Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1853-05-14
NATIONAL INTELLIGENCER.
THE FAITH or TREATIES.


been held in higher honor and veneration than the
saeredness Of the pledge implied BY the use OF the
word Treaty nothing esteemed more infamous than
the repro ich of breakingan obligation 50 solemn as
to be reg, rded as almost divine treaty broken Is 10
nation what his word of honor is to an Individual
The pei son who violates the lies under the most
dsgra eful imputation and incurs the basest ephet
that can be applied to man; he t6rtelts all con-
slider alton in society, he loses caste among his equals
is s. aunned, despised and all but ostracized Inc
nat ion which deliberately violates solemn treaty
tb at is to Say, the pghted national word OF honor
lands in no different light from the Individual VINO
foreits his word 1t has disgraced ITSELF 1t has IN
ssome sort committed perjury it oreits its rank and
f-caste among nations. 1t is regarded with doubt
and suspicion and, if its dupcity and falsehood
become habitual as well notorious, other nations
must in the end abstain from holding with it any
intercourse whatever. Since all treaties contain
mutual obligations, reciprocal gains and renuncia-
tons the nation which makes treaty, intending to
hold it sacredly binding, with another nation mani
festly disregardng such obligations against her
SELF is necessarily loser for in fact she is making
contract which is binding herself only as against
her own interests and powerless against the other
party, for her benefit.
In consequence of this sacred character OF na-
tona promises and pledges of faith it was usual IL
old times to surround the ratification of such with
upersttious sanctions and ceremonies the most APP
railing, devoting to death and condemnation after
death the volator of the pledge thus given. 1t was
customary among the heather nations of antiquity
that the ratifyng officer should STAY victim before
r H. L. t,ar .afrav rl,r,fs
over it to witness his pledge; and to do so, as he
himself then did, to the kid heifer sacrificed and
much more also, unto him who should first break
that treaty.
To be called treaty breaking nation was the foul
reproach of Carthage; though in how far it was
lust and well deserved we have no sufficient power
TO determine, since the stigma was affixed by her
mortal enemies, the Romans who were themselves,
in more instances than one, guilty Of the very
wrong which they 50 strenuously charged on the
perfdious Carthaginians.
Another great nation of modern times has at
tempted, with even less success to attach the like
blame to her most powerful rival; and when a
French demagogue, whether orator or writer, de-
sires to be particularly pungent and severe on
England, he Immediately resorts to the term per
fdious Albion; although, to say the least the good
faith Of that nation has been as well and Loyalty
maintained that of any other nation, and although
in the matter Of debate, whence the allegation
namely the infraction of the provisions of the
Peace Of Amiens-France was no more IN the right
had hands any purer, than her antagonist in that
mortal struggle.
To violate the faith Of treaties is therefore, avow
edly and by admission the most disgraceful allega
ton that can be brought against nation,
Il is also no less impolitic than dishonorable;
for the violation of solemn treaty may always be
punished by immediate war. We the word
punished" adyisedly for even when crowned with
victory, even when just, Is punishment to any
nation, and if unjust, dishonest, and terminated BY
defeat and submission, the punishment is proper
tonately cruel and the disgrace intolerable to be
borne
If not by war; the violation Of treaty may
be punished, again, otherwise by the withdrawal
Of the privileges conceded in return for the stpua-
tons made and left unsatisfed by the treatymaking
power.
Lastly, although leagues Of offended nations to
chastise dishonest and perjurcd people, at all times
rendered difficult bynnutual ealousies, dissensions,
and Earring interests, are almost impossible, yet
where any Power should become habitually and no
toriously treaty breaker ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS, 50
that, keeping faith WITH one, no one should keep
faith with her. the general distrust towards such
Power, pervading all nations, though under com
mon pact or alliance Of offence would shortly lead
to such withdrawal from intercourse with it, such
exclusion of it from international courtesies and in
ternatona dealings of all kinds could not fail to
operate most injuriously its interests and the
welfare Of the people
In another and higher point Of view this offence
against morality and right is no less mpoltic for
although may doubt the theory Of especial proyi
dental rewards and punishmens Of individual crimes
and virtues during this life, it is not 50 with the
wickedness Of Nations Nations have no hereafter,
and national crimes must be punished here, or must
be left unpunished. All history shows us that ma
tonal crimes met by national punshments in this
world, operating for themost part by natural conse.
quence Of conditional events and that Nation can
no more hope to sin with IMMUNITY than individuals
to violate earthly laws securely
1t is needless to multiply authorities or descend
into minutie. 1t is enough to point to the Baby.
lonish captivity Of the Jews; the humiliation Of
Carthage; the degradation and downfall Of Venice
and the Italian Republics the chastisement Of