Mr. SUMNER. My friend says Governments are not so influenced, men may be; but let me remind my friend that Governments are composed of men. My friend knowsperfectly well that if he sends a general on a particular service, he by his presence produces a more certain effect and a prompter result than if he sent a colonel or a major. My other friend, who represents the Naval Committee on this floor, [Mr. Gmnns] knows very well that if he sends an admiral on any service, if it be only of compliment, he produces at once a greater effect than if he sends a lieutenant. My friend, the Senfrom Iowa, hasjust induced us to send the Asst SecyNavy to Europe, because in that way he thought he should give more eelat to a certain service. I united with him in that effort. Why did he do that? Why not allow one of the common clerks of the Dept to carry that resolution? The Senfrom Iowa on that occasion knew full well that if he sent the Asst SecyNavy he should do more than if he sent a simple clerk of the Dept; and therefore I am brought to the precise point, that whatever may be the rank of our country in the world, and how much soever we maybe entitled at all courts where our representatives are, to the highest precedence, et such is human nature that our position is impaired by the rank of the agent that we send. I wish to give to our agent all those artificial accessaries and incidents which the law of nations allows. I follow the law of nations. Why does the law of nations authorize or sanction, and why do our Constitution and statutes, following the law of nations, authorize and sanction this difference of rank, except because it was supposed that if you sent a person of a higher rank on could obtain a corresponding degree of in uence? That is the theory which under lies the whole question of rank. It runs into the Army; it runs into the Navy; it runs into Congress; it runs into all the business of life; and the simple question is, whether now, in the diplomatic service of your country, in dealing with your foreign agents, you will diseard a principle of action which you follow in every thing else.