Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1826-04-21

~ Us equally unimportant 10 this inquiry what this or
That munster from those nations NAV presume may be
the subjects of discussion 6v that Corrrc,s Whatever
those subjects may be. the constitution OF that Congress
cannot be other than those constitutional acts make H.
Taking, then, these treaties as our guido, and only
cutie, nothing can be clear 10 us than that the
report IS entirely mistaken in surprising that this Con
grcsS Is 10 be a confederate s0vcrcign.7.
NOV, had the report attempted to predicate the dan
gers with which it would alarm us on tho existence OF
mere Diplomatic Cou0c; mere Congress of Arnbas-
sadors the attempt mast have entirely failed it would
have been hardly possible 10 prevent its appearing even
ridiculous 'r, pray how such Congress be prcg
nant with such Dangers How in the first place would
II make out thai the desnes OF this country
United 10 It's seeping To de controlled, to be regulated
by IT. to be dependent upon it? How? ask. Certain
iy not by logic; logic would be OF here. wonder
ful as that weapon when welded by the hand that is
said 10 have drawn Up this report: here II must have
failed INN entirely No. nothing short of magic Geld
give even the scmbance connection between such
council and such results H. r;ust bsvc been magi-
clan, and have thrown before eyes all the illusions
OF enchantmcnt, before could see, TO sec,
such results seem To few men, not dozen
without being clothed with anv power whatever except
that of council, sitting ID concalve tie dividing line
OF the two hemisphercs, and controlling the desnics
oil BOTH Why the phTenzies of Don GuiXotte would be
sooer reason, compared TO the extravaganza Of such
delusion.
'Thcn pray how would slch Councl compromit our
neutral relations To shCw ti;', would involve the
port IN the difficult task of proving the exercise OF
right is itself wrong: for will that we have
not right to send Minister independent nation
and II amouuts to nothing five NAV send 10 one
independent nation, send 10 several indepen
dent nations; aud 1t makes difference, the right,
whether they confederatcd, confederacti
minister OF course, Is to meet Minister; this the
mode, and the only mode, of communication between
nations; and surely it makes difference as 10 the
right whether he meets the minister separately in his
own nation, meets him CONFORMITY with others in ano
thcr place; still IT Is the diplomatic intercourse
and the exercise of the right And are not these
Sonth American nations independent nations' Why
even Spain herself is Obliged consider them as indie
pendent nations, as to all the world except herself
the law OF nations obrcs her to consider them If
these States commit violations upon the rights of neu-
trail nations, is Spain responsible for these violations
No-se herself discai's the responsibility; and leaves
the injured neutral TO look these States for his indcm
NIFTY These nations being independent in point OF
fact, arc independent 10 ali cns and purposes rs
to us, and TO all the world except as to Spain herself
and have precisely the right To send minister
there that we have to send minister Great Britain
or to France; the same send to Panama, as to
send one to Mexico The mission then is matter of
plain unquestopable right But, though Span las not
right 10 complain Of il ayioaton of neutral re-
lations with her, Sic consider rs upiiieuIIv tn
her. She When we recognized the indenen-
dence ofese nations. she considered it rs unfriendlv to-
wards her so also when sent ministers those ma.
tons; 50 also when made treaties with them But
still we adopted these measures and wly2 Because in
SO doing violated right of SPAIN and because in
so doing NC pursued the true policy of coun-
try Even England, connected as she is with Spain
who alone sustained that monarchy against the mighty
efforts of Bonapare. whose relations with her are of the
most intimate character; even England has done the
same thing; and why? Because she had the right and
found her interest to DO disrcgardng all the com
plants Of Spain Of unfriendnoss IN these proceedins
The question of this mission he mission itself being an
nnqUestonable right is to be determined by coasLera
tons OF policy by IFS possible or probable effects an
the feelings of Spain, which we have uniformly disre
garded, when right and policy united IN recommending
measures of national interest.
But The instructions OF the minister NAV be such as TO
cnab!e him to concur in and promote plans that ma,
CONFRONT hey
the instructions to foreign minister we have TO
every foreign power IN the world. But what is our So
curitv against this: It is the Executive discretion ard
the Executive responsibility In the OF things
we can have no other. In this instance we have more
over the Executive pledge, that neutral relations
shall not be compromised lie says, his ministers shall
not engage TO any alliance, nor to any project i'm
porting hostility tc any nation Then if our neutral re-
iations should be violated the Executive must violate
his pledge or his ministers violate their instuc-
tons; and surely will presume either-at least no
one will act upon that presumption
The report would persuade us rat the destincs of
Cuba and Porto Rico somehow connected with this
MISSION or with This Congress: that their conquest is
10 be attempted by force: their independence pro-
duCed by their blacks being excited to revolt This sim
Poesrst that these plans of conquest or revolution
are coDtingeut-depending upon the event of a Con
gress; il no Congregations not 10 be unieralteD ifa
Congress-then to be undertaken And stranger still
IS the further contingent depending on the event of
mission o. missions that the Congress- without this
mission viii not undertake them: but, with this mis-
things: for if those plans-Congress or no Congress-
mission or no missonare resolved on idle to urge
that as an objection, which has no connection with
either fact. Whether these plans of Cono,esf or revo
luton resolved on or will he resolved on or rcsoIy
ed against, we know not but this know-it is oues
ton with which that Congress can have nothing to do
1T Is not within their commission; has their commits
SION any reference To IT. The powers war and peace
and all other Prerogaivcs osoveregnty are expresslv
retained by the States. This Congress bas no partic
patton IN them whatever. All their rnary-aU their
naval operations whether Tor offence or defence who
tier separate confederate concerted and directed
by the states themselves, independently of dis Con
gress. This Congress has tie least particle of an
thority with regard 10 them Bot fths boIy had dele
gated 10 it The military and naval concerns Of the con
icderacy, and the direction of their military and naval
operations as the report enormously suppoes oud not
our renonsTances made upon the spot that body and
to that body be likely to have ciect2 EYoud not
that be the very place where 10 exert our influence IN
prevent those attempts? And would it be prudent 70
forego tie chances, and them Tie Only favorable
f,l,l q pf pCf chi Z.