Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1850-01-09

COmMU MICA ION 8.
GENERAL GAss AND OUR DIPLOMATIC RE-
I.ATIONS WITH AUSTRIA.


CAss's recent speech in the Senate, when The fol-
lowing able communication was handed in, which,
expressing our views and covering the whole ground,
relieves us from the labor and trouble. We invite
for it the careful perusal Of our readers.
.Messrs. Editors 81 perceive from the National
Intelligencer of Saturday last, that General Cass
has made formal speech in the Senate of the Uni
led States, in support ofhs proposition to suspend
diplomatic intercourse between our country and
Austria, in consequence Of the cruelty praclised by
The Austrian Government towards the Hungarian
patriots. The speech has been evidently prepared
with great care and exhibits considerable degree
of talent and it is ushered to thgpublic with most
exlrayaganl culnmendauns from his political friends.
From the relation which Gen. Cass bears TO the
Democratic parsy'as its acknowledged head, every
thing which falls from him may be looked upon as
an exposition of the pulley Of that great party. Re-
garding his speech in that light, beg leave to ex-
press my dissent from his opinions
With regard to the alrocty Of the conduct of the
Austrian Government there cannot be two opinions.
[, merits and will doubtless receive the. unmeas-
ured condemnation Of the civilized world. But
whilst az an individual, concur in all that General
Cass has said on this point, and feel as strong IN
dionatiuh as he has expressed al tho hnicheries
which have been perpelraled on the noble band Of
Maoyar patriots, cannot recognize the right ofour
Government to become the censor of The Morals OF
Nations, and in its collective capacity to pronounce
Indictment of condemnation on every violation OF
what we NAV conceive to be the laws OF humanity.
know of no principle Of international law which
would warrant such an interference, and should
be sorry to see any such established. Every ma
ton is and ought To be regarded as independent, and
at liberty to Judge for itself in all its domestic and
municipal concerns To establish any other rule
would be to make the weaker nations of the earth
subject to the supervision and ultimate domination
oflhe more powerful. 1t is principle in which
there can be no ecprocty, because, unless The Gov
eminent has the power ~ sustain lis judgments ny
the sword, they will he imperative. Strong ma
tons may therefore punish the weak, but the weak
cannot retaliaie on the strong. Moreover 1t opens
The door 10 unwarran,abe interterences BY one ma
ton with the affairs of others, which do not in any
wise Concern H. If the precedent is set in case
which addresses itself strongly to our sympathles,
it will soon be enlarged as TO embrace the whole
| circle Of what we may suppose to be the duties Of
Government to its people. In word, is destruc-
live of The great principles Of non-lnerference, and
that every nation is 10 Judge for itself of the ins-
ul:ons and the administration of them, best calcu-
lated 10 promote its own happiness. This Is the
treat principle announced in our declaration OF in
| dependence But if we claim the right to judge
far Austria and Russia as TO their domestic concerns,
with what proprety can we refuse them the same
rioht in regard to ours! Let us now test the ope-
ration of Gen. Cass' doctrine by few practical ex
amples. Suppose the nations ur Europe should un-
dertake TO sit in judgment The conductof the u
nited States and to say that their treatment OF the
Aborginese of our land had been marked with fraud
aud cruelty and oppression and were therefore u
refuse to hold diplomatic intercourse with us-how
would we view such sentence OF condemnation,
promuged to the world with all the form and So
! iemnty uf 4 national accommodation Ana YET
who is there who could lay his hand on his heart
and saw tina, the sentence was altogether unwar-
ranted by the .actsf :,
Ba there is yet SsfaaSsrd Of
men, before they undertake to sanction the course
which has been ponted out by Gen. Cass. We all
know that the sentiment Of mankind is opposed to
the institution Of slavery. England has abolished
il throughout her Domini0ns-F has done the
same, and there is not nation OF Europe, which
will stand up in its defence. Suppose that by viz
rue of the precedent set by Gen. Cass, France or
ENGLAND IL Austria or Russia were abruptly to ter
inmate their diplomatic relations with US, and TO as
SION as the cause, the existence of domestic Slavery
in the Southern States Where is the man who
would not regard it as national insult, which could
only be washed out by the blood of The aggressor
And vet WIN will give US guarantee hat such
will not be the consequence of the adoption OF Zen.
| CASTS prop,slion? We should beware not only OF
e,tanglipg alliances but of all interferences with
The affairs Of other nations which would give them
pretext 10 lnlermeddle with ours. We feel our
! selves competent to manage our own concerns IN
our own way and let US leave ather nations 10 man.
age theirs. | have no idea ofthese high flying SEN
limen;alities in international affairs Nor do wish
to see any constructive confederacies between our
nation and any other which would give that other
right 10 gainsay any thing which we may think
proper to do, Of domestic character. When we
confne ourselves within our own limits, the law or
Nations has no jurisdiction over u.s. when we In
terfere with the affairs Of Others we become amen
able to its provisions. BY sancllonlng Gen. Cass's
doctrines WE SURRENDER OUR NATIONAL INDIE
pESpENcE and submit ourselves 10 the jurisdiction
of foreign powers or of intangible. irresponsible
tribunal the general sentiment Of mankind
iii be asked what is the remedy in such cases
as are referred 10 by Gen. Cass, answer that Mr.
Webster has pointed it out in his speech in New
Hampshire 1t is not the action Of the Gorern
nent but the enlightened public sentiment of Chris
tendom That is the only earthly power to which
all nations are amenable. That is the subtle infu-
ence which pervades the civilized world, and is
working such wonders in the cause OF humanity
II that fails then we may feel assured that the sus
pension OF diplomatic intercourse even if it should
be followed by the Intervention OF the bayonet, Will
be poweress 10 inculcae sentiments of humanity
or enforce principles Of Justice and right.
There is yet another and a nearer view of this
subject. If the imaginary compact which is sup
posed to exist between the nations Of the earth,
founded only on general notions Of international OBJ
ligatun confers this right Of interference with the
domestic affairs Of another community, it would
seem to follow as necessary consequence that
closer alliance arising out ofa confederation Of States
would confer more enlarged rights Of the same
character. In what attitude then would the States
Of this confederacy stand towards each other p
Would it not seem to be an inevitable consequences
that the Northern States would have an undoubted
right to play the censor over the South How
would this conport with the views of slaveholding
gentlemen? How would they like 10 find them
selves subjected to the surveillance OF the people of
the North, and compelled to submit to the judg-