Daily Richmond times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1849-1850, 1850-02-06
SPEECH OF MIR. HUNTER,

OF VIRGINIA
On suspendtng Diplomatic Relations Nth Austria.


The Senate having under consideration the resolu>
ton of Mr. Cass proposing to suspend diplomatic re-
| lations with the Court Of Austria
| Mr. HUNTER. had supposed at one time that this
resolution would have been permitted to sleep upon the
table. Had such been the disposition Of the mover,
should have called ups for had desire to speak
upon its merits But when found that we were to be
pressed to vote upon it, felt it to be due 20 myself
and those whom represent to offer the reasons which
| influence my vote. This resolution has not only the
sanction OF high authority here but large portion OF
the press has sustained and efforts have been made to
give public opinion such direction as to place under Its
| ban all those who oppose it. Gentlemen seem 10 sup
pose so, at least; Tor various propositions nave peen
| made to express sympathy, as Government Tor
the Hungaans in some other mode, by those who have
opposed this particular form OF action Most OF those
who have spoken seem to contemplate the proprety at
least if not the necessity OF expressing our sympathy In
the Hungarian cause in some form OF legislative action
And find myself opposed to the propositions which
have vet been made upon this subject, it is perhaps
cessary for my defence to trouble you with briet
statement of my views upon this question; and in giving
them shall confne myself to the proposition before us.
That sir if understand It, proposes to suspend our d.
plomatc intercourse with Austria for the purpose
avowed in debate, OF expressing indignation OF the
| conduct OF that Government IN the late hungarian
struggle Now, sir when this resolution is considered
with all its attendant circumstances, am utterly OPP
posed to it for many reasons oppose it, IN the tlrst
place. because is founded upon utter msconception
as it seems to me- of the and objects OF diploma
tic institutions The resolution seems to suppose that
one of the which may be made Of them is to re-
ward or punish other Governments by continuing or sus-
| penang
condemn their towards their own subjects Now
sir, they have been used Of Furnishing
other Governments in any instance of which can find
an account in history. Ministers are dismissed In time
of war it is true n OF as punishment to the Govern
ment but of safety and precaution at home
To use relations OF this sort for such purpose would
be to reserve the design for which they were created
They designed as the means OF settling disputes
and preserving peace they maintained to substitute
the more convenient form OF oral conference for written
communications They bring the parties together and by
|
ment of differences The whole object OF such agencies
the peace and it is contrary to the uni
yersa sense OF civilized to such relations as the
means OF Irrational insult and offence.
| | am opposed to this proposition, also, for another
reason. Surprising it to be founded upon true prlncl-
PIES its application partial, unequal and, in that sense
is unjust This objection has already been made and
proposition, believe is now pending to add Russia TO
the list Of the courts with which our diplomatic rela-
as much reason for thus Furnishing Russia as Austria
for the offence is the same, even worse. What shall
we say France, too, are to assume this general
supervision Of the conduct OF foreign Governments! Is
there nothing in the course OF the French Government
in Italy to shock republican sensibilitiesl Have
they nerteed against the rights OF man and popu-
lar liberty according to our conception OF the term 3
Nav sir the conduct of his Holiness himself is not be-
You'd the reach OF our criticism; for his course towards
his subjects has been utterly opposed to our view OF his
duties and their rights We ought then, in order to be
just suspend diplomatic relations with all OF these
courts-Austria Russia, France, and Rome. | am not
that the list would stop chose to pGr
my purpose continue the investigation have said
enough show the inequality OF the proposition as it
now stands But have third objection to this reso-
luton which founded the fact that it reproach
on our history and past conduct towards foreign Gov
ernments-a reproach which, in my opinion has not
been the sages and patriots who have
before u.s. or indeed, by any Of those who have hitherto
been responsible for the course OF our Government
IT, this resolution assumes, it is our duty to observe
the conduct OF foreign Governments towards their own
preston towards their citizens or Tor violations OF the
rights ofman, according to our conception OF their ma
ture then, sir IN times past we have grevousy tailed III
of our Government up to this period how often ought
not to have exercised this power in the discharge
of such duties? With how many Governments should
we have suspended such relations at the time of the
partition of Poland? With how many during the ag-
gressive wars of Napoleon! Which of the European
nations would have escaped after the treaty of Vienna
and during the existence of the holy alance9 Why,
sir could not have recalled ministers last enough
about that period to have sgnaized our adherence Of
the daily violation Of the rights OF man. in the arbitrary
disruption OF territories long united together, and the
forced connexon of people to Governments to which
they were averse. should waste the time of the Sen
ate, if were to attempt the enumeration OF the case in
which we have failed to act this resolution assumes
we ought to have done. How often should we have
suspended relations with France, with England? In
eed, what Government is their in the civilized world
with whome should not have suspended relations
period OF our history, according to the prnci-
pies now laid downl Perhaps we might have pre-
served diplomatic relations with the Republic of San
Marine, by way OF showing that it was possible to
maintain such connexion with somebody, according
the principles Of action which we had laid down upon
such subjects Sir his resolution be right, then our
Government has been grievously wrong in it's past
course in relation to these matters To vote for this
resolution is to record that censure For one am not
willing to do it. believe they acted wisely and we'll
They deserved the thanks OF mankind tor their foreign
policy, which has won, as had supposed, universal
respect.
because it isndeinte in its nature. We suspend
diplomatic relations fol how longl Until Austria either
establishes government to suit not herself or the Hun
garans but to suit us in that PROVINCE until she makes
apology to us tor her misconduct to her own subjects
These the only modes OF atoning for the offence
upon which we have acted. Having entered upon
the affair." could not withdraw from it with honor
until some such satisfaction was afforded Should we
have right to expect such termination fthe Difficult
ty! Could we ever hope thus to humble the pride OF the
Austrian Government! | think not; and, if so, this
suspension of diplomatic relations would be for indie
finite period But the question OF time is not the only
thing left indefinite in these resolutions the manner in
which the deed is to be done is also indefinite We
to suspend diplomatic relations with Austria In what
manner! By merely recalling our own minister, or by
Offering passports to the Austrian charge, who is
near this Government This resolution, to be conss~
tent with ITSELF ought to do both; for these relations
would not be suspended if an Austrian minister were
here But may be said that under the circumstances
connected with the passage OF this resolution, Austria
would certainly recall her minister. Undoubtedly she
would be forced to do SO from se-respect and although
it would have been more manly to have dismissed their
minister at once yet would be done certainly and
efeetually in this indirect mode as in the other We
consran the minister to depart as much by mode Of
action as the other.
Now sir, am right in this construction of the re-
soution-and maintain that am, whatever may have
been the intentions Of its auhor-we effect deny to
Austria the right OF embassy to right secured to
every sovereign State at peace with by the we'll
established law OF nations need not quote authors
upon national law for well-established principle as
that of the right of every sovereign State to send minis
tiers to another sovereign State whilst there peace be-
tween them There is no respectable writer the law
of nations, with whom am acquainted who does not
recognize this right Indeed it belongs the very ma
ture OF diplomatic functions that such right should
| ist These created to settle disputes and secure
peace. AS ministers Of peace these persons are re-
spected by all civilized natiors and civilized man
shows his homage to peace by the securities and safe
guards with which he surrounds such missions Nay,
under certain precautions and tormaes the right Of
embassy exists between bellgerents otherwise
all the avenues peace would be closed, except those