The Yazoo Democrat., 1852-01-07

fdov. sKosshth's greht speech delivered
at the municipal dinner in New York.
TT is of course an. imperfect report.
When we reflect that he speaking in
a language not his own, it furnishes
ample proof of his powers as an ora
tor, 1t. is certainly one oft the most
ingenious arguments we ever read:
81 beg leave. now to state, that it is
! entirely an unfounded supposition,
that the doctrine Of nonrinterference
in foreign matters, had been to the
people Of the United States, by your
great Washington, bequeathed to be a
constitutional principle to you.
"No! that is not the case
Firstly; Washington never even
recommended non-interference or in
difference to the fate of other nations,
to you. He only recommended seu-
tfality. And there is Almighty differ
Bnce between these two ideas.
Neutrality is an idea which has refer
ence to a state OF war between two
belligerent powers, andi is this case
which Washington Contemplated, when
he, in his Farewell Address advised
the people of the United States not to
enter into entangling alliances. Let
quarreling poWers-let quarreling ma
tions war you consider your own con-
Germs, and let foreign powers quarrel
about ambitious topics, or scanty, par
ticular interests. Neutrality is a mat
ter of conveniepce-n Of principle.
But even as neutrality has reference
to a state Of war between belligerent
powers, the principle of non-interfe-
renee has, on the contrary, reference
to the sovereign right Of nations to
dispose of their own domestic con
cerEs. ~ ~
Therefore these two ideas. of neu-
trality and non-interference, are two
entirely different ideas having refer
ence to two entirely different mat
terS i.' ~ #ait tAf
The sovereign right OF whatever ma
ton to dispose of itself, to alter its in
stitutfons, 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,
The, sovereign right Of every nation
to dispose of itself. you, the people of
the United States, must recognize, be-
cause it is a common law cfmankind,
in which, being a common law of man.
kind, every nation is equally interested.
You must recognize it, secondly, be-
cause the very existence Of your great
republic, as also the independence Of
every nation, rests upon this basis
rests upon this ground. Ifthat sove-
reign right of nations were no common,
public law of mankind, then your own
independent existence would be no
matter of right, but only matter of
fact, which might be subject TO what
ever time, to whatever chances of
power and Of violence. esa .tti.-sh
And where is the citizen of the Uni
ted States who would not feel Teyolted
against the idea that the existence of
this great republic is not righteous
nor a lawful one, but only mere accl-
dent, mere matter Of fact?
i, IL it were so, you were not entitled
to invoke the protection Of God for
your great country; because the pro
lection of God cannot, without sacri-
iege, be invoked but in behalf of jus
tice and right. You had no right to
look to the sympathy of mankind for
yourself, because you would profess an
abrogation of the laws Of humanity,
upon which is founded your own in
your own existence.
Now, gentlemen, if these be prinei-
pies of common law, of that law which
God has given to all, and to every
nation of humanity,-if the faculty to
dispose Of itselfis the common, lawful
right of every nation, then the inter |
ference with this common law of all |
humanity, the violent act of hindering,
by armed forces, nation from exerci-
sing that sovereign right, must be con
sidered as a violation of that common,
public law upon which your very .ex-
istence rests, and which, being a com
mon law of all humrnity, is by God |
himself placed under the safeguard of
all humanity; because it is God him
self who commands us to love our
neighbor as we love ourselves, and to
do towards others as we desire others
to do towards ourselves. Iab
Upon this point You cannot remain
Indifferent. You may well remain neu-
trut to every, war between two bellige-
rent nations but you cannot remain
Indifferent to the violation Of the COM
mon law of humanity. That indiffer-
ence Washington never taught you. 1
defy every man to show me, out of the
eleven volumes of Washington's Wri-
tings. q single word to that effect. He