Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1826-06-03
From the London Courier, .apr72o.

s;d.ra,;on II announces, with great distinct
mess the nolicv intended 10 be pursued by the
% u. States in their intercourse WIN the new Ma
tions of America; and its tone with some slight
sxcs,t;onsl is calm and moderate. Our only
doubt is. whether the actuating spirit OF the
Who'll. be not larger ambition than perhaps
the President would, even TO himself, be dlspos'
ed 10 own.
We have always found great awkwardness
and difficulty in speaking OF the United States
as a nation for. want of one simple and EXPIRES
sive term by which 20 designate them Now
that America is divided into several indcpend-
en-, Sovereignties. il becomes absurd to call any
of them the Amedcen Government: but the word
PiiLGdelphia is al once harmonious In sound, and
pleasinp in association: it calls 10 mind he ven
cradle Penn, and his friendly brethren, il is the
name of the ancient capital OF the Union; and
NAV. therefore, as in the instances Of Rome,
Naples, Mexico. sc. be not unity used TO de-
signate the nation.
The philadelphians (for so we shall style the
people Of the United States, in the ensuing re-
marks, are now, for the first time, surrounded
BY communities just rising into political exist
ance, each Of which is far inferior TO them
selves in population, in wealth, in military and
naval force, in science, in experience, In all the
elements ofpower, physical and moral. These
nations must ofcoursc form system OF interna-
rional communion with each other, and OF that
system the Philadelphians evidently wish to
place themselves at the head. We do not say
that the desire ofinfuence thus evnced is un-
natural-we do not assert that II is absolutely
impoltic; but it does appear 10 US TO demand
the vigilance ofother great Powers, and more
especially Of the greatest Power at present ex-
listing, our own.
tits perhaps fattering reflection to those
who's speak the tongue
That Shakespeare spoke, the faith and morals hold
That Milton held
to consider that in each hemisphere, the nation
manifestly outshning all the others is OF Brit
ish birth and language, and spirit. If the Con-
tinen, of America, with its dependant Islands,
could be wholly separated in views and inte-
rests from the other quarters of the globe, we
should feel just national pride, that the sons
of our ancestors held in those remote regions the
balance of power, ard guided the march Of. CT
yilizalion. Perhap, some such political vision
NAV have crossed the mind Of Mr.. adams; for
he says, America has set of primary inter-
ests. which have none or remote relation 10
Europe, and, therefore, the interference of Eu-
rome in those concerns should be spontaneous
tirely subscribe We admit that there are many
modes in which the European powers ought
no, 10 interfere. For instance, The Members of
the Holy Alliance should not pretend to dictate
TO The Elk Colonies of Spain any terms OF con-
cfssion, much less Of submission, to the Mother
Country; but it is by no means SO clear TO us
that there are not many primary interests Of the
American nations, with which it would be no
less just and polite in US than in the Philadel-
phians to interfere; and at all events we should
have an undoubted right TO oppose the inter-
ference of any power whatever, if it were pushed
so far as TO conflict with our own welfare.
The President says, the first principle which
will guide the United States in their intercourse
with the new nations is disinieresiedness This
is no doubt highly laudable in intention; and
we have only TO hope that it will be constantly
followed by practice. The next principle is
good tcai; which we see no reason TO question.
The third, and rather more tangible, principle,
is reciprocity. These are all the principles which
Mr.Adams enumerates; but il appears to us, we
coniesss, that the objects which he afterwards
states as likely 10 come into discussion at Pa
mama, do not all lie within quite so narrow a
circle. Those objects, as we collect them from
the different partsof the Message, are the fol
lowing
|. The abolition Of privateering.
2. The principle Of free ship free goods.
8. \ curtaied enumeration of contraband.
4. The laws Of blockade
S. The prohibition Of future colonization in
America.
s. The resistance Of invasion from Europe.
a. The abolition Of the slave trade.
g. The question of recognizing the indepen-
dence of Hayti.
The situation Of Cuba and Porto Rico.
10. The establishment of religious liberty.
|. To begin with the hrst-7;Alr Adams thinks,
and it is here that his language is more Inflated
than suits diplomatic style, that he cannot
exaegerate to himself the unfolding glory with
which the United States will go forth in the me-
mort Of future ages, if, by their friendly coun-
SCI, by their moral influence, by the power Of
argument and persuasion alone, they can prev all
upon the American nations at Panama 10 stipu-
late, by general agresn.ent among themselves,
and so far as any OF them may be concerned
the perpetual abolition Of privare war upon the
Ocean. We are extremely sorry that the Co