The southern press. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1852-03-30

thought that she was under, and, taking the
part of France, strike by her side for lie lier-
ties of the world ? She could not join England
in crusade against those liberties. Would
she, then, participate in the struggle, r would
she rather remain quiet spectator of the gi-
gantic scene, and trust TO God the de4inies OF
her ally? Necessity-stern, infiexible Iecessity
could alone impel her to choose the last al
Tentative.
This was" says Lyman in his Amdican Di-
plomacy, ian extraordinary period; Frhce had
now become professedly a republic, Ind was
threatened with annhilation by Eurbean co.
alition, at the head of which was highland"
The distance of America from EuHpe-the
youth and peculiarly of her governmed, at that
time little understood, and certainly lar from
being confrmed-the narrowness other re-
sources-the entire absence of every aecies of
armament-powerfuly combined to pnt out
the course she should adopt" 1t is slmewhat
curious to see what little that proclamation of
neutrality did realize for America. Itwk issued
in April, 1893. In the summer FLOWING,
Great Britain, Russia, Spain, Prussia, and the
empire of Germany entered into treaty for the
purpose, among other things ''of closing their
ports and prohibiting the expectation of naval
stores corn, grain, and provisions, frjm their
ports to the ports of France" They also en-.
gagged "to take all other measures in tbdr power
for injuring the commerce Of France,Y and to
unite al their efforts 80 prevent other psoers mol
implicated in The War from giving any protec-
ion whatever, directly or indirectly, in conse-
quence Of their neutrality, to the commerce or
Eoperty of the French on the sea or in the ports
II France" You well know, Mr.. President,
that in the celebrated treaty of Utrecht between
France and England, even naval stores were
declared Stree of war;" and you know also that
there are treaties on record between England
and the United Provinces in 1645, with France
in 1867 and 1868, with Spain in 1918, with
Denmark in 1882, and with Russia in 1904 in
which provisions are by name excluded from the
lit Of conraband Shall say anything of the
oltrages, insults, wrongs, offered by England TO
America under the neutrality policy Why, sir,
they were such as TO force upon us wihil less
than year the necessity of sending a special
embassy to the court of st. James, in order to
pl,ad redress for past offences, and at all
ewnts to obtain security that our righs under
thu neutrality should be recognised and re-
speted for the future.
Ihe alarm of the country-its suh'eings, its
impotence, and irritation--may well b. Judged
from the limitations which our ministe. was di
rectd to give Of them in England. Says our
Secretary of State, in his Instructions toMr jay,
l79t: "You will keep alive in the mini of the
British minister that opinion which thesolemn-
lty d special mission must naturally Inspire Of
the arong agitations excited in the Ieope of
the United States by the disturbed condition be.
tween hem and Great Britain" y *
" You will mention, with due stress, the general
irritai5n of the United States, at the U,rq6ons,
Spoliatbns, captures" &c, &c.
SucI was the situation in which the Tilted
State found themselves in the year 1894, lard.
ly ten months after tho issuing of the famous
ppcla baton. Mr.. Jay succeeded in effect ng
treaty. What that treaty secured to the Tilted
Stiejis what now propose to investigate
HIS Instructions were explicit The ANXIETY of
tie United States TO SEE those principle; ac.
Mowiedged which alone could render our neu
TALLY available was extreme. What did the
teaty end in? Let us turn first to the ms ruc-
tins hinder which Mr. Jay was instructed I'd act
lie vas to listen to the suggestions of DOM
mrci treaty, and to keep in view, amngst
oherobjects, the following:
lst Reciprocity in navigation, particularly to
The West Indies, and even TO the East hides
I'd Free ships to make free goods.
Sd.lProper security for the safety of nehtral
commerce in other respects, and particularly by
deaarng provisions rever TO be contraba1d, ex-
Oep " the strongest possible case by defining
a blockade, by restricting the opportunities OF
vexalOn in visiting vessels.
Her is, now, what the treaty allowed: d.
rect tr,de between the United States and the
Westlndies in vessels not exceeding sepenft tons
in bupen; but the United States we're Under
an Obligation 10 restrain their vessels from car
rying certain articles, the produce Of hose
island, 10 any other place than the United
State. Tue Americans were forbidden from
A." earning any molasses, sugar, coffee, coca, or
cottot, in American vessels, either IRON his
Majeey's islands or from the United States, to
any p RI Of the world except the United States"
The treaty restored the ports Of the western
frontier, but without indemnity for Il cir long
detention, or for the slaves carried Of by Sir
Guy Carleton Ship timber, tar, hemp, sails,
and copper were declared contraband, though
free in all other treaties made by the United
Stats Provisions were declared coutraband,
and there was an express declaration that the
flag did not cover the merchandise-the only
treaty ever rigned by the United Slates in which
such an acknowledgment is 10 be found. Eng
land, however, at the peace Of Utrecht had ac
knogledged that The nag covered he merf landiss.
Thus nothing was secured. None Of the rights
which Mr. Jay bad been directed to assert and
vindicate were recognised, and the treaty signed
by him justified the judgment passed upon its
merits, through the appe1tion by which Il went,
Of an instrument that Seiiied nothing. Nor were
the rights claimed by the United States respect.
ed BY England after the treaty. The aggres.
sions on the part Of the latter went on, increas.
ing until they forced us into the very tKtremi
ties which the neutrality was intended 10 pro-
vide against; and we realized the pungent witt
cisrl by which one Of our statesmen defines a
neutral powcr-"a po,cer that both bellgerents
plumber with impunty."
Lyman, from whom | have already quoted,
speaks thus Of the motives which induced the
United States so long TO forbear under repeated
infections Of outrage and wrong:
America, n new State, was thrust hastily,
with all the attributes Of sovereignty, into the
midst Of the oil nations Of Europe. Not having
grown up with them, trying her wings, feeling
her strength she advanced 10 mature age
along with those powers, her relative position
was not ascertained, and acts Of the parties en-.
gagged in the European wars were patiently en-
duicd, not from want Of sagaciiy and spirit, both
10 perceive and resist the injustice and wrong
-. r Ii 4 a a n