The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1896-12-06
CHARITY FOR BAYARD
4 London Newspaper Raising a Fund TO
Purchase Him a Christmas Gift.
The SCHEME STRONGLY CRITICISED
II ts An IndiSnity TO Ambassador
BAY "nst "a Disgrace 10 tho Ma
'ion -GrenL Eritain's Successful
Dipiomncy in Esypt- BisnlnrcK's
Hcvei"tions:Cn Cnused Annoyance.
Copyrighted. 1896. by the Sun Publish
ing AS;ociation)

copyrighted. 1896. by the Sun Publish
Ing AS;ociation0
London. Dec. 5.-Eve:y sef-respecting
American In London s Indignant over
the spectacle presented during the pas;
three days OF a prominent newspaper
"cadging' the British public TO send in
their shiliings TO buy Christmas pres
ent for she Ambassador of the United
Stltes TO the Court Of 81. James. Ii is
the source and method of a!sing the So
called national tribute which lrritates
and disgust; more than the thing Itself
ms Statement implies no serious re-
lec;ion upon the Daily Telegra ph which
ranks as an enterpris.ng and influential
Journal in English estimation. Ii has
It's pecuiiariiies. however. One Is to
start some idio,ic, silly season discuss ion
eHe;y summer and run II as the most
prominent feature of the paper until
everybody is sick OF any alu:lon to
the subject. Another Is to start some
popular Christmas subscription in win
ter and boom the thing in ever ossible
way until the arrivai of the holiday
bring; welcome relief 10 the leaders of
Its columns. The lists are daily printed
under headlines bigger than any Others
In the paper and everybody who sends
shilling Is entitled to write O letter
from few lines to half n column in
length. which the Telegraph will faith
fully reproduce.
GRIZZLIES AND BAYARD.
Last year the object of the Daily Tele-
graph: osten; ;atious benevolence was
the crippled of London; this year 1t Is
the American Amba ssador. Last years
fund was raised 10 provide toys for de-
lighted bene.iciaries; this year 1t Is 10
buy beautiful set of Shakespeare's
works for ':he grateful representative
OF the American people. II requires
three columns of the Telegraphs valu-
able space to-day 10 make known the
fact that about fifty individuals have
sent sums varying from shilling to
fve guinness 10 swell the fund. Sir Hen
~ Irving and Dean Haze are two con-
tributo:s whose names Will be recognized
by she American public. Then there
are interviewers with various anony-
nous influential Americans resident In
London" who say nice things about Mr..
Bayard personally. but 1t /: notice BILE
that they refrain from cha! !acterizing
the Telegraph's gift project" II Is sig-
nihcant also that reports from America
regarding the effect of the proposal on
pubic opinion Is quite contradictory
The Te,eGraphs correspondent quotes
Mr Coudert. Governor Flower, Bish-
op Potter. and Pre-: :!dent Elliott. Of Har-
ward. as expressing much pleasure over
the tribute 70 The American Ambassa-
dor's qualities. On the other hand all
the o:her correspondents who mention
the matter say that public sentiment
on the :uojec; is mix .ure of disgust
and Indignation. The other London
journals have always been silent with
respect 10 the Te egraph's perennial ec-
cen:ricities. but this time the Chronicle
has been moved 10 protest. Yesterday
and again 10 day it denounced both the
bad taste and the morale Of the p.o-
3ect. 1t says to-day:
a PROTEST.
1--WE should have thought that the
natural objection to such gift would
be obvious even to those who are not
familiar with the technlcalities OF Dip
lomacy. First. such proposal mus, be
In It's nature offensive to the American
people. They know perfectly we'll that
no Amba ssad dor of n European power
would be allowed the acceptance of such
q proposal. and. therefore. they must
conclude that in the eyes OF the pro-
pnsers the American representative Is
placed on level OF less dignity. Second
Americans, Ike any other sensitive ma
1ion under the same circumstances. will
feel the implication that their AmbaSsa-
Cor is being rewarded for something be-
yund the performance of his duties. and
they wi naturally say that they only
desire him TO he treated with perfect
justice. not with favor. The Telegraph's
proposal was quite certain to evoke COM
ment In the United States hostile TO Mr.
Bayarh himself such as that tele-
eraphed by our Washington and New
York correspondents to-day, and thus 10
dclcat It's own end slight acQualnI-
nnce with American affairs would have
enabled our contemporary TO forese.
this. From every point OF view the pro-
posal was a mistake and none the less
80 because we all cherish warm regard
and sincere respect for Mr.. Bayard and
because the sentiment which prompted
1t was one shared by everybody. Lord
Mayor Philips, we observe In sending
Ave guineas 10 the fund for a gift to
the American Ambassador-what q
shock the mere words convey--says that
he Is proposing 10 entertain Mr. Bayard
at the Mansion House This Is a natu-
raj and perfectly proper tribute Of good
VIII. and II the jOurna lists of London
should desire 10 do the same there is
no objection. except. perhaps. that Mr.
Rayard himself would prefer that there
should be some bounds 10 our affection.
to hinder them from carrying out their
ho. .pitable desire,
a SHAAIED SILENCE.
There Is a painful uncertainty with
regard to the attitude of Mr. Bayard
himself towards this mistaken attempt
to do him honor Most Of the Amcri-
cans in London expected that not later
than to-day. at least. the Telegraph
would withdraw. with what grace IL
could. Its unprecedented proposal I'm
fortunately there Is nothing to Indicate
that Mr.. Raysrd has made any protest
EnGlish reporters have endeavored to