Year: 1871

THERE is some doubt as to the ratifca-
ton of the Treaty of Washington by the
Governm ent of England with the same
promptness which has been employed by
the Washington Senate and Cabinet.
Although the British Government. has
refused to bind itself to any delay in the
consideration of the Convention in coun-
Gil, it may possibly be regarded advisa-
BILE to postpone the ratification so far as
to allow a preliminary discussion in Par
lament of the principles upon which it
is based, with the double purpose of as
certaining the popular sentiment and Of
rallying to the measure the support of
all who are accessible to Government in
huences. Even after the Treaty is rati-
fed, Parliament must pass, according to
the provisions oe the XXXIIId Article,
a series of laws for carrying into effect
the clauses relating to the Fisheries and
the St. Lawrence, which remain inoper-
ative until not only the Imperial Parlia-
ment, but the Legislatures ofthe Domin-
ion and OF Prince Edward S Island shall
in like manner have confirmed them.
There has been so much of misrepresen-
tation ahoat in regard to these questions
that the presence of Gen. Schenk In Lon
don is most desirable while they are nm.
der discussion. Even after the ratiGca-
tions are formally exchanged and the
Treaty of Washington takes its place as
a chapter in international history and a
powerful precedent in public law, the
necessary routine work which by virtue
of its provisions will devolve upon the
American Legation in London will fol-
some years to come require the exercise
of the highest degree of discretion and
energy Of character. We expect the ca
reer SO aus spiciously begun to be sus-
tanned upon the same plan, as long as
Gen. Schenk will consent to serve the
nation abroad.


The list of our Ministers to England
presents one unbroken line OF excellence
and distinction, such as is presented by
the diplomatic history of no other coun
try on earth. No monarch has ever been
represented at any court by succession
of names which woul, endure a compar-
ison with those which this Republic has
sent to London for century to utter the
messages of the New World to the Old.
The explanation of this is simple enough.
| We alone among nations have been III
the habit of sending our most distin
| guished men abroad to represent US


Mr.. Gladstone, MIR. Theirs, Count Bis
mark are men impossible to be used as
| Envoys in ordinary times But we made
Ministers of Adams, Jefferson, and
! Franklin, in the infancy of the Republic
and in later times of other Adamses, ot
Eaohanan, and Motley, all of the high
est rank in traditions, In political posi-
ton, in intellectual standing. A new
! clement enters into this brilliant category
with our new Minister Thus far only
the eminence and the culture of the Eas
have been represented 10 these higher
walks of diplomacy. But Gen. Schenk
while he is deficient in none of the mi
nor morals Of life, while he is equally a
home in the field, the salon, and the for
| um, brings to his new work the breadth
and freshness of perception, the direct
ness and integrity of intellectual method
which seem characteristic of the bes
class of Western men. The line of oul
Envoys will not be taruished by his name


We wish him pleasant journey and 8
happy return, and after the glory he ha:
worthily won in life of struggle, the
blessedness which is promised to the