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

| Dut, w point oI principles, there - no
novelty ia our attendance at the pio-
posed Congress of Panama Our MIN
isters viii carry with them the same
pCwefs--no larger, 40 more discre lion.
ary--than have ever been vested 81 the
iorelgn Minister'S of the United States.
1t has been the characteristic policy of
the United States, to ask NO que tions
about the quality or constitution of tie
Power 10 " hich our Ministers were sent
We have rested for our security, hot ON
a tnid calculation OF tie powers OF the
Government, or OF the body with which
our ministers we've 10 treat, but on our
constitutional Safeguards, at home. 1t
has been indifferent TO US Nhe,aer Eu-
rope were at peace or at war; or by
what title het soyereigns flied their
thrones. To an instance in a single
case--we have sent missions To Fanca
alike under the absolute monarchy, lin,i.
ted monarchy, and revolutionary an.
arcby; 70 the Convention and to tie Di-
rectory; to the Consular and the mpe
| rial despotisms; and TO the present con-
| 0OttIHultHts hS UOhtuFp
of affairs, which our Ministers have
found, in that country, has often been
novel; their personal position unprece-
dented; the scenes they Witnessed
strange and unexampled. But of none
of our successive missions, could il have
been said, in any important sense, that
the mission itself was novel; that isylat
| Il opened door To any relaxation Of the
constitutional checks, in the admins.
tration of the foreign aflails of the 60
vernment al hume. In like manner. the
mission TO Panama is in the strictest
conformity with our whole international
policy,wlicli is,to be represented where
| yer we have imp o ,l;n i.ti,.; com
merrial connections. Our commission
ers will 20 there TO do The business of the
country Their appearance at that meet
ing cannot, surely, have the effect of
breaking down the Senate and House or
Representatives, and, by kind Of die
toriai power, unknown to the constitu-
tion, of binding the country in foreign
alliance.
Lastly,i it may be objected that. IN a
Congress Of assembled powers, there is
something essentially peinieious, which
this country, instead of approaching,
ought 10 shun; and the existing organi-
cation in Continental Europe may be
quoted as the illustration. The Commit
tee deem il hardly necessary to remark,
that the pernicious character Of the late
European Congresses, or of any Euro
pean Congresses, does not consist in the
act Of assembling and treating together,
but in the character of the governments
assembed, and in the objects effected
or armed at--A Congress of despo,ic
Powers welding the force OF large stand
ing armies. and meeting TO concert mea-
sures for violent interference in the in
ternal affairs Of other States, is certainly
a pernicious assembly. In other words,
desroiic governments, standin. armies,
unprotected invasion, are pernicious Ia
single State, and proportionahly more
So, when several despotic governments
league their forces Ia. prevent tie esta-
blishment of liberal Institutions. in any
country not beyond their reach. But IT
the States of Europe were free Repub-
lies, blessed with popular governments,
written laws, elective Magistrates, and
senatorial bodies beyond the reach of
corruption, the Committee do not per-
ceive that a betting of the diplomatic
Agents of sueh Governments. TO form
Treaties and Conventions, on their NIT
Itual interests and concerns. that are TO
he sent home to their constitutional ra-
liirying fiinctionaries, would be IN any
degree alarming. Moreover, It is an OBJ
vious reflection. that this argument a
gainst the Mission to Panamalf it prove
any thing. proves too mnch. II the PER-
lniciouS character Of the Power to which
the Mission is to be sent, form reason
for not sendingit il would be impossi-
BILE for the United States, to maintain
single Mission in Europe. Our minis
tiers there are, in every case, accredited
IN Governments. constructed. as We
think. on principles which could not be
introduced here, without immediate ma
Itional ruin. II it he safe for us to hold
diplomatic Intercourse with the unlimi-
tied monarchy Of Russia. il cannot he
dangerous 10 hold the same kind of in
tercourse with on assembly Of the agents
or our neighbouring Republics.
Having thus considered the objections
which NAV exist TO this measure. and