The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-11-13
MONDAY, NOVEMBER Il, 1899.
AMERICAN DIPLOMACY.

Prof. Edwin A Grosvenor of Am
herst College is one of the men who dis
count the dissatisfaction in and con-
tempt for American diplomacy that is
felt by portion of the people and the
national press, and in brilliant paper
read before the American Historical AS
ISOLATION and now issued in pamphlet
form by the government printing Office
at Washington, he states his reasons
for the faith that is in him. From the
time OF Franklin, ''the ablest diplomat
Of the eighteenth century" and "the
first exponent of American diplomacy"
down to the present day, American
diplomats. far from exhibiting a lack
Of resource and of wisdom have shown
themselves again and again the peers
of their European colleages, says Prof.
GrosYenor, while he supports this opin-
ion by a list of names and a weight of
testimony that is impressive. How
should our ministers and other ENJOYS
not equal the representatives of other
nations since they are appointed by the
same principles as were the giants of
the early days of the republic-Frank-
lin. Adams and Jay?
Truly 1t is an imposing list of secre-
taries of state for the last 109 years
that Prof. Grosvenor places on the wit
ness stand. 1t includes Jefferson, Mar
shall. John Quincy Adams, Clay, Web
ster, Calhoun, Everett, Marcy, Cass,
Seward, Fish, Blaine, Olney. Prof. Gros-
venor calls the roll of our representa-
tives at the court of ST. James, and to
the names of Rufus King, John Quincy
Adams, Everett, Bancroft, Charles
Francis Adams, Motley, Lowell, Phelps,
Hay and Choate he opposes those of
England's ENJOYS to our capital at
Washington-Sir Stratford Canning.
Lord Napier, Sir Edward Thornton,
Lord Lyons, Sir Edward Bulwer Lytton
and Sir Julian Pauncefote-and pro-
nounces our representatives the peers
of these distinguished gentlemen.
We do not need to be reminded of the
lustre that the many men of letters who
have engaged in the diplomatic service
have cast upon the nation, for the
names of W. H. Prescott, Donald G.
Mitchell, John Lothrop Motley, George
Bancroft, Gen. Lew Wallace, Lowell,
Bayard Taylor, W. D. Howells, Bret
Harte, Washington Irving and Nathan
lei Hawthorne and Arthur S. Hardy
will long be treasured for their scholar
ly culture and literary achievements.
Nor does Prof. Grosvenor's special
pleading stop at this point. For Ameri-
can diplomacy he claims not merely
respectable name. but an immensely of
achievement that covers the whole
nineteenth century domain of interna-
tional law:
1T has broken the caste shackles of
birth and successfully asserted the
right of expatriation, a principle for
merly denied by every foreign state. 1t
has declared the seas and straits and
continental rivers Gods highways, de-
signed to be free for men, and, except
as to the Thracian Bosphorus, has won
the assent of all 1t has compelled the
rights Of neutrals to be recognized by
CfNiS SiNttA1Ch pCOlJies 1NON II is Dullu-
ing the scaffolding for another achieve
ment no less great-the exemption of
private property from capture on sea
as it is exempt from capture on land. -
Let US take heart of grace. Something
Of what the Amherst professor says is
undoubtedly true. In past years the
diplomatic service has drawn upon the
noblest and best flower of American
manhood-we have never yet lacked
brilliant and able men for the great
courts of Europe. One thing, neverthe-
less, Is patent Our diplomatic service
can never become the instrument it
should until our consular system is re-
organized and rehabilitated. 1t is right
for the captain TO be man of parts,
but unless his crew are able seamen
the ship is in danger.