The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1852-03-29

European powers, IL opposition 70 the protests
avowed by others Of the first rank This hith.
erto had been no part of the system of the
United States: The very reverse Of it had been
acted upon. Their foreign policy had hAan "a.
sentially bott0med on the great marin ~ r,s.
serving peace and harmony with ali nations
without offending any, o. forming entanelinr Al.
liances with any. Upon the institutions - snor
the dissensions of the European powers tba
government and the people of the United States
might form, and even express their speculativa
opinions; but it had been no part of their nast
conduct to interfere with the one, or, beinp nm.
molested themselves, to become parties to The
others. In this broad principle laid one Of INV
difficulties under his proposal"
10 this Mr. Canning would reply;
THAT, however just such policy might have
been formerly, or might continue to be as GEN
eral policy, ne apprehendsd that powerful and
controlling circumstances might max q II inappli.
cable in particular occasons,S &c.
And upon the rejoinder Mr. Rush said
For myself, speaking only AZ an iodiy;dual
could well conceive that the interpretation az nm
authoritive voice by the United States. In favoy
ofthese communities, admitting that the powar.
OF Europe nsurped claim to control their .las
TIMES, would imply no real departure from tho
principles which had hitherto REQUESTED their
foreign intercourse, or pledge them henceforth
to the political connexions Of the old world. n
too, that voice happened to be in unision with
the voice OF Great Britain, it might prove but
the more suspicious to the common object which
both nations had in view, without committing
either to any systematic or Interior concert.
But added, that as the question of the United
States expressing this voice, and promulgating
it under official authority to the powers ~ m.
~ OF nj
great magnitude in their history, it was for nv
6 6ronr;atvn ~ NV III 'ne' 70 aec'oe upon It's
Let Great Britain Immediately and uneouiv.
ocally acknowledge the independence of the new
States
will not scruple, on seeing that important event
come about, to lend my official name to the
course proposed, and count upon my govern
ment stamping with its subsequent approval
whatlI have done."--(p. 436, 437)
Mr.. Rush then goes on and says:
by the early transmission of the proposals
made 10 me by Mr.. Canning, in his notes of the
latter end OF August, the copies of them, as well
as Of my reports of our conferences on the
whole subject, arrived at Washington in time
to engage the deliberations of President Mon.
roe and his cabinet, before the meeting of Con.
gress in December, and it was very satisfactory
to me to learn that the part had acted was
approvcd."-(P. 456, 457)
The policy of impassiveness, therefore, has
no warrant in the past and the warnings Of
Washington and of his compeera 20 far. reach
not the ground covered by this debate. Let ma
define distinctly the position which | mean to
occupy. am not for entangling ourselves by
permanent alliances in the ordinary yicissitudes
OF foreign politics, or in the ordinary combina.
tons and collisions of foreign friendships or
enmties. ! am for trusting to temporary aili-
ances in extraordinary emergencies but / can
not be for surrendering the high rank which we
are entitled to occupy at the council-board Of
nations. can neither abdicate the rights which
that position implies, nor disavow the obea-
tons which it imposes; and, inasmuch az the
amendment proposed by the distinguished Sena.
tor from Michigan Mr.. CAss carries me not
beyond the ground covered by the avowals inst
stated, to that amendment shall | give nv IN.
qualified support and vote.
But suppose were in error with respect 10
the bearing of the Washington policy, as exem-
plifed by his own doings, the question would
still remain, whether it was ever intended that
it should remain an immutable rule, to be pursued
by this government under what changes soever
might occur in the history of its progress.
Speaking OF our commercial intercourse with
foreign nations, Washington himself, in tis
ment of certain conventional rules, the best ihat
present circumstances and mutual opinions wiH
permit, bu temporary, and liable to be from time
10 time abandoned or varied, as experience and
circumstances shall dictate
Our policy, upon the same principle, must
also charge. 1t is not in the power Of man to
impart mmutabty to any Of its works. Our
policy must change; it will change. Who is
the statesman, where is the statesman, who will
consider himself so constrained BY the traditions
of the past as to bind the present in shackles.
and keep the future in thraldom? Sir, we can
not thus be enslaved to the opinions and judg-
ment of those who have preceded u.s. Are we
the nation we were in 1893? Does Europe
stand to US in the relation it then stood? Con-
slider: We were but three millions of people
them we are now twenty-three millions. The
area of our territory exceeded hardly eight hun
dred thousand square miles, it now measures
upwards of three millions. Our commercial
relations with the whole world embraced nm
aggregate of one hundred and fifteen millions
of dollars; they reach now to upwards of three
hundred and eighteen millions: on a comparn
tive survey of the commercial progress of this
country and of England we find that while the
mercantile movement of the United States in
half century has increased in the ratio Of three
hundred per cent, that of England has only at.
tanned two hundred per cent Taking for
granted that the two countries will progress in
the same ratio during century, we find that
in 1890 the commerce of the United States will
be eight hundred and seventy millions, that Of
England twelve hundred millions: and in 1910
the commerce Of the United States will be
twenty three hundred and seventy.seven mil.
lions, while that of England will only be twenty
two hundred and eighty-nine mlions-,hus
leaving the United States with surplus over
England of lightweight millions.
We have now a seacoast extending $500
miles i'll length; it extended in 1898 but LOO
miles We had scarcely commercial marine
now our steam force alone amounts to upwards
Of fourteen hundred steamers, measuring 4I7.-
283 tons; while the whole steam marine of all
Europe in I848 did not exceed twelve hun
dred and twenty-four steamer. of l64,7l3 tons
burden.
TO insist, sir that while our numbers, the ex.
tent of our territory, our commerce, our ship
ping, &c, have so much changed, our interests,