The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-05-16

The tendency of modern civilization Is to bring the pow
Of the earth into direct and mme contact
multiplying their points OF intercomm and
creasing their mutual interest in one another. There
perfect obligations they are called sing out of
this intercourse the fulment of which may he peremp
torily demanded and if neglected. be justly enforced
by war; But there other demands involving matters
of comfy, OF interest Of policy which crcum
call out and which may be refused without such
consequences Some of these constitute the foundation
Of commercial treaties, while Others confined to
representations and to the remedy which these may
produce, without formal conventional arrangements.
Nations demonstrate with one another, against high
tariffs when they are particularly injurious We have
done II many times, especially in relation to tobacco,
the duties upon which operate nterict against its
introduction into some countries yet the right to levy
such mposts 1t peases ia which belongs every
government and is exercised by every But il Is
commended that should violate national comfy If
demonstrate against laws nterdcting American citi
the worship of God, not evyng duties indeed upon
the rights of conscience, but absolutely prohibiting
their exercise Away with snch astdious distinctions
Many legal rights surrendered by nations to each
other in order to ameorate the condition OF their
pectve citizens, or to promote the ends of justice The
Droit d'Aubaine, that relic of barbarsm by which a
State claims the inheritance of property when the heir is
q foreigner has been abandoned in a number of the
treaties we have formed with European powers Mutu-
al obligations have also been incurred for the surrender
of fugtves from justice, and have made ourselves
parties to this policy Many other instances exist where
the laws o, country have y,eaea 70 these reciprocal
that because the demands in such not founded
on perfect obligations nation would humlae itself by
proposing arrangements which might be rejected Not
Marteus, speaking upon this subject, touches the
very point when he says that treaties of commerce
between powers of different religions taken to fix
the rights to be enjoyed recproca by the subjects Of
the two parties with respect to their religion buras
&C." This distinguished jurst nothing humating
in such arrangement, and Of there can be
nothing humiliating in the proposition. He speaks
OF the very course we propose as one sanctioned
the usage of nations That it has been for
almost two hundred years-how much longer |
have not sought TO ascertain-is shown by the
treaty of Utrecht of 1867 between England and Spain
which provided that the subjects of neither party should
be mOlesttd disturbed their
they gave public scandal offence 1t is Obvious
fusion Of ideas and could have been believers the
Archbshop's theory Of the involabty Of conscience,
because 1t could not be violated 1t needed protec
ton The protection here provided has relation to
nal action, or 1t has relation to nothing.
Upon this subject of the usage Of nations prefer the
history Of their diplomatic intercourse and the authority
OF an eminent jursconsut to that of the Archbishop
There extreme theoretical rights connected with
ona jurisdiction which opposed to the feelings the
world and must give to their expulsion The right to
put to death all persons thrown upon the coast Of
country is perhaps yet claimed, and at no distant day
was exercised by some OF the Powers OF Eastern Asia At
time 1t is said to have been the law of Russia.
Tho the legitimate consequence of the principle of local
sovereignty yet there not civilized nation the face
of the globe which could submit to this egalixed
murder Of it's citizens 1t would be frowned down by the
indignation Of the world, by its power If need be- And
with respect to the right to seize vessels and other
property wrecked upon coast is wearing out pretty
much worn out leaving the pretension, monument of
injustice and cruelty. change is going on in the prn
cples of national intercourse gradual you please but
sure and irresistible The harsh relics of dark and bar
barous ages disappearing, and the influence of liberal
governments is extending and expanding itself wherever
The Grand Duke of Tuscany safe for to-day IL he
stands between the American the English sojourner
and his God; but would not his safety for to-
morrow, without a heavy premium. The code Of public
law has not yet quite reached the case but 1t Is rapidly
spreading, and, for one, hope it will soon be re-
cognsed principle with the enlightened governments of
the world that duty and humanity fail to protect the
rights of their citizens to free religious worship abroad
that protection shall be rendered by force But the his
pf wit
furnishes the best reuaton Of the arguments Of Arch
bishop Hughes well the best rebuke to this charge
that the assertion Of their great principle better
than national dwelling and that it will expose
to ridicule if drag in such question into dplo
matte intercourse with foreign Powers" As early as
1885, two years only after the acknowledgement of
independence, entire freedom Of worship csnsecra
ted in treaty with Prussia in these memorable words
granted the citizen. subjects eher party within
the Jurisdiction of the other without being liable to moes
to the religion Of others Moreover when the or
N
ing grounds other decent and suitable pisces and shall
There sir, is dwelling" to SEINE purpose. And who
the "drivellers that exposed young nation to
rdicule by dragging such question into our dipo-
matte intercourse with foreign govermentsp They were
John Adams, and Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jeier
son. They signed this treaty They stood prominently
dence and less prominently forward in drivellng"
her into the assertion and of this great and
glorons principle OF entire religious freedom. We do
not want letter changed in this noble tribute to the
rights Of conscience. Time cannot impair it, and l
hope it will be the model kept in view till the great end
is contaminated So far Is the reproach cast upon these
efforts that they expose to rdicule from being jus
fed by facts that there in diplomatic archives
fourteen fifteen treaties II not existing
expired with foreign powers and several of these
Catholic, recognizing this principle of intervention and
providing for the enjoyment Of liberty of conscience and
Of religious worship with and without limitation,
but all bearing testimony to its value by making 1t the
subject OF conventional arrangement-Archbishop
Hughes to the contrary, notwithstanding.
But of these conventions too restrictive, per
hsps equvocal, and leave for religious passion
and thus other and more liberal provisions become
cessary in several countries which have taken the
first step in the of federation towards foreigners
and there other countries which have not entered
into it, and within whose jurisdiction the accidents
Of life may carry large numbers of fellow citizens
and where intolerance sits like incubus upon the
moral energies forbddng with jealous exclusion the
ercise of every form Of religion but the dominant one
And thus people wish for protection in the enjoy
ment of this right Aye, and il will be done too. 1t Is
only question Of time and by firm course Of action
these States, whether Catholic Protestant thus lag
gng in the of true religion, that in earnest
and it for that that this national demonstra
ton shown by the petitions we receive and fortified by
decided expression of the views Of the American Con-
grcss is important and cannot fail to be useful AS to
the power Of the Executive make for
this object there be doubt and there is little
that he is we'll disposed to exercise It, But he wants the
moral support of the country to aid his efforts and that
ought to be given to him. The effect OF these demonsra
ons Of the views Of the representative body Of the
try in questions Of great national Importance well
stated in the London Times of April s. lS45 they
well understood by the able Chairman of the Committee
Foreign Relations in the House of Representatives.
who recently remarked that IL the duty Of Congress
to support the President in craven conuncions Of
foreign affairs
The American packet. the Caledonia, says tho Times,
which has been detained until this morning, will carry
the distinct and emphatic declarations OF the British
the subject Of the Oregon territory which
received last night with the strong and raica
ton OF both houses Of Parliament When the interests aud
dignity Of the country and the preservation OF the domin
ions OF the ut state there eluvocston in
the Language OF the to foreign powers and
sembance Of weaknoss hesitation in political party
Add to the above the rights of American citizens and
then let go and do likewise How he, who actnow-
lodges the duty o: tho to extend protection
to expatated citizens sent by the accidents of life
to foreign countries in questions relating TO person and
property deny the right TO interfere BY remonsrance
in Of religious expires ion, do not under
stand, shall not attempt TO explain.
Modern diplomacy is filled with instances Of interpos
ton upon almost every subject freely made and kindly
received Strange indeed but is that many among
Us, In public and in private life, 10 have nervous
repugnance to such action the part OF the
conjurng up thousand chime, drie against its
else To seek 10 protect great principles IS by Kind
Of political alchemy Transmitted into entangling ALI
and an artificial tie, against which warned
by the patriarchs of political faith is by sach
spirit this obtain and retain that position in
the world and that relation to the principles and pro-