A new American question ! Mr. Dallas, who is "
authorized to settle " the Central American question, has been the instru- ment for originating the Black Neck-tie question ! At the levee on Wednesday, the American Minister officially proposed to in, troduce a friend for presentation to her Majesty, that friend being clothed in habiliments which are expressly prohibited by the re- gulations for levees. It is a matter of course that the American Minister's proposal could not meet with acceptance, and equally a matter of course that the impossibility of compliance would be in- dicated to him in the most courteous manner. He so interpreted his duty, however, that when the- unbending citizen chose to retire, he was accompanied by Mr. Dallas, although that gentle- man had a special appointment for presenting another American, a gentleman of real distinction, to the Queen. It is quite im- possible that any man in a diplomatic situation could have been unaware of the regulations which it was proposed. to infringe ; it is almost equally certain that he must have known of the means which existed for correcting, on the spur of the moment, any defect of costume which the Master of the Ceremonies finds him- self compelled to notice. Men of sense therefore are perplexed to understand by what motives Mr. Dallas could have been ac- tuated when he promoted his friend's neck-tie into being a ques- tion of state, and actually risked the breach of-friendly relations between himself and the British Court, for the sake of-an obsti- nate stranger who hesitated to comply with the rules of the house into which he sought admission.
There were two persons who had a right to take serious of- fence at the neglect of good manners shown both by the intruder and the Ameriean Minister,—the Queen, who was waiting, for another American gentleman to be presented to her ; and the American gentleman who was • waiting to be presented. It does not appear, however, that any serious notice has been taken of the affair, which ends with a laugh.
It is indeed lucky that a learned American, quaintly dressed, should have been stopped 'at the entrance. If he had succeeded in penetrating to the presence, he must hive become painfully conscious of his- oulxe and amusing appearance ; and he would not have felt the ridicule the less for the quiet -glances that he would have met on all sides. That exhibition, at least the. Model Republic was saved. It get off with the milder exposure in. the antechamber.
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