OftheForeignOffice,initsreformedstate,wehavenotmuchtosay。Abolitionofimaginarywork,andreplacementofitbyreal,isonallhandsunderstoodtobeveryurgentthere。Largeneedlessexpendituresofmoney,immeasurabledittoofhypocrisyandgrimace;embassies,protocols,worldsofextincttraditions,emptypedantries,foulcobwebs:——butwewillbynomeansapplythe“livecoal“ofourwittyfriend;theForeignOfficewillrepent,andnotbedriventosuicide!AtruertimewillcomefortheContinentalNationstoo:Authoritiesbasedontruth,andonthesilentorspokenWorshipofHumanNobleness,willagaingetthemselvesestablishedthere;allSham-Authorities,andconsequentReal-AnarchiesbasedonuniversalsuffrageandtheGospelaccordingtoGeorgeSand,beingputaway;andnobleaction,heroicnew-developmentsofhumanfacultyandindustry,andblessedfruitasofParadisegettingitselfconqueredfromthewastebattle-fieldofthechaoticelements,willoncemore,thereashere,begintoshowthemselves。
WhentheContinentalNationshaveoncegottothebottomof_their_AugeanStable,andbeguntohaverealenterprisesbasedontheeternalfactsagain,ourForeignOfficemayagainhaveextensiveconcernswiththem。Andatalltimes,andevennow,therewillremainthequestiontobesincerelyputandwiselyanswered,Whatessentialconcern_has_theBritishNationwiththemandtheirenterprises?Anyconcernatall,exceptthatofhandsomelykeepingapartfromthem?Ifso,whatarethemethodsofbestmanagingit?——Atpresent,aswassaid,whileRedRepublicbutclasheswithfoulBureaucracy;andNations,sunkinblindignavia,demandauniversal-suffrageParliamenttohealtheirwretchedness;andwildAnarchyandPhallus-WorshipstrugglewithSham-KingshipandextinctorgalvanizedCatholicism;andintheCaveoftheWindsallmannerofrottenwaifsandwrecksarehurledagainsteachother,——ourEnglishinterestinthecontroversy,howeverhugesaidcontroversygrow,isquitetrifling;wehaveonlyinahandsomemannertosaytoit:
“Tumbleandragealong,yerottenwaifsandwrecks;clashandcollideasseemsfittesttoyou;andsmiteeachotherintoannihilationatyourowngoodpleasure。Inthathugeconflict,dismalbutunavoidable,we,thankstoourheroicancestors,havinggotsofaraheadofyou,havenownointerestatall。Ourdecidednotionis,thedeadoughttoburytheirdeadinsuchacase:andsowehavethehonortobe,withdistinguishedconsideration,yourentirelydevoted,——FLIMNAP,SEC。FOREIGN
DEPARTMENT。“——IreallythinkFlimnap,tilltruertimescome,oughttotreatmuchofhisworkinthisway:cautioustogiveoffencetohisneighbors;resolutenottoconcernhimselfinanyoftheirself-annihilatingoperationswhatsoever。
Foreignwarsaresometimesunavoidable。Weourselves,inthecourseofnaturalmerchandisingandlaudablebusiness,havenowandthengotintoambiguoussituations;intoquarrelswhichneededtobesettled,andwithoutfightingwouldnotsettle。