Alexandria Gazette

The Republic At St. James!—Below we have an account of the youth who now represents the republic at St. James's! The account is from the correspondence of the Albany Evening Journal, written by W. H. Seward, now of the Senate of New York, and is in all respects entitled to the fullest credit and consideration.

The business of the morning after our arrival was to deliver our letters. According to custom, we visited in person the Charge d'Affaires: by whom our Government is represented at the court of St. James. We found the residence of Mr. Vail in a fashionable part of the west end of the town. No republican could complain of the de facto minister's economy, although he might of his taste, in selecting his apartments over the shop of a Court Tailor. A valet received our letters and cards, and returned with directions to show us into the presence of Mr. Aaron Vail.—we were received by a young man of middle stature and dark complexion who spoke English with so marked a French accent, that we doubted whether the gentleman were the Charge himself or a Secretary. He had forgotten how to give the cordial shake of the hand which we thought was familiar to all our countrymen. He was attended by an American youth of twenty, who graciously lounged in a damask covered arm chair, and displayed an imposing pair of mustachios. The room was well furnished and decorated with a fine collection of pictures and other ornaments. The conversation was cold and formal. It indicated on the part of the representative scarcely any interest in his native country. Nor did he dwell upon the politics of the Court at which he resides or any of the interesting questions which agitate the political circles on the continent.

Had not our friends who furnished us letters been kind enough to send them to us open—had they not been written in a spirit calculated to elicit all the kindness he had in his composition. we would have inferred from what seemed to us the coldness of our reception. that they had contained some sinister caution against extending to us much courtesy. We took a formal leave, and returned to our lodgings, contrasting the reception given us by the Charge at London, upon whom courtesy towards his country men, is enjoined as an official duty, with the hearty and unstinted welcome we had experienced from the hands of Mr. Miller. as well as from Mr. Alexander Thompson. a native of Scotland, the American Consul at Glasgow.