The republic., 1851-01-31

and completely her chief engagemcnts in the srea
lies OF l775, while it is admitted that she failed
afterwards in less essential obligations, but with
protesfations of adherence and promises Of repara-
| ton.
,. Did the United States completely aud absolutely
fulfil their reciprocal obligations! When the war
broke out France held all the possessions in
America which they had guaranteed to her forever,
and they were all exposed. Yet the United States
| never guaranteed nor attempted to defend them;
never devoted life. even dollar, to that nd
Thus, instead OF standing on fulfilment, we at
once brought 70 the necessity Of Qualifying nom
performance of the engagements The Justification
has been placed on several grounds, viz:
| l. That France did not demand fulilmcnt.
! Such an Inference is warranted by some Of the
papers before US, but there others which leave
| the fact very doubtful:
81 beg you to lay before the President of the Uni
| ted States, possible, the decree and the
enclosed note, and to obtain from him the cabinet
decision, either as TO the guaranty that have
claimed the fulhlment Of for our colonies, &c.
e. c. GenePs Letter Of Nop. IL. 1893
! But if France did not demand the performance
of the guaranty in the war she insisted or its obi-
CATION. The United States practically disauored
and renounced it. The proposition is self evident
The treaty stipulated alliance, when France should
demand it. The United States assumed neutrality
in every event.
O. The non performance by the United States has
been justified on the ground that the JRderis
OF the stipulated guaranty was q defensive war.
and that the war OF 1898 not of that character.
In reply to this argument observe, in The first
pdCe tIdt teIiHS VI tue Treaty Oh Alliance
ulaed for the execution Of the guaranty in the case
OF "war to break 0uf' any war; ofTensiv or delcn-
sive. But the Senator from Virginia (Mr Hus-
rERl overpowers US with an argument which with
me s Irresistible. He says that only defensive war
must have been contemplated, because stpula-
ton for aid and alliance in an aggressive war
would be immoral, unjust, and therefore void. Sir
acknowledge that higher law Of universal and
eternal justice. And admit that all laws OF sta4es
and all treaties and compacts between States
which contravene its sacred provisions. utterly
void and OF no effect. accept, therefore the SEN
ator's definition of the Jederis; that I. was a
defensive war. l controvert, and rest my cause
upon controverting. his assumption, that the war
OF 1893, between the Allied Powers and France
was on her part an aggressive, and not a defensive
war.
The very proclamation of neutsaiity implies a
denial OF that assumption. The war therein de-
scrioed is a war "bctwecn Austria, Prussia, Sar-
dinia, Great Britain, and the United Netherlands,
OF the one part, and France on the other" Why
was the aggrcseor the last party 10 be named But
history has determined the character Of the parties
III that momentous contest
The frat war of the French revolution - says
Wheaton, in his History Of the Law OF Nations,
Originated in the application by the Allied Powers
OF the psnciPie OF armed intervention to the inter-
nal affairs OF France, for the purpose of checking
the progress OF her revolutionary principles and
the extension Of her military power" War was
declared indeed by France, but only as a reply to
the ultimaturn Of restoration Of despotis,n ten
dcred by the armed league Of enemies
Thus, SIR, we have arrived at the true ground Of
defence OF the neutrality of I793 to wit that per-
formancc OF the treaty was impossible
Sir, in practic0i sense, performance was impos-
slbe First, on account Of the condition Of France
The parties in ITS of expected that France
would remain an organized State, capable Of con-
ducting combined operations under the treatv
upon method and towardsan end without DANGER
from herself to her ally. But it was not 80 With
France She became not merely revolutionary.
put oisorganized, having no certain and pern4-
nent head, no stable and effective Legislature Hll
the organs OF the State shattered hrok IN and
scattered. "Nec color imperi, nee frons erat uila
| Senatus.'
| The King, after unavailioe changes or u,;ni.,,v
convened the Assembly of the Notables; after hold.
ing the bed OF justice, and after attempting to IS
tabsh the new plenary courts, he called the States
General, which soon became Constitnent A.
sembly, absorbing all the functions of govern
inent. suddenly the people of Paris rose, and
brought the King, Queen, and Assembly into cap
tivty: constitutional monarchy rose under the
dicta tion OF the people; but the King was de-
graded, condemned, and executed, and rcpub-
lic appeared. The republic went down before
the power OF cabals which rapidly succeeded each
o.ner' alisustain'ng Observation-Disclosures through
out reign OF terror, by the tribunal of blood
ihese unnatural convusions could have but one
end-the restoration OF the State by Dicta-
.or. Ihat magistrate, in 1900, appeared in the
that event, could the United States have been re-
CURED to go to the aid Of Frances Il was
we'll that France had reganed her liberty; but
ner any mad right, before going. into war
blned with government and with public force
with national morality, with social order, and with
civil manners. All this was wisely deemed by
Washington necessary to secure the United States
against absolute danger, and 10 render their alli-
ance at all useful to France. For, on what side
We're the United States to array themselves With
the king while ne yet held the reigns of State, or
with the National Assembly while abolishing the
monarchy With the ephemeral directories, which
governed France through the guillotiue or with
the counter revoutoniss, struggling restore in
nj YPor and Malt Il
say that, II the United States had painted for war
as much as ancient Re;ae-if their armies had been
as effective as those OF Prussa-f their Golfers had
been full aud their debts obliterated--even then
peace was too precious to be put at hazard in an
enterprso with an ally thus deranged and disor-
ganized.
And what was the condition Of the United States.
mat they should peril all in the domestic rage os
France, and her foreign strife? Mr. Jefferson was
no false interpreter. and he thus described it, IAN
infant country, deep debt, neccssitated to borrow
IN Europe-w without a land or naval force-with-
out competency Of arms and ammunition-with
commerce connected beyond the AtlantIc--wi.h
the certainty Of enhancing the price of foreign pro-
dnctlons, and OF diminishing that of cur own--with
constitution little more than four years old, in a
state of probation, and not exempt from foes' No
greater calamity than war could .cn have fallen
upon the United Statcs, aould war in any
other case, ever come in .orm fearful. 1t was
not iauit OF ashln ION, il was OF Cato, not to
So that public ati,rs incapable of perfection,
ana that states could not be governed without sub
imttiny, iesscr interests to greater. On the con
trei the OF his duty that Of Cicero in
the consuship-to take care that the republic
should suffer no detriment Well aud wisely did
he perform that duty. He could not aid France,
but he saved his own country. Forever, then, let
the justice and the wisdom Of Washington, in that
memorable crisis, stand vindicated and estab-
iishcd.
But what does all this proves Just this, and no
more: That circumstances, afFe citing France and
The United States equally Unforeseen and i'm
perious, prevented the United States from even
undertaking TO perform their compact with France,
IN the way stipulated IN particular emergency.
but the circumstances creating this hppossibiluy
were not alone the fault misfortune Of France but
arose in part out Of their condition; ard the
omission TO perform il assured the safety and pro-
inoted the welfare OF the United States Under such
circumstances, the United States owed to France if
not ndemnities for past non performance, at least
recognition and renewal Of the ancient treaties H.
then, France was held by the treaties because the
United States excused their non performance, they
eauall llY hound eu 90 ha.-<