Edwardsville spectator. [volume] (Edwardsville, Ill.) 1819-1826, 1826-04-15


milton to abstain from pledging this go
yernment TO any arrangement winch
injcht be expected TO tail OF obtaining
tic advice and consent OF the Senate, by
constitutional majority, to It's ratihca-
lion.
Whether the political condition Of the
Island OF Hayti, shall be brought at all
into discussion at the meeting, may be a
question for preliminary advisemcni.
There are in the political constitution OF
government of that people, circumstan-
ces which have hitherto forbidden the
acknowledge Of them by the govern
ment of the United States as sovereign
and independent. Additional reasons
for Withholding that acknowledgment
have recently been seen IN their accep-
lance of nominal sovereignty by the
grant of foreign Prince, under condi-
lions equivalen, to the concession by
them OF exclusive commercial adyanta'
ees TO one nation, adapted altogether to
The state Of colonial vassalage, and re-
tanning little of independence but the
pame.-Our Plenipotentiaries will be
instructed TO present these views to the
assembly at Panama: and should they
not be concurred in, to decline accedng
to any arrangement which may be pro-
posed on different principles.
The condition of the Islands Of Cuba
and Porto Rico, is of deeper import, and
more immediate bearing upon the pre-
sent interests and future prospects OF our
Union. The correspondence herewith
transmitted will show how earnestly it
has engaged the attention Of this govern
ment. The invasion OF both the Islands
by those united forces of Mexico and Co.
lomba, is avowedly among the objects
to be matured by the belligerent states
at Panama. The commissions to which,
from the peculiar composition OF their
pepu lation, they would be liable in the
event of such an invasion, and the dan.
ger therefrom resulting, of their falling
ultimately into the hands OF some Euro
pean power, other than Spain, will not
admit Of our looking at the consequent
ces to which the Congress at Panama
NAV lead, with Indifference. 1t is unne-
cessary 10 enlarge upon this topic, or 10
say more Than that all our efforts in re-
ference to this interest, will be to pre-
serve the existing state of things; the
tranquility of the Islands, and the peace
and security of their inhabitants.
And lastly, the Congress OF Panama is
believed to present a fair occasion for
urging upon all the new nations OF the
South, the Just and liberal principles OF
Religious Liberty, not by any interie-
renee whatever in their internal concerns,
but by claiming for our citizens, whose
occupations or interests may call them
to occasional residence in their terrific
ries, the inestimable privilege of wor-
shipping their Creator according to the
dictates OF their own consciences. This
privilege, sanctioned by the customary
law OF Nations, and secured by Treaty
slipulations, ia numerous national COM
pacts; secured even TO our own citizens
10 the treaties with Colombia, and with
the Federation of Central America, is
vet TO be obtained in the other South
American States, and Mexico. Exist
ing prejudices are still struggling against
it, which may, perhaps, be more sue
cessfully comba,led at this general meet
ing, than at the separate seats OF govern
men, OF each Republic.
can scarcely deem it otherwise than
superfluous, to observe, that the assem-
bly, will 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 the
meeting, unless with the express concur
renee of its own Representatives, nor
even then, but subject to the ratification
OF its constitutional authority at home.
The faith of the United States to foreign
Powers, cannot otherwise be pledged.
l shall, indeed, in the first place, consi-
der the Assembly as merely consultative;
and although the Plenipotensiaries OF the
United States will be empowered to re.
ceiye and refer to the consideration OF
their government any proposition from
the other parties 10 the meeting, they
will be authorised to conclude nothing
unless subject to the definite sanction OF
this government in all its constitutional
forms. Ii has, therefore, seemed to me
unnecessary to insist that every object to
be discussed at the meeting should be
specified with the precision Of judicial
sentence, or enumerated with the exact
ness of a matthew atical demonstration.
The purpose OF the meeting itself, is 10
deliberate upon the great and common
interests Of several new and neighboring
nations. II the measure is new, and
without precedent, so is the situation oil
The ma rties N II That the purDoses Ol