DEMOCRACY AND DIPLOMACY

BY ARTHUR BULLARD

helmstrasse and the Quai d'Orsay is no denser than that which enshrouds our ON both sides of every battlefront in State Department. Our diplomatic ar­ Europe all forward-looking men are de­ chives are as jealously guarded as any manding relief from the dangers of se­ in Europe. The student of American cret diplomacy. The popular party of history who wishes, for instance, to un­ Germany is outraged at the revelation derstand our role in the Conference of of the secret power of their Foreign Algeciras must go to European sources Office. In England, the Liberals are for help. The State Department has distressed at the realization of the dis­ little or no information available. asters which might have overwhelmed The diplomacy of our Republic is al­ the Empire if the uncontrolled power most as undemocratic as that of Rus­ of the Secretary of State for Foreign sia. Once in four years we elect our Affairs had been in the hands of a Chief Executive. But we have no direct knave or a fool. It is almost the only voice in his policy in dealing with our point of unanimity in the Old World. neighbors, and only such knowledge of The democratic control of diplomacy it as he chooses to impart. is a burning issue in every nation at Until his recent peace move, Mr. war. Wilson made no noticeable effort to­ Some Americans naively believe that ward the amelioration of this condi­ secret diplomacy is an evil confined to tion. He kept more closely to the ' the effete monarchies' of Europe. Such tradition of secrecy than some of his people are generally embarrassed by predecessors. This was regrettable. the question, 'Are our marines still in For there is no contribution to demo­ Nicaragua?' Not one in ten of our vot­ cratic progress and the peace of the ers can answer off-hand. Not one in a world which we, as a nation, could thousand can give a coherent account make, which would be more gloriously of our diplomatic relations with the American and more heartily welcomed Central American republics. Why has by the Liberals of all the world than our administration, so strongly opposed the devising and demonstrating of to intervention in Mexico, intervened in means by which diplomacy could be San Domingo ? The people of the Unit­ made democratic. ed States know no more about the in­ The advocates of open diplomacy ternational policy of their government cannot deny that there are certain def­ than the English or Germans knew of inite advantages in secrecy. The man the plans of their Foreign Offices. who decides to be truthful is certainly This ignorance in regard to the facts handicapped when dealing with less of our foreign relations is not due sole­ scrupulous rivals. But a reputation for ly to indifference. The veil of secrecy veracity confers certain advantages which shields Downing Street and Wil- which the liars lack. To argue in favor 491

PRODUCED BY UNZ.ORG ELECTRONIC REPRODUCTION PROHIBITED 492 DEMOCRACY AND DIPLOMACY of truthfulness, it is not necessary to deny that falsehoods are sometimes u profitable. The democratization of diplomacy The methods of business offer a bet­ presents a two-fold problem: the rela­ ter analogy. The directors of any com­ tion of the government to other na­ pany find it easier to bribe legislators tions, and its relation to its own or judges, to burn competing plants, to citizens. oppress their workers, if they are pro­ It is an anomaly, a denial of our tected by secrecy. But the common­ own democratic faith, that our Repub­ weal is better served by publicity. lic should accredit its ambassadors to In diplomacy, as in business or pri­ the kings and not to the peoples of Eu­ vate life, 'the wicked love darkness.' rope. We have simply followed the The nation which is bent on aggression fashion, accepted the old monarchical had best keep it quiet. If we wish to protocol. We should have devised some annex Central America, secrecy will be means whereby we could deal directly of value. But, just as the growth of with the Reichstag of Germany and democracy in business tends to fight not solely with the Kaiser. We have the sinister profits of secrecy with in­ a representative at the ' Court of St. creasing publicity, and just as we are James,' but none with the British Par­ gradually opening the books of insur­ liament. This is more than a quibble ance companies, railroads, and other over words, for in this case the words great corporations, so the growth of are symbols — these forms of the an- democracy in government will surely cien regime are symbols of all that is abolish ' le secret du roi.' anti-democratic. The chief opposition to democratic There are obvious mechanical ob­ control of foreign affairs comes from stacles to the publication of all the day- the professional diplomats. They defend to-day detailed operations of a great their special privilege of secrecy with organization like the State Depart­ passion. They bitterly oppose demo­ ment. The advocates of democratic cratic interference with their preroga­ diplomacy are not asking for any such tives. They hate and fear publicity. absurdity as a daily 'White Paper.' But behind the professional diplo­ There are also occasional negotiations mats of Europe (and too many of our which would be disturbed by current diplomats accept them as models) are discussion. But the broad principles of the great masses of common people of foreign policy are susceptible of demo­ all countries, who, like us, are striving cratic control. They are no more eso­ for a better democracy. If the Presi­ teric than the tariff. They are not near­ dent should break through the crust of ly so complicated as the currency bill tradition, tear up the red tape of the or the adjustments between Capital protocol, and take the citizens, at home and Labor. and abroad, into his confidence in re­ Our Constitution is unfortunate in gard to the problems of foreign rela­ this matter. The Executive is practi­ tions, it would doubtless lay him open cally irremovable for four years, and to the sarcastic jibes of the diplomatic that is ample time to set all the world clubs. He would probably be lampoon­ at war. In the countries with respon­ ed in Punch, as Lincoln was. But he sible ministries, which can be reversed would —as Lincoln did — win the love at any time, there is much more chance and gratitude of all democrats the of direct popular control of diplomatic world around. policy.

PRODUCED BY UNZ.ORG ELECTRONIC REPRODUCTION PROHIBITED DEMOCRACY AND DIPLOMACY 493 Even the quadrennial election is a dent's heart. We have heard rumors of poor guide. Was the issue in Novem­ explicit treaties —a' Peace League' of ber home or foreign politics? The cam­ American republics. But what is the paign recalled the first candidature of status of these negotiations? Bryan and the perplexity of low-tariff Some real progress in good feeling men who believed in a gold standard. was certainly made during Mr. Wil­ The multiplicity of issues makes voting son's first term. His reelection un­ a distressing choice between a pro­ doubtedly adds greatly to the strength gramme of Seven Devils and Seven of his influence. But what are the ob­ Seas and a platform of Seven Seas and stacles which have so far prevented the Seven Devils. reaching of tangible results? Have the So long as our. Constitution remains obstructions come from opposing inter­ unchanged, any president who wishes ests at home? From unreasonableness to base his foreign policy on the will of below the Equator? From intrigues in the nation, will have to rely largely on Europe or Asia? What privileges and extra-legal expedients. No machinery what pretensions must we surrender? has been provided by which he can take What hostilities must we overcome? a referendum in such matters. What new obligations must we take upon ourselves? In short, what chance No administration can follow the is there of success? will of the democracy unless the citi­ We know that the President is work­ zens know what they want. So the first ing on this problem. But we are abso­ requisite in democratic control of dip­ lutely in the dark as to the methods lomacy must be education in the sub­ that he is using, the snags that he has ject. And all experience in the plebis­ encountered. cite shows that the intelligence of any Isolated individuals who have close vote is in direct ratio to the clearness connections in the Argentine, Brazil, with which the issue is posed. Chile, or Equador, who follow the The phrase, much used in the No­ South American newspapers, or those vember campaign: 'He kept us out of who enjoy the personal confidence of war,' is a good example of the bad the President or his advisers, have method. What did it mean? Are we to more concrete knowledge of the prob­ understand that Mr. Wilson has stood lem. But there is nothing which de­ and will stand for 'peace at any price'? serves to be called public opinion on It is beyond dispute that many who the subject. The democracy has not shouted this slogan, many who were in­ been trusted with the essential facts. fluenced by it, disagreed in their under­ We, as a nation, can have no intelli­ standing of it. It was unintelligible and gent attitude toward the Mexican tan­ therefore unintelligent. gle so long as we are ignorant of these If we are to have any serious demo­ South-American negotiations. The cratic control of our international rela­ Secretary of the Navy and Congress tions, we shall need very much more cannot agree on any sane naval pro­ concrete and precise statements of pol­ gramme so long as this large element in icy than that. the problem is ignored.

It is widely, if vaguely, known that And what policy does our govern­ the establishment of more cordial rela­ ment intend to follow in the Far East? tions with the Latin-American repub­ It is idle to talk of democratic control lics is a matter very close to the Presi­ in this matter. We have no means of

PRODUCED BY UNZ.ORG ELECTRONIC REPRODUCTION PROHIBITED 494 DEMOCRACY AND DIPLOMACY knowing whether we approve of the out our willing it; without any fore­ Administration's policy or not. We do knowledge of its imminence. As I not know what that policy is. write, men over whom we have no con­ But it is necessary for our own peace trol may be signing a treaty in our of mind that we should be told. Is it name, drafting an ultimatum which will our policy to maintain the Open Door, seal our fate. even at the cost of war? Completely open, or only ajar? Are we to support the young republican movement in Ill China with financial help? Are we to While the democratic control of our determine this question for ourselves, or own foreign policy demands first of all ask consent of the 'Concert' of Great an elaborate and continuous campaign Powers? Or are we going to blow up to educate the electorate, and then the Philippines and come home? some specific constitutional changes, Until we have thrashed out all these our dealings with other countries could problems, until the nation is agreed be rendered more direct and democrat­ on a policy, all this 'preparedness' ic by executive action. talk is empty words. We cannot ade­ When, in our dealings with the Brit­ quately prepare till we know what to ish Empire, we are content to confine expect. our intercourse to the Court of Saint We ought to define our Asiatic pol­ Jajnes, we are ignoring the vital, mod­ icy out of fairness to our friends in Ja­ ern elements of the nation. We—a re­ pan. There are jingoes over there, who public— are giving credence to an are inciting ill feeling toward us. Their empty survival of mediaevalism, and strongest argument is the assertion that we are coming in contact with the most we have decided on an aggressive pol­ reactionary caste of Great Britain. icy, that we are determined to deny The British have led the world in de­ them 'a place in the sun.' And our mocratic forms of legislation. But their friends among the Japanese cannot re­ diplomatic service is still an appanage fute this dangerous propaganda of hate, of the aristocracy. Mr. Bryce was the because they do not know what our happy exception which proved this un­ policy is. We do not know ourselves. happy rule. Many of the British am­ bassadors, many of the permanent offi­ When we turn our attention from the cials of their Foreign Office, are Tories. Far East to the Nearest East, we are As they are fighting desperately against rendered breathless, dazed, by the all democratic progress at home, it is Great Tragedy. How light were the not to be expected that they will deal petty gains that the diplomats strove sympathetically with us. If we 'play for in secrecy compared to this appall­ the game' according to the rules they ing weight of woe! Was any new col­ devise, we must give up hope of direct ony worth it? Or any railroad to and cordial communication with the Cathay? The democratic elements of democratic mass of the British people. Europe did not want this war. If the When we deal with the ' Court of Saint common people could have controlled James' we are talking to that small and their fates, if they could have rea­ unrepresentative section of British so­ soned together, it would not have ciety which is most outspoken in its come. hostility to our political theories and in If the misery of war ever falls on us, its disdain for our ideals. it will come in the same way — with­ The attitude of the British Govern-

PRODUCED BY UNZ.ORG ELECTRONIC REPRODUCTION PROHIBITED DEMOCRACY AND DIPLOMACY 495 ment toward us during the war has supervision of the newspapers by the been exceedingly complex. The As- Press Bureau, the censorship of private quith Cabinet — the famous 23, who correspondence, the Defense of the have recently fallen to make way for Realm Act, make the control of public the Lloyd-George directorate — were opinion more facile than any one who rarely united on any subject. But the has not witnessed it can easily credit. necessity of explaining our neutrality Of course the efforts of the govern­ to their own people had brought them ment in this matter have not been com­ into practical unanimity on the simple pletely successful. Certain individuals, thesis that the attitude of our govern­ a few fearless periodicals, have main­ ment was determined by a mixture of tained a critical attitude toward the degenerate commercialism and fear of official theory. But the great mass of German-American riots. public utterances, on the platform and The people of Britain went into the in the press, has been pretty successful­ war on the ' Moral Issue' — their word ly 'controlled.' And the average Eng­ pledged to Belgium, democracy versus lishman has been adroitly taught to military autocracy. The critics of Brit­ believe that we are tugging at the leash ain have called these motives in ques­ to join them in their war against the tion, but that is aside from my point. enemies of civilization; that we are The people accepted them with earnest gnashing our teeth in rage at Mr. Wil­ sincerity and conviction. The stupen­ son for holding us back. Any Ameri­ dous success of voluntary enlistment can who does not fit into this pattern is cannot be explained on any other basis. suspected of German blood or a sinful The popular, democratic support of the desire to run contraband. It was gener­ war has been based on the conviction ally believed that Mr. Wilson in his that the Moral Issue is obvious. heart of hearts saw our plain duty to If it had seemed equally obvious to join in the crusade, but was deterred us in those fatal days of August, 1914, from righteousness by a crafty desire we would have declared war on Ger­ to win the votes of munition-makers many. But no such moral obligation and by fear of personal violence at the was apparent to our government. And hands of the Kaiser's spies. although every one of us at once took So far our Administration has con­ sides individually, — overwhelmingly fined itself to the traditional technique the Entente side, — public opinion sup­ of diplomacy. Our notes to Britain ported the official proclamation of neu­ have been able briefs in International trality. Many of our citizens have Law. They have hardly reached be­ questioned the political expediency of yond Downing Street. Some have been neutrality, but few have condemned published as White Papers. A few the attitude of the administration on have been published in extenso, in fine the ground that it has shirked an obvi­ print, on the inside of the newspa­ ous moral responsibility. pers. But they are long and involved, But for the British Government to and few read them. Not many citi­ admit that any fair-minded people can zens of any country are mentally pre­ be honestly neutral is to give up the pared to follow such intricate argu­ semi-religious doctrine that the Moral ments. Our diplomatic correspondence Issue is clear. The government dares reaches the British public in the form not allow any doubt to arise as to the of newspaper resumes, carefully pressed justice of their cause or the complete through the sieve of the Foreign Office. righteousness of their actions. And the I chanced to be in London when our

PRODUCED BY UNZ.ORG ELECTRONIC REPRODUCTION PROHIBITED 496 DEMOCRACY AND DIPLOMACY first note in regard to the interference per correspondents in America. Most of with the mails was delivered. It was a the letters and news they get from us long legal document, discussing all the passes through the hands of the Brit­ alleged illegalities of the British action. ish Censor. Almost all the items in their It certainly was not news to the offi­ papers dealing with American affairs cials of the Foreign Office. They knew are translations from the London pa­ what was happening to the mails. They pers — more often than not from the knew the law in the case. Northcliffe press, which is definitely Reports from Washington said that hostile to us. Wall Street had gambled heavily on the The traditional friendship between Entente victory and that the Adminis­ the French and ourselves is being seri­ tration would not dare to press the pro­ ously threatened, because our State test. Public opinion in America was so Department has not contrived means strongly anti-German that there was to deal directly with the French people. no danger of our switching to that side. It would be difficult to overstate the The Foreign Office did not fear our ill- degree to which our attitude is misun­ will and did not care for our good-will. derstood. Often intelligent, well-read Some official of the Foreign Office Englishmen and Frenchmen have said made a condensation of the note — to me, 'You blockaded the Southern a cold-blooded sophistication. It was States. How can you object to our circulated by the Press Bureau and the blockade of Germany?' next morning the British Democracy There is no word in any of our notes read in the headlines: — to the Entente which questions the right to blockade or to seize for contra­ DOCTOR WILSON'S NEW NOTE band. Our government wishes to pre­ DRASTIC WORDS AS SOP TO serve these methods of warfare. Our HYPHENATES protests have been against innovations OUR RIGHT TO SEARCH MAILS in these matters, which seem to us con­ CONCEDED trary, not only to the express letter of International Law, but also to the spir­ The leading articles of the day grave­ it of equity. However, the President's ly discussed the immorality of the notes have been so long that few have Yankees' desire to trade with the Huns, read them. Misunderstandings have and whether or no Mr. Wilson's sub­ been made the more easy. serviency to German-American voters The result of following the tradition­ would gain his reelection. And all this al protocol of diplomacy is that, whUe was reprinted in the newspapers of the people of the United States and Paris, Petrograd, and Rome. Britain and France have every rea­ The situation in the other countries son to cooperate in the general work of the Entente is largely a derivative of civilization, their governments are from that in England. We have no con­ snarling at each other. troversies with any of them beyond the Lincoln was faced by a somewhat fact that, more or less reluctantly, they similar problem during the Civil War. have consented to the British naval Those who were in control of Her Ma­ policy. There has been little reason for jesty's Foreign Office would have re­ anything but amiable diplomatic cor­ joiced to see the failure of our experi­ respondence with them. In the second ment in popular government. But the place, there is the unfortunate fact that great mass of the English people — few of them maintain regular newspa­ then as now — were inspired by liberal

PRODUCED BY UNZ.ORG ELECTRONIC REPRODUCTION PROHIBITED DEMOCRACY AND DIPLOMACY 497 democratic aspirations. Lincoln went ment of the situation is the present over the heads of the Court of Saint mal-entente with Britain. The great James, directly to the common people mass of our people want cordial rela­ he loved and understood and trusted. tions with our Anglo-Saxon cousins. His letter to the trade-unionists of the And in this matter the democratic will cotton industry was a grave breach of of the nati6n is in accord with the most diplomatic etiquette. And no doubt astute statesmanship. If we are to the professional diplomats were shock­ abandon our traditional isolation, — a ed and offended by Beecher's visit to change in policy which is inevitable, — London. But Lincoln won his point. the best hope of the future lies in more He succeeded in putting his case before happy relations with the American re­ the democracy of Britain. publics to the South and in the develop­ The point I have illustrated above ment of a cordial working agreement by reference to our relations with the with France and Britain. There is Powers of the Entente is of course every evidence that the democratic even stronger in regard to our rela­ forces of these two countries — strug­ tions with their enemies. There is a gling in Britain, triumphant in France greater chasm between the government — desire our cooperation. But so far, and people of Germany than in the case our Administration, limiting its action of Britain. By adhering to the tradi­ to the traditions of diplomacy, has fail­ tional protocol in our dealings with the ed to establish friendly terms with German Empire we are voluntarily Britain. abandoning the chance of any accord with the democratic forces of that IV country. In order to democratize our diplo­ One is tempted to sardonic humor macy some such steps as these are nec­ over the situation. During this war essary. America, the youngest of the greater First of all, we must consciously powers, has been more rigidly conser­ work at the education of our public vative in her diplomatic traditionalism opinion. It is as true of diplomacy as than the older monarchies of Europe. of any other branch of government that Both groups of belligerents have rec­ an intelligent despot is preferable to an ognized the value of 'Publicity,' and ignorant majority. If we wish to escape the holiest traditions have not kept despotism we must go in wholeheart­ them back from accepting this most edly for education. modern arm. They have all subsidized Without violating any proper confi­ newspapers in the neutral countries. dences, without wrecking current nego­ The British and Germans, having sent tiations, qualified students might be so many propagandists to our shores, granted much freer access to the ar­ could hardly object if we returned the chives of the State Department. So compliment. The Entente, dissatisfied long as we forbid professors of Amer­ with the Court of Athens, has appealed ican history to study our recent diplo­ to the Greek public. Several European matic history, we are forbidding them premiers and foreign secretaries, two or to teach it. We are condemning our three kings in distress, have harangued students to ignorance in this matter. us directly by means of newspaper in­ The Secretary of State could learn terviews. Our Administration has not valuable lessons from his colleagues of been so progressive. the Departments of the Interior and of Of course the most distressing ele- Agriculture. They have discovered V0L.119-N0.4

PRODUCED BY UNZ.ORG ELECTRONIC REPRODUCTION PROHIBITED 498 DEMOCEACY AND DIPLOMACY how to interest the public in their work. son and his aids have struggled with We should be taught to consider our this problem for four years and have State Department, not as a mystic ar­ failed to bring peace to that unhappy canum, but as an important element in land. Most of us are ready to admit the nation's welfare which it is our duty that it was an exceedingly difficult and our interest to understand. problem — that the Archangel Gabriel Private enterprise has established a would probably have failed, too. But number of forums and societies for the by shrouding the negotiations in mys­ study of international relations. They tery the Administration has not hidden should be stimulated by official encour­ its failure. It has hidden only the caus­ agement. Mr. Wilson's speeches be­ es of failure and so has further bewil­ fore the League to Enforce Peace, at dered public opinion. On all hands we the lighting of the Statue of Liberty, meet people who pretend to 'know and, more recently, before the Senate, about Mexico.' Each one of them has are the kind of educational work of seen more or less clearly some facet of which we need more. the problem. Their statements are bla­ Our periodical press, daily, weekly, tantly contradictory. No one's claim and monthly, is our greatest source of to ' know about Mexico' is worth any­ information. Here and there editors thing unless he has had access to the have realized the importance of inform­ State Department archives. Only the ing their readers on the problems of Administration has been able to see all diplomacy. But they have had very sides of the question. But beyond a few little official encouragement. If the sonorous generalities we, the people of State Department wished, it could mul­ the United States, have been given no tiply the volume and greatly increase information. the accuracy of the printed discussions There are few questions, if any, of of foreign affairs. greater importance to us and the gen­ At present the Secretary of State eration to follow us than this Mexican issues an annual report which is pub­ tangle. We are kept in darkness. But lished as an annex to the President's if the President's policy has been as Message. It is perhaps the dreariest high-minded as those in his confidence reading of all our official publications, believe, he could furnish no better de­ a close second at best to the machine- fense against his critics than the bare made Tidal Calendar. As a means of facts. developing an intelligent public opin­ The publication of any honest and ion in foreign policy it is utterly inade­ complete collection of Mexican cor­ quate. Most of its items are two or respondence, frankly confessing bad three years old. We should have White guesses as well as good intentions, ad­ Papers, as occasion arises, published mitting the inevitable human failures while interest in the matter is still alive. as well as success, intended to inform The Yellow Books published by the rather than mislead the electorate, French Goverrmaent in regard to the would be of great value, not only in frequent crises over the Morocco Affair increasing our national understanding are infinitely more informing than any­ of the problem: it would be a resound­ thing that we have been given about ing stroke for democratic diplomacy Mexico. the world around. Mexico furnishes an admirable illus­ If Mr. Wilson would dare to author­ tration. On no subject is the public ize a non-partisan committee of quali­ mind of America more at sea. Mr. Wil­ fied scholars — appointed, for instance,

PRODUCED BY UNZ.ORG ELECTRONIC REPRODUCTION PROHIBITED DEMOCRACY AND DIPLOMACY 499 by the American Historical Society — privilege of addressing messages direct­ to go over the very voluminous Mexi­ ly to Congress. can correspondence and publish a di­ We desire to make It impossible for a gest of it, it would not only help us to a few men in secret and uncontrolled con­ clearer appreciation of this problem, clave to decide the fate of nations. If but would set a new standard in diplo­ we find the Foreign Office of any coun­ matic usage. It would plant a new mile­ try standing in the way of cordial stone in the progress of Democracy. friendship, wemust goover their heads, directly to the people. It is popular In order to break through the tra­ friendship more than the good-will of ditional barriers of diplomacy and to the rulers of the moment which we seek. establish more direct contact with the And we must freely grant the same popular forces of other countries, the privilege to other nations. It would be President might instruct our ambassa­ better for all concerned if the European dors abroad to watch the newspaper governments, which are now spending discussions regarding the relations be­ money to influence our public opinion, tween the two countries, and, if the were oifered some more open and direct need arose, to take part in them. method of appeal. A poor translation of an inaccurate, If the minister from Liberia is dissat­ unsympathetic English report of Mr. isfied with the treatment he receives Wilson's speech before the League to at the State Department, it would be Enforce Peace appeared in the tele­ much better if he were free to air his graphic columns of the French papers. grievance before Congress than for him It was two weeks or more before the to be reduced to the necessity of ' per­ mail brought the text of the speech. A suading' some editor to write an indi­ deep and painful impression had al­ rect attack on the administration. ready been made. The complete text, or an accurate resume, of every such im­ But, of course, in any such reforms, portant speech on foreign affairs should the spirit of their operation is more im­ at once be telegraphed to our ambas­ portant than the form. The two main sadors for issuance to the press. It objects to be sought are: first, the de­ would not be amiss for the State De­ velopment of an enlightened public partment to cable regular press bulle­ opinion at home, and, secondly, more tins to all our embassies. direct methods of communication be­ When ambassadors are dispatched on tween the peoples of the different foreign missions, it would be well for countries. Congress to give them credentials and We, as a nation, are deeply interest­ messages of good-will to the parliament ed in the future peace of the world. We of the country to which they are ac­ must devise means by which our diplo­ credited. And when ambassadors come macy can be made democratic in its to us, the President, in some formal control and in its action. Any experi­ ceremony, might take them to the Cap­ ments we make in this direction will be itol and present them to Congress, and watched with interest by the Liberals in this manner emphasize the fact that of all the world. The solution of the their business is with a democracy. problem would be the greatest contri­ It would be but one step further to bution which any nation could make grant to all ambassadors the courtesy toward the welfare of the race.

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BY JAMES MORRIS MORGAN'

[After a cruise as venturesome and picturesque as that of any Elizabethan buccaneer, the little commerce-destroyer Georgia finally gave up her raiding of Federal shipping and landed her crew at Bordeaux. Midshipman Morgan and his fellow officers proceeded at once to England, took passage for America, and successfully ran the blockade of Charleston harbor. Young Morgan was shortly assigned to land duty at Battery Semmes, on the James River near Richmond, where he is stationed when he takes up his narrative again.] ed the gay throng in our rags and tat­ ters. My uniform, which had once been AT the house of Mr. Trenholm I was gray, had turned a green yellowish- always received as one of the family. brown, owing to its exposure to the ele­ The beautiful house, which had been ments and the mud in the trenches; be­ built originally by an English gentle­ sides, I had had the misfortune to have man of wealth and artistic tastes, was one of my coat-tails burned off while the centre of a certain amount of gay- sleeping too close to a camp-fire. One ety, and was frequented, especially on of my trouser-legs had raveled out to Saturday evenings, by many distin­ halfway up the calf of my leg, and the guished people, among them of course lower part of the other trouser-leg was many generals, and foreigners who visit­ very ragged. I wore a boot on one foot ed Richmond for the excitement of the and a shoe on the other — the boot on experience. Mr. Trenholm, as well as the bare leg. This Falstaffian costume being Secretary of the Treasury, was a was set off with a sword, and if there man of great wealth, and probably the is anything that will make a ragged largest owner of blockade-runners; con­ man look more ridiculous than another, sequently almost every luxury in the it is the wearing of a sword. But the way of food was most hospitably placed girls in their four-year-old dresses did before his guests. not mind our appearance, and it would Where two or three young Southern­ have been a cold day when a man in ers were gathered together, there was civilian togs — no matter how well- sure to be singing and dancing. It is dressed he was — could have persuad­ true that there were not many hand­ ed one of those Southern girls to dance some toilets to be seen at these recep­ with him when a man from the front tions, but the young girls were so pretty wanted a turn. that no one took the trouble to look at At Mr. Trenholm's house I met Gen­ their dresses of a style fashionable be­ eral Robert E. Lee on several occasions. fore the war. The foreigners of course It always amused me to hear the fond appeared in the orthodox dress-coats mothers tell about the rapture and and white ties; but we poor fellows who overflowing affection with which the belonged at the front shamelessly join- general treated their little ones when they were brought before him. I hap­ ' Earlier recollections of the author were printed in the Atlantic for January, February, pened to be present at one of these de- and March. - - THE EDITORS. monstrative occasions in the general's 500

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