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

be concurred in, to decline accedlng
to any arrangement which may be
proposed on different principles.
The condition oflhe Islands OF Gu
ba and Porto Rico, is of deeper I'M
port, and more immediate bearing up
on the present interests and future pros
poets OF our Union The correspon.
dence herewith transmitted will show
how earnestly it has engaged the at
tention of this govei nment The IN
vasion of both the Islands by those
United forces OF Mexico and Colombia,
is avowedly among the objects to be
matured by the belllgerent states at
Panama. The commissions to which,
from the peculiar composition OF their
population, they would be liable IN the
event of such an invasion, and the dan
ger therefrem resulting, of their falling
ultimately into the hands OF some
European power, ether than Spain,
will not admit of our looking at the
consequences to which the Congress al
Panama may lead, with indifference.
tits unnecessary to enlarge upon this
topic, or to say more than that all our
efforts in reference to this interest, will
be to preserve the existing state OF
things, the tranquility OF the Islands,
and the peace aud security OF their 10
habItants.
Aud, lastly the Congress of Pana
ma is believed tn present fair occa-
sion for urging upon all the rev nations
of the South, the just and liberal prin
ciples Of religious liberty. Not by
any interference whatever in their in
ternal concerns, but by claiming Tor
our citizens, whose occupations or IN
terests may call them to occasional re
sidence in their territories, the lnesti
mabIe privilege of worshiPping their
Creator according to the dictates oil
their own e0nsciences. This priv
iege, sanctioned by the customary law
of nations, and secured by treaty sii.
puialions in npmerou. national com
pacts; secured even to our oWp citizens
in The treaties with Colombia and
with the Federation of Central Anne
RIGA, is yet to be obtained in the other
South American States and Mexico,
Existing prejudices are still struggling
against it, which may, perhaps, be
more successfully combatted at this
general meeting than at the separate
seats OF Government of each Republic.
can scarcely deem it otherwise than
superfncus, to observe, that the Assem-
bly, viii be in its nature diplomatic, and
not legislative. That nothing can be
transacted there obligatory upon any
one of the States to be represented at
tie meeting, unless with the express
concurrence of its own Representatives,
nor even then, but subject to the ratifi
cation of its constitutional authorities at
home. The faith of the United States
to foreign Powers cannot otherwise be
pledged. shall, indeed, in the first in
stance, consider the Assembly as merely
consuitJtioe, and although the Plenipo
tentiaries of the United States will be
empowered to receive and refer 10 the
consideration of their Government, any
proposition from the other parties to the
meeting, they will be authorized to coa-
ciude nothing, unless subject to the de-
finitive sanction of this Government, in
all its constitutionalforms. 1t has, there
fore, seemed to me unnecessary to IE-
sist, that every obj ect to be discussed at
the meeting, should be specified with
the precision of judicial sentence, or
enumerated with the exactness of a ma
the NAUTICAL demonstration. The purpose
of the meeting itself is to deliberate up
on the great and common interests of
several new and neighboriDg nations
If the measure is new and without pre-
cedent, so is the situation Of the parties
to it That the purposes of the meeting
are somewhat definite, far from being
an objection to il, is among the cogens
reasons for its adoption. 1t is not the
establishment OF principles of inter-
course with one, but with seven or eight
nations at once. That, before they had
the means Of exchangiRg ideas, and
communicating with one another in
commoB upon these topics. they should
have definitely settled and arranged
them in concert, is to require that the
effect should precede the cause. tits to
exact, as preliminary to the citing,
th at for the accomplishment of which
ahe meeting itself is designed.
49,. A. :r,,,,9c,ax 40 h, n xyara tho3f