Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1851-12-10

revolution. Nome VIII ueily 'i"' 'uo'0 W."
on foot military expeditions against lore'9"
States BY means like these, are idr more euiPa-
bic than the Ignorant and The hecessi,ouS "ho'u
they induce togo forth as the ostehs'ple ParueS
h. in nroceedinn. These origlnatoIs OF the lnva-
sion of Cuba seem 10 have de1ermine', Win cop'i
ness &, system. .uron an undertaking hlcn Should
,;;sr, race their couuny, violate It's laws, aud put
-, =, lard ,he lives of ill.iniormed aud deluded
men You will consider whether further legls-
Iation will be necessary 10 prevent The perpelra'
tion of such offences in future
No individuals have The right TO hazard the
neace of the country or 10 violate It's laws upon
ya0ue notions of altering or reforming govern
rents in other States. This prlclple Is not only
aSle in ITSELF and i'll accodance win Inc
nnblic law. but is eporalted iuto the codes oi
n,her natious as well as our own But whiie
snch are the sentiments Of this Government, 1t
NAV be added that every independent na'lon
,nms, he presumed 10 be able to defend It's pos
sessions AGAINST unauthorized individuals band
ed toue,her to attack ;hem. The Government
Of the United States, at all times since lis estab-
lishment. has abs,ained aud has sought 10 res
tain the citizens of the country, frum entering
into controversies betw cen other powers, and 10
observe al the duties of neutrality. At an ear
10 neriod of the Government, i'll the admlnlslra-
lion Of Washington, several laws were passed ior
this purpose The maiu provisions OF these
laws were re-enacted by the act oil April, 1918,
by which, amongst other things II was declared
,ha, il any person shall, within lhe territory OF
i'm sdiction of The United States, begin or sci on
foot. or provide, OF prepare the means ior any
military expedition or enterprlZe 10 be carried
on from theuce against the territory or dominion
of auy foreign prince or State, or oil any colony,
district, or people with whom The United States
are at peace, every person so Offending shaii De
! deemad guilty of u high nsdemeanor, ana shaii
/ be fined, not exceeding three thousand dollars,
and Imprisoned moi more than three years ana
I This law has been executed and enforced to the
! full extent of The power Of the Government, from
that day to- this.
In pro- olaimng and adhering TO the doctrine
ofneu,rality aud non -intervention, the United
States have not followed the lead OF other
civilized nations e; they have taken me
lead themselves and have been followed by 9th
ers This was admitted by one OF the most EN-
inent of modern British Statesmen, who SAID III
Parliament. while a minister OF the crown
| 0,6at. if he wished for a guide IN system o1
Lneulralitv, he should take that laid down by
America in the days of Washington and the
secretaryship OF Jefferson u and we see in tact
that the act of Congress OF 1918 was followed
the succeeding year, by an act OF the Parlia
men, of Englaud, substantially the same IN ITS
general provisions Up to that time there hau
heen no similar law in En9a land except certain
biohlv penal statutes passed in the reign o.
GeorGa II. prohibiting En9lish subjects from ell
Gs,in, in foregu service, the avowed object o.
which statutes was, that foreign armies, raISec
for the purpose of restoring the house OF Sluar
TO the throne, should not be strengthened BY re-
cruits from England herself.
CARRYING the laws referred 10 into execution IN q
country now having three or four thousand mile;
of seacoasi, with an Infinite number OF por:;
and harbors and sms Il iules, from some OF whlct
unlawful expeditions may suddenly set forth
without the knowledge OF the Government a.
uainst the possessions OF foreign States.
Friendly relations with all. brt eatangling al
liances with none, has long been a maxim with
us. Our true mission is not TO propagate our O.
pinlous, or impose upon other countries ou'
form of government, by ar,hce or force; but lo
teach by example, and show by our success
moderation and justice, the blessings OF sell
government and the advantage OF tree lns'ltu
tions. Let every people choose Tor Itself, ano
make and alter lis political Institutions TO SUI
its own condition and convenience.
But, while we avow and maintain this neu
tral policy ourselves, we are anxious 10 see the
same torbeaIance on the part ot other nations,
whose forms Of government are different IRON
our own. The deep interest which we ieel IL
the spread OF liberal principles and the establish
meat of free governments, and the sympathy
with which we witness every struggle aeains
oppression. forbid that we should be indliieren
to a case in which the strong arm OF iorelst
power is invoked to s,he public sentiment ano
repreSs the spirit OF freedom in every country.
The governments OF Great Britain and France
: have issued orders 10 their naval commanders OF
the West India station 10 prevent by force, l
necessary, the landing OF adventures iiom any
nation on the Island oil Cuba with hostile lnteut
The copy OF Il memorandum oil conversation OF
this subject between the Charge Affairs OF he
Britannia Ma jesty aud the Acting Secretary
State, aul OF subsequent note oil the former te
the Department Of State, are herewith submitted
together with copy OF note OF the Actlng Dec
etary OF Stale 10 the Minister ofFrench Republic
Il of the reply of the latter, on the same subject
These papers will acqualat you with The ground
) Of this lutel position Of the two leading CONNER
cial powers oil Europe,& 81 with The apprehendlons
which this Government could uol lall to enter
taiu that such interpostlon,lt carried into effect
might lead 10 abuses IN derogatlon OF the mari
| time rghts OF the United States. The marim
flUntS Ol luS Y. =. ht6 tOul.NtU vi
g. well defined basis: they stand upon the groun
+ of Natioual independence aud public law, AM
: will be maintained in all their full < Just eXten,
: The principle which this Government ha
a heretofore solemly announced it still adheres 10
4 aud will maintain under all circumstances an
e al all hazards. That principle is, that IN ever
: REGULAR documenled merchant vessel, the GREY
Il who navigate it, aud those on board OF il, wi
. fad their protection in the flag which Is owe
L them. No American ship can be allowed 10 b
5 visited or searched tor the purpose oil ascertain
ing the character OF individuals Oh board, no
: can there be allowed any walcn by the vessel
, OF any foreign nation over American vessels o
/ the coasts OF the United States or the seas ada
5 cent thereto, II will be seen by the last CON
;, muuica,lon from The British Charge d'Atfaire
/. TO the Department Of State, that he is auhori2
= ed 10 assure the Secretary ol Stale that ever
+ care will be taken that, IN executing the preveu
|, tive measures against the expeditions, whlc
. ihe United States Government itself has denour
: ced as not being entitled to the protection {
It any governmental no Interference shall take plac
e with The lawful commerce Oi any nation.
/ In addition TO the correspondence on this sui
t iecl herewith submitted, official Information ha
: been received at the Department OF State, {
q assurances by the French government that,
B the orders given to the French naval forces
= they were expressly instructed, IN amy opera
= ious they might engage in, TO respect the fla
o ofthe United States wherever it may appea
s and TO commit no act Of hostility upon any We:
Y sci or armamen: under lis protection.
l. Ministers and consuls of foreign nations ar
J. the means and agents OF communication betwee
us and those ua,ions, aud it is OF the utmost im
5 portance that, while reSling in the country
If they should teel a perfect security so long a