We note with great satisfaction the extremely cordial tone of
the speeches delivered at the banquet to Sir Michael Herbert in New York on Tuesday. Mr. John Hay, though unable to be present, wrote to " congratulate Great Britain and the United States on having at Washington a man who stands solidly for peace and for perfect frankness and honesty in his diplomatic work." Equally significant was the striking tribute of Mr. Elihu Root, the Secretary of War, who observed that "England is our true friend. War between England and the United States would not only be a crime, but would argue incapacity of the governing powers worse than a crime." For this state of happy feelings between the countries, Mr. Root continued, they were " more than indebted " to Lord Pauncefote, who came to them at a time when Americans did not so readily understand Englishmen as they do to-day ; "but he was a great man, whom none could misunderstand, whom none could mistrust. Sir Michael is his worthy suc- cessor." It is highly gratifying to think that Sir Michael Herbert's fine qualities should have earned such signal recogni- tion from those whose good opinion is best worth having. No greater compliment could be paid to an English diplomatist in America, or elsewhere than to describe him as the worthy successor of Lord Pauncefote.
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