Morethanthis，theBritishambassadorhadadequatemeansfurnishedhimforexercisingpoliticalinfluence。TheAmericanrepresentativeshadnot;theyhadbeenstintedineveryway。TheBritishambassadorhadalargestaffofthoroughlytrainedsecretariesandattaches，theverybestoftheirkind，——welleducatedtobeginwith，thoroughlytrainedafterward，——servingasantennaeforGreatBritaininRussiansociety;andasthefirstsecretaryofhisembassyhehadnolessapersonagethanHenryHoward，nowSirHenryHoward，ministeratTheHague，oneofthebrightest，best—trained，andmostexperienceddiplomatistsinEurope。TheAmericanrepresentativewasatthattimeprovidedwithonlyonesecretaryoflegation，andhe，thoughengagingandbrilliant，acasualappointmentwhoremainedinthecountryonlyafewmonths。Ihad，indeed，securedahandsomeandcomfortableapartment，andentertainedatdinnerandotherwisetheleadingmembersoftheRussianministryandofthediplomaticcorps，atacostofmorethandoublemysalary;buttheinfluencethusexercisedwas，ofcourse，asnothingcomparedtothatexercisedbyadiplomatistlikeSirRobertMorier，whohadeverysortofresourceathiscommand，whohadbeenforperhapsfortyyearssteadilyintheserviceofhiscountry，andhadlearnedbylongexperiencetoknowthemenwithwhomhehadtodealandthewaysofgettingatthem。HispowerinSt。Petersburgwasfeltinamultitudeofways:allofficialsattheRussianForeignOffice，fromthehighesttothelowest，naturallydesiredtobeongoodtermswithhim。
Theyknewthathisinfluencehadbecomeverygreatandthatitwasbesttohavehisfriendship;theylovedespeciallytobeinvitedtohisdinners，andtheirfamilieslovedtobeinvitedtohisballs。HewasaPOWER。Thequestionabovereferredto，ofsuchimportancetotheUnitedStates，wasnotdecidedbyargument，butsimplybytheweightofsocialandotherinfluence，whichcountssoenormouslyinmattersofthiskindatallEuropeancapitals，andespeciallyinRussia。Thisconditionofthingshassincebeenmodifiedbythechangeofthelegationintoanembassy;but，asnohousehasbeenprovided，theolddifficultyremains。TheUnitedStateshasnottheleastchanceofsuccess，andunderherpresentshabbysystemneverwillhave，incloselycontestedcases，withanyofthegreatpowersoftheearth。Theyprovidefitlyfortheirrepresentatives;theUnitedStatesdoesnot。Therepresentativesofotherpowers，beingthusprovidedfor，aregladtoremainattheirpostsandtodevotethemselvestogettingathoroughmasteryofeverythingconnectedwithdiplomaticbusiness;Americanrepresentatives，obliged，asarule，totakeupwithuncomfortablequarters，findingtheirpositionnotwhatitoughttobeascomparedwiththatoftherepresentativesofothergreatpowers，andobligedtoexpendmuchmorethantheirsalaries，aregenerallygladtoresignafterabriefterm。EspeciallyhasthisbeenthecaseinSt。Petersburg。
Thetermsofourrepresentativestherehavegenerallybeenveryshort。Afewhavestayedthreeorfouryears，butmosthavestayedmuchshorterterms。InonecasearepresentativeoftheUnitedStatesremainedonlythreeorfourmonths，andinanotheronlysixweeks。SomarkedwasthistendencythattheEmperoroncereferredtoitinaconversationwithoneofourrepresentatives，sayingthathehopedthatthisAmericandiplomatistwouldremainlongerthanhispredecessorshadgenerallydone。
TheactionoftheRussianauthoritiesintheBehringSeaquestion，whichisdirectlytraceabletothesuperiorpolicyofGreatBritaininmaintainingapreponderatingdiplomatic，political，andsocialinfluenceattheRussiancapital，costourgovernmentasumwhichwouldhaveboughtsuitablehousesinseveralcapitals，andwouldhavegiventoeachAmericanrepresentativeaproperstaffofassistants。Ihavepresentedthismatterwithreluctance，thoughIfeelnottheslightestresponsibilityformypartinit。Idonotthinkthatanyright—mindedmancanblamemeforit，anymorethan，intherecentSouthAfricanWar，hecouldhaveblamedLordRoberts，theBritishgeneral，ifthelatterhadbeensenttotheTransvaalwithinsufficientmeans，inadequateequipment，andanarmyfarinferiorinnumberstothatofhisenemy。
Iamnotatallinthismatter\"amanwithagrievance\";forI