Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-03-21

The resolutions of censure adopted by the
House of Representatives yesterday ex-
press, it Is entirely safe to say, the senti-
ments Of a very great majority Of the
American people. 1t was altogether proper.
too. that Mr.. Bayard. who had provoked
the deliverance, should be mentioned by
name. His own friends, indeed, should
have preferred that FORM The omission Of
his name. indeed, would, in the circum-
stances, only have made it the more con-
spicuous, besides covering him with the
additional confusion of having to accept
from his opponents a charitable effort to
break the force Of the fall.
Much was said during the debate on the
resolutions about their partisan nature
But is 1t not a fact that the partisanship
was much more conspicuous on the other
side? Does not examination of the debate
show that the friends of Mr.. Bayard were
forced, or for other reason elected, to
praise him rather than to attempt to vim
dictate him? There were several eulogies Of
him, eloquent enough and sincere enough,
but without the remoteSt reference to the
matter in hand. There was no denial of
the charges-there could be none-but only
a recording of Mr.. Bayards undisputed
personal excellencies. and the present as
sumption that so attractive man could
do no wrong. 1ndiscretion, it was even
held by his champions, was not to be
thought of In his case.
But, all the same, the offense stood of
record. and it was for the House to pass
upon 1t in the light not Of fervid eulogy of
the man for acceptable things accredited
to him in the past, but In the light of COM
mon sense official responsibility for the
acts of today. And in this view Of the
duty imposed the very merits Of Mr. Bay
ard-his culture his high social standing
AID his large public e.perience--were to be
marshaled against him. He was conspic-
uously not the man to have erred against
so plain a canon of good taste and pro-
p-iety, but co1spccuously the man to have
been able to meet the public requirements
of the functions at which as guest he
was assisting without overstepp;ng the
bounds of Official propriety or forgetting
the people whose commission he held.
What Mr.. Bayard had done, therefore, was
something for which he was in the strict
est sense to be held responsible, and the
House has not taken too severe a view
OF it.
The earliest English comments on the
resolutions show how very embarrassing
Mir. Bayard's position would be to any
other man but himself. The London news
papers. in complimenting him, express con-
tempt for the representative body of his
countrymen. He can afford, he is told, to
put the ceusure by as an act of ungenerous
partisanship, or. if he cares to notice it, he
may return home and put his critics to
rout by entering the national campaign.
None but a London newspaper could have
made the latter suggestion. MIR. Bayard as
a national quantity is well known at home
much better, indeed, than in dear London
During the days of his greatest power and
popularity he was never able to compete
for popular favor with men like Tilden
Hendricks. Thurman, Seymour or even Mr..
Cleveland. He has always been the idol of
a few men, but never the leader of host.
His party would never accept him as it's
standard bearer in any presidential race;
and that he could come home now, with
such record as he has made in England,
and inspire enthusiasm in the ranks of the
democracy. is a suggestion little too wild
for serious consideration. Mr.. Bayard HIM
self will not be misled On that point.
But the incident Is closed. The House
was justified in its action, and good will
come of it. The principal point is that the
resolutions adopted will put a stop to the
misuse of the office of ambassador in flu
ture.