New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-04-25

the subject are unceasing and 60 far TO enven
the monotony OF the seat Of the National Gov
eminent Hitherto the war on the subject OF
precedence has been restricted to the Senators. to
the members Of the Cabinet. to tho officers OF the
Army and Navy and to the members OF the various
Government Departments. Now for the first time
the Diplomatic Corps has been dragged into tho
matter, its dean. Sir Julian Pauncefote putting
forward the pretension that tho ambassadors OK
Great Britain, France and Germany are entitled
to follow Immediately after the President OF the
United States and to enjoy precedence over every
one else In the country including tho Vice
President AS a rule, questions and Issues OF this
character raised by mediocrty. and those VINO
have watched Sir Julian since he came 10 WASH
ington and have observed the skill with which
he has pursued his mission and the common-sense
which he has manifested every occasion until
now find II difficult TO believe that he would ever
have called this conflict into existence had he not
been prompted thereto by some colleague. or enemy
In the disguise Of friend. who is desirous OF see
Ing him lose the reputation for good sense winch
he has won in this country
II is difficult 10 understand what grounds the
foreign ambassadors at Washington pase 'heir
claims for precedence every one in the United
States except the President himself. For In
France which IS endowed like this country with
a republican form Of government, the Foreign am
bassadors are compelled to yield precedence. not
only to the President Of the Senate. but even 70
the President Of tho Chamber of Deputies. on the
ground that both Of these dgnitaries are asso-
ciated with the President OF the Republic IN the
national sovereignty. Nor has the right OF the
executive officers Of the two houses OF tho LeSis-
lature to walk before this ambassadors ever Deem
questioned by the latter. Strictly speaking, tho'e
fore Sir Julian. with his German ana frehch
colleagues ought to make way on all occasions
both official and private. not only for Vice-fresi-
dent Hobart but also for Speaker Reed
of character
raised within the last years in Europe has been
at Rome, where on one occasion at ball given IN
honor OF the Queen by one OF her lades-n-"aitihe'
Princess Palavicni. the English Ambassadress'
Lady Page and the French e for on
them at tho Royal supper table and they hah Desn
crowd az the buffet Their conduct at the time
was denounced al Rome and elsewhere as shy IN IN
the extreme. and II oceasoned much ridcule. Stl
there was more reason for 1t than for the preten-
sions mn forward by the ambassadors at Washing
ton led a Is n no that q the
country in which he is stationed but he Is also the
aters relations with the sovereign to whose court
ne IS accredited. But the President OF me IhIcd
States has no and is not In personal and init
mate relations with the monarchs Of Europe the
duties of the ambassadors are, therefore, confined
10 representing their governments, and under the
circumstances their plea 10 have extraordinary
precedence accorded 10 them because they repre-;
sent the persons Of their soVereigns Is Illogical ana
In England the foreign ambassadors have prece-
dence over dukes. and even over the Lord Chan
ceior and the Primate. But they are placed after
tho royal family and even members OF the latter
who are not princes OF the blood walk out 10 din
ner before them Thus Prince Ernest Hohenlohe
who :wo years ago married the daughter OF the
Duke Of Saxe-Coburg- Gotha, and thus became the
grandson-in-iaw OF Her Britannia Majesty, thereby
became entitled 10 precede the German Amba ssador
TO whose STAFF he had been attached until then as
a mere secretary OF the German Embassy
The ambassadors compelled also 10 follow in
the wake OF the Duke Of Teck. husband Of Prin-
cess Mary OF Great Britain and father OF the
Duchess OF York. although he IS not Royal High
ness in any sense OF the word and was born as
mere count serving subordinate officer in the
Austrian cavalry until Princess Mary who f. con-
siderab.y his senior became infatuated with his good
looks and married him 1t is. therefore. Idle to
contend that at the Court Of 81. James the am
bassadors enjoy precedence Immediately after the
Prince OF Wales. because this Is not the As
for ministers plenpotentiary they are forced by tho
being permitted to precede only marquises and
ole