The Sumter banner. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1846-1855, 1852-05-04
That was the distinct, indcpcndent,


established policy Of the country. 1t
was boldly and wisely done, and was
sustained by the American people.
This declaration went upon the prin.
ciplc, that whilst this government dis.
claimed all right 10 intervene in con-
troversics between foreign powers,
yet such disclaimer was obviously
limited to controversies Which could
not affect our own people; when by
any such controversy a different as.
pcct was presented the safety and
interest Of our country became our
sole guide.
3 It becomes interesting, and will be
illustrative, to ascertain how this Gel
cbrated declaration was brought
about. The Senator from Louisiana
has brought to the attention Of the
Senate conference which had taken
place a short time previously in Lon
don, between Mr.. Rush, our then
minister at the Court of St. James,
and the British secretary for foreign
affairs. The view taken by the hon.
orabe Senator was, that Mr.. Rush
had been charged by his government
to rcgociatc with England on the sub
jcct of the recognition Of South
American independence.
Speaking of Mr.. Rush's interviews
with Mr.. Canning, Sc, the Senator
says:
Among the important ncgocia.
tons intrusted to his skill and man.
agc.nent, was that of obtaining from
England a recognition Of mdepcna
cncc for the Spanish colonies. lie
approached the subject with inexprcs-
sible adroitncss and dclicacy, and
soon brought the British minister to
his views by suggesting declaration
OF .hc principles npon which ,has in.
dependence should DC vindlcated."
If | construe the Senator Alright,
and lie meant to say that our minis
ter had been charged by his govern.
ment to sound the British cabinet on
the policy Of "a joint declaration of
the principles upon which that indie.
pendcnce should be vindicatcd." !
conccac, if it were so. that it would
have formed a striking departure
from onr previous policy of rcfraining
from all political connection with any
foreign power. Tne Senator refers
for this, to the very interesting book
subsequently, published, by the min
istcr, on his "Rcsilence i'll London"
! have carefully examined the work,
and do not find that the minister had
been instructed by the government
to negotiate at all, Or for any pur-
pose, upon the subject Of South
American Independence.
MIR. Rush was the minister of the
United States, resident III England,
where he had been for some years,
aud, in this connection, says, that he
had recently, before that time, re.
ceivcd dispatches from home. COM
mttlnS to him five several subjects,
upon Which he was to open ncgocia.
lions with the government Of Eng
land; and he received, with those
dispatches, specific and minute in.
structlons upon every point. He
states what those sui jects were. The
first related TO commercial inter.
course between the United States
and the British colonies in America;
the second, TO the suppression Of the
slave trade; the third, to the unset
tied boundary between the two
countries; the fourth to the adlnis-
sion Of consuls of the United States
into the commercial ports Of England;
and the fifth, to the fisheries of New
foundland; every one being utterly
alien to anything connected with the
recognition Of South American indc.
peniencc. Nor do | find anywhere,
that he had been commissioned by
his government to hold any confer.
ence whatever, with the government
of Great Britain on that subject
He says, further, that thus commits.
stoned, he sought au interview with
the British minister, Mr.. Canning,
for the purpose of consulting him
upon the subjects Of negotiation thus