The daily union., 1852-04-10
France. who signed the treaty OF ITS. stated to h'
American commissioners


American commissioners;
Tha his Christian Majesty was fixed in his deter
mna,on not only 70 aeknowedge but TO supper, ths IN.
engaged ia war YET he should no, Expect any
zion from the United States that account, NOR WAS III
besides his real good viii 10 them was manssiiy the
interest OF France that the power Of England should be
srnmeni The only Condition he should require and rely
would be that the United Staes peacc 10 be made
70 the BRUSH government Ramsay's History OF the Uni
ted States.
Reasoning as statesmen should, Washington and his
cabinet acknow lodged only the responsibility OF the
tion TO itself Although under treaty stipulation to
guaranty TO France her West India possessions, there
was none that America should make herself party to
war; and, BY direction Of President Washington ths
proclsmaon Of neutrality issued Its character simply was
70 define the relations Of the country as existing with all
more Il laid for the first me but it laid broad and
deep, tha foundations Of foreign policy In conmu-
. q mr. &. s
"As soon the war in Europe had embraced those
powers with whom the United States the
% bs
ton for peace drawn nto question by the too Of
70 my duty admoaish our Citizens Of The
Of conraband trade and Of hostile OF the par
state o ,hngs an easier admission Of our right the
mutes belonging situation Under those impressions
as whl'h WIN % a'a 0s'0's 70" :
or this proclamation the senator from Louisiana Mr.
SoULEl says it only transient measure, looking
wholly the then situation OF the country, and to the
demands which that situation with its surrounding per-
ills, made upon il"
And again:
.sItcame to debated in cabinet council how far in is
the vested in the President by the con-
stituon and we the authority Of Mr.. Jefferson the
rr The Preaen, remarks Mr. Jefferson declared be
had that he could bind Congress against de-
In mr.
could look beyond the day Of their meeting"
"The President said he had but obec..the keep
| ing people quiet ill Congress should meet
The impression that would seem TO be conveyed by the
honorable senator in the expression thus used m thai
this Proclamation was one intended only to indicate
policy altogether ansienta policy that should die with
the exigency which had given rise TO II and ne cites
from the "ANA" Of Mr. jefferson. published with his
rsspondsnee. 70 show wha. General Washington hmss
Washington declared that he had no idea OF committing
Congress by that proclamation but that his only objec
was to keep the nation quiet nnii 1ohgIess snoalu
the part OF General Washington as to what the charac
ter OF that proclamation for the proclamation speaks
for itself 1t did not require anything from General
OF the extent OF his powers Tor the extent OF hs
as President, defined in the constitution. Wash
ngon declared and declared correctly that the proca
nation originated nothing. i was no enactment OF q
law II was simple declaration OF the existing relations
between this country and all foreign powersreaiions
not arising from his will, not created by the Proclama
top but existing under the laws His purpose and sole
object was TO declare to the American people the obga
lions which existing laws imposed upon them. Wha
were those awsi Laws recognising that this country
was al peace with all the world. And the proclamation
was nothing than that. being at peace, was bis
Duty the conservator OF The laws, TO see that that
\ peace was not broken.
Sir parties were somewhat divided al that day upon
the policy which it became this country TO pursue TO
wards Franceone party asserting that proper posi-
ton was neutrality; another party asserting that we
ought to embark in the that II was duty which
owed to our ancient ally to sustain her N her war
for Independence she bad recently sustained But
until the war was declared by the Congress OF the Uni
ted States who alone competent 10 declare H. there
could be difference Of opinion as 10 the duty OF The
Executive take that the peace oil the country was
preserved. The country then new. The consttu.
ion new. IL was comparatively untried The ex-
tent OF power conhded under to the Executive and "a
the Congress OF the United States. although 10 be
gathered from the instrument, was matter that very
much occupied the miuds OF statesmen OF that day IL
does appear the relation oil r Jefferson, that IN the
cabinet. occasionally Alexander Hamilton, whose latu
dinous opinions upon ths subject OF power we all know
advanced the opinion that there was somehing more po
tent in this proclamation Of neutrality than mere decla
ration OF the existing OF things, Hamilton seemed
TO have entertained the opinion that i was competent for
the President OF the United States by proclamation o
neutrality, to create neutrality and he went so far ~
maintaining his position TO declare his belief that
under the treaty making power was competent or The
President and the Senate TO stpulae neutrality with
% ss sses hs sb % declare 0s war
that particular In this broad opinion, Mr. Ham
ton seems 70 have been sustained by General Knox Mr.
Jefferson and Edmund hanuoiph comoAteu Hs anu peb
Washington il would seem, agreed with them declaring
reported by MIR Jefferson. that he had but one OBJ
ject-that of keeping the people quiet until Congress
met" The proclamation, truth, originated nothing
II created nothing II established the status OF the coun
try only until Congress should meet But IL declared ht
opinion OF President Washington to the duty OF his
country, and that that duty was NEUTRALITY.
i The senator from Louisiana-whose absence | very
much regret because commenting on the very able
speeoh which he delivered here few days ago, ant
which doubt not will have it's effect upon the country
in the decision 10 which they will come this ques
ton-in speaking OF this proclamation says further:
"a war had Just broken out between France and Eng
snd-I should between France and coalesced Europe
France alone struggling Tor her liberties and the liberties
mankind against the world in Tue question aros'
what part America shonld In that awful conflict
Would she redeem those pledges which ardent and enihu
der and taking the Of France strike by her side io
the liberties Of the world She could not Join England In
crusade against those liberties Would she, then par
toipse n the struggle, would she rather remain quie
tnies OF her sy1 Necessiy-siern, inleribe necessity
could alone pei her choose the last alternative"
Il He here conveys the idea that the American people
were deferred from embarkng IN that with France
only because OF their debilitaed condition. That he
holds was their necessity" Now, apprehend, the
history of that period shows very differently Washing
ton issued the proclamation OF neutrality N April Con-
gress in the ensuing December, and so lar from de-
clarng any war. with view 10 aid our iormer ally
i Franee-Congress passed from time TO time series o
laws to protect this country n the neutrality thus estab
lisbed Things went 40 faras we know IRON the hsio
ry OF the timesba Congress at last authorized repusa
To be made against France account OF spolatons on
American commerce, and the closed by formal ac
Of the Congress Of the United States repeaiing the treaty
OF I77s and with all the guarantees which II had made
10 France addsce this for the purpose OF showing that
90 far as the spirit OF the American people s TO be ascer