The herald., 1898-10-08
THE ENGLISH MISSION

who will accept, for ambassador to
the court of st. James. Though so far
as grade and salary are concerned the
missions to Great Britain, France, Prus-
sia and Russia are on an equality, the
British mission is regarded in this
country as the highest in our diplomatic
service.
This, however, has not always been so.
For many years after the revolutionary
war the mission to France, or st.
Cloud, as it was called, was considered
the first. The treatment of our minis
ters near the British court, as described
by some of them, was cold and disdain-
full. Not till after the war of 1s12-15
was a friendly disposition manifested,
and it grew with the progress OF time
until our relations with Great Britain
have become closer than with any other
nation.
There were several causes which con-
tributed to bring about this condition.
First the two nations speak the same
language, and in many important re-
spects their institutions are alike or
similar. Second, we have had most to do
with Great Britain, as her possessions
border on our country from ocean to
ocean, and boundary disputes ran
through nearly or quite three quarters
of century. Third, our business rela-
tions, including trade and the fisheries.
have been more extensive than with any
other country. And fourth, since the
civil war, Great Britain has had higher
| appreciation of our power as a nation
and commercial people. 1t may also
be added we have forced her to make
concessions in regard to the true princi-
pies of international law.
Our representatives to the British gov
ernment have generally been men of ex
ceptional ability, who were distinguished
and influential at home. Our first pleni-
potentiary was John Adams, who was
appointed in 1884 though for five years
he had been a commissioner to negotiate
peace with the British government
Our list of full ministers to that court
I embraces such other names as Thomas
Pinckney, John Jay, Rufus King
Charles Cotesworth Pinckney, James
Monroe. William Pinckney, John
Quincy Adams, Richard Rush,
Albert Gallatin, James Barbour. Louis
McLane, Martin Van Buren, Andrew
Stevenson, Edward Everett, George
Bancroft, Abbott Lawrence, James Bu-
chanan, John T. Mason, Charles Fran
els Adams, j. Lothrop Motley, James
Russell Lowell, Edward j. Phelps, Rob-
ert I. Lincoln, Thomas F. Bayard and
John Hay.
The east has had the largest share of
these appointments, which number fif-
teen, eight from the south and two from
the west. Massachusetts alone has had
eight-three of them were from the
Adams family, representing three sue
cessive generations. Four from that
state were noted for scholarship and
literary achievements. They were
Everett. Bancroft, Motley and Lowell,
who aided in securing to this country
high status in the field of letters. Many
of our ministers were great lawyers or
statesmen, and through their efforts
they impressed the English mind with
the intellectual strength of the Ameri-
can people, and at the same time, in
general, they displayed a high degree
of diplomatic skill. American diplo-
macy=is more straightforward and posi-
tive than European, especially on the
involved-in craft as that of the conti-
mental powers.
The ostimportant treaties with Great
Britain, however, were not negotiated
which the : independence of the
colonies was recognized was the
work of commissioners. 1t was nego-
tiated and signed by John Adams, Ben
jamin Franklin and John Jay. The
treaty of Ghent, which put an end to
the war of 1S12-15, was negotiated by
Commissioners John quincy Adams,
James A. Bayard, Henry Clay, Jonathan
Russell and Albert Gallatin. The Ash
burton treaty, which settled the north
eastern boundary dispute and some other
differences, was prepared by Mr.. Web
ster, secretary of state, and Lord Ash
burton, the British minister in Wash
ngton. In the same manner the dis
pute over the northwestern boundary
was settled by the British minister,
Pakenham. and Secretary Of State
James Buchanan. In the same manner
also was the Clayton Bulwer treaty
brought about, Secretary of State John
NJ. Clayton taking the negotiation into
his own hands. The treaty of Wash
ington was framed by Joint high COM
mission, of which Secretary of State
Fish was president on the American
side.
1t has been the habit of our secretaries
of state to participate directly in ne
gotiatons to a much greater extent than