The republic., 1852-01-12
articles in this code Whence arc their diplomas'

articles In this code! Whence arc their diplomas!
Is the whole world expected TO acquesce in prnci-
pies which entirely subvert the Independence OF
| nations' On the bass of this independence has
| been reared the beautiful fabric of international
| law. On the principle Of this independence Eu-
rope has family Of nations flourishing within
it's limits, the small among the large protected not
always by power, but by principle above power
10y sense of propriety and justice. On this prin-
| cplc the great commonwealth Of civilized States
| has been hitherto upheld. There have been occa
sional departures violations, and always disas-
trous, in the case of Poland; but, in general.
| the harmony Of the system has been wonderfully
preserved. In the production and preservation OF
this sense of justice, this predominating principle.
| the Christian religion has acted main part
Christianity and civilization have labored together;
it SCENE, indeed, to be a law Of human condi-
tion that they can live and flourish only together
From their blended influence has arisen that de-
| ghtful spectacle of the prevalence of reason and
| principle over power and interest well described
| by one who was an honor to the age:
"And sovereign Law, the States collected will,
O'er thrones and globes elate,
Sits emprcss-crowning good, repressiDg i'll:
! Smit by her sacred frown,
| The iend, Discretion, like a vapor, sinks,
! And e'en the all dazzling crown
Hides HE faint rays, and at her bidding shrinks
| But this vision is past. While the teachers Of
Laybach give the rule there will be law but the
| law Of the strongest.
| Ii may now be required of me 10 show what in
terest have in resisting this new system. What
is it u.s. it may be asked, upon what principles,
or what pretences, the European governments
sert right of interfering with the affairs OF their
ncighbors? The thunder, it may be sad, rolls at
| distance. The wide Atlantic is between and
| danger; and, however Others may suffer, Us shall
remain safe.
| think it is sufficient answer to this to say.
that We one OF the nations Of the earth that
have intcrest, therefore, in the preservation OF
that system Of national law and national inter-
course which has heretofore subsisted, 80 benef-
cially for all. Our system of government il should
also be remembered, is. throughout founded on
| principles utterly hostile TO the new code; and, if
| We remain undisurbed by its operation, we shall
| owe security either to situation
spirit. The enterprising character of the age,
| own active. commercial spirit, the great increase
| which has taken place in the intercourse among
civilized and commercial States, have necessarily
connected US with other nations, and given u5
high concern in the preservation OF those sautary
principles upon which that intercourse is founded.
We have as clear an interest in international law
as individuals have In the laws OF society.
But apart from the soundness of the policy, on
the ground of direct interest we have, sir, duty
connected with this subject, which trust we are
willing to perform. What do not to the
cause of civil and religious liberty to the princi
pie Of lawful resistance? to the principle that soc
ETY. has right to partake in its own government?
As the leading Republic OF the world living and
breathing in these principles. and advanced, by
their operation, with unequalled rapidity in our
career shall we give our consent to bring them into
disrepute and disgrace? Ii is neither ostentation
boasting to say, that there lice before this coun
| try, in immediate prospect, great extent and
height Of power. We are borne along towards this
without effort, and not always even with full
knowledge of the rapidity OF our own motion. Cir
| cumstances which never combined before have
operated in our favor, and mighty current ia set
ting rward which could not resist even 1--WE
would, and which, while would stop to make
observation and take the sum- has set us, ut the
end Of the operation, far in advance OF the place
where We commenced it. Does ii not become US.
| thcn-is it not duty imposed on us-to give our
weight to the side of liberty and justice, to let man.
kind know that we not tired OF our own insN-
tutions, and TO protest against the asserted power
Of altering at pleasure the law of the civilized
world?
| But whatever W 10 in tni- reapect IA becomes
US to do upon clear and consistent principles.
There ia an important topic in the message to
| which l have yet hardly alluded. ! mean the
| rumored combination Of the European continental
sovereign. against the new free States
Of South America. Whatever position this Gov
ernment may take on that subject trust II Will be
| one which can be defended on known and nc-
| knowledged grounds of night. The near APP
| proach the remote distance Of danger may
| effect policy, but cannot change principle. The
| same reason that would authorize us to protest
against unwarrantable combinations to interfere
between Spain and her former colonies, would
authorize US equally to protest II the came comb
nation directed against the smallest State in
Europe, although our duty 10 ourselves. our policy.
and wisdom, might indicate very different courses
as fit 10 be pursued by US in the two cases. We
shall not, trust, act upon the notion Of dividing
the world with the Holy Alliance and complain of
nothing done by them in their hemisphere if they
will not interfere with ours At least this would
mend support. We have not offended, and
hope do not intend to offend. in regard to South
America, against any principle OF national inde-
pcndence or Of public law. We have done nothing.
we shall do nothing, that we need to hush up or to
compromise by forbearing TO express our sympa-
thy for the cause of the Greeks, opinion of
the course which other governments have adopted
in regard TO them.
II may, in the next place, be asked, perhaps,
supposing all this to be true what can usdol Arc
we TO go to war? Are we to interfere in the Greek
- Arox 10
endanger our pacific rcatonsl No, certainly not.
What, then, the question recurs, remaips for usf
III we will not cndanger our own peace, II We viii
neither furnish armies nor naves to the cause
which we think the just one, what 10 there within
our power9
Sir, this reasoning mistakes the age. The time
has been, indeed. when heets, and armies, and
subsidies, the principal reliances even in the
beet cause. But, happily for mankind, great
change has taken place in this respcct Moral
causes come into Consideration, in proportion as
the progress Of knowledge is advanced; and the
public opinion Of the civilized world ia rapidly
gaining ascendency over mere brutal iorce IL
is already able to oppose the most formidable OBJ
'trreuon to the progress OF injustice and opprcs-
sion; and, as II grows more intelligent and more
intcnse, il will be more and more formidable. IL
may be silenced by military power. but 1t cannot
be conquered. 1t is elastic, irrepressoe, and in
vulncra BILE to the weapons Of ordinary warfare IL
is that iupassible, unextipg Unstable enemy oil
violence and arbitrary rule, which, like Mil
tons angels
"Nial In every part,
Cannot. but by annihilatng, die"
Until this be proptatcd or satisfied, IL is vain for
power To talk either OF triumphs or rcposcno maj
ter what fields desolated, what brtrcsses sur
rendered what armies subdued, or what provinces
overrun. In the hisory OF the year thathns passed
by Ne, and in the instance OF unhappy Spain, we
have seen the vanity of all triumphs in cause
which violates the general sense Of justice OF the
civilized world. IL ia nothing that the troops of
France have passed from the Pyrenecs 10 Cadix; IA
is nothing that an unhappy and PROSTATE nation
has fallen before them II is nothing that arrests
and confscatiop, and execution, sweep away the
little remnant OF national resistance. There IL an
enemy that still exists Ia check the glory of thess
trumphs. II follows The conqueror back to tho
very sccne OF his ovaons; tcalls upon him to take
notice tina, Europe. though silent. yet indignant;
IT shows him that the sceptrc of his victory isaoar
sccptre; that 1t shall confer neither JOY nor
honor. but shall moulder TO dry ashes in his gtssp.
In the midst of his erultatioo, it picrces nis ear
with the cry of injured JUSTICE It denounces against
him the Indignation OF an enlightened and civil
ired egc; il turns to bitterness ,no cup of his
ioicing. and wounds him in the sting which be.
longs to the consciousness of having outraged the