Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1897-05-29
AMBASSADOR EUSTIS
Presents His Letters Of Recall to
President Faucr.
"ivos His Impressions Of France, and Tells
the Frenchmcn some Truths About tho
Imp:rfectlOns of Their system
France and America Compared.

France and America Compared.
PARIS, May 25.-The retiring United
States ambassador, Mr.. James B.
Eustis, drove to the Elysee palace yes
tcrday and presented his letters of re-
call to President Faure.
After the ceremony Mr.. Eustis
granted an interview to representa-
tive of the press and gave the latter
his impressions Of France, expressed
his admiration of the French people
and gave his opinion of the rejected |
Anglo-American arbitration treaty.
Mr.. Eustis said:
MY four years residence in France
has afforded me very favorable op-
portunity for studying French institu-
tions and it has been most interesting
study, as it has enabled me to contrast
the workings of a republican govern
ment in France and constitutional
government in the United States.
There are some points of dissimilarity.
They are called sister republics, but as
to fundamental principles they are not
very closely related. In advocacy of
personal liberty France has never
produced single great man, the fact
being that no matter how ardent re-
publican Frenchman may be, and
how great may have been his devotion
to the political rights of the people,
he does not seem able to form the
slightest conception of what are known
in England and the United States as
the fundamental rights of personal
liberty. They made a revolution to
destroy one bastilc, but they have
many to-day on the republican soil
OF France, owing to their system
of arbitrary arrests, detentions and per-
secutions which exist only under the
most autocratic form of government.
TO an American such system would
render life intolerable. 1t could be
wiped out in one day, but no one seems
to consider it sufficiently important to
protect the personal liberty of the cit
izen. The French certainly deserve
great deal Of credit for having main
tanned their republic in the face of
such adverse circumstances, but they
present the strange anomaly of self
governing people, being fond of the
constant and unrcmitting interference
of the government in their personal af-
fairs and their personal relations, and
being supremely Indifferent to the
rights of personal liberty. An eminent
Frenchman, with whom | was discuss
ing this question, most truthfully de-
clared:
1.-The ignorance of public men In
France with regard to the working of
constitutional government has often
amazed u.s..
AS regards the French people, my
residence in Paris has increased my ad
miration for them. | consider them n
most marvellous people rs regards their
intelligence, their thrift, their habits
of sobricty, their wonderful resources
and their devotion to political liberty;
and if, as we do, they allowed their
free institutions to develop, instead OF
dwaring the individuals, their ma
tional power would be much greater
than it is now"
"As you were for years member of
the senate foreign relations committee,
what is your opinion of the rejected
treaty of arbitration between Great
Britain and the United States?'
81 have always considered it senti-
mental farce. 1t is based upon false
idea, in the first place, that the intclli-
gent processes of diplomacy are in
adequate to adjust differences bctwee n
the two governments and, secondly,
that the amicable process Of special
rbitration will not be resorted to
when diplomacy fails. Both of these
assumptions are falsifed, even by our
very late experiences, and it is hui
initiating confession by both govern
ments to admit that these potent
instrumentalitics are not to be within
their reach in the future as they have
| Deen Ill tne pHSh IL, ou thc otHci
hand, it means that the feeling OF
hostility between the two countries
is SO pronounced that it is necessary
to establish a disciplinary tribunal to
keep them in order and prevent them
from rushing at each others throats
(which is a preposterous supposition)
any permanent tribunal of arbitration
would be brushed aside and utterly
fail of its intended purposes"
"What are your plans now?"
II have presented my letters OF re-
call, and. therefore, am private citi
zen. shall shortly leave Paris, settle
in New York and practice law there.