Page:Speeches, correspondence and political papers of Carl Schurz, Volume 1.djvu/46

12 all the good expectations centered on him, and consequently no one who has so rapidly lost such enormous popularity. This discouraging experience may prevent the people from again electing such a person, from whom all things are hoped because nothing is known. Let me tell you a little more about my plans and activity here. It was my intention to urge upon the people I came in contact with—especially if I should be able to reach any member of the Cabinet—a certain course in their foreign policy. As far as the Members of Congress with whom I have become acquainted are concerned, I have had some success that was quite pleasing. My experience with the President and the Cabinet is, in a word, that they have no foreign policy, neither have they a system nor a fixed purpose. They regulate their foreign policy entirely in accord with the tendency of public opinion held by the political parties of the country. Their course of action in foreign matters is based entirely upon the effect to be made on the Nation, and therefore no consistency nor fixed principles are to be expected of the Administration. It is in vain to-day to persuade the Administration or to convince them of anything. The slightest deviation of party tactics may upset to-morrow all the convictions which have been laboriously built up to-day. I have, therefore, come to the conclusion that there is only one way of achieving anything and that is in the first place to work upon public opinion and so to gain a real influence over the Government. Fortunately at this moment there is no great crisis looming up in Europe in which America might be called upon to take part on the side of freedom. This Administration would be too weak to do anything of that kind.

I have already made real friends among the Members of Congress. Shall I give you a glimpse into the future? The other evening I sat with several of them and we talked