The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1858-12-13
SECRETARY CAss AND THE NORTARA

The GhlladeIphla NOfh American puhlshpS
tinuance Of the correspondence between Mr.. Hart
of that city, and Secretary Cass. Mr.. Hart refers
to the action of President IAN Buren in ls4O-
Mr.. Forsyth being Secretary of State-in relation
to the persecution of the jews at Damascus In
the instructions to the American Consul at Alexan-
dIia, Mr.. Forsyth says:
'1he President has witnessed, with the most
lively satisfaction, the efforts Of the Christian gov
ernments of Europe to suppress or mitigate these
horrors, and he has learned with no common graft
fcation, their partial success He is, moreover,
dtcious that tie actire syapathy and generous inter
ference Of the government Of the United States sboWd
not be 1rithheld from Jeevoiem object, and he
has accordingly directed me to instruct you to en-
poy, should the occasion arise, all those good of
fees and efforts which compatible with discre-
ton and your official character, to the end that
justice and humanity may be extended to those
prosecuted people, whose cry of distress has
reached our shores"
To this Mr.. Cass replies in the following note
DEPARTMENT OF STATE,
WASHINGTON, December 3.
To JE. A. Hart, President Of the Congregation
"Mckre Israeli Cherry street, Phiiodeiphio:
Sir-I have received your letter of the lst inst,
but. after carefully considering it, find reason
to change the views which communicated to you
on the 2lst ultimo. The government asked to
express its condemnation of an inexcusablc act of
cruelty committed by the public authorities at Bo-
logna, in the Papal domnions. BY the direction
of the President, this application declined, for
the reasons given in my letter, and quoted in yours
the full views presented deem it proper to cor
rect the mistake.
Instead of saying, you suppose, ''that it is the
settled policy of the United States to abstain from
all interference in the internal concerns of any
other country" said, ''rhs occurrence took
place within the territories of an Independentpow-
er, and without affecting the rights Of any Ameri-
can citizen" And then succeeds the paragraph in
accurately quoted but which truly reads as follows:
at is the settled policy of the United States to alb
stain from all interference, under such crcum-
stances they expect other nations to abstain from
all interference in the internal concerns of this
country" The other paragraph is correctly given
but it is deemed proper to adhere to the estab-
lshed principle which has heretofore regulated its
conduct inits intercourse with other nations"
In this additional letter which you have address,
ed to me YOU introduce an extract of letter from
| this Department, dated August II, 1910, to the
American Consul at Cairo speaking in just terms OF
apprehension of the atrocous calumnies which the
| Jews of Damascus had been then recently subject
! ed to, and of the terrible cruetes which had been
! inflicted upon them. And considering this as a
case ofintervention and as proof that such
settled policy as that indicated have been adopted
by the United States you consider also ''that the
public support and influence by the good offices of
our government consistently asked for sup
preston of such wrongs to humanity, were the
occasion of my former note ETC., | have re
| marks to make respecting the proceedings of the
government in this at Damascus which
was marked by the most caumnious representa-
tions of the Jewish people, and in which
excrutiating tortures We're inflicted, and
MANY lives sacrificed. But think it proper to OBJ
serve that this single action, on the part of the
| government, can scarcely be said to change that
character of national reserve which | attribute to
our foreign policy Those principles Of our eXter-
nal intercourse may well be said to be established
which during the seventy years OF our national cx-
istence, and in a stirring period, aboundng with
great events, everywhere exciting corresponding
interest, have been adhered to with that seadness
of purpose which, almost without exception, has
marked the conduct of our government while deal
ing with these subjects. There are cruelties and
outrages of such revolving nature that it is natu-
raj, laudable indeed that when they occur they
should meet with general contemplation. But this
duty to Outraged humanity should be left to the
action of individuals, and the expression of public
opinion; for if is manifest that, if government
assumes the power TO Judge and censure the
proceedings of another, the laws it rccog-
E nizes in cases which do not affect their own
interests, or the rights of their citizens, the
system of elimination and recrimination hostile tC
friendly communication. For the principle of in.
l reference being once admitted its application may
be indefinitely extended depending for its eXercis
on the opinion which each country may form of tn
civil policy of another, and of the practical opera
ton. There is no people who would rebuke. will
more asperity, such ntermeddng with their affairs
e than would the people of the United States; and
becomes to maintain the same reserve tOwarC
other countries which expect them to Obscry
K toward us Human governments are neccssari
imperfect, and neither the United States nor an,
o other nation can claim exception from the commo
n attribute.
d If any of the Powers of the old world should be
r lieve there ''were wrongs to suffering humanity
: in this country, the principle which would in:
IS tfv this government in acceding to your applica
ton would Justify them in a similar measure shoul
they deem the circumstances OF any case sufficient
: grave to call for their interposition.
5 | am, sir your obedient servant,
V iSirnad\ LEWIS CASS.