The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-12-28
MR.. BAYARD's LETTER.

The letter of Ambassador Bayard to
the London Daily Telegraph declining
the Telegraph's proposed Christmas
gift, is a rather remarkable document
The declination was very proper and in
good taste; the letter itself is not in
such good taste, in truth it rather in
dicates lack of it. 1t should be allowed
to speak for itself before being criti-
cised. 1t is in these terms:
To the Editor of the Daily Telegraph:
Sir-Early this morning telegraphed
you praying that you would proceed
no further with your kind and generous
proposition for a testimonial to me
from the people of This country, in
token Of their appreciation of my eff
forts to establish between the two
great English-speaking countries rela-
lions of unbroken harmony and good
will
On the afternoon of Thursday re-
turned to London and there first was
informed, and through the columns Of
the Daily Telegraph, that such a testi-
monial in the form of two literary
-Tes-the works Of Chaucer and
Shakspeare-was proposed to be pre-
sented TO me by general subscription,
in indication of goodwill and respect
to my country and to me as its diplo-
matte representative. 1 was naturally
deeply touched and gratified by such a.
proposal and the generous measure of
eulogy contained in the editorial that
announced it. Nor was my gratifica-
ton lessened when your issue of yes
ter6ay and that of today contained so
many spontaneous tributes of respect
and kind feeling from men Of all classes
of occupation and degrees of fortune.
me to the sober judgment that, hold
ing my present Office. and invested
with its discretion and duties, [ should
scrupulously respect and obey the spirit
as well as the letter of my countrv's
law-written and unwritten-which in
hibits anyone holding Office of trust or
profit under the United States from ac-
cepting, without the consent of con-
gress, any present from any king,
prince or government"
The reasons for such inhibition apply
with special significance to the repre-
sentatives of the government at for
eign capitals, and nowhere is the strict
and. delicate obedience to the meaning
of such law mere plainly and import
antly inculcated than under the popu-
lar forms of a republic in order to pre-
serve in popular estimation confidence
in the disinterestedness of public serv-
ice and cleanpess in high office, so that
not even the smell of smoke" can Turk
in the folds of official garments.
The ermine of the judge should not
be more stainless than the robe of the
iawgivcr, nor that of the legislator
than tie executive officer The pa
triotic and admirable intent with which
your influential journal originated and
advocated the presentation of such a
testimonial to me as the ambassador
Of my country has surely been ac-,
complished already, for it has evoked
such expressions of widespread SYM
pathy and approval as, like the breath
of the ocean, will fill the sails of the
two great ships of state as they are
borne onward together by the irresist
ible currents of a common civilization,
strengthened by the ties of a common
mother-tongue and a literature in
which the highest thoughts of man
kind are embalmed.
/ am sincerely grateful for the ex-
pressions of individual, national and
international good viii. in all of which
my personal share is ample and de-
lightful. While l live I shall not cease
to thank the people of these islands
for the whole-hearted, unstinted well
come I have received at their hands
and the warm Inequalities showered
upon me and mine since ] came among
them, amid which your most kind pro-
pOSdl mas It's eSDeCidl emphasis.
| am sure that serve both countries
best when I decide, as an ambassador,
not to become the recipient of the valu-
able and most delightful present pro-
posed for my acceptance at your in
stance by the people of the nation to
whose government / am accredited.
Believe me. sir, to be very grateful
and sincerely yours.
r. F. BAYARD.
IF
don, December 5, 1896.
1t is somewhat surprising that Mr..
Bayard should have taken a few hours
of reflection to decide what was prop
or for him to do in the premises. Sc
soon as the proposal was made it
should have been evident that he could
not permit of it being carried out.
Citing the constitution as a means for
his action, and then running off into
a somewhat lengthy commentary as to
the reasons for the constitutional pro-
vision, and telling the English editor
that the ermine of the judge should be
spotless, and other equally salutary
truths, really add TO the gaiety of those
nations that read his letter. The spirit
of the letter is ali right, but SO much
cannot be said for the text.
In preparing a horse for a great race