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part05+-第84部分

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various petty matters; but in many great matters absolutely



impossible。 While a few nations were willing to accept it in



regard to these minor matters;as; for example; postal or



monetary difficulties and the like;not a single power was



willing to bind itself by a hard…and…fast rule to submit all



questions to itand least of all the United States。







The reason is very simple: to do so would be to increase the



chances of war and to enlarge standing armies throughout the



world。 Obligatory arbitration on all questions would enable any



power; at any moment; to bring before the tribunal any other



power against which it has; or thinks it has; a grievance。 Greece



might thus summon Turkey; France might summon Germany; the



Papacy; Italy; England; Russia; China; Japan; Spain; the United



States; regarding matters in which the deepest of human



feelingsquestions of religion; questions of race; questions



even of national existenceare concerned。 To enforce the



decisions of a tribunal in such cases would require armies



compared to which those of the present day are a mere bagatelle;



and plunge the world into a sea of troubles compared to which



those now existing are as nothing。 What has been done is to



provide a way; always ready and easily accessible; by which



nations can settle most of their difficulties with each other。



Hitherto; securing a court of arbitration has involved first the



education of public opinion in two nations; next; the action of



two national legislatures; then the making of a treaty; then the



careful selection of judges on both sides; then delays by the



jurists thus chosen in disposing of engagements and duties to



which they are already pledged…all these matters requiring much



labor and long time; and this just when speedy action is most



necessary to arrest the development of international anger。 Under



the system of arbitration now presented; the court can be brought



into session at short noticeeasily; as regards most nations;



within a few weeks; at the farthest。 When to these advantages are



added the provisions for delaying war and for improving the laws



of war; the calm judgment of mankind will; I fully believe;



decide that the conference has done a work of value to the world。







There is also another gainincidental; but of real and permanent



value; and this is the inevitable development of the Law of



Nations by the decisions of such a court of arbitration composed



of the most eminent jurists from all countries。 Thus far it has



been evolved from the writings of scholars often conflicting;



from the decisions of national courts biased by local patriotism;



from the practices of various powers; on land and sea; more in



obedience to their interests than to their sense of justice; but



now we may hope for the growth of a great body of international



law under the best conditions possible; and ever more and more in



obedience to the great impulse given by Grotius in the direction



of right reason and mercy。















CHAPTER L







HINTS FOR REFORMS IN THE DIPLOMATIC SERVICE







In view of a connection with the diplomatic service of the United



States begun nearly fifty years ago and resumed at various posts



and periods since; I have frequently been asked for my opinion of



it; as compared with that of other nations; and also what



measures I would suggest for its improvement。 Hitherto this



question has somewhat embarrassed me: answering it fully might



have seemed to involve a plea for my own interests; so that;



while I have pointed out; in public lectures and in letters to



men of influence; sundry improvements; I have not hitherto



thought it best to go fully into the subject。







But what I now say will not see the light until my diplomatic



career is finished forever; and I may claim to speak now for what



seems to me the good of the service and of the country。 I shall



make neither personal complaint of the past nor personal plea for



the future。 As to the past; my experience showed me years ago



what I had to expect if I continued in the serviceinsufficient



salary; unfit quarters; inadequate means of discharging my



duties; and many other difficulties which ought not to have



existed; but which I knew to exist when I took office; and of



which I have therefore no right to complain。 As to the future; I



can speak all the more clearly and earnestly because even my



enemies; if I have any; must confess that nothing which is now to



be done can inure to my personal benefit。







As to the present condition; then; of our diplomatic service; it



seems to me a mixture of good and evil。 It is by no means so bad



as it once was; and by no means so good as it ought to be and as



it could very easily be made。 There has been great improvement in



it since the days of the Civil War。 The diplomatic service of no



other country; probably; was so disfigured by eminently unworthy



members as was our own during the quarter of a century preceding



the inauguration of President Lincoln; and; indeed; during a part



of the Lincoln administration itself。







During one presidential term previous to that time our ministers



at three of the most important centers of Europe were making



unedifying spectacles of themselves; whenever it was possible for



them to do so; before the courts to which they were accredited。



On one occasion of court festivity; one of them; in a gorgeous



uniform such as American ministers formerly wore; ran howling



through the mud in the streets of St。 Petersburg; the high



personages of the empire looking out upon him from the windows of



the Winter Palace。 Sundry other performances of his; to which I



have referred in the account of my Russian mission; were quite as



discreditable。







Another American representative; stationed at Berlin during that



same period; disgraced his country by notorious drunkenness; and



though some of our countrymen at that capital sought to keep him



sober for his first presentation to the King; they were



unsuccessful。 Happily; his wild conduct did not culminate abroad;



for a murder which he committed in a drunken fit did not occur



until after his return to our country。 A third American



representative at that period published regularly; in his home



newspaper; such scurrilous letters regarding the authorities of



the country to which he was accredited; his colleagues in the



diplomatic service; and; indeed; the country itself; that;



according to common report; his early return home was caused by



his desire to escape the consequences。 These were the worst; but



there were others utterly unfit;men who not only spoke no other



language used in diplomatic intercourse; but could not even speak



with fairly grammatical decency their own。 As to the early days



of Mr。 Lincoln's administration; there is a well…authenticated



story that; a gentleman having expostulated with the Secretary of



State; Mr。 Seward; for sending to a very important diplomatic



post a man whose conduct was the reverse of exemplary; Mr。 Seward



replied; 〃Sir; some persons are sent abroad because they are



needed abroad; and some are sent because they are NOT wanted at



home。〃







It is a great pleasure to note that since the war both of the



political parties have greatly improved in this respect; and that



the standard of diplomatic appointments has become much higher。



It is a duty as well as a pleasure to acknowledge here that no



President of the United States has ever taken more pains to make



the diplomatic and consular services what they should be than a



representative of the party to which I have always been



opposedPresident Cleveland。 Especially encouraging is the fact



that public opinion has become sensitive on this subject; and



that the only recent case of gross misconduct by an American



minister in foreign parts was immediately followed by his recall。







And it ought also to be said; even regarding our diplomatic



system in the past; that sundry sneers of the pessimists do our



country wrong。 It is certain that no other country has been



steadily represented in Great Britain by a series of more



distinguished citizens than has our own;beginning with John



Adams; and including the gentleman who at present holds the



position of ambassador to the Court of St。 James。 Much may also



be said to the credit of our embassies and legations generally at



the leading capitals of Europe。 As to unfortunate exceptions;



those who are acquainted with diplomatists in different parts of



the world know that; whatever may have been the failings of the



United States in this respect; she has not been the only nation



which has made mistakes in selecting foreign representatives。







Our service at the present day is; in some respects; excellent;



but it is badly organized; insufficiently provided for; and; as a



rule; has not the standing which every patriotic American should



wish for it。







I have frequently received letters from bright; active…minded



young men stating that they were desirous of fitting themselves



for a diplomatic career; and asking advice regarding the best way



of doing so; but I have felt obliged to warn every one of them



that; strictly speaking; there is no American diplomatic service;



that there is no guarantee of employment to them; even if they



fit themselves admirably; no security in their tenure o
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