Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1838-01-19
COM NJ UNiC TION.

OVOn U- - HNSslnr WWnE' Nv HVN'Ih'
mcnt reused to scusc ct the danger,
which i'll Tuned zeal was producing, ~ put
ting forth It's Cncrcics ~ r'Hectvr or
rcnccful relations, Tho return 10 quiet
will probably be a> tap'd, n, the excitement
which threatened to disturb that Quiet was
sudden and extraordinary. The errors
into which We have fallen, having their
origin III tho beat feelings &C. our nature,
love Of liberty and desire to extend i's
blessings. should be mentioned without
any a<pcrfv md remembered only a cav
tons against rX'rnvhranre ~ The cx rus.on
uf or pr0cip'r4 - people not prepared 10
receive ,hom Tho thoughtful man, while
warmed with grateful emotions for deliver.
ance from danger, will seek 10 deepen The
impressions vhch The principles "i good
government make upon the mind By
proper Improvement Of the past. Inc
demands Of du'y are always IMPERATIVE.
aud none more so than those which as tree
men we owe to oar country aud The world.
Admitted 10 the family of nations, We
are bound by those laws which by common
consent lave been adopted by the CIVILIZED
world, Us rules Of conduct in the later
course of raIions. While Gu'y requires
the faithful discharge Of the obligations
thus imposed, no real interest can possibly
be promoted by any departure from them.
The eXci'cmen, which Is now passing
away seems to have been founded in the
assumed right Of doing who, we please
provided it is done in the name of liberty.
1t is the agrarianism Of governments, the
loco focoism Of nations. The principle Is
Of poisonous nature as deletcrous TO good
government a destructive Of private SIR
tue. The effects will be the same whether
exhibited in private life or on the theatre
Of nations. Where there is no restraint
there is no liberty, and where nations seek
only the qualification Of their own wills
there is no safety. One of the profound
jurisls of the age, after declaring TINT
nations are equal in respect To each other.
and entitled to claim equal consideration tor
their rights, says-"this perfect equality
''ond entire independence of all distinct
Estates is fundamental principle Of public
Flaw. il is a necessary consequence o.
"ihis equality, that each nation las right
"to govern itself as it may thiak proper,
"and no one nation is entitled 10 dictate
form of government, or religion, or n
"course Of internal police 10 another. No
estate is entitled 10 take cognzance or
'notice Of the domestic administration OF
"anolhor state, or of what passes within II,
'"as between The government and its own
"subjects." These principles thus con-
cisely stated most emphaiicaly declare the
great law of social intercourse among
nations to be non interference. Each Is
permitted to establish its own form of
government, and regulate its own police,
L..t no NJ IN nj AT n
interfering with that Of It's EeiGhbor. THIS
obligation is not impaired by any supposed
inferiori,y in the government of the
one, or superiority in that Of the other.
The government Of France may in our
opinion be very imperfect. as it nndoubt-
eddy is, and may wholly fail in securing to
to its subjects the cnjoymcn, Of their na'u
raj rights, but that creates in us no right
Of interference. Our government, is prob
nblv considered by crowned heads as of
dangerous tendency. from the facI that the
principles on which it is founded naturally
tend to shake the foundations Of all mon
nrchica systems. but would that give them
the right To interfere wlrb US aSsuredIy
not. and yet it would be but carrying out
the principles we have so wildly advoca-
ted.
There can be neither doubt nor con,ro-
varsv Ga TO the principles of in,crnattonal
law. and it is surprising that any can hes',
tate as to the proper Application of them
10 the contest in Canada. The idea that
a. individuals we may disregard those laws
obligatory upon us ms nation. Is anti
republican and preposterous. The nation
is moi on ideal entity. 1T is composed o
all the individuals of the nation, ard wha'
is unlawful for the one is wrong for The
other.
i, is believed that much Of this error has
arisen from mlsapprchcnsion Of the law,
Of neutrality. or rather from mi.app!ca
ton of It's doctrines. The laws OF nru,rah
Nv are intended TO regulate the conduct o
peaceful nation in ITS intercourse with ont
of two other bclIigerant nations. The
statement OF the case shows That there
must necessarily be three nations de- iu'e o
de Cacto. Thus in the war between Ctea
Britain and France, General Washington
issued his proclamation of neutrality, am
to such case the application Is evldcnllN
proper. But take another case. il j. bu
short time since an instruction broke on
in the south part Of France, and here i
will be seen that the laws of neutrality a
such could not apply 1t was no, a con,cs
between two powers. but between parts o
the same power, and the laws of npu,rai',
can have no application to power will
whom no treaty could be made, who have
no established laws, nor organized form q
government. In order to be the snhjcc
Of The application of the laws of neuIra Try
the power must be capable of being admit
ted into the family of civilized nations a
an Independent government. Apply lhes'
doctrines to the case on our frontier.
contcs; has been going on between ih
government Of Upper Canada aud hand
fol Of men on Navy Island. Is this to b.
callcd 4 cnnl nsL Anl ~ Gen lyn nnunI nmnul :