The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1909-11-14

II only requires the presence Of the
banquet OF this fall a success. but the
British Minister OF a century ago was
a welcome guest at few American dinner
tables, says n writer in the New York
Sun.
II any one believesi that international
manners have not improved in century
let him think OF the current American
attitude toward foreign Ambassadors Of
to-day and then read the story Of Minis
ter Francis James Jackson, who repre-
scented his Britannia majesty at Wash
ington in the fall OF 1902 II Is just
a century on November s. since the
American Secretary Of State notified Mr..
Jackson that the government of the
United States would receive no further
communications from him, and Jackson
had had his first interview with the
President only a little over a month
before.
Francis James Jackson OF all the men
In the British diplomatic service was
perhaps the least fitted to repr csent
his sovereign at Washington at the time
when he undertook that mission. He
was then thirty-nine, and ne had been
twenty-three years in diplomacy. He
had been minister TO Constantinople,
Paris. Berlin. and Copenhagen.
One OF the few pleasantries credited
20 George III grew out of Jackson's
service at Copenhagen. whittier he went
to deliver an insulting message. a task
that he carried out IN characteristic
Ia
minister. you we're not kicked down
stairs"
Wher David Erskine. son Of the famous
orator and himself tine second lord Ers-
kline. was recalled as British Minister
20 the United States, because he had too
hastily undertaken 90 grant concessions
that we were asking. Jackson was sent
in his stead. Erskine had married in 1879
the daughter OF the American patriot
Gen. John Cadwallader. Of Philadelphia
and perhaps his good Will TO America was
partly due 10 the influence OF his wife
II So Il was an early instance of some
what unlucky feminine influence IN poll
tics
Erskine, who was young, managed az
any rate TO get things into an awkward
tangle Jackson. fresh from bullying and
bOmbardlng Copenhagen, came with In
structions that made success almost Inn
possible and in a temper which exactly
untitled him to deal with the govern
ment Of the United States, then sick OF
its long struggle with France on the one
side and Great Britain on the other.
The new Minister, his fashionable wife
a German baroness whom ne had mar
ried at Berlin. "A splendid equipage. and
q Tetinue or servants landed at Annap
oils early in September and in three
DAYS later reached Washington, TO FIND
that the President was at his country
home IN Virginia. not 10 return to the
raw new capital city until the cool wealth
or OF early October. Jackson took the
country house overlooking Rock Creek
that Erskne and Merry. another British
Minister-a minister who had hated US
had occupied. the two between them fol
eight or ten years.
The new Minister wrote home with fin'
contempt that he found the house out o
repair and dirty. and added that a Scotch
man and his American wife. who wishe,
20 be fine lady. were bad pair 10 sue
coed 10. However. he made himself com
Portable. rode horseback with his wife
and discovered that the country abOu
Washington was beautiful. though o
Washington itself he wrote that il IRE
sembles more nearly Hampstead Heatl
than any other place 1 ever saw IL
reports having flushed a covey OF par
tridges within 300 yards Of the 'Parlia
ment House, yclept the Capitol"
Living he found not more expensive
than I'm Europe. and he adds that con
ditlons were not so crude as might hav
been expected He had met with no in
clvility, but ne was thankful that III