lars for each certificate of an invoice of some rough-looking customer, who ingoods, the consular service might, upon sists upon seeing the Boss, and claiming the same theory, be called highly lucra- to have come all the way from Kankative. To talk of self-supporting depart- kee or Ashtabula to get them " papers. ments, is sheer nonsense. The fees ex- The officials of the State Departmentacted by consuls from exporters are, like some of whom gravitate toward the all other fees, part of the revenue of the Virginia and Maryland old-fashioned country; and the salaries and contin- style of good breeding, while others gent expenses of consulates are parts of luxuriate in all the stolid placidity of the public expenditure. To represent it the countrymen of Rip Van Winkleunder any other light, is to claim a give to the new consul a rather chilling supernatural merit for the consular serv- reception. Of course, he is not admitice. Since consuls are paid by the state, ted to the presence of the “ Boss,” who like all other public officers, there is reserves bimself for a few foreign minisnothing self-supporting in that service. ters, and for cabinet meetings. He has If taxes are imposed upon commerce in about half a second's interview with the shape of fees upon consular certifi- Fred. Seward, who, with a smile of imcates, for no other purpose than to make perturbable sweetness, hands him over credulous Congressmen swallow the self- to one of the gentlemen of the office, supporting dodge, it is simply unfair to who hands to the consul a handsomelycommerce, and somewhat savoring of bound volume, which contains the conduplicity. The question then simply is sular regulations. Very soon after this as to a proper adjustment of salaries, episode, a flaming article appears in the without regard to fees, and to have the Liberty Bell or Bungtown Bugler, anaccounts so adjusted as to have the fees nouncing the fact that “the Hon. Jerego to the credit of the revenue, and the miah Napoleon Ezekiel Jupiter Jones, salaries and contingent expenses to the so eminently popular in this district, credit of the consular officers.

and remarkable for his diplomatic talA great number of consulates might ents, has arrived at Washington; had a advantageously be abolished; and the lengthened interview with the Secretary system of appointing deputies, or vice- of State, who gave him official instrucconsuls should be abrogated altogether. tions of the highest importance, and

The bill prepared by Mr. Patterson, then departed in hot haste for his post of New Hampshire, provides for the of destination, it being rumored that on manner of appointing consuls and min his way to Saurkrautenthal he is to meet isters, and for the system of examination Count Boum, at Mr. Seward's special reand promotion to be adopted.

quest.” In the meanwhile, Jones passes At present, consuls are virtually ap- a miserable evening at the Seaton pointed by Congressional delegations. House, in a most unsatisfactory tête-à-tête They urge them upon the Executive and with his “instructions." The book the State Department, and attend to which the gentleman of the State Detheir confirmation in the Senate. In partment handed him with such a bland most instances these delegations know smile, simply contains the general connothing of the man they recommend, sular regulations applying to all counexcept that he is recommended by tries of the world, and without any somebody they know, and that the po- particular reference to the particular litical church requires his nomination. duties which he may have to fulfil in After the nomination and confirmation the particular place to which he is parhave duly taken place, the new-fangled ticularly appointed. He soon gives the consul is informed by the Secretary of book up in despair, but has the happy State of his good luck. The fellow inspiration to buy a Bradshaw." jumps in the cars, and all of a sudden After having discovered the latitude and an altercation takes place between the longitude to which he is assigned, he is doorkeeper of the State Department and next seen stalking about with a most

TOL. II.-16

a

a

consequential air on the deck of one of terprise in 1865 or 1866. If, at the time the cheap Inman steamers. He is never of the receipt of these reports, the comagain seen at the State Department. mercial world had been informed of the All they know is, that he regularly cultivation of certain roots, or the prodraws for his salary, and occasionally he gress of certain crops, or the invention copies, from one of the local papers of of certain new models and patterns, in the place in which he resides, extracts of one or the other country, some advancommercial statistics, with great flourish tage might have been taken of it, and of trumpets, as if he had been their origi- the consular report might have achieved nal compiler. If any language except- some practical result. But by the time ing the Ashtabula or Kankakee dialect they reach the parties whose interests is spoken at the post of his destination, are affected thereby, the reports bave he holds himself rather“ aloof” from become flat, stale, and unprofitable. society. He is generally taken for an The commercial and industrial facts Aboriginate American, and sticks to his to which the reports refer have then bepost through thick and thin, until, one come things of the past, and lost all day, Brown steps in, and says: “ Jones, practical value and interest. It is you are smashed !” Jones does a little overlooked that the consular, like all swearing, invites Brown to take a drink, other public departments, are only picks up his traps, and the next we hear agencies for the promotion of the public of him is through our old friend the interest, to be sure, invested with speciLiberty Bell or Bungtown Bugler, in the fic functions, but yet utterly failing in following strain : “We are happy to their mission if they neglect to take announce the safe return to this district every possible opportunity to further of the Hon. Jeremiah Napoleon Ezekiel the commerce and industry of the counJupiter Jones, from his mission to Saur- try. While this should be the principal krautenthal. After having spent sever- aim, and the routine-work with sailors' al years abroad, he speaks, of course, certificates, passports, and the estates of the different languages of Europe, and deceased Americans, only an accessory, has had access to the most exclusive nothing is generally done with any decircles of the nobility and gentry, and gree of ability or system, excepting the is versed in all the arts of the statesman indispensable routine labor of the office, and the diplomat. Our best citizens which must be done. Probably this paid their respects, last evening, to the will continue to be the case as long as honorable gentleman, at his quarters at the consular service is controlled by the Tomahawk House, where, with his the State Department, instead of being wonted urbanity, he treated bis friends placed under the auspices of a ministry to a handsome supper. We may of commerce, as is the case in many add, that the honorable gentleman is European countries. proposed as the member in the seventy- Under the present circumstances, confifth Congressional district, the inten- suls do little or nothing for the promotion being, in the event of his election, tion of commerce. At a stated annual to make him chairman of the Committee period they are called upon to make a on Foreign Relations, for which post he report to the State Department, and in is so pre-eminently fitted by his famil- most cases their mental activity finds iarity with the history and laws and its climax in this annual report, and systems of foreign nations."

which, moreover, is generally copied -The so-called Consular Commercial from other reports, and but rarely the Reports are printed, in extracts, in vol- result of painstaking, original, and exumes annually presented to Congress. haustive investigation. In 1868, the merchants, manufacturers, By raising the character and qualifiand industries of the United States are cations of consuls, as proposed in the faithfully informed in these reports what Patterson bill, it is probable that a bettheir chances were in the sphere of en- ter class of men will devote themselves

to this branch of the public service, sidered inaccessible to everybody else. and make it, as it ought to be, an Their American excellencies are accordauxiliary to the commerce and industry ingly shunned by all really well-bred of the country.

people. Enamored while at home, with As regards diplomatic posts, the all the excesses of the wildest social country has been rather fortunate, since levelling, they are enamored as soon as the accession of Mr. Lincoln, in 1861, they are abroad, with all the excesses of when Mr. Motley was sent to Vienna, the most silly social pretensions. They Mr. Marsh to Italy, Mr. Adams to Lon- actually belittle, by their sneakish mandon, Mr. Dayton to Paris, and Mr. Joyners, the great country whose strength Morris to Constantinople. For other is the only bulwark of their position. places the selections were less felicitous, Instead of making European people feel and Mr. Motley has been ousted from how much grandeur there is in freedom, Vienna. Mr. Dayton is dead, and Mr. they cringe before persons of title and Dix is at present at his place; and, to rank, as if they were thanksul even for make up for the temporary withdrawal being snubbed by a duke. of Motley, at Vienna, we have Mr. Ban- Those who have a genuine regard for croft at Berlin, Dresden, and Munich. the genuine gentlemen and gentlewoWithin the last year Admiral Farragut men of America, cannot but feel sickhas, in reality, been the principal ened at the sight of these sycophants; American representative at the Euro- and to think that some of these miserpean courts. It is surprising that naval able creatures are ministers, is positively commanders are not permanently in revolting. Fortunately, their number is vested, in times of peace, with foreign very limited; but if there is only one missions. They generally make an of them in the whole list of the United admirable impression abroad, and, as States ministers, he should be removed, has been shown by Commodore Perry, as if he were a felon. He really brings in Japan, succeed in the most delicate more discredit upon the American name missions when civilians generally fail. than a downright rascal. With the There is something upright and straight- exception of London, Paris, Berlin, forward in a sailor's bearing and address, Madrid, Florence, St. Petersburg, and which inspires confidence, and the very Constantinople, Brazil, China, Japan, magnetisin of his simplicity acts as a Mexico, Chili, Peru, foreign missions are tacit rebuke toward those American altogether superfluous, and most of diplomatists who make themselves ri- them are more or less sinecures. diculous by attempting to mimic the The Minister to Holland might be worn-out style of diplomatic craft and also accredited to Belgium; the Minister mummery.

to Spain to Portugal; Sweden and NorSome of our foreign ministers are ex- way to Denmark; and in South Amercessively sweet upon Congressional men ica, five missions might do all the work and women at Washington, and get up for which there are at present twenty for them sumptuous dinners, and try to missions. Mr. Patterson's report will make themselves all things to all men no doubt make appropriate suggestions and to all women. But, lo! no sooner for the greater retrenchment and effihave they caused to be inserted in the ciency of the diplomatic service. official gazette of the capital to which While we sent.some of our best men they are accredited, that his excellency, abroad, as Everett, Motley, Bancroft, Mr. S-, or Mr. H-, has returned, from etc., foreign governments are still treathis leave of absence, to his post of duty, ing this country de haut en bas, by acat his palace in the Avenue des Snobs, crediting to Washington second and than a complete change takes place in third-rate diplomatists. While we send their attitude and deportment. They a first-class mission to England, Engcut everybody excepting the Duchess land sends only a second-class mission of Superfine, whose salons are to the United States, such as she would

con

not send to France or Russia, or even making ministers give more comprehenAustria. Napoleon sent the consul of sive reports of and take a more lively New York as minister to Washington, part in the resources of foreign counand then he sends a gentleman who had tries, and of their own country, the never been in any foreign mission, ex- sinecures, and dining out, and gala elecepting, for a short time, in China, and ment which now pervade, more or less, whom he would not send to London or all foreign missions, might at last find to Berlin.

an invigorating, counteracting influence. No greater compliment can be paid The reforms to which we have pointby one nation to another, than by select- ed, all-important as they were at all ing a representative from the most illus- stages of our history, are particularly so trious citizens; and in this respect at the present time, when the Southern America is still treated gingerly by for members return to Congress, and clamor eign powers, as if she still were a small for their share in offices, and when the English colony, instead of being the new cyclus of States clustering round most powerful nation of Christendom. the slope of the Pacific assert more and

We bave no doubt there will be more more their supremacy in the control of discrimination in future in regard to the patronage upon what they call the deconfirmation of foreign ministers. By cayed old Atlantic States ; just as some reserving foreign missions for the best of our Atlantic publicists speak of the cultured men of the country, and by effete old European countries,

CRADLE SONG.

ALL by the sides of the wide wild river

Surging sad through the sodden land,
There be the black reeds washing together-

Washing together in rain and sand;
Going, blowing, flowing together-

Rough are the winds, and the tide runs high-
Hush little babe in thy silken cradle-

Lull lull, lull lull, lull lullaby !
Father is riding home, little baby,

Riding home through the wind and rain;
Flinty hoofs on the flag stems beating

Thrum like a flail on the golden grain.
All in the wild, wet reeds of the lowlands,

Dashed and plashed with the freezing foam-
There be the blood-red wings of the starlings

Shining to light him and lead him home.
Spurring hard o'er the grass-gray ridges-

Slacking rein in the low, wet land,
Where be the black reeds washing together-

Washing together in rain and sand.
Down of the yellow-throated creeper

Plumes of the wood-cock, green and black-
Boughs of salix, and combs of honey--

These be the gifts he is bearing back.
Yester morning four sweet ground-doves

Sung so gay to their nest in the wall-
Oh, by the moaning, and oh, by the droning,

The wild, wild water is over them all!
Come, oh, morning, come with thy roses,

Flame like a burning bush in the sky-
Husb, little babe, in thy silken cradle-

Lull lull, lull lull, lull lullaby!

MONTHLY CHRONICLE.

CURRENT EVENTS.

UNITED STATES.

by Congress of the Act admitting the six The month of June has been chiefly States, ordered Gen. Buchanan to remove marked by important legislation by Congress Gov. Baker and Lieut.-Gov. Voorhies, the relative to reconstruction, by the consumma- Provisional State officers, and appoint in tion of the readmission of Arkansas into their stead Gov. Warmouth and Lieut.-Gov. the Union, and by the passage of an Act re- Dunn, who were elected by universal suffrage admitting the six States of North and South at the recent election. On the 28th the new Carolina, Florida, Georgia, Alabama, and officers were installed and the new legislaLouisiana, which await only the election of ture met. Gov, H. C. Warmouth was coloSenators and Representatives to resume their nel of a Missouri regiment in the Union seats in Congress. The Act admitting Ar- armies during the war, and became a citizen kansas to the Union passed the Senate by of Louisiana near the close of the service. 34 yeas (Rep.) to 8 nays (Dem.), on the 1st Lieut.-Gov. Dunn (colored) is a native citiday of June, was vetoed on June 20th by zen of Louisiana. Gen, Grant has issued the President, passed on the 21st over his orders to the officers commanding in the veto, and on June 24th, by yeas 101 (Rep.) other reconstructing States that as soon as nays 27 (Dem.), the members from Arkansas their legislatures shall comply with the rewere admitted to their seats in Congress. Aquirements of Congress, the Provisional protest against their admission, signed by State officers shail surrender their offices to forty-five Democratic members of the House, the new State governments. The only effect was received, and entered of record. It as- therefore, of the interference of Gen. Buserts that the laws of Congress for recon. chanan to delay the inauguration of the new structing the South are unconstitutional, State officers is, that they enter upon their that the new governments have been forced duties somewhat earlier than in tbe other upon the Southern people at the point of the reconstructing States. bayonet by military satrapies, and that the -The thirtieth day of May was, by desig. States should be reconstructed on the white nation of the Grand Army of the Republic, vote alone. On June 25th, both Houses of and by general consent, devoted throughout Congress passed, by the full vote of the Re- the Northern States, and in a few cities of publican party, over the President's veto, the Southern, to strewing with flowers the the Bill readmitting into the Union the six graves of the nation's dead, fallen in subreconstructing States above mentioned. It duing the late rebellion. The solemn menow only remains for their legislatures to morials were accompanied by poems, addressmect and adopt the XIVth Constitutional es, prayers and other exercises appropriate amendment and elect their Senators, and the to the occasion. States will be restored to their "

proper -James Buchanan died at his residence practical relations to the Union.” Some at Wheatland near Lancaster, Penn., on question arose in Louisiana and elsewbere as June 1st. He was born at a secluded place to whether the newly elected State officers called Stoney Batter in the Kittatinny should supersede the Provisional govern- range of the Blue Mountains in Franklin ments and enter on their duties immediately, County, on April 22d, 1791, and was thereor should wait until the admission of the fore at his death in bis seventy-seventh year. Representatives of the new governments to His parents were Scotch-Irish pioneers, poor seats in Congress. In Louisiana the Board and Presbyterian, with a high respect for of Registration issued a proclamation order learning. James graduated at Dickinson ing the new officers to assume their duties College, and was admitted to the Lancaster on the 15th. Gen. Buchanan issued a coun- bar in 1812, when but little more than 21 ter order forbidding the above, and arrested ycars old. He volunteered in the war of the President of the Board. Gen. Grant 1812, and marched to Baltimore, but saw no sustained Gen, Buchanan's order, but dis- service. At 23 (in 1814) he was clected to charged the President of the Board of Re. the legislature, was re-elected in 1815, and gistration, and subsequently, on the passage in 1820 entered Congress for the district now