Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1856-06-05

republics has never ceased to be re.
garded by this Government with
solicitude and regret on their own ac-
count, while it has been the source
iof continual embarrassment in our
public and private relations with
them. In the midst Of the violent
revolutions and the wars by which
they are continually agitated. their
public authorities are unable to af.
ford due protection to foreigners and
to foreign interests within their Ter
ritory, or even to defend their own
soil against individual aggressors,
foreign or domestic, the burden Of
the inconveniencies and losses Of
which, therefore, dsvolves, in no con.
siderable degree, upon the foreign
States associated with them in close
relations of geographical vicinity Or
Of commercial Intercourse.
Such is, moro emphatically, the
situation of the United States with
respect to the republics Of Mexico
and OF Central America. Notwith-
standing, however, the relative re:
moteness of the European States
from America, facts Of the same
order have not failed to appear con-
Ispicuously in their intercourse with
Spanish American republics. Great
Bri tain has repeatedly been con-
Istrained to recur to measures-of force
for the protection Of British inter
lests in thosescountriess France found
+ it necessary to attack the castle Of
San Juan de Ulua, and even to- de
bark troops at Vera Cruz, in order to
obtaiu redress OF wrongs done to
Frenehmen in Mexico.
What is memorablein this respect
in the condGct and policy Of the
United States is, that while it would
be as easy for US to annex and absorb
new territories in America as il is
/ for European States to do this in
Asia or Africa, and while if done by
US, it might be justified as we'll, on
the alleged ground of the advantage
which would accrue therefrom to the
Territories annexed and absorbed, yet
we have abstained from doin g it, IN
lobdience TO considerations of right
mot less thar of policy; and that,
while the courageous and self reliant
spirit of our people prompts them to
hardy enterprises, and they OCCASION
ally yield to the temptations of Ia.
king part in troubles Of countries
near at hand where they know how
potential their influence, moral and
material, must be, the American
Government has uniformly and stead
lily resisted all temptations of in
dividusls in the United States to
undertake armed aggression against
friendly Spanish American repub-
lies.
While the present incumbent Of
the executive office has been in dis
charge of its duties, he has never fall
ed to exert all the authority in him
vested to repress such enterprises,
because they are in violation of the
Law ofthe land, which the Constitu-
tion requires him to execute faithful
ly;because they are contrary to the
policy Of the Government; and be.
cause to permit them would be a de-.
Iparture from good faith towards those
American republics in amity with us;
which are entitled to, and will never
cease to enjoy, in their calamities The
cordial sympathy, and in their pros
|perity the efficient good will, of the
government and Of the people of the
United States.
10 say that our laws in this iespect
are sometimes yiolated,or successfully
evaded, is only to say what is true off
all laws in all countries, but not more
so in. the United States than in any
one whatever of the countries of Eu-
rope. Suffice it to repeat that the
laws Of the United States, prohibiting
all foreign military enlistments or ex-
petitions within our territory. have
been executed with impartial good
faith, and so far as The nature of
things permits, as well in repression
OF private persons as Of the official
agents Of other governments, both of
Europe and America.
Among the Central American re-
publics, to which modern events have
most prominence, is that of
Nicaragua, by reason of its particular
position on the Isthmus. Citizens Of
the United States have established /