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

| their interests to propose tor discussion lhey
embrace, consequently, in general terms, our
political and commercial relations with the.new
! American Republics.
The Committee of Foreign Affairs has, &C
cordirgly, been led to inquire, what the prf''c'-
pls of our diplomatic intercourse with other
Governments has been? The answer to this IN
quiry is, that it has ever been the policy OF the
United States, to, maintain diplomatic relations
with those Powers, and those only, with when
we have important political and commercial
relations. We have not formed diplomatic
connections with very powerful States, sucn as
Austria and the Porte, where no great po'i'ica',
40 extensive commercial relations required.
such connections; while, with POWERS, not Oh
the first class, such as Holland and >paln, I'M
portant political and commercial relations nave
led the United States 10 the establishment OF
permanent missions.
This being the prinsiple OF our diplomatic
intercourse, the Committee conceive 1t TO ap-
ply, with great force, in the present instance,
and to require the attendance OF our Agents al
the Congress of Panama In that body, ques-
tons directly. involving our most important
political and commercial interests, are 10 be
| discussed. Though the new Republics there
represented are SO many separate Governments,
our relations with them are not merely those
| which we hold toward each, individually: they
form one whole family, in language, religion,
law, historical fortunes and present political al
lance From this family, as far as the enume-
rated circumstances go, we are necessarily eX'
cluded; out Of this exclusion springs an entire
class of political and commercial relations, be-
tween us, on the one side, and large family oil
new Republics on the other. This family OF
Republics has thought it expedient to convene
an Assembly Of Plenipotentlar'es at Panama
AS an important part of their public relations,
are those in which they stand 70 us, they have
invited us 10 send our ministers 10 this Assem-
bly,. The law of nations warrants them, In
thus designating the place and mode OF treating
with friendly powers, and five refuse to accept
the invitation, takes from us the right of COM
planning of any result, however inconsistent
with our interests
Under the circumstances in which this sub
ject is before the House, the Committee deem
it their duty TO consider some OF the objections
which may be urged against the acceptance, by
the United States, Of this invitation. These
may be, among others: That such acceptance
is unc institutional; that all the objects OF the
Congress, as lar as we are concerned, may be
attained by negotiations with the separate
States; that the subjects of discussion, the pow
ers Of the Ministers, the mode of organizing
the Congress, and the mode of deciding ques
tons, are not sufficiently settled to authorize
our accepting the invitation; that our attend
ance would endanger our neutrality toward
Spain; that II might involve us in an entan2
ling alliance with the new States; that our at
tendance would be q nuvel aud ~~r-ao -Len,cu
measure; that there is, in Congress OF States,
something essentially pernicious, as proved by.
the example of Europe, in its recent history.
The first objection may be, that the attend
suce of the United States at the Congress OF
Panama, would be unconstitutional. 10 this
objection the Committee would reply, that they
are not acquainted with any restriction In the
Constitution, on the appointment oil Foreign
Ministers by the proper authority. IL ma, not
however, be superhuous to add, that this ooJec-
ton proceeds on the assumption that the Con-
gress at Panama is either Government,
branch of Government, or Coniederacy Of
Governments, and that the United States, by
attending this Assembly, unite themselves to
the said Government or Contederacy. Neither
part of this assumption is true. The Congress
is a meeting Of Diplomats Agents from indie
pendent Governments; and, granting Tor
moment that the Congress ar Panama were a
Government, or Confederacy, our attendance
a, il by Diplomatic Ministers, would be no en-
trance into such Confederacy-no union with
such Government 1t need scarcely he urged,
that the United States do not enter into COME
deracy, do not form an union with foreign
Power. or any number of Powers by sending
a Minister to treat with such Power or lowers
I,may, in the next place, be objected to our
attendance at this meeting. that all It's objects
NAV be attained by separate negotiations, with
the several States 1t may admit doubt whe-
Their this could, by possibility, be the case. 1t
is questionable whether separate and dlscon-
nected negotiations between States geosraphi-
cally so remote, and in various respects poll
ticaly so different from each other, could be
brought to the same harmonious and systemat-
ic result, as discussion i'll an Assembly OF
Diplomatic Agents, promptly communicating
with each other information, counsel, and ar
gument AT all events, it may safely be aftirm-
ed, that the same result may be lar more expe-
ditiously and conveniently attained, by con-
ference with the assembled Ministers OF States
so remote from each other, that an interchange
of intelligence with their respective capitals
could not rake place more than twice IN
twelve month This objection. going only to
the convenience of the measure, need not be
more particularly weighed.
The third objection may be, that the subjects
Of discussion, the powers Of the Ministers, the