Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1826-03-30
MISSION TO PANAMA.

MIR. Crowninshield, from the Committee OF
Foreign Affairs, to which was referred tht
Message Of the President of the United
States, Of the 18th instant, made the follow
ing
The Committee of Foreign a6airs, TO ~hom 'ca.
referred the Message Of the President o. me y
States. to the House of Representatives, o. the 5t1
instant, with the Documents accompanying a.
have had the same under consideration, ana 6sS
Isare 10 report:
That it appears, from the above named mes
sage and papers, that an invitation has been re-
ceiyed by the United States, from the Repub-
hes of Colombia, Central America, and Next
co. To attend the Congress about to be held at
Panama 1t appears that this Invitation was
accepted by the President, on the condition
that the nomination of Commissioners for the
Mission should receive the advice and consent
of the Senate. This advice and consent having
been constitutionally expressed, In the confirm
alton of the Ministers nominated by the Pre-
sitlept. the concurrence of the House OF Repre-
scntarives is requested, as necessary TO carry
the mission into effect, by an appropriation to
defray the expense of it. This concurrence
being "subect To the free determination oil
the House, the Committee have regarded it. as
their du'y to the House, to inquire into the ex
pediency Of accepting this invitation The or
binary courtesy ofnations, In friendship with
each other, and the peculiar interest which, Tor
the strongest reasons, the People OF the United
States have ever felt and must ever feel, in the
new American Republics, would seem 10 die
tate tlie.propriety Of accepting this invitation,
unless there were sufficient reasons Tor declin-
ing it. No such reasons are believed by the
Committee of Foreign Affairs to exist.
Tn order to pre- sent the subject in Its true
liphr to the House, the Committee would hrst
make a remark on the general nature the AS
sembly. designated by the name OF the Congress
of Panama. The term Congress, II need
scarcely be observed, is by no means 10 De mere
understood in the sense IN which It Is applied 10
some other political assemblies. The congress
at Panama is not representative Delegation,
forming branch of Government, Ike the
present Congress Of the United States. II Is
no, body in which the government OF severai
confederated sovereign States is deposited
like the old American Congress. Neither Is IL
a nersonal meeting of Soverelgns, Ike the re.
cent Congress of Europe. 1t Is an assembly oil
6inlomatic agents, clothed with no powers eA-
ceat to discuss and to negotiate, depu'ed oy
Governments whose constitutions require tha'
all engagements with foreign Powers shaii DC
subject to the ratification OF some organic ooay
at home, AMI the more etfectuaiiy 10 guard a
eainst mistake, even OF the design In which inns
Congress has been proposed, IL Is supuialea, III
the several treaties formed by Soiohoia Will
the other new Republics, that tins meeting al
panama "shall not affect, in any manner, the ex-
erc;se of the national sovereignty of the con-
tracing parties, in regard TO their laws and the
III nj
ernments
Such is the general nature Of the proposed
Congress, as appears from the papers REFERRED
70 this Committee. vi It's oelecfs, the commit
zee will. in the course of this report, more par
ticularly speak. They are, in general, all sub
;ects interesting to the Powers represented at
The Congress, and susceptible Of discussion at
sucb meeting. The Minister OF the Colon
h;or Renublic. with the liberal design, as II
would appear, of excluding the superstition that
h;s own Government, or those which Joined 1t,
IN inviting us 10 the Congress, had any wish TO
sxarcise dictation as to what suJects should
exclusively be discussed, has observed, Ill ms
letter N The Secretary of State, OF 3D. Nov 1925,
tb,, the tonics of discussion therein enumera-
tod are DESIGNED merely "as suggestions oy
49,, or examnle." while cit is left TO the WIS.
don, of the Governments and the judgment oi
1heir REPRESENTATIVES, to propose whatever may
be esteemed of common good to the new rem
isphere." In the same letter OF the Colombian
Minister to the Secretary OF State, the follow
ing remarks also occur: AT Panama, the ees'
and most opportune occasion is offered 10 the
United States TO fix some principles OF interna'
tional law, the unsettled state oil which mas
caused much evilto humanity. 1t is to De pre-
sumed, that this Government, (the y. States
of America,) possesses more light upon the
snb;ect than the other States of our hemisphere;
both from its experience during the wars that
succeeded the French Revolution, and from lis
neeociations now on foot with Great Britain s
other nations, relative to these principles. II
belongs TO each Of the concurring parties tc
propose their views, but the voice OF the Uni
led States will be heard with the respect and
Difference which its early iabors in work o.
snch importance will merit" The sentiment:
here EXPRESSED by the Minister OF Colombia
are in accordance with thoseof the Minister:
af Nex;eo and of Central America, as contain
ed in their respective letters to the Secretary o
State, on the subject Of the invitation to aaen'
the Congress.