Martinsburg gazette and public advertiser. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1826-1833, 1826-03-23

WAsHIxeroN, March is. 1sqe

kne House OF the 9th ultimO, reQues sting
me to cause to be laid before the House,
30 much of the correspondence between
the Government of the United States,
and the new States of America or their
Ministers, respecting the proposed Con-
gress, or meeting of Diplomatic agents
at Panama. and such information res
peeting the general character of that
expected Congress, as may be in my
possession sid as may, in my opinion,
be communicated without prejudice to
the public interest; and also, to inform
the House, so far as in my opinion the
public interest may allow, in regard to
what objects the Agents of the United
States are expected to take part in the
deliberations of that Congress: | now
transmit to the House, a report from
the @ecretary of State, with the cores
pondence and information requested by
the resolution.
With regard to the objects in which
the Agents OF the IT, states are expec.
ted to take part in the deliberations of
that Congress, ! deem it proper to pre-
mise, that these objects did not form the
only, nor even the principal motive for
INV acceptance of the invitation. NV
FIRST aid grestest inducemen. was to
meet, IL the spirit Of kindness and
friendship, an overture made in that
spirit bv tbre.a sister Republics of this
hemisphere. he great revolution in
human affair." which has brought into
existence, nearly at the same time,
eight sovereign and independent nations
in our own quarter OF the globe, has
placed the u. >tates in a situation not
les. novel, and scarcely less interesting,
than that in which they had found them
selves, by their own transition from a
cluster of colonies to natio.1 OF soVe-
reign states. The deiiyerance OF the
SogtberR American Republics from the
oppression, vnder which they had been
80 long afflicted, @as halted with great
unanimity by the People of this Union,
as among the most auspices events of
tina age. On the 4th of May. lsaa, an
act of Congress made an appropriation
of one hundred thousand dollars 'for
such missions to the Independent Ma
tons on the American continent, as the
President of the u. States might deem
proper"
In exercising the authority recogniz-
cd by this act, my predecessor, by and
with the advice and consent of the Sc
nate, appointed, successfully, Ministers
Plenipotentiary to the Republics of Co
fombia. Buenos Ayrps, Chill, and lex
leo. Unwilling to raise among the fra
ternity of freedom, questions OF prece-
dency and etiquette, which even the
European Monarchs had of late found
it necessary in great measure to dis
card, he despat he'd these Ministers to
Colombia, Buenos Ayres, and Chill,
without exacting from those Republics,
as by the ancient principles of political
primogeniture he might have done. that
the compliment of Plenipotentiaiy
mission, 81 ould have been paid first by
them to the U. States. The Instructions
prepared under his direction to Nh. An
derson, the first Of our Ministers TO the
Southern continent, contain, at much
length, the general principles, upon
which he thought it desirable that our
relations, political and commercial, with
these our new neighbours, should be
established, for their benefit and ours,
and that of the future ages of our pos
terity. A copy oil SO much of these in-
structions as relates to these general
subjects, is among the papers now
transmitted to the blouse. Similar in
structions were furnished to the Minis
ters appointed TO Buenos Ayres, Chill,
and Mexico; and the system of social
intercourse which il was the purpose of
those missions to establish from the FIRST
opening of ourDiplomatic relations with
those rising nations, is the most efiec
tive exposition of the principles upon
which the invitation to the Congress at
Panama, has been accepted by me, as
well as of the objects of negotiation at
that meeting in which Il was expected
that our Plenipotentiaries should take
part
The House will perceive that, even at
the date of these instructions, the first
treaties between some of the Southern
Republics had been concluded,by which
they had stipulated among themselve.
this Diplomatic assembly at Panama
And 1t will be seen with what caution
40 far as it might concern the policy o.
the u. states, and at the same time
with what fFankness and good will to-