Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1852-04-12
Speech Of Gen. Cass
NON-INTERvENTIoN..
Delivered in the United States Senate Feb.
t10fh. 1852.

i NON-INTERvENTION..
Delivered in the United States Senate Feb
# Ao'n' ,''e'
+ [coScLeDED
| Mr. President, what earthly tribunalha
Ia better right thans ahea aGongress of tn,
American people. to pronounce the opinion
| of. the people upon such subjects? ] ds
no, speak least / should be accused of pat,
riotic exaggeration of those aalilies, intel
Flectual and :nofal, which are found here
and which are essential to a sound decision
but 4 speak of5iisarepresentatiye capacity
as the depository Of much of the power O
a people whose interest and feelings are in
timately connected with The broadest prin
Eciples Of freedom and Independence. Othel
legislatures do not hesilate to speak ou
1 boldly and firmly. For several years tfe
!. Chamber Of Deputies Of France rsmon-
strated, in their answer to the annual speech
from the throne, against the annihilation oil
Poland, and in 1910 in this emphatic Ian.
guage:
s.ln allthe ques.ionsthat divide the world
France inyokes bu. justice; she demands
only the respect due 10 all rights. Can
she cease TO recall to Europe .hose Of the
ancient Polish nation, ana the guarantees
that repeated treaties gave 10 q generous
people, whose m sfortune time seems only
to aggrayate." a.st ri sets. s;
| Il is well understood that the government
of Louis Philippe was opposed to these
declarations, and that they gave serious
offence TO the Russian Emperor who re-.
called his A Ambassador from the French
Court. But no counsels of timidiiy pre-
vailed with the members Of the chamber.
| Tney put their remonstrance into the most
solemn form, and spread it on record be-
fore the world, unawed by approximations
like those which there seems TO be mys-
| terious effort TO excite in the breast Of the
American people. But j! cannot be done.
Mr.. President. You may persuade and
convince our countrymen, bnt i,iso out Of the
power Of mortal man to drive them from The
mainiainance of ihsir rights by any con.
si6eration connected with, the dnnger of
their assertion a5r.ss .ts4.
Whom hear good deal that is said at
this day, become more and more convinc-
ed that tine men of the revolution were Pc
culiary fitted for the work of the reyolu.
.ion. They sought security and justice no.
in precedents, but 10 principles; and well
il is that they did so, for tho history Of the
world Is filled with precedehts Of tyranny
and oppression, while /, does not contain a
single example Of Government, like ours.
Its establishment is attribute. duo TO wisdom,
patriotism and yalor; not to antiqua,eds no,
tions, with nothing to recommend Them but
their age. believe if we had the work OF
the revolution and the formation Of gov.
ernment thrown upon Us, we should not do
half as we'll as our fathers did. ~
The English House of Commons have
in, different ways, and upon many occas
sions, expressed their opinions upon ques,
tions OF International law by direct addresses
10 the crown, or by votes on the conduct Of
ministers; and it will be q new doctrine
there that such proceedings give just cause
of offence TO other Powers, or that they
necessarily commit nation to war when
they fail as remedy of peace. shall
not turn over the pages Of English Parlia-
mentary history to seek examples Of this
nature, for they are familiar to oil who are
conyersant with the British political an.
mails; but there was declaration made by
Lord Palmersion, upon one of these occa-
sioEs, SO just in itself and SO applicable to
this country that am tempted 10 refer TO
it, and to commend it to the attention Of oil
those who desire to inculcate the doctrine
that we ough: to live in state Of Chinese
isolation from the political affairs Of the
| world, Indifferent to events and to their eff
feet upon the welfare Of mankind. The
British Secretary of State measures the
duty Of his country by far higher stan.
dard "He was not prepared" he saiG,
$40 admit that the independence Of consli.
stutional States, whether they were power
'ful like France or the United States, or Of
'less relative political Importance, such us
the minor States OF Germany, ever could
sbe matter of difference to the British
Parliament, or he should hope, TO the Brit.
'ish public. Constitutional States he con.
ssldered to be the natural allies OF his coun-
try; and, whoever might be in Office con-
sducting the affairs of Great Britian, he was
| persuaded that no British ministry would
perform its duty if it were inattenlive 10
the interest OF such States"
AS to the feeling of the British Parlia.
ment and public, Lord Palmerston speaks
as hauing conquest; but as to the people
of the United States, no authority is neces.
sary TO speak for them, because their feel.
ings are open to oil the world. And is the
Ameriear Congress the only free Legisla>
ture where such sentiments find no response,
and the rights and laws of no efficient sup
porta Mr.. Canning. upon memorable
occasion, not unlike the presen. in its rela.
tion to the independence Of nations. most
truly remarked that chose persons seem to
me 10 imngine that under no possible cir>
'cumstances can an honest man endeavor
TO keep his country upon aline with the
progress of political knowledge, and TO
adapt its course to. the varying circumstan,
'ces Of the. world. Such an attempt is
branded as an indication Of mischievous
Intentions" How accurately does this
eminent man, in describing the opposition
4 IL eGS> / T., >,,1