott
and Walker Blaine to Peru and Chilli,
or the special mission of eX.Secretary
Foster to Spain, n few years ago, to
negotiate the commercial treaty.
These and many others are the work
81 special agents" of the State De.
partment.
Congress has recognized from the
first the Importance of u secret serv-
ice fund for the state and Treasury
Departments. For many years the
appropriation bills have set aside n
special fund of hundred thousand
or two hundred thousand dollars for
these departments, out OF which
money is paid without being nc.
counted for in detail. Ordinarily
every dollar expended by the officers
OF the government must be ac-
counted for In detail, showing for
what specific purpose 1t Is paid out
But II you look over the accounts of
the State Department or the Treas.
urv, you will note occasionally items
which indicate that large sums have
been paid out ION approval Of the
President" So 1t Is In the Treasury
Department. SO it was In the War
Department during the war, and oc.
casiOnally at present. SO IL Is In the
Navy Department, almost oil the
time, but especially In time Of war.
What becomes OF the millions paid
out for secret service, aud who gets
1t? What is it expended for, and
what IRE the results?
To tell the inside OF tho secret serv.
ice OF the State or Treasury or War
or Navy Department would make n
book OF mighty interesting read.
ing. 1t cannot be told In u news.
paper column. Yet there are some
facts worthy OF mention. well know n
to those able to discuss matters OF
this sort; many that cannot be told,
and which will remain forever n Sc.
cret. or until that great day when all
books are opened aud all secrets
made known.
Usually men selected for these So
mcnt are persons skilled in the dip.
lomatic art. Perhaps they have been
connected with the State Depart.
ment in this or other capacity before !;
perhaps they have been ministers or
consuls or employees OF the depart.
ment in Washington; perhaps they
ARE merely men OF extraordinary in
telligence and schooled In statecraft
or legal lore by service In Congress
or elsewhere; perhaps by some
blunder OH the part OF the appoint
ing power they are none of these.
Sometimes they go openly, often sc.
.cretly, but their work Is conducted
In private, aud the world knows noln-
ing OF tneir doings until they open
their paper some tine afternoon for Il
surprise.
Probably the first special and Sc.
cret mission In the history of this
country was when Sias Deane was
sent by the Continental Congress rs
o political agent to France, during
the revolutionary war, to try to oh.
tain the recognition OF tho United
Colonies by that country. He was
directed to 60 disguised rs a mer-
chant. He was to talk about trade
Ill tOUuCCO W OtltE WuttcES VI WIS
sort, and to enter upon such bust.
ness speculatlons Us would give
"verisimilitude." SO to speak, to his
'otherwise bald aud uninteresting
narrative" He carried out his in
structions, and later was joined by
Franklin and by Arthur Lee, and the
result was the treaty by which France
recognized the struggling colonies as
an independent power-our first
treaty.
Another and very interesting
secret mission was that OF Gov. Nor
ris, to London, who was sent there
shortly after the close OF the revolu.
tionary war to see that the terms OF
peace were carried out There was u
great deal Of trouble with Indians,
and failure OF the British to ADAM
don certain forts, which was acord-
ing to the agreement, and the trip OF
Morris was to look into this, and at
the same time see ii the British gov
crnInent would not send minister
TO the United States. Ii was felt that
II there were minister here, who
could be talked with face to face, the
facts developing from day to day
would be more easily adjusted. The
mission OF Morris was successful, and
AZ. G,at D,;t ,nipistap IN thia