128 SMITHSONIAN MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTIONS [voL. 48 
our Civil War, which would have cost us more than the entire 
diplomatic service during centuries.* 
It is also urged that residence abroad makes men “ un-American.” 
This is one of those vague charges to which a thinking man will gen- 
erally attribute little importance. But even if there were some 
truth in it, as regards an ill balanced individual here and there, 
there can be set against it a more than countervailing advantage, 
which is, that our diplomatic service sends abroad, for a term of 
years, citizens from various parts of the country, who, after dis- 
charging their duties abroad, return with valuable experience to 
various stations at home—some like the Adamses, Jefferson, Monroe, 
Van Buren, and Buchanan, carrying their experience into the Chief 
Magistracy; some, like those just named, and Marshall, Clay, 
McLane, Forsythe, Legaré, Everett, Cass, Bayard, Foster, and Hay, 
into the Secretaryship of State; some into other Cabinet places; 
some into either house of Congress; some into the press; and some 
into other positions which give opportunities for enlightening influ- 
ence upon public opinion. 
And it is sometimes said, in the jaunty, off-hand way, so often 
used in dealing with important questions, that the diplomatic ser- 
vice is, after all, mainly recreation. Any American representative | 
who goes abroad with this idea will soon find that he has made 
a serious mistake. A minister or secretary who does his duty, finds 
his leisure absolutely eaten up by multitudes of international matters, 
some large, some small, but all demanding attention. Were there 
time, I could give abundant examples of this. There is in every 
American embassy and legation a constant succession of matters re- 
quiring constant vigilance and the judicious exercise of firmness and 
conciliation. 
Even what is called recreation is frequently hard work. I re- 
member a dispatch from Mr. Lowell, in which, alluding to the fatigue 
of a great court function, he said that he relied upon it to make 
up in another world for a multitude of his sins in this. Many a 
diplomatist has had occasion to remember the remark that “ life 
would be tolerable were it not for its pleasures.” 
And now, as to the present condition of the American diplomatic 
service. It is in many respects excellent; but it is badly organized, 
1A century of our diplomatic service, at its present rate, would cost about 
fifty millions of dollars. A year’s prolongation of our Civil War, by the 
interference of Great Britain, would have cost us, reckoning nothing for the 
increased expenditure to meet British hostilities, one thousand millions at 
least. 
