The Portland daily press., 1897-05-08

be disgruntled by any pretensions of suneri- |
GRITTY on the part of the ambassadors. and
yet lack of recognition of such superiori-
ty by our government would be sure TO max
Il row. 1t is worth mentioning here that
the President of the United States has never
dined at the .house of foreign minister.
The accepted etiquette renders such a pro-
ceeding unnecessary. But with an ambassa-
dor the theory is quite different Sir Julian
Pauncefote, for example, being a sort of in
| carnation of Queen Victoria, technically
spea king, would be warranted from the
technical point of view III resenting bitterly
a refusal on President Mckinley's part to
dine with him. 1t is the same way with
the other ambassadors at Washington.
Disputes over the distinction between am
bassadorial and ministerial rank have been
OF frequent occurrence at foreign courts.
For instance, at Stockholm, in 1882, the wife
OIL the Austrian envoy actually refused to
KISS the Queens hand unless her Majesty
gave her return kiss on the cheek i'll the
same manner as to the wives of ambassa-
dors. The upshot of it was that the Queen
refused = to receive her at all. But this
"omans quarrel about kiss interrupted
al! International business between Aus
tria and Sweden during no less than six
years.
AT the Vatican formerly, a seat for an
ampassadress was provided by placiag
opree cushions on the floor. At the cours
Oh France, in the assemblies of the Queen,
or az the dinner parties or supper parties
OF the hlng, the customary stool was always
furnished for the wife of a diplomat of such
rank. She sat with the princesses of the
blood royal, and took the first vacant place,
but scould not claim any precedence among
them. According to the custom of most
courts an ambassadress receives the first
visit from the wives of all other ENJOYS; b 1t
she pays the first visit to the princesses of
the reigning house. In obedience TO this
rule Mrs. Pauncefote and the wives of the
the ambassador, at Washington made first
call on Mrs Mckinney
The wife of an ambassador is entitled to
the designation of EXcellency. This, says Il
distinguished authority in diplomatic mat
tiers, Il. &. Il. Murray, to whom the writer
is indebted for much of his Information, is
the most natural and fitting title for Gerry
lady-a mere synonym for female. An am
bassadress may use a carriage and six hor-
ses, with outriders, which constitute the
proper equipage and equipment of her hus-
bands rank. In former times the wiv
of ambassadors were often honored with
special marks of royal favor and distinction.
hus, on the occasion of the marriage of
Henrietta of France to King Charles, in
1925, Nine. de Chevreuse, the wife of the
French ambassador, enjoyed the proud fe-
licity of conducting her new majesty to the
nuptial couch on the wedding night. 1t is
the privilege of an ambassadress to demand
officially satisfaction for any affrOnt offered
to his wife An ambassadors cannot be
summoned before the tribunal Of the SOW
ereign at whose court she is residing, on
account of debt; nor can execution be in
any manner issued against her person or
effects. She shares the peculiar sacredness
which attaches to her husband.
= In former days, at Constantinople, the am
bassadors of other Powers We're received
with what would now be regarded as afro
clous indignity. After being kept waiting
for a weary while the envoy was carried
in tn e arms of lamberlains;into the pres
ence of the sovereign. After being made to
tials and gifts at the foot of the throne.
The Sultan seldom deigned to take the
smallest notice of him. But In these days
it is very different. The Sultan is now a
mere puppet of the Powers, and the ambas-
sailors go to see him when and how they
like. OF ten they scold him in severe terms.
To such a pass has come the prince who
now sits on the tottering throne of the
East ern Caesars. RENE BACHE.