The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1857-01-17

It appears that Mr. Fay, the representative Of
the United States in Switzerland, has just re.
ceived q smart check from the Minister Of Aus
tria. The Austrian, in reply to an invitation
from Mr.. FAY to meet the other foreign Minister'S
for the purpose of proposing an accommodation
between Switzerland and Prussia, is understood
to have said that be could have nothing to say to
Mr.. Fay on the subject; that the United States
had no right to interfere in European affairs, as
their Monroe doctrine prohibited European States from
interfering in american questions; and that Mr. Fay
must therefore be excluded from any consultation
of Ministers on the Swiss question.
AS we understand the affair, Mr. Fay's propo-
sal was an oficious one, made rather in per-
sonal than an official capacity, and should be
viewed more in the light of an individual act Of
good will and friendly feeling than as an authori-
| tative measure of the government he represents
In this view perhaps the Austrian was rather
hasty in his quip. But if there was any reason to
believe that Mr.. Fay was acting officially on be-
| half of the United States, then it would appear
| that the position of the Austrian was we'll taken
| and bis reasoning unanswerable.
business to interfere in the questions Of Internal
| Europe than European nations in those of Ame-
| rica 1t would be the height Of inpertinence for
| instance for the President TO want to send
representative to the Congress at Paris; quite as
unreasonable as it would be for the Powers of
Europe to undertake to interfere in any questions
| which might arise between the United States and
Mexico or any Of the States Of Central America.
| To each of us, as this sagacious Austrian says,
| God has assigned particular sphere-to them,
| Europe; 10 US America; if we are wise We shall
| not. either of US, attempt to transcend this
sphere or to extend our cares and our RESPONSE
bilities beyond it.
There have been times, if our memory serves
| us, when this excellent principle has been for
gotten or lost sight Of not only by foreigners, but
| by citizens of the United States Once or twice
| during our history, American statesmen have
sanctioned, by the conclusion Of treaties, the in
reference of foreign nations in American affairs,
| and afforded precedents for general admiXture
of foreign element into matters which ought to
be exclusively American. The Senate has now
before it the last fruit Of this mistaken policy
the Dallas treaty, in which the United States
not only join England in deliberate
and public act of ilibusterism on two
independent States, but as deliberately
admit that Great Britain has an equal right with
this country to regulate American affairs. No
such blunder has ever been made 10y European
statesmen. They know their business too well
for that. When an American even ventures TO
say word ON behalf Of poor Switzerland, he is
sharply raped on the knuches, and told TO
mind bis business, which is American and not
European.
II is rather unfortunate that the consistent in
dividual who called Mr. Fay 20 order should
have been an Austrian. With Austria we have
nothing whatever in common, and 10 chance at
all OF respectable quarrel. We never had a
difference with her till Mr.. Hulsemann put Daniel
Webster to the pain Of demolishing him But as
The Court Of Austria is high authority on matters
of international law, we presume its allies,
England, France, Russia and Spain will be bound
by its statements of law. or at least viii take a
generally similar view Of abstract questions
Under this impression We hope that the argyll
ments which were used to exclude Mr.. Fay from
the Council of Ministers at Berne may he laid
before the various Cabinets Of Western Europe
aud their sense taken upon them at an early OBJ
portunity; for our part, We beg TO say that they
have our entire concurrence, and that We never
desire to see the United States a party to a
European Congress of Nations.