The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1852-02-28


worlds history. and affecting the worlds destiny For.
eign nations have and felt power upon the land
and upon the ocean, in the battle and In the cabinet
in all the maTts OF and through all the chan
nes OF trade The world sees il waving at the mast
head o ten thousand ships she beholds II IN our glo
rous national institutions, in our increasing population,
IN the accumulatng wealth and advancing prosperity Of
our people All Europe at this moment feels our power
at work al the foundations OF her desposms not by in
eryention armed or unarmed, but by the wisdom and
justice OF our national policy, teaching the world what a
nation may accomplish for freedom and humanity which
while II refuses 10 quit its 10 stand upon foreign
ground oilers home and liberty to the oppressed OF every
land.
But il is said that our government may, by decara.
ton OF its opinion upon the conduct of European nations,
exercise moral influence over their affairs
The senator from Michigan Mt CAssl is in favor OF
this kind OF Intervention He says in his late speech
But repeat emphatically what said upon former
occasion when this subject was before u.s. and what upon
add what distinctly stated the martyr of the struggles
Of his own country the honored guest OF ours, In the
the people Of the United States prepared main
tain the rights OF Hungary by warthat the only influence
we could exert was a moral and not physical one"
All will agree with the senator that the only influence
we can exert over the destiny OF Hungary is moral
and not physical one" But the question is. how shall
this moral influence be exercised! The senator proposes
TO do II by resolution OF Congress expressive OF the
opinion OF this government upon the conduct OF Russia
and Austria in their dealings with Hungary, declaring
that "he United States have not can again
without deep concern" the violation Of the rights OF the
people OF Hungary by Russia. This is the meaning OF
his resolution when applied 10 the case OF Hungary.
This IN my opinion. is taking the first step towards in
tervenon Just the way in which that policy COM
mences. One nation expresses ''deep concern" in the
affairs OF another naona concern in war waged with
third powera about the result Of that
Then comes the desire for fair play; then the call for
material add and the nation which commenced with
deep concern" must either furnish the aid or aban-
don all interest 10 the contest When the war first
menced her interference by simply expressing her deep
concern" in the matter. This "deep concern in the
o. he Ss
understands it. for he tells speaking of this esolu
ton
"This substitute declares unequivoca an opinion upon
great question OF public law, and there stops, leaving
us free determine upon course when the time
makes known our deep concern at the violation OF great
principle which expression well know, sir, is the
usual phraseoogy in national communications for convey
ing marked dsapProbaton Of any measure which is Pc
culiarly unacceptable"
This sir, is the common language OF Intervention. II
is borrowed from the vocabulary OF European informed
ding diplomacy OF which the senator has given
raj precedens He tells that England and France have
again and again protested against aggressons upon other
nations but he omitted inform that in most if not
in all the cases named the protest led to war; But why
resort to European policy when have settled policy
of our own' Why abandon Washington's non nterven-
ton principles for the opinions OF European statesmen
There can be no moral influence exerted from this
The influence Of nation is derived from its conduct
acts not words form its character and give TO that char
acter its moral influence. By acting intervention for
the last fifty years we have exssd an influence against
OF either add to or diminish
There is other portion OF the speech of the senator
from Michigan which requires some notice After quoting
from speech OF Mr.. Canning, the senator says:
Il is far better keep the line of political knowledge,
as Mr. Canning the adaptation Of the feelings and
The line OF precedents and the world gel ahead
us, forgetting or tearing-in the language Of statesman
from this chamber the direction Of foreign
affairs the equal of Canning in genius and mental vgoI
forgetting fearing that are in age of progress
What line of political knowledge" the senator de-
the United States march loss
know Is it into the line of European politics And il
where in that line will the senator place his country ?
take her position alongside OF the auocrat OF Russia
stand shoulder to shoulder with Austria march in lock
step with France, or march time with England
Sri would be strange spectacle 10 our free in
sttnons, under the lead OF the honorable senator, march
ing up and taking position in this royal line of kings and
was Of
age yet neither of these distinguished soldiers would
venture to conduct such campaign. The senator is
alarmed lest the world may get far ahead Of us" in
political knowledge did suppose that upon this point
we were rather ahead of the world
When Washington declared non.interventon in the
affairs OF other nations he took step in political knowl
edge in advance Of the word-so far ahead OF the old
line that the nations of Europe have hardly yet got with
in gunsho OF our new position Shall we abandon this
advanced post and desert the line OF national policy
which we have marked out for ourselves on the great
field OF the worlds politics, to fall back upon the crook ed
lines OF European strategy! No, sir; no. prefer 70
stand still upon our own strong and isolated position and
be retreat and progress To keep The line of pof
ioai knopiedge~ Where shall find a line straightel
and brighter than that marked out by the wise and good
Washington. True, il is a straight and narrow way, and
few there be OF the nations who walk therein yet, like
the path of virtue, il leads peace and enduring happi
ness.
America pursues. in her onward career 10 empire.
path distinct from every other nation The ruling instra
ment OF European power Intervention; The ruling
The one war-the other peace; the one force and
fear-be other neutrality and justice; the ema
nation Of heather mythoogy-lhe other Of the benevo.
lent doctrines OF Christianity Yet both and each
used as ministers to universal dominion theirs 10 tbs
dominion OF slavery and desPotc power-ours to liberty
and national Independence.