Washington telegraph., 1851-10-08
IN. american People and their Laws.


Tn the year 1874 the American people,
,c,ing through their representatives. at
,be express instance of General Wash
;rotou. passed law for the preservation
of their nentral relations, and 10 prevent
he CARVING on Of hostile expeditions
.,ainst "the territories or doininions OF
zov foreign prince or state" with which
tbsu were at peace. The American peo-
nIe were thus the first nation ON the face
IF the earth to incorporate in their mu-
u;c,pal code the we'll esta ablished princi-
nle of the law of nations, that all States
should live on terms of amity with each
orher, and that they have nothing what
aver to do with the internal affairs Of
,be;r neighbors Their principle was, le.
MS alone, and we will let alone al other
nations.
Tn this policy the American people
,ersevered, and put down the attempts
Of Genet, of Burr, and of Miranda, to
ombrol them in the domestic troubles of
foreign States.
Tn the year 1918. ON The recommends
,ou of MIR. Monroe. still ddi'ional guaran-
tees were adopted for this on-interfer-
ence. The seventh section of the act of
1894 among other things, was extended
IN its provisions SO as to meet the case
Of .any colony, district, or people with
which the United States were at peace.
This provision was adopted to meet the
case of the South American colonies,
districts, or people then struggling for
their independence.
In the year 1888 additional legislation
was thought necessary, and was adopted
trhe recommendation of Mr. Van Buren,,
at the time of our troubles on the north
ern frontier, when the Canadas were in
a state of partial insurrection.
Thus we see uniform policy for more
than half a century adopted and perse-
vered in by the American people. TO pre-
serve their own internal affairs from the
danger of foreign interference, by main-
tanning in strlctness and rigor the princi-
ole of non-interference in regard TO the
internal affairs Of other countries.
1t is not our present purpose to inquire
whether this policy was wise and liberal,
or the reverse. II is enough that it met
the appreciation of the people, was the
work, indeed. Of the people, and they
have manifested no inclination TO change
it. The law of Washington's admins
,ration on this subject remains at the
present day the law Of the land, which
is the only sufficient index TO the will Of
the people.
But it seems that we are destined to
have "bigher Jaw" or this subject than
the will of the people. The prociama-
lou''-says the Union newspaper in this
behalf-''rests OH q principle which con-
demns all aid, no matter under what cil-
cumstances profefed by our citizens to a
people struggling for freedom" The
proclamation reCiteS tue 2,loUiSsOaas 0f
tie taw Of 1918 IN the Uery s0orus Of
tile laao itself But the iase is not ap-
proved by the Union Like the Parkers,
and Garrsons, ard Phillipses OF Massa-
laws not to his liking are not 10 he en-
forced or respected Laws that suit him
he is pleased to have executed at the
point of the sword. Laws that are not
to his taste he desires permission for him
self and other people TO violate with inn
punty. Now, whatever the Union has
TO say against the proclamation, it says
against the law; for III the proclamation
the Law speaks through the voice of
the President II the statute is hard
Que, let the people repeal it. If it goes
too far, let it be modified or curtailed in
its operation; but while 1t remains the
law, in the name of Reason and Liberty
let it be maintained Aud let as not see
men calling out for the application of a
"higher law" to the question of Cuba,
at the very moment that they are de-
nounclng the Abolitionists for seeking to
apply a "higher law" to the internal
affairs of the Southern States. The man
who assails the Administration for pro-
claiming its intention 20 execute the law
of 1915 or for its efforts to execute that
law, because it is the peoples will con-
stitutionally expressed, Is nc better than
the Abolltionist who denounces the Ad-
minstration for exerting all its constitI
tlonal powers in the execution of the
Fugitive Slave law. The ''sympathizers"
who embarked at New Orleans TO invade
Cuba, because they were not satisfied
with her internal condition, were not one
whit more reasonable, or more sensible,
OR more patriotic, beca use they were no
more obedient to the laws of their coun-
try, than the men who got together Oh
Boston Common or in the Boston Temple,
10 sympathize together over Shadrack
and Sims, and pass resolutions denounc-
ing the President for executing the law.
1t is useless to deceive ourselves in this
matter, or TO attempt to deceive others.
The same morbid sentinent-the same
diseased craving for exci.ement-rhe
same restless spirit of lnterlneddllug with
matters that are none Of theirs-the same
nsubordlnation of the laws of the land
which stimulates Sumner, and Sewall
aud Garrison i'll their philIippics against