The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1845-12-18
BRANDON, Thursday December IS, 1916.

Woulu ihdNc tHS wi uiliotd bHe Itlio Cout
OF torysnine degrees, with trlfing add
ton Of detached territory 10 the Unite
States, North Of that river, and woul
leave on the British side two-Lhirds Of III
whole Oregon territory, inclu1ing the fre
navigation OF the Columbia and all tn
valuable harbors on The Pacific, can never
for moment. be entertained by the Uuitet
States, without an abandonment OF lhei
Just aud clear territorial rights, their owr
self-respect, and the national honor. Fo
the information OF Congress, L commune
cate herewith the correspondence which
took place between the two governments
during The late negotiation.
The rapid extension of our settlements
over our territories heretofore unoccupied
the addition OF new States to our confeder.
acy the expansion of free principles, and
our rising greatness as Nation, are at"
tracing The attention of the Powers Of
Europe, and lately the doctrine has been
broached in some of them, of "balance
power on this Continent, to check our
advancement. The United States sincere>
ly DESTROYS of preserving relations of good
understanding with all nations, cannot in
silence permit any European interference
on the North American Continent and
should any such interference be attempted.
will be ready TO resist it al any aud all haz-
ards.
1t is we'll known to the American peo>
pie and TO all nations, that this Govern
ment has never interfered with the
relations, subsisting between other
Governments. We have never made
ourselves parties to their wars or their
we have not sought their
territories by conquest; we have not
mingled with parties in their domestic
s'rugs les; and believing our own form of
Government to be the best, we have never
attempted 10 propagate it by intrgues, by
or by force. We may claim
on This continent like exemption from
European Interference. The nations of
America are equally sovereign and indie
prudent with those OF Europe. They
possess the same rights, independent OF all
foreign interposition, 10 make war, to con-
ciude peace, and to regulate their internal
tional affairs. The people of the United
States cannot, therefore, view with indf-
ference attempts of European powers to
interfere with the independent action Of
the nations on this continent.
The American system Of government
is entirely different from that of Europe.
Jealousy among the different sovereigus OF
Europe, lest any one of them might be-
come 100 powerful for the rest, has caused
them anxiously to desire the establishment
of VIVA, they term the "balance OF power"
1t cannot be permitted TO have any aprlica-
ton on the North American continent,
and especially 10 the United States. We
must ever maintain the principle, that the
people of this continent alone have
the right to decide their own destiny
Should any portion of them, constitu>
ting an Independent State, propose
10 unite themselves with our confedrracy,
this will be question for them and US TO
determine, without any foreign interposi'
ton. We can never consen, that Euro
pean powers shall interfere to prevent
such union because it might disturb the
balance of power" which they may de-
sire 10 maintain upon this continent
Near a quarter Of century ago, the
principle was distinctly announced 10 the
world in the annual message of one OF my
predecessors, that ",he American CONT
nents, by the free and independent condi-
ton which they have assumed and mains
tain, are henceforlh not TO be cons idered as
subjects for future colonization by any
European Power" This principle will
apply with greatly increased force, should
any European power attempt 10 establish
any new colony in North America. Ia
the existing circumstances Of the world,
the present is deemed proper occasion to
reiterate and re.affirm the prime pie avow
ed by Mr. Monroe, and 10 state my cordia
concurrence 10 its wisdom and sound pol
icy. The re.assertion Of this principle
especially in reference to North America
lis at this day but PRONUNCIATION of q
policy which no European power
should cherish The disposition to resist
Existing rights Of every European nation
should be respected but it is due alike to
our safety and our interests, that the eff
cient protection Of our laws should be ex.
tended over our whole territorial limits.
and that it should be distinctly ANNOUNCED
10 the world as our settled policy, that no
future European colony or dominion shall
with our consent, be planted or established
on any part Of the North American CONT
neni.
A question has recently arisen under
the tenlh article of the subsis.ine treaty
between the United States and Prussia
BY this article, the consuls oil the two
countries have the right 10 sit as judges
and arbirators "in such differences as
may arise between the captains and the
crews of the vessels belonging to the ma
I'LL