5265. MINISTERS (Foreign), Salaries.—
You have doubtless heard of the complaints
of our foreign ministers as to the incompetency
of their salaries. I believe it would be better
were they somewhat enlarged. Yet a moment's
reflection will satisfy you that a man may live
in any country on any scale he pleases, and
more easily in that [France] than this, because
there the grades are more distinctly marked.
From the ambassador there a certain degree of
representation is expected. But the lower
grades of Envoy, Minister, Resident, Chargé,
have been introduced to accommodate both the
sovereign and missionary as to the scale of expense.
I can assure you from my own knowledge
of the ground, that these latter grades
are left free in the opinion of the place to adopt
any style they please, and that it does not lessen
their estimation or their usefulness. When I
was at Paris, two-thirds of the diplomatic men
of the second and third orders entertained nobody.
Yet they were as much invited out and
honored as those of the same grades who entertained.
* * * This procures one some sunshine
friends who like to eat of your good
things, but has no effect on the men of real
business, the only men of real use to you, in
a place where every man is estimated at what
he really is.—
To General John Armstrong.
Ford ed., viii, 302.
(W.
1804)
