Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1864-04-14

Diplomacy OF the Administration
When the history of the present Admin
lstrntion comes tobe recorded, there win
be presented the singular phenomenon Of
a government clustering with the pomp
and power Of war against Its own people
and covering with imbecile timidity before
the menaces of foreign powers. For three
| years the Administration has been pretend
Ing to quell an Insignificant and despised
insurrection in its own boundaries by the
force Of arms, while really strengthening
the rebellion by its policy, and during that
time Its foreign policy has been an uninter-
rupted series of disgraceful subterfuges
cowardly dlysurrenders and criminal blunders.
Not only has the Administration overturn-
ed the principles upon which the founders
OF the Republic intended it to be conduct
ed, but they have ANONYMOUSLY abandoned
the traditional diplomatic policy towards
foreign governments established and en-
forced by the first statesmen of the new
world.
SEWARD, the prophet of the State Depart
ment, has evinced 10 more wisdom in his
conduct of our foreign affairs than he did
in hisprediction as to the duration of our
domestic revolt. No further evidence to
prove this degree Of folly need be adduced
than the facts and diplomatic corresponds
ence in connection with the French inter-
ference in Mexico. In the correspondence
on this subject SEWARD maintained his rep
utation as man who would rather suffer a
disgrace than confront a peril, which ordi-
nary courage would have averted, Mon
sieur DRoUYN DE L'HuYs, the French min
lister of foreign affairs, while preparing to
carry out the deliberate scheme of NAPo-
LEON to establish branch of his own des-
potism in Mexico, fooled Mr.. SEWARD with
the oft-repeated assurance that the Emper-
or only intended a temporary occupation of
Mexico, in order to secure the claims due
French citizens. This assurance SEWARD
accepted, and did not even protest against
the Mexican project. He decided upon neu- |
trality, and even went so far as to deny
the Monroe doctrine by maintaining that
the same neutrality which the American
Government observed in the struggles be-
tween different European States, should ap
ply to Mexico. This was more than the
perfidious French Government expected;
more than any reasonable party could ask
in view of the well established policy of the
United States against foreign Intervention
on thiscontinent SEWARD surrendered tie
Monroe doctrine before he was asked to do
so. Now, when Napoleon has cast aside
his mask, established his government in
Mexico, and asks us to recognize and con-
solidate his power, our Government is eff
debarred from protesting against
it by the previous action of the Secretary
of State in basely surrendering and re-
the very ground upon which the
protest should be founded.
The moral power of the Federal Admin
stration was sufficient at one time to have
prevented the Mexican plot, but the moral
,owardice of those entrusted with the gov Z
allowed the golden opportunity
% pass by unchallenged. So that now the t
Secretary of State stands before the world =,
ike blubbering BOBBY wEo has been i
and bullied out Of the very
Weapons necessary for self-protection. The o
'nly retreat from this dilemma is by legis- !
atiye protest. and this Congress has under
aiken at the risk of a rupture with France. G
rhe monster conjured up from the fog of h
Ibolition diplomacy takes the shape of a y
oreign war. This ENHANCEMENT left to the !
country by a party which learns no wisdom i
rom disaster, no magnanimity from sue y
ess, in addition to the ruin wrought by its U
domestic policy, will constitute legacy =
which the historian cannot overlook, nor Ii
he country forget.