The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1852-04-16

na Congress, to which shall presently come,
that one OF the objects for which that Congress
was convened, was for settling and determining
by treaty stipulations between this country and
those republics, the extent TO which we thus
stood committed. 1t was then, committal of
this government to the purpose of preventing,
by armed resistance if necessary, such an inter
venton Yet the expression used was, that il
would not be looked at with indifference"
The last epoch TO which shall advert in this
very tedious review, is the occasion OF the cele-
brated mission to Panama, during the admins
tration of John Quincy Adams. In his message
Of December, 1895, he informed Congress that
the government Of the United States had been
invited by several Of the South American re-
publics to unite with them, through representa-
tives, in a General Congress at Panama, for GER
tain purposes which were set out in the invita-
ton that the invitation had been accepted on
his part, and that ministers would be commits
stoned. Subsequently. when he sent to the
Senate Of the United States the names of these
commissioners, for their advice and consent, ne
submitted to the Senate--as on the occasion OF
appropriations would necessarily be submitted
to the House-the policy and expectancy Of
such mission. 1t would seem that this pro-
ject Of General American Congress-, to be
held by all the South American States at Pana-
ma, had originated with Bolivar, President Of
Columbia; and, in treaty stipuations between
several of the South American republics, :
had been arranged by them, that such Con-
gress should be held. The parties to these
treatise invited the United States to meet them
in that Congress, and President Adams accepted
the invitation. The nominations came to the
Senate. They were Richard C.. Anderson, of
Kentucky, and John Sergeant, of Pennsylvania ;
and their title "Envoys Extraordinary and Min
listers Plenipotentiary to the Assembly Of Amer
lean Nations at Panama" The nominations
were referred, with the message to the CommtG.
tee on Foreign Relations. That committee
made report, from which shall read few ex-
tracts, for the purpose Of showing } the Senate,
6rst, the opinions entertained by republican
statesmen of that day, on the expediency of
forming political connections with any foreign
powers, even our own neighboring republics !;
and second, the jealousy and distrust with
which they viewed any departure from the well
established policy of isolation in our foreign re-
lations. And | call the attention of the honor
able Senator from Michigan Mr. CAss1 to the
fact, we'll known to him, that Nathaniel Macon,
of North Carolina, was the chairman of that
committee, and made the report---a man second
to none, except Jefferson, in the estimation of
the Republican party of the county. There
they recognize, that there wes course of poll
cy uniformly and happily pursued by the United
States, from the creation Of the government
down to that time.
The committee held this language:
"The first question which suggested itself to
the committee, at the very threshold of their in
vestiga.ion, was, what cogent reason now ex-
list ! for adopting this new and untried measure.
80 much in conflict with the whole course of
policy uniformly and happily pursued by the
United States from almost the very creation of
iris government to the present hour? BY the
principles of this policy, incu!cated by our
wi-est statesmen in former days. and approved
by the experience of all subsequent time, the
true interest of the United States YVES suppo.ei
to be promoted by avoiding all entangling con-
nectons with any other nation whatsoever"
sand to maintain with eech relations of per-
feet amity, and of commerce, regulated and
adjusted by rules of the most fir, equal, and
just reciprocity, the United States have hitherto
sedulously atatsined from assocating them
selves in any other way, even with thoee nations
for whose welfare the most lively sensbility
has been at all times felt and otherwise mani
fe 3ted" .
aDuring the conflict for freedom and indie
pendence, in which these new States of America
were so long engaged with their sovereign,
although every heart in the Unite States beat
high in sympathy with them, and fervent as.
pirations were hourly put up for their success;
and although the relations then existing with
Spain were well circulated to excite strong
irritation and resentment on our part, vet the
government of the United States, convinced of
the propriety of strict adherence to the prin-
cples it had ever proclaimed as the rule of its
conduct in relation to Other nations, forbore to
take any part in this struggle, and maintained
the most strict neutrality between those beli-
gerents"
"What cause exists now to prompt the United
States to establish new and stronger relations
with them, and so to abandon that rule of con-
duct which has htherto been here so steadily
and happily pursued?"
"And the United States, who have grown up
in happiness to their present prosperity by
strict observance of their old we'll known course
of policy, and by manifesting entire good will
and most profound respect for all other nations,
must prepare to embark their future destinies
upon an unknown and turbulent ocean, directt d
by little experience and destined for no certain
haven"
The members of the Committee on Foreign
Relations, at that time, were Messrs. Macon,
Tazewell, Gaillard, Mills, and Hugh Lawson
White, Of Tennessee. II is said, and believe
with authority, that the report was drawn up by
Mr.. Tazewell; and apprehend that there can
not be found an argument of greater strength,
and more perfectly unanswerabe, to show, first,
what the policy of the American government, up
to that period in Its foreign relations, had been
and then, to illustrate the wisdom of that policy,
and that it would be the very opposite of wisdom,
to depart from it. ] have cited it, rs have the
occasion itself, for the purpose of showing that,
amongst our wisest and best statesmen, in 1925,
at least, there existed recognized policy, which
they traced back to the administration Of Wash
ingtou, which they presented to the American
people as the safe and wise policy of the coun-
try, and from which they advised the American
people never to depart. What was it? To
avoid political connections with any other coun-
try whatever, unless an occasion should arise in
which the interests and safety of this country
demanded departure from it; and in no other
case whatever.
will cite now, very briefly, passages from the
speeches of other statesmen of that day, in the
Senate of the United States in debate on this