Martinsburg gazette and public advertiser. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1826-1833, 1826-04-13
MARTlNsBUne, VA THURSDAY, APRIL Is, 1926.

The next objection may be. that our atten
d ance at thIs Congress, may put to hazard oui
neutrality. To this u may be answered., that
having already acknowledged the mdepen'
dence OF the new States, We have established
the risat of treating them as tree and iuslepen
dent states as well towards Spain as all the
rest OF the world. These states are nomnsl,
at war with SPAN. and Spsin alone. Her allies
have taken no part III this war The aost pow.
ertnl Of those allies. Great Britain has formally
acknowledged the independence Ut several o;
these states, and established diplomatic rcla-
tons with theta 10 these acts on our part
and that Of Great Britain, Span submits, al
though they not only essentially weaken her As
beihgerant. but directly violate bee colonial
laws. But, &c our recognition OF each OF the
states represented at tie Congress, and cur
trading wUh them, in direct contrastnion OF
the colonial laws ct Spain, be no breach, as i,
IS none. OF our neutrality, so neither is our al
tendance at Diplomatic Council OF all those
States united a breach OF neutrality. THIS is
particularly true, when il is added, that the
United States, instead of gong TO the Congress
to animate thu war against spain, will go as
mediator and peace maker, to promote BY ever,
means a termination OF the contest, OH terms
honorable to the new States, aud advantageous
20 spain. 1his power has already received The
strongest pledges that such is The policy oi
the United States. The Committee sse clear.
~ of opinion that, II our attendance Of this Con.
gress be desirable, on the part OF Me new
States, it is not less so on the part oi Spa u.
The next objection that may be urged a.
gslnst our attendance at the Congress OF fsns-
ma, is, that II may involve us III an entsngling
alliance with the new states To thus II msy
be answered. that the project of such ala ALI
ance is expressly disclaimed BY the President,
in the message referred to the Committee. Ia
the next place, the Congress is neither Gov.
eminent, nor coniederacy of Governments
with which We could. by possibility, In tie frst
instance, enter into an alliance, entanglmg or
not, and lastly, even if a negotiation for sucl,
An alliance were entered into by our ministers,
contrary TO the principles on which, tsppesrs
from the message of The President, that The In.
vitstion was accepted. it would sui remain for
the treaty OF alliance to be submitted to the
constitutional rstifyng powers, in tins country.
Whether under these circumstances, ocr sc-
ceptsnce OF the invitation can be considered,
even An approach to an alliance, tie Commit
tee need not saw
If il be still objected, that from the nature
of the assembly, there is danger that we. by
our attendance, may be drawn into an alliance.
of the formation of an en'ang'ihg alliance. in
consequence OF this missio ~ than that which is
incident 10 any mission to any Power We
have Ministers to France, to Russia, to Eng.
land We have had ministers 10 European
countries, at periods when very strong ,empta
lions Of momentsry interest existed, for forming
alliances with foreign Powers. The Com
miuee are not aware, that il ever was suggest
ed, that the least danger existed. OF the Tor
nation nf such an alliance, IN consequence OF
such mission. Our ministers TO Franc follow
ed the march Of the French Euperor to the
confines OF Russia, but no one sirfn'sed tist
we projected sh alliance with him, although
We were, at the tune, engaged IN war
with his other chief enemy, Great Brts'n.
Yet u is evident thatthe way to an alliance -
much more direct in an ordinary mission, than
in that proposed. when our Minister ~ Nc
credited TO foreign sovereign, particularly
an absolute one, lie is accredited to a party
competent to form an alliance. withouttn rtner
delay, or Interior responsibility Winnie, on
the other hand. our Ministers TO Pansria wiz
be accredited to other Ministers no more
competent than our own, 10 pledge their Gov
emnsnts.
Farther. II is particularly rs he observed,
that Nm alliance with any ohe uf the new Re
AlIisnce with them all They are all at war,
and with the same enemy. They s'and in an
alliance, offensive and defensive, with each
other Precisely the same consequences.
therefore. would result from the formation o.
an alliance with either Of them, tcolombls'
Tor 'nstance,) As with all of them. II thea the
dsnger OF being drawn into sn alliance. re-
cures us % abstain from attending the Con.
gress ut Panama, the same danger with equa
force. requires us TO withdraw all diplomatic
connection with these new States.
But. in truth. this suggestion OF danger OF an
alliance, incident TO diplomatic mission, car
ries with il so direct n reflection on the wisdom
and fidelity of the treaty -mskiug power, as
lodged in the hands 81 the President and Sc
nate that the Committee. out of proper respect
TO the coordinate branches Of the Government
will not longer considerit.
Another objection To the proposed mission,
may be, aud that our attendance IT Il would. on
our part. be a novel and unprecedented step
A little reflection viii show. ,hs, this sssump.
ton, as Tar a. II forms an objection To our at
tendance at the Congress, involves Confusion
Of ideas. The establishment Of several heS
republics, al once. may be called an unpreden'
ted event, and, IS historical occurrence, With
out parallel IN the history Of the world. Bat
the Committee cannot admit that every snbse
quent political srt 1T these hew states or o
other States, in reference 10 then. Is. therefore
To be called RoSel. and prceedented. and that ~
an injurious sense Of the words Oh the con
trsry, II appears 60 the Committee exceedingly
natural, that these States should bod diplomatic
conferences with each other. and negtbourins
naiio ions, zho have important relations VIII
them. Nothing, perhaps. 10 more frequent ~
political hisfofy than similar NEE tlngs, among