The Massachusetts spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1831-1858, 1831-10-19
FOR THE MAssAcuUsETTs SPY.
REPUBLIC OF NATIONS.

REPUBLIC OF NATIONS.
As this appears TO be the era of CONVENTIONS,
and these are made the great political machines
by which important public objects are sought
to be effected, would suggest another to be ad-
ded TO the list The one would suggest is
Convention for the purpose of devising some
UniUerSal System of Government which may
perhaps be styled the "Republic of Nations
that shall exercise jurisdiction over all nterna-
tional subjects, and settle all those questions
out of which arise the disputes and wars which
have existed among nations. Had such para.
mount system of government been in operation
from the first separation of mankind into ma.
tions, to define the rights and duties of each in
relation to the other, and TO regulate the inter-
course between them. all wars would have prob.
ably been prevented, az this would have consti.
tuted peaceable mode of settling all the con-
troverses which have arisen If such an
thority should exist TO prescribe in the first
place what shall be the law of Nations, and
then to adudcate all cases arising under it,
with the understanding that the whole power
and influence Of the confederation should stand
pledged to carry their decisions into execution,
it would be sufficient to ensure an obedience to
them as no one or two nations would be able
to resist this combined power, with any pros
pect of success, or would think of attempting it.
The system now in operation in these Unit
cd States for the government of the twenty
four ELECTROMAGNETIC, it seems TO me might
he extended to embrace the great community
of Nations. Our National Government has ju.
risdiction over all those subjects in which the
whole country has a common interest, and
where general and uniform law applying to
the whole Union would be moro beneficial to
all parts of it, than if each State were allowed
TO make its own law upon the subject which
might be different and clash with that of others.
Our State governments have jurisdiction over
those subjects which are peculiar and local in
their nature, or which require the guardianship
of local legislature, and where their operation
cannot extend in their effects beyond the boun-
daries of tho particular State. This division of
power is effected by the creation of 4 National
Legislature and Judiciary, and State Legis-
lature and Judiciary. Now it seems to me this
principle might be extended in its application,
and an International, Legislative, and judicial
authority be created to take cogn:zance of all
these subjects which relate to the intercourse
of Nations with each other and which are now
made the subjects of treaties between them,-
leaving to the existing governments of the diff
terent Nations to regulate their internal affairs
as heretofore. The Law Of Nations, as it is
called, which in intended 10 determine the
rights and duties of Nations in relation to each
other, has never been well digested, and has
never proceeded from any authority acknowl
edged to be lawfully invested with the power
of declaring the law in this case. II is made up
principally Of the individual opinions of learned
civilians, who have written upon the subject, Of
the decisions of admiralty Courts, and of the
views Of persons employed in diplomatic in
tercourse between nations for the construction
of treaties. But there never has been any thing
like a common paramount authority respecting
the views and interests Of differen: nations cre
ated for the purpose of framing code Of Inter
national law and expounding its meaning, whose
decisions should be considered as the act of all
the Powers who are parties to it, and binding
upon them. This is the great deslderatum in
the present state of the world, and what the
proposed system of Universal Government or
Republic of Nations" is intended to supply.
The plan would now propose, in its general
features without going into detail at this time
is that there should be Legislative authority
created which might be styled the " Congress
of Nations, consisting of two bodies, constitut-
ed, perhaps, like our National Congress, togeth-
or with an Executive Department, to be chos-
en- in manner hereafter to be determined, who
shall frame an entire new system of lnterna-
tional Law, suited to the views and exigencies
of the present state of the world, and from time
to time TO revise and alter This code as circum-
stances shall require it-and to have annual
sessions for this purpose-and Judicial au-
ihorty created likewise, TO whom all questions
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