Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1832-02-16

"The question presented by the letters you
have sent me is the most momentrus which has
ever been offered to my contemplation since 'nat
Of independrnce That made US nation, TINS
sets our compass. and points the course when we
are 10 steer through the ocean OF time opening
upon IA. And never could we embark on 1t un-
der circumstances more suspicious. Our hrst
and fundamental maxim should be. never TO en-
t,nyle ourselves in the broiis Of Europe. Our
second. never 10 suffer Europe to intermediate
with cisatlantic affairs. America, North and
South, has set of interests distinct from those
of Europe. and peculiarly her own. She should
therefore have system Of her own. separate and
apart from that Of Europe. While the last is la
boring to become the Dnmiclle Of despotsm, our
endeavour should sure be tn make our hemls-
phere that of freedom. One nation. most OF all,
could disturb US in this pursuit; she now oilers
tn lead, lid. and accompany US IN it. bv acce'
ding to her proposition, we detach her from
the band Of despots. bring her mighty weight M
to the scale Of free government. and emanc'pate
a continent at one stroke, which might otherwise
linger long in doubt and difficulty. Great Bril-
tain is the nation which can do US the most harm
of any one, or all on earth; and with her on our
side we need not fear the whole wOrld.-Wlth
her, then, we should most sedulously cherish
cordial friendship: and nothing would tend more
to knit our affections than to be fighting once more,
side by side in the same cause. Not that would
purchase even her amity at the price OF taking
mart in her wars. Bat the war in which the
present proposition might engage US. should that
be its consequence, is not her war but ours.
Its object is to introduce and establish the Anne
rican system, Of keeping out OF our lard all to-
reign powers, Of never permitting those Of Eu-
rope to ntermeddle with the affairs of our nation
1t is to maintain our own principle, and not to
depart from it; and If to facilitate this we can
effect division in the body of the European pow
ers, and draw over to our side its most powerful
member, surely we should do it. But am clear
ly of Mr.. Cannins's opinion that It will prevent
instead of provoking war" CThis shows how
anx,ously and infinitely he had gone into the sub
jecr, and IN what various lights he had presented
iu with Great Britain Withdrawn from their
scale, and shifted into that of our two continents,
all Europe combined would not undertake such
a war. For how would they propose to get at
either enemy without superior fleets? Nor is the
occasion to be sighted. which this proposition OIL
fers, of declaring our protest against the afro
cious violations of the rights of nations by the in
reference of any one in the nternai affairs Of an
other, so hatisiously begun by Bonaparte and now
continued bv the equally lawless Alliance, CAL
ling itself Holy" In the same letter he adds:
II could honestly, therefore, join in the decla-
ration proposed, that we aim not at the acqusI-
ton OF any Of those possessions, that we will not
stand in the way Of any amcable arrangements
between them and the mother country; but that
we will oppose, with all our means. the forcible
interpositon of any other power, as auxiliary.
stipeudary, or under any other form or pretext;
and most especially, their transfer to any power
by conquest, cession, or acquisition in any other
way. should think it therefore advisable. that
the executive should encourage the British Go
yernment to continuance in the dispositions ex-
pressed in these letters, by an assurance OF his
concurrence with them as far as his authority
goes; and that as it may lead to war. the decla-
ration Of which requires an act of Congress, the
case shall be laid before them for consideration at
their first ,neeting. and under the reasonable as
pect in which it is seen by himself"
II now remains to connect with this the passage
in the Message of the President to Congress dat
ed Cd December. 1928, (see Annual Register for
that year. p. 1851 in which he echoes the very
sentiments into which Mr.. Jefferson had been
warmed bv the Letters of Canning
"'rhe late events in Spain and Portugal show
that Europe is still unsettled. Of this important
fact. no stronger proof can be adduced than that
the allied powers should have thought it proper,
on any principle satisfactory to themselves, to have
interposed by force in the internal concerns of
Spain. To what extent such lnterpositions may
he carried on the same principle, is question in
"hich all independent powers whose governments
differ from theirs. are interested, even those most
remote. and surely none more 50 than the United
States. Our policy in regard to Europe. which
was adopted at an early age of the wars which
have SO long agitated that quarter Of the globe
nevertheless remains the same; which is not to
interfere in the internal concerns OF any of its
powers; to consider the government de facio, as
the legitimate government for US; to cultivate
friendly relations by frank, firm, and manly po-
hey, meeting, in all instances, the just claim of
every power-submittng to injuries from none.
But in regard to these continents, circumstances
are eminently and conspicuously different. It's
impossible that the allied powers should extend
their political system to any portion of either con-
tinent, without endangerlng our peace and hap
piness. nor can any one believe that our southern
brethren, If left to themselves. would adopt it Of
their own accord 1t is equally impossible, there
fore, that we should behold such interposition in