The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1865-12-13

you that Great Britain declined the ar
bitrament, but, on the other hand; invit-
cd rs to the formation Of a joint COM
mission to settle mutual claims between
thestwo countries, from which those for
the depredations before mentioned should
be excluded. The proposition, in that
vergsunsetis sfactof I'M amer, has been de-
clined. @
The United States did not present the
subject as an impeachment of the good
faith of aspowcr which was protesting
tha most friendly dispositions but as IN
yolving questions Of pubIic1aw, Of which
the settlement is essential TO the peace
of,,natiens, and, Though pecuniary repa-
ration to their injured citizens would
have followed Incidentally on q decision
against Great Britain, such comp sensation
wassnot their primary object. They had
a,higher motive, and it was in the inter-
ests of peace and justice to establish I'M
peftant principles ofxfnter1ationalgiaw
4hesoorrespohdencewill ,beplaeed, before
yous The ground on, which. the British
Minister rests his Justification is, sub
stantially that the empnicipal law Of a
nAti6h. aud the domestic interpretations
ofthat Law, and the measures Of its duty
asa pentraI and I feel bound to: declare
my opinion before you and before the
world, that that Justification cannot be
Sustained before The ffibunal of nations.
At che same time lido not advise to any
present att enpt atredress. bytacts Of leg
islation. For the future, friendship be-
tween the two countries mustrest on the
basis of mutual justice.
From the moment of the establish
ment d. our free Constitutions, the CIV
illized world has been convulsed by rev.
olutions in the interests Of democracy or
of monocracy; butthroagh all those rev.
olutions the United States have wisely
andsfrmly refused to become ,propagan-
dfsts of republicanism It is the only
government soiteda tos our copditio ,xbat
we have never sought to. impose it on
Others; and we have consistently followed
the advice Of Washington tosrecommend
il. only by the careful preservation and
pfadehtlosesof tho blessing Duringall
thsjberyebipgsperiod 1the policy. Of Eu-
ropean Powers and Eef the United States
has, on the whole, been harmonious.-
Twice, indeed, f1mors Of fhe Invasion of
some parts Of South America, ID the in
terest of monarchy. have prevailed; twice
INV predecessors 6ayehadsoccasion to an
nonnce the views of this patiensin re-
spect to such indifference On Both oc-
casionsi the remopstraHceoof the United
States was respected, from deep convic-
ton, on the part of European Govern
ments, that the system Of non-inteffe-
rerfresas,d 4 mntuala abstinenceff fro ii bropa-
c.nd;sm WAS the true rule for the two
RsSs;Shf,xresf.5 3 ss;bca 4hasA tisaessd wi. have
sdvanrsd n vasi,h ssa ,;nsaf,ssri Int, ,re q.
ts;n a. ssns - nnrrose = leave the "a
tions of Europe to choose their own.syg-
tems of oovernmant This consistent
,,ode<st;o5 ~ y iusfly 5tafafaap9d 4: cores
-l... a....;r Wa.bor,d raoora
H'91lStf6 - " e Y'.s |s,S
~ as Sieat caiani'y ~ s's2' ~ .p0
cause OF gooo governments ana 70 INC
peace of the world, should any European
Power challenge the Amerieans peo pie, as
itsvere.t to tl1e- defense of republicanism
.adai1st forefen interference. y We cannot
fSr.sas a,5. e.ra unwill;nos to consider
gbst ~ onrortn n;t;as nav .n-esent. -e hbemr
Wnas opportunities may xPsesssus 4 skAsllh sHsih
selves, what cemblnations might ofer TO
protect ourselves against designs lnImlcal
to our form Of government. The United
States. desife to act in the future as they
baye ever acted heretofore; they never
,,.,;1f franz that .course lint. ,t7y
u @sa-.;as ae d, ro,Taon powers. and
~ = Z; ss ,f 2
We Feiy on lne "ioaon, anu us.1se =. 80
POWERS 10 resPecs .ne fnon ~ a.1s
which has been so long sancttoheapyume,
and which By its good results, has ap-
proved. itself to both continents.