196 SPECIALPROVIDENCEandforts. Morethanonce inthenineteenthcentury,the chronically
underfundednavydeclinedtolevelswellbelowtheminimumneededfor
combateffectivenessevenagainstsecond-ratenavalpowers.
Today,theJeffersonianapproachtoforeignpolicylookstocutmili-
tarycoststothelowestpossiblelevel,andaimstoensureciviliancontrol
overmilitaryandintelligenceinstitutions.Contemporarypressurefor
thedeclassificationofasmanyColdWardocumentsaspossible,andfor
new restrictionson theabilityofbureaucratstoclassify government
papersassecret,reflectsthetraditionalJeffersonianattempttokeepthe
militaryandintelligencecommunitiesopen,accountable,andweak.
Diplomatscanbeasdeadlyasships,andtheStateDepartment,too,
hashadtoendurehostilescrutinyfrom tightfistedJeffersonians.The
thoughtofbewigged,bejeweled,andbepowderedAmericandiplomatic
fops mincing across ballroom floors with theirEuropean colleagues
inspiresa visceralrevulsioninthehonestJeffersonianmind,akintothe
onethatovercomesreaderswhenthepigsinAnimalFarmdressuplike
humanstohavedinnerwiththeneighboringfarmers.
JeffersoniansconsistentlyacttoensurethatAmericandiplomatsdo
notforgettheimportantdistinctionbetweena virtuousrepublicand
decadentmonarchiesanddictatorships.Fromr778tor893,U.S.emis-
sariestoforeignlandswentbythetitleof"minister"ratherthan"ambas-
sador,"becauseofa widespreadviewthatanambassadorwas,andcould
onlybe,thepersonalrepresentativeofonemonarchtoanother.^30 Inr854
SecretaryofStateWilliam1.Marcyissuedordersthatnoministersofthe
UnitedStatescoulddressincourtuniformsofanykind.Embarrassed
AmericandiplomatsworeordinaryeveningdresstoglitteringEuropean
courtreceptionsandwereoccasionallymistakenforbutlersY
Americandiplomatswerewellawareofthepoliticalperilsthatlayin
thepracticesofEuropeancourts.Attimestheyobeyedthedictatesof
courtetiquette,buttookpainsnottoadvertisethisfactbackhome.Thus
whenGeorgeIII,madandblind,finallydiedinr820,thediplomatic
corps madea collectivedecision todress theirservantsinmourning.
RichardRush,theAmericanministertoBritainatthetime,wentalong
withthedecisionbutchosetopaythecostoutofhisownpocketrather
thansubmitmourningexpensesfor GeorgeIIItocongressionalscru-
tinyYThiswassurelywise.
Atothertimes,asinr828,whenU.S.ministerJamesBarbourcre-
atedastirbyrefusingtokiss thehandofthequeenofPortugalata
reception,theAmericanspreferredtoscandalizetheirdiplomaticcol-
leaguesratherthanoffendagainst republicanprinciplesbackhome.^33