The republic., 1851-12-16

exhaustibe, the most unialtering source Of public
welfare and of private bappincss-as also the most
unwavering ally If the love Of freedom, the most
faithful pTeeerver Of all those straight noble, and
generous continents which the constant occupation
with ever young, ever great, ever beneficial Ma
ture imparts 10 man. Add TO this consideration
that this immense agricultural interest which, de-
riying large markets and ahordng at the same
time most solid basis also 10 your manufacturing
industry and TO your commerce, has developed IN
suCh an immense proportion. makes such "A bound
lees difference between the infant Republic OF the
time Of Washington and your present giant Re
pubic, that, though you may very well be attached
TO your original constitutional ipes-because
the principles OF libe ty everlastingy the
but in respect 10 the tXgCBcies OF your policy Il Is
impossible not 10 feel that, If you are 10 be regu-
aied in your policy by interest then your country
has other interests to-day than il had then; and If
ever you are to lo reg uated III your policy by the
higher consideration OF princpea. then you are
already strong enough TO feel that the time has
come to do -
And /, sandfs, here before you 10 plead the cause
Of oppressed humanity, refoutely declare that
there may perhaps never again come time when
the elevation o. your policy to the high level OF
principles identified with liberty could prove either
more glorious 10 you more beneficial to human
ity; because we in Europe are apparently on the
eve OF that day when either the hopes or the fears
of oppressed nations will be crushed for long
time
Having stated 50 far the difference of the situa-
tion beg leave now TO state that il is entirely
uniourded supposition that the doctrine OF non-in
tel ference in foreign matters had been 10 the peo
pic Of the United Statcs, by your great Washing
ton bequeathed to be constitutional principle 10
you.
No; that is not the case.
First, Washington never even recommended
interference indifference To the fate of other
nations, 10 you. He has only recommended nett
ba!ity; and there is mighty difference between
these TWO ideas.
Neutrality is an idea which has reference to
state of war between two belligerent powers; and
il ia this case which Washington contemplated
when he, in his Farewell Address, advised the peo
pie Of the United States not TO enter into entang
ling alliances Let quarrelling powers, let quar-
relling nations war; you consider your own con-
Germs, and let foreign powers quarrel about anbi-
tiou5 topics, scanty, particular interests Neu-
traty Is matter Of convenience, not OF principle.
But even neutrality has reference to state of
war between beIligerent powers, the principle OF
non-inefterence haa, on the contrary reference to
the sovereign right OF nations to dispose OF their
own domestic concerns.
Therefore these two ideas OF neutrality and non
interference two entirely different ideas, having
reference to TWO entirely different matters.
The sovereign right of whatever nation to dis
pose of ITSELF to alter its institutions, to change the
form of its own government, is common public
law Of nations, common TO all, and therefore put
under the common guarantee OF all.
This sovereign right OF every nation to dispose of
itself you, the people of the United States, must
recognise, because 1t is n common law OF mankind,
in which, being a common law OF mankind, every
it, secondly, because the very existence of your
great Republic, also the independence of every
nation, rests upon this basis-rests upon this
ground. If that sovereign right OF nations were no
common public law OF mankind, Then your own
independent existence would be matter of right.
but only matter of fact, which might be subject
to whatever time, to whatever chances OF power
and of violence.
And where is the citizen Of the United States
who would not feel reyolted at the idea that the
existence of this great Republic is not righteous,
not a lawful one, but only mere accident, mere
matter OF facE
If were not so, you were not entitled to invoke
the protection of God for your great country, be-
cause the protection of God cannot, without 5acri-
lege, be invoked but III behalf of justice and right
You had no right TO look TO the sympathy OF man.
kind for yourself, because you would profess an alb
fogaion Of the laws oil humanity upon which is
founded your own independence, your own
stence.
Now, gentlemen, if these be principles of COM
mon law--of that law which God has given to all,
and 10 every nation Of humanity-i the faculty to
dispose Of itself ID the common, lawful right of
every nation, then the interference with this COM
mon law of all humanity, the violent act Of him
derng, by armed fOrces, nation from exercising
that sovereign right, must be considered as vio-
iation OF that common public law upon which your
very existence rests, and which, being common
law of all humanity is by God himself placed un
der the safeguard OF all humanity-because it is
God himself who commands us to love our neigh
Dor as we love ourselves, and to do toward others
as desire others to do toward ourselves
Upon this point you cannot remain Indifferent.
You may well remain neutral TO every war between
two belligerent nations, but you cannot remain in.
different to the violation of the common law of hui
lnanity. That indifference Washington has never
taught you. | defy any 10 show me, out OF
the eleven volumes OF ,Yashngton's writings,
single word TO that effect. he recommended reu-
Talifu in the Of foreign wars, but he re-
commended indifference to the violation of the com
mon laws of humanity by interference of foreign
powers with the sovereign right of nations to dis
pose Of themselves.
And he could noe hayc recommended this indif,
ference without ceasing to be wise as he was, be-
there is, without Justice no wi5doIn on earth
he could not have recommended il without be-
coming inconsistent, because il was this common
law Of mankind which your forefithers invoked,
before God and mankind, when they proclaimed
your Independence. 1t was he himself, your great
Washington, who not only accepted, bnt a9ked
again and again foreign aid, foreign help, for the
support Of that common law Of mankind III respect
to your own independence.
knowledge and instruction arc universally
spread amongst the enlightened people OF the Uni
ted States, the history of your country is such
househod science at the most lonely hearths Of
your reotest settlements, that it may be sufficient
for me TO refer, ~ that respect to the Instructions
and correspondence between Washington and the
minister at Paris-the equally IMMORTAL Franklin
the modest man ith the proud epi;aph which tells
the world that he wrcsted the lightning from
Heaven, and the sceptre from the tyrant's hands.
Thus have proved, believe, that Washington
meyer bequeathed to you the principle of inter
ference against the violation of the sovereign
right of nations t. dispose of themselves, and to
regulate their own ihstitutions; but he taught you
only neutrality in respect to the wars Of foreign ma
tions.
will go further. And state that even that doe
trne Of fneurality he taught and bcqueahed to you,
not as constitutional principle OF lasting regula
ton for all future time, but only a matter of
temporary policy. refer in that respect to the
very words oil his Farewell Address There he
states explicitly that cit is your policy TO steer
clea- Of permanent alliances with any portion of
the foreign word' These are his very words.
Policy is the word, and you know policy is not the
acence Of principles, but of exigencies; and that
principles are Of course, by free and powerful
nation, never 20 be sacrificed TO exigencies. The
exigcncies are passing away, like the bubbles Of
rain; but the nation is immortal; it must consider
the future also, and not only the egoiistcal com
fort of the passing hour 1t must be aware that to
an immortal nation nothing be of higher i'm
portancc than immortal principles
will go yet further, and state that even this
policy Of neutrality Washington taught you, not
as permanent rule, but as temporary conye-
nicDcc.
Iprovc it again by referring to the very words
OF bis Farewell Address, when he, in reference TO