AS MINISTER TO GERMANY- 1879 -1881 541 



in quest of similar things in a different field, American 

 merchants and manufacturers seeking access to men and 

 establishments which will enable them to build up their 

 own interests and those of their country, and, most in 

 teresting of all, American students at the university and 

 other advanced schools in Berlin and throughout Ger 

 many. To advise with these and note their progress 

 formed a most pleasing relief from strictly official matters. 



Least pleasing of all duties was looking after fugitives 

 from justice or birds of prey evidently seeking new vic 

 tims. On this latter point, I recall an experience which 

 may throw some light on the German mode of watching 

 doubtful persons. A young American had appeared in 

 various public places wearing a naval uniform to which 

 he was not entitled, declaring himself a son of the Presi 

 dent of the United States, and apparently making ready 

 for a career of scoundrelism. Consulting the minister of 

 foreign affairs one day, I mentioned this case, asking him 

 to give me such information as came to him. He an 

 swered, &quot;Remind me at your next visit, and perhaps I 

 can show you something. On my calling some days later, 

 the minister handed me a paper on which was inscribed 

 apparently not only every place the young man had 

 visited, but virtually everything he had done and said dur 

 ing the past week, his conversations in the restaurants be 

 ing noted with especial care ; and while the man was evi 

 dently worthless, he was clearly rather a fool than a 

 scoundrel. On my expressing surprise at the fullness of 

 this information, the minister seemed quite as much sur 

 prised at my supposing it possible for any good govern 

 ment to exist without such complete surveillance of sus 

 pected persons. 



Another curious matter which then came up was the 

 selling of sham diplomas by a pretended American univer 

 sity. This was brought to my notice in sundry letters, and 

 finally by calls from one or two young Germans who were 

 considering the advisability of buying a doctorate from a 

 man named Buchanan, who claimed to be president of the 



