New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-06-14
MINISTER'S IN COURT DRESS.
A vEXED QUESTION WITH AMERICAN
DIPLOMATS.


CARRYING OUT CONGRESSES MANDATE or
SIMPLICITY MR. rRECKINRIDGE's
COURSE AT ST PETERSBURG.
Washington. June 10 (speciaD.-For two weeks
me American people have been quietly smiling
at the imaginative picture they have drawn FOR
themselves Of Clifton r. Breckenridge. Minister 20
st. Petersburg. when he appeared at the corona
ton of the Car in court dress patterned arter
his own fancy Mirth-producng as tho picture 49,
this subject up for serious discussion IN Con-
gress not long ago. and sufficiently important 10
call forth two messages from thu President OF tho
United States resulting in legislative action pro-
h.bting the very thing Mr.. Brcckinrdee has done.
The evolution OF the court dress. in It's relation
TO the diplomatic corps Of the United states is
Interesting and in these later days more than
usually entertaining. II has worried and perpicxed
high officials brought misguided and severe cri''-
c.sm uron our Representatives abroad and created
y sensation I'm that most phlegmatic OF English IN
stitut,ons It's press SO varied were mo lancle"
of American diplomatic officers abroad. ana no
often was the finger of ridicule pointed az Ameri-
cans because OF their adoption Of costumes utterly
foreign 70 American ideas ana repugnant TO Ameri-
can tastes that Congress was compelled 10 take
IN. matter in hand and enact a statute. mandatory
in IT'S terms forbiddng tho wearing OF any costume
other than that OF an American citizen
The diplomatic officials OF nearly all countries
more or less richly embroidered with gold cooked
ho, and , sword Up 70 1857. when Congress passed
q ra.olu,.on which was incorporated In the dip
lomatc bill of that year. American Ministers "ore
such costumes their fancy suggestcd' ana tne''
coming together would have produced spccth'io
70 which n. Mr. Sanford. Minister 70 Bru'sc's.
said nothing could be compared save fancy ball
=, uusord,s or n burlcsdue FIRST Of April parade
Of eccentric tatterdemnlions. IT was 20 cure such
evils AS these that tho resolution referred 70 was
passed which provides-it being still nnr~pea'en-
that no diplomatio official OF the unitcl STATES
shall wear any uniform or ofn~al costume not
nrovouslv authorized by Congress Vndcr " su'h
official is required appear In ordinary evening
dress unless. having been a military or naval
r.r h. wars tho uniform prescribed for his
rank.
A. IN. beginning Of tho American Government mo
costume worn by men IN society admitted OF 'hich
greater variety than at present II Color cit ana
ornament, and there no special distinction" "N-
cent IN point ~ richness. between dress worn AT
court and on ordinary orcl sons When the Amer
,car ,,s-ion went - Client IN 1914. for the con-
cue,on 81 the treaty with Great Britain chhhS'
had come over European usages. AM IT was fonhn
advisabl. 10 adopt some uniform 20 marx the RANK
81 the members ~ the Commission. This UNIFORM
ccn,i,ted Of a blue coat l,nod with white SIX .
sfro!ghf standing cape. embroidered with to'
sinrle-hr,asteI stright or round hutton-ho'''
,rghilv cmhro,derel buttons pain. or with m" ar
,,ll-r.sis -ag. stamped thereon: curs cmhro'dHfe'
Nv. ,h. cap, white cassimcrc brooches with soil
49,, ,e,,,,.. ,.t,.. .rk stockings ana god or ellt
,.,,,i,a ,h~ec-.orncrcl chapcau-bras. no, 80
49,, 60, -. -, r--.ach ror 30 small AZ
80 ,..,,,,. ., ,f,ck coc,alo with an
, ..,.ch,d. evorl eic corresponding. Tho
s,-cretl-cs wore tho came costume. nui with "S'
embroidery than mat on tho minister's coat f"'
Grand occasions this uniform wlS much ri'hrr. y
49," =, a,,t,-..,.f, .ort,s ~ tho I'nltcl
- '''T '',' ,r. -d .rta.ouont,y John
80 , 90, c..,c.s-v 81 STATE instructed
49, A-,.r,.,n Ministers 20 wear this as tho agr'eI
o,,-, cos,u,,. sending % zach representative 10
,o,,.t do.c-. ,,,on ~ the uniform with II colorei
49,, ,,iI q. m dlr,culty in having q,
. ,,,,,.,,c,rv COVE. N
JA'hS'Nl"N '''' H'
Jacksoalan simplicity 700" US I.','' -,
with the advent - Jachs'Ns N'"'''''"'
was made simpler ara 'h''''' ''""',
black cont with goi s'"' '' ''' -. -,
lar. black or white knee br''','S' , -
nat VIII" 80 ,.a ,.,,,. sc,,,.arl This
sicrl-rn"un'cf f""'' WI" " '' -. I,
dress WAS n"' pF'.'''' ' =, ,,,, ,.,,,,
- hone''nH III "''P'"S w. 49,, a,t mn.
lions. Tie sufS' """S W. ''' ,.-. . ,,,,..i -.
md goiscci s "c'' SOM ~ 49, 49,, .h .,..
American diplomats ," fn"'" ~ was -" ..
that IL I'' S'''.''') ''"' -, q, -,
drawing "'l previous '''S" ,,..l.,, v.r,sters IN
the appearance al court % ->''' , ..h-.
~" simple ''e'S ~ "' W ,-, ., 80. ,,,,,,
ever II conf br "'"' "'''''' ., -, r-
lic service MI Nary ''''' 10" .
Franklin. The HIST Nin''. ~ ."'".' -. -. Ca.
VINO huea''' }" '"' 5000 ,,, ,r.,s r,r
rctnry r'icrir4 y" 10 " way -, nd,
Trankln's dress Wa. however '"' '' '"
Secretary Marcy secfnn to nav" 'h""8"'' I'VE :, 49,,
l,r. r. his "AmcricAn pN''m"'N' '''' W 80
ln's costume wac QUAKER iu' "''F'' "''" ". ~
act pattern or the court "'''' ~ ' -.
* f,ttx vel
writer on THO subject 'H"' ''"""'
owing to tho love 0f tiinplclty on NJ pun % i'"
In. but merely that on an occasion n,' ~ w
was 50 rnn'h icSH'u ~ com, e. .n,.