Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1850-01-12
.,rrcu or oEr. rAsS,oN the AUSTRIA,
Dspu. m Alto QuEsTION.N

Mr.. Cass, Of Michtgau, moved sn"' ."e
specal order Of the day be postponed, win a
view to allow the consideration Of his reso'.'
,ion on .uspending diplomatic rela'i0n' WIN
Austria.
Mr. Cas-. said, I do not know that this re'
solution will, be opposed. j. y 9pf Of inqp'l'
80 on,v; no, Of action; tut as ] shouh NOT
hsv. i,,,,dseed IL, hsdI mo- .inssaaed. Y. AK
,hs oninion of the Senate upon the suolec''
whatever may be the report of'he Committee
on Foreign Relations; and as the measure Is
not . usual ION l, deem it 2 proper briefly 10
.,.,s the reasons which have induced me 10
,,,ono.e Il. The intercourse subsisting be.
tween the independent na,ionsof the world
we're not regulated by special conventional
arrangements. but is regulated by each for IT.
self, subject to the established principles OF
the law of nations.
The great improvement in the mechanical
arts and the general progress OF the age,
united to that spirit Of enterprise, commercial
md scientific, which was never more usefu'-
ly employed than now, have given Increased
energy to this intercourse; and having, IN
fact. broken down the barriers Of space which
separated nations--have opened each to the
knowledge and business of all this general
jnter.communica,ion especially among the
nations of christendom, create acommnnity OF
interest, and in some measure, feeling which
becomes bond, however slight, uniting
them together into one great political family.
The International agita,ions, or external dam
gers which threaten one, cannot be ndlffer-
ent 10 the other members Of this wide spread
community. The age is an inquiring and an
observing one, and the facility and rapidity
of communication, among the proudest 'ri-
rmphs of human knowledge, come powerful
ly in aid of this disposition to judge, and ap-
prove or censu,e passing events as their char
acter and circumstances may justify. Thus
public opinion embodied by the press, in the
daily journals it pours fourth, is borne through
the civilized world, pronouncing the judg'
ment Of the present day, end anticipating
that of posterity. There is none so high TO be
beyond its censure-none so low as not TO be
encouraged by its appreciation. frontiers
of country may be armed at its approach,
but it will pass them. II may be checked,
but it cannot be stopped 1t is stronger than
the bayonet, more vigilant than the suspi-
con of despotism. se.
The diplomatic relations existing between
two countries are maintained only by polii-
cal agents, such as ambassadors, ministers or
charges, reciprocaIly sent for that purpose
At the commencement Of this government we
had but few Of these fnnc,ionaries, and those
we had were confined to the principal Euro.
pean courts. They have been gradually in
creased in number till twenty y-seven are now
authorised. Still there are important countries
in Europe where no American representative
has been sent, among which is Austria, where
they have been sent bu, recently. In some
cases this diplomatic interchange is rather a
matter OF courtesy, than positive utility, ell
ther commercial or political. After com.
merce is formed, and il is found that salts
factory one canno, be formed, the relations
between US and some Of these countrie.
would 60 on, as indeed they have gone on
with nothing to interrupt their harmony and
good understanding, because the points oi
contact are few, and exposed to few diff
cuies. ... saa-,.. .s.. ...,|
Such is our condition with respect to Aus
tria, which has but one port, that of Trieste
where we have any commerce worthy Of the
name, the annual value Of which is about {
million and half. -tta.
The ancient Queen Of the Adriatic still
looks out upon the waters, but she is hersel
melancholy spectacle, her prosperity havin!
departed with her independence. The irol
will of Austria, has left TO Venice little bu
the remembrance Of her former magnifcenc'
and the oppressive sense Of her degeneration
But in these ports, and wherever else, if an,
where they may be necessary. consuls woul'
perform their commercial functions their po
sitions not being at all affected by any chan
ged diplomatic Intercourse short of a declara
tion of war. ms 5
- don't pretend TO say, by this glance a
Mr. intercourse with Austria, that ! propos
this measure on the ground that an Austrian
minister is unnecessary at the Court of Wen
ma, trust, five carry it 10 its practical re
snlts, that we shall be Influenced by highe
considerations. allude 10 this topic merel
to show that great act Of national duty ma
be performed without the sacrifice OF any ma
tional interest whatever. Nor does its Intel
rnplon Of diplomatic intercourse give an
Just cause Of offence there, if no obligatio
to establish or 10 continue is mere queslio
either of courtesy or convenience--an
considerable portion Of the missions to E.
rope are maintained from feelings of court
sy, arising out of the affinity of govnernmen,
and of an indisposition 10 exhibit what
there considered mark oe disrespect f
court, however limited the sphere of
authority, by excluding it from the family
sovereigns associated by diplomatic repr
sentations. ...... ...t -.-..... ..f.
The eighteenth century was prolific in 4
personal memories Of active diploma,isis, a
Il no American can peruse them without bel
a. = f.l-