Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1852-03-29
Speech Of Gen. Cass
INON-INTERvENTION. 9
Delivered in the United States Senate Feb.
= 10th, 1852. -stf-& s.--=- - 9

a NON-1NTEHVENI ss-'t f}G
), Delivered in the United States Senate Feb
10th, 1852. 1s=7 ~
II Mr.. CASS said: The substitute I pro
pose for the resolution Of the honorabl,
Senator from Rhode Island Mr.. Clarke
leaves the field Of discussion as broad as
, found it; and that is broad enough to en-
brace all the questions which SO strongl,
excite the interest of the American people
at the present moment, arising out of thai
fragrant act Of arbitrary power by which
Independence was wrested from Hungary;
an interest rendered yet more powerful b,
the presence and the eloquence of that re
murkable man who is now telling through
our land, in burning words, the story o
) his country's wrongs-words that fall on
ready ears and go to kindling hearts. My
objections to the original proposition are
not to the great truths it enunciates-tralis
drawn from our own State papers Of the
best days Of the republic-fer to their eter-
nal justice yield cheerful acquiescence
but 10 the narrow application i. is designed
to make Of them. Tney met, and were
intended 10 meet, the circumstances of the
country, connected with our right TO the
new position we had assumed as a member
of the family Of nations, md with occur,
rences which look place not long after.
wards; but they went no further. The
i obligations which subsequent events might
impose upon as in relation to ambitious
prelensions incompatible with the public
law and the Independence Of nations they
neither foresaw nor defined. And thus is
it that we must push our inquiries beyond
these limits before we reach the great ques.
lion Of our true duty and policy now in
lace Of US. ssr
There is always class Of peraons, sir,
| who believe there can be no firm views
where there are no hard words, and with
whom menacing language is the measure
of 6rmness. need not 50 y here how lit.
tie foundation there is for such ON opinion
in personal or in national life. But OBJ.
serve that this standard has been applied
to my substitute in some Of The journals
which haze found ii ,oanting. Mr. Pres.
| ident, it does not comport with the charac-
ter or position of the United Sta,es, to deal
in menaces with their co-eqnsls Of the
world. |, becomes ihemsto cypress 1heir
views plsinly, and with The same respect to
others which they claim for themselves,
and 10 maintain them firmly when they
come to act. This Substitute declares un.
equivocally ON opinion upon great ques-
tion of public law, and there il stops, leay.
ing US free to determine upon our course
when the time comes. II makes known
our deep concern OF The violation of great
principle, which expression, youwell know,
sir, is the usuni phraseology in national
communications, for conveying marked
disapProba.ion Of any measure which is
peculiarly unacceptable. 1T Is strong
conventional condemnation OF the proceed.
ing. - : . - : Z 8 '..s.'
In the brief examination propose to
give to the subject before Us, with q view 10
practical results rather than to pro6l!ess
speculations, have no intention of enter
ing into the vexed question OF the origin Of
international law. nor into the true grounds
Of the obligations by which civilized com
munities are required TO submit toit. as
sumo at once the duty Of all Christian peo>
pie to recognize its binding force, and to
aid its operations so far as they can prop
erly do it. Certainly, we cannot trace
back this code TO a universal legislative
origin, as we can trace back a municipal
statute to its local source. 1t grew out Of
the necessity Of regulating the intercourse
between independent countries in peace
and in war, and traces Of its existence may
be found in the earliest recorded annals OF
nations. 1t began by assuaging the hor-
rors Of war, and by restraining the cruel.
ties Of barbarous conquerors; and, by de-
grees, from q few simple max;ms, it has
become an elaborate system, co,extensive
with ciyilization; and appealing not less 10
the sense of interest than TO that Of morale
ty, bs substituting fixed and just principles
for those wayward passions which, without
such an arbiler, would make the world one
vast theatre OF carnage. t..a
The elementary commentaries oil wise
and learned men, the decisions of enlight-
ened jursts, and the discussions of able
statesmen have built up the system, and III
is beautiful monument OF the progress
and improved condition Of society. For il
mas not been fixed and immutable code,
but has accommodated itself to the advanc.
ing opinions and necessities OF the world. 4
Few and mengre were at first its provisions
like the wnn.s it was designed TO meet;
but as these increased, it Increased with
them, till it has become one of the most
useful, if not one Of the proudest works Of
the human intellect.
And letno one reproach it with inutility
or imbecility because it is not always n
barrier against interest and ambition; but
rather lei US be thankful that il is sosolten
appealed to, and so often effectual, in re-
straining the turbulent passions of our ma.
ture. And such is the foree of public opin-
ion, in this the day Of its strength, that even
when the provisions Of international Law.
are evaded or neglected, its obligations are
rarely, never, indeed. denied;-but con.
structions, for selfish purposes, are put up
on it, forced and false, it is true, but trl.
bute to its worth, even while its injunctions
are practically disregarded.
1T we'll becomes us and the principles ol