Martinsburg gazette and public advertiser. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1826-1833, 1826-04-13

TIE mt class, suCb a. HOilsud anu SpSths hiPot-
tant political and commercial relations have led
the United States to the establishment Ut per-
manent missions.
TINS beng the principle Of our diplomatic
intercourse, the Committee conceive it TO APP
ply, with great force. in the present instance,
and 20 require the attendance OF our Agents
1T the Congress of Panama In that body, qucs-
tons directly involving our mos, important po-
litiosl -nd rOmmereisl interests, aie to BE- dis
cussed. Though the new Republics there re-
presented are 50 many separate Governments,
our relations 9th them are not merely those
which We hold toward each, individuality they
form ore whole family in language, religion,
law, historical fortunes, and present political AL
lance. Prom this family, AS far As the tsume-
rated circumstances 60, ~e are necessarily ex-
cluded: out OF this exclusion springs An en,iie
class OF political and commercial relations, be.
tween Us on the one side, and a large family OF
new Republics on u other This family OF
Republics has thoeghtn expedient 10 convene
an Assembly of Plenipotenuaries at Panama
As an importan. part OF their public relations,
arc those IN winch they stand to us, they have
invited US to send our Ministers to this Assem-
bh The law Ot nations warrants them, III thus
designating tie place and mode OF treating
with triendl, Powers. and if We refuse TO sc-
cept the invitation, tskes from us the right of
complaining Of any result, however inconsistent
with our interests.
Under the circumstances in which this sub
iect IS before the House, the Committee deem
Il their duty to consider some Of the oblec'ions
which may be urged sgsinst the acceptance.
oy the United States, OF this invitation These
may be amo others. That such aceep-
lance is unconstlt t,onal. thai al tue ob.
jects Of the Congress, as Tar as We are con.
cerned, may be attained by negotiations with
the separate States, that the subjects OF dis.
eusson, The powers OF the Ministers, the mode
of organizing the Congress, and the mote of
deciding questions are not sufficiently settled
te sathosize our accepting the invitation; that
our attendance would endanEer our neutrality
toward Spsini that IL might involve rs IN an en-.
tangiHg alliance with the new States; that our
attendance would be novel and unprecedts.
ted measure; that there is, IN Congress Of
States, something essentially perneivus. ss
proved by tie example OF Europe, in It's recent
history.
The FIRST objection may be- that the attend.
ance OF the United States 1T the Congress of
Panama, would be- unconstitutional. To this
objection the Committee would reply that they
are not acquainted With any restriction in the
Constitution, on the appointment of Foreign
Ministers by the proper authority II ma, not
however, be supeffluuas { add, that this 9b-
lection proceeds on the assumption that the
Congress at Panama 10 either 4 Government, n
branch Of Government, or a coniederacy of
Governments, and that the United States. by at.
lending this Assembly, unite themselves to the
said Government or Confederac,. Neither part
Of this assumption is true. The Congress is a
meeting OF Diplomatic Agents from the indie.
pendent Governments; and granting for mo.
Il. a.. A. a..
vernmvnt or eoniederscy, our attendance atit
by Diplomatic Ministers, would be no entrance
into such contederacy no union with such Go
vernment. need scarcely be urged, that the
United States DO Tot enter into confe deracy,
do not form an union with foreign Power,
or any Powers. by sending Minister 10 treat
with such Power or Powers.
II may, in the next place be objected 10 our
attendance at tins meeting, that all its objects
may be attained by separate nrgotiativrs. with
the several States. II may admit doubt whe-
ther this could, by possibility, be the case II
is questionable whether sepsrate and discon.
nected negotiations between States geogrsphi.
caliy so remote, aud various respects politically
so different from each other, could be brought
to the same harmonious and systematic result
as discussion in an Assembly of Diplomatic
Agents, promptly communicating with each
~
all events. il may safely be affirmed, tina, the
same result may be far more expeditiously and
conveniently attained. by conference with the
assembled Ministers Of States so remote from
each other, that an interchange OF Intelligence
with their respective capitals could not take
place more than twice IN a twelve month
This objection. goirg only to the convenience
of the measure, need not be more particularly
weighed
The third objection may be. that the sub.
jects OF discussion, the powers OF the Minis.
tiers the mode of organizing the Congress, and
mode OF deciding question, are not vet sui.
fciently settled 10 justify cur attendance
From the apers submitted TO the Committee,
II appears that this consideration engaged the
sttentio ion OF the Executive, when the invitation
was made to this Government, last srring, bv
the Ministers of Mexico and Colombia II
was then required by the President, that pre-
vious satisfaction should be given on these
points The replies of those Ministers. sfer
having Consulted their Governments do not
enter into minute detail on these points, vet
the Committee are of opini on that they are
satisfactory. AS 10 the subjects in general 10
be discussed, there are no limitation TO the
disadvantage of any Government Represented.
and the meeting being one of Diplomatic
Agents, and it being stipulated in the Conlom-
bian treaties, that the Ministers to the Cogress
are to go with the usual diplomatic powers
and Instructions, it follows that the mode of
proceedings must be that of diplomats discus.
sion and conference. and their mode OF deed
ing that which can alone exist between Diplo-
matte Agents--the mutual reference Of what.
ever convention or act, may be negotiated, 10
the Constitutional authorities at home That