ie 2 SMITHSONIAN MISCELLANEOUS’ COLLECTIONS [voL. 48 
or commercial establishment. It would absolutely require ascer- 
tained knowledge and fitness in the lowest grades, and it would 
give promotion for good service from first to last. Yet it would not 
be a cast iron system. For, it would admit and might well be con- 
strued to require the appointment of fully half of the Ambassadors, 
Ministers Plenipotentiary, and Ministers Resident from those who 
have shown decided fitness in high public positions at home, whether 
in important branches of public or private business, whenever the 
President should deem that the public interest requires it. 
But the system thus proposed, while allowing the frequent bring- 
ing in of new and capable men from public life at home, re- 
quires that one-half of all representatives in each grade above 
that of Secretary (save certain special Diplomatic Agents, Special 
Commissioners, and the like), shall be appointed from those thor- 
oughly trained for the service; and that all Secretaries, without ex- 
ception, shall be thoroughly trained and fitted. Scope would thus be 
given to the activity of both sorts of men, and the whole system 
made sufficiently elastic to meet all necessities. 
In the service thus organized, the class of Ambassadors and Min- 
isters fitted by knowledge of public affairs at home for important 
negotiations abroad, but without experience in diplomatic life or in 
foreign usages and languages, would be greatly strengthened by 
Secretaries who had passed through a regular course of training 
and experience. An American diplomatic representative without 
diplomatic experience, on reaching his post, whether as Ambassador 
or Minister, would not find—as was once largely the case—Secre- 
taries as inexperienced as himself in diplomatic business, but men 
thoroughly prepared to aid him in the multitude of minor matters, 
ignorance of which might very likely cripple him as regards very 
important business: Secretaries so experienced as to be able to set 
him in the way of knowing, at any court to which he is accredited, 
who are the men of real power, and who mere parasites and pre- 
tenders ; what relations are to be cultivated and what avoided ; which 
are the real channels of influence, and which mere illusions leading 
nowhither. On the other hand, the Secretaries thoroughly trained 
wouid doubtless, in their conversations with a man fresh from public 
affairs at home, learn many things of practical use and be kept in 
closer touch with American ideas and affairs. 
Thus, too, what is of great importance throughout the entire ser- 
vice, every Ambassador, Minister Plenipotentiary, or Minister Resi- 
dent would possess, or easily command, large experience of various 
men in various countries. At the same time, each representative 
