The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1864-09-23
The Baltimore Platform and Our
Foreign Policy.

ken by the government tuat tuc Pcopuo VI Tile
United States never regarded with Indifference
the attempt of any European power to over
throw by force, or to supplant by fraud, the
institutions of any Republican form of gov
eminent on the Western Continent, and that
they view with extreme jealousy, as menacing
to the peace and independence OF this our
country, the efforts of any such power to OBJ
tain new footholdsifor monarchical govern
ments, sustained by foreign military force, in
near proximity to the United States.-Boltimore
PLATFORM.
The foregoing plank in the Abolition
platform was the ingenious device of the
"little villain" of the New York Times,
and was intended to bridge over the dis
crepancy that existed between the policy
of the House of Representatives, under
the lead of WINTER DAVIS, and the policy
of LINCOLN under the lead of SEWARD.
Congress, exercising its undoubted right
to originate the foreign policy of the Gov
eminent, had declared in favor of the
Monroe doctrine, in resolution maintain
ing the honor and dignity of the United
States, and calculated to wound the an,our
propre of the French Government which
was fully committed to its present Next
can policy. Mr.. LINCOLN, in his assumed
role of dictator, CONTEMPORARY kicked
overheard the resolution of Congress, and
instructed Mr.. DAYTON, our French Minis
ter, to explain away not only the effect of
the resolution, but the authority and dig
nifty of Congress itself. No greater dis
honor was ever reflected upon the citizens
of this country, and upon their representa-
tives in Congress assembled, than was
embodied in this trucking diplomacy of
LINCOLN and SEWARD. To reconcile the
antagonism that existed between the
Congressional and Executive programmes
was task even beyond the genius of that
political mountebank, 81. J. RAYMOND.
The platform, with a reckless Indifference
to facts, and utterly ignoring the existence
of deadlock in the wheels of our foreign
policy, approves of "the position taken
by the Government" What position?
The position taken by Congress against
French policy in Mexico, or the position
taken by LINCOLN IN fdr07 of such pol
icy? And again, what are we to under
stand by The Government? We have al
ways supposed that the Government was
made up of the combined legislative, exec
utive and judicial departments. A differ
ence springs up between the legislative
and executive departments, and the Balti-
more platform "approves of the position
taken by the the Gooernment" But the
Government has taco positions! No mat
ter, says the platform, we approve of the
that this is a very admirable arrangement,
and entirely worthy Of the genius which
conceived it, and the party which sup
ports it.
But the platform goes on to say that the
people Of the United States "view with
extreme Jealousy, as menacing to the peace
and independence of this our country, the
efforts Of any European power to obtain
new footholds for monarchical govern.
ments, sustained by foreign military
force, in near proximity to the United
States"
Well, the people of the United States do
view all such efforts with ertreme .jeaL
ousy, and have so declared through their
representatives in Congress. What right,
then, had ABRAHAM LINCOLN to override
the expressed wish of the people? Where
did he get his authority to set aside the
popular will, and substitute his own? Is
not this another evidence of the Presi-
dents utter insensibility to democratic in
stincts ?-another proof of the despotic
bias which shapes the policy of the Repub-
lican party and the Administration The
resolution of Congress was not threat;
| it was a simple assertion Of our honor and
| dignity, at time when domestic events
made it difficult for US to maintain tradi-
| tional policy u ct drmais. The French
| Government were perfectly aware of the
existence of such a policy, at the time they
became party to the Mexican scheme.
They were, therefore, precluded from TAX
ing offence at the resolution. Nay, more.
1t is perfectly safe to say that if the action
of Congress had been endorsed and backed
by the President, the French Government
would have followed the example OF Eng
land and Spain, and abandoned an enter
prise pregnant with future disaster. But
the President did nothing of the kind.
He played the despot at home, and he
truckled abroad. He slapped Congress
fairly and squarely in the face, put his foot
Oh their resolution, and then made shift to
Bend the pregnant hinges of his knees
to LOUIS NAPOLEON, that thrift might
follow iawning." He snapped p" the
honor and dignity Of the nation for the
smile of an autocrat. He bartered the
self respect of the American people for the
scorn and contempt Of Europe. Could
anything be more pitiable than this? Oh !
for one hour of ANDREW JACKSON at such
time!
.'One blast upon his bugle-horn
Was worth q thousand men "
we ISSUES us the Canvass.
BY their votes in November the people
| x,,, ,r,,o q, I,athor tEQy will bayo--