Grand River times. [volume] (Grand Haven, Mich.) 1851-18??, 1852-03-02
Correspondence of the Grand River Times.

your columns few thoughts upon the recent
" Kossu.h movement" 1t is not with undue
enthusiasm that our people have welcomed to
their shores, this Gin his own sphere), the
foremost man of all the world" 1t is but the
natural sympathy of every friend of freedom
in noble cause. Yet while we honor the man,
not less for what he is than what he has already
done, we can not but dissent from the views
upon what he is pleased to term non-interven-
ton. This is not question of mere policy,
where it is comparatively Indifferent which
course we may adopt. Aprecedentis about to
be established by either choice, which will have
an incalcuable influence upon our future char
acter and destiny Moreover we are not alone,
but one of community of nations, to each of
which we sustain definite Observation-Disclosures
which can be neither violated or neglected, hon.
estly, or without disastrous results. All States
whatever their relative Importance are equal in
their rights. No State has jurisdiction over
another; and any exercise of forcible restraint
upon the acts of any State or States, except in
the clear case of trespass on our own, or the
rights of our allies, is violation of funda-
mental principle of international law To this
there is but one exception. If says Vatte,
-" there were people who made open profess
ion of trampling justice under foot, who des-
pissed and violated the rights of others at every
opportunity the interest of human society
would authorize all other nations, to form con-
federacy in order to humble and chastise the
delinquents." We do not here forget, he con-
tinues, the maxim established in our prelimi-
naries, that it does not belong to nations to
usurp the power of being judges of each other
In positive cases where there is room for the
smallest doubt, it ought to be supposed that
each of the parties may have some right, and
the injustice of the party that has done the
wrong, may proceed from error and not from
general contempt of justice. To form and sup
port an unjust pretension, is doing an injury on
ly to the party whose interests are affected by
that pretension, but to despise justice in gener-
al is doing an injury to al! nations" Under
this exception no State in Europe can justly
come. How then can we rightly interpose in
European affairs, except by actual alliance with
some European State! The despotic powers
of Europe are nations and as such have invaded
some of our rights; nor have we any allies
who have demanded our assistance. Obviously
then we must form an alliance for the express
purpose of resisting them. Ought our govern
ment to form such an alliance! has it right to
do SO! Vattel includes the objects of govern
ment under three general heads. Ist ITO
provide for the necessities Of the nation" Un-
der this he mentions the interests of agricu-
ture and commerce, public highways and curren-
cy. I'd. "To provide for the happiness of a
nation," Subordinate heads, education, science,
religion, JUSTICE. Lastly, To fortify the State
against external attacks" LAW of nations)
Such an alliance would promote no one of these
objects-to many of them it would be desruc-
ton.
The immense disadvantage under which we
must prosecute military enterprise in the heart
of Europe: The enormous expenditure and
risk of life, incident even to comparatively I'M
important movements, together with the ten
thousand delays and obstacles to the commune
cation of intelligence and transmission Of sup
plies, to say nothing Of the immense nation
al debt which must inevitably follow deserves
at least n passing notice.
Abroad our dignity and influence as nation,
almost unbounded, must be compromised if not
essentially destroyed. Win the nations of the
earth believe that we are engaging in all this
vast expenditure of capital and life, to propa-
gate principle Will they not justly look
with suspicion on such an apparently Quixotc
enterprise!
At home, the proverbial restlessness of our
people diverted into n channel Of all others the
most dangerous, would raise to its highest in
tensity the already too prevalent love of militia
ry glory How long under the influence of
such crusade, ere ours, like many previous
republic, would be in fact if not in form mil
itary despotism! What has elevated Louis
Napoleon to the throne of France but similar
influence not unconnected with similar act of
foreign Intervention?
Public opinion is the charlottesville very
ground of the permanenco of our free insttu-
tons. Our government is what the people
make it, and if like the French they substitute
nj, for al l. Il.