Daily union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1865-1866, 1866-08-29
WEDNEsDAY. AUGUsT aO. SO.
THE SPANIsH-CHILIAN WARY
EOslII0N OF THE POLICY OF EAAE
UNITED STATES.

THE &PANISH-rIEHTEAN WAk----EA-
rSslIl0N OF TIfE POLICY OF TIL
The following important dispatch has
been addressed to General KILPATRIcK by
Mr.. Secretary SEWARD:
DEPARTMENT OF STATE, WAsHIEGTos,
June 2, lS66.-T0 JudsoR Kilpatsiek, EnUOy
Extraordinary and Minister RleRipOteRtiqy.
SIR: Your dispatch Of The ID Of May, No.
z, has been received. | appreciate your
sOlicitude that the course Of proceeding
which this Government has pursued in re-
gard 10 the war between Chill and Spain
should be understood and appreciated. Per-
haps, however, the difficulty in the way OF
such appreciation results from the peculiar
circumstances Of Chill. Her statesmen and
people, like the statesmen and people Of all
countries, may be expected 70 Interpret not
only the rights Of that republic, but the ca
pacities and duties OF other States, in the
light Of their own interests and wishes.
The policy in the United States in regard
TO the several Spanish American States is,
or ought to be. well known now, after the
exposition It has received during the last
five wears. We avoid, in all cases, giving
encouragement 10 expectations which, IN
the VARYING course Of events, we might find
ourselves unable 70 fulfill, and we desire to
be known as doing more than we promise,
rather than falling short Of our engage
ments. On the other hand, we maintain
and insist, with all the decision and energy
compatible with our existing neutrality,
that the republican system which is accept
ed by the people in any one Of those States
shall not be wantonly assailed, and that il
shall not be subverted as an end Of lawful
war by European powers. We thus give 10
those republics the moral support Of a sin
cere. liberal, and we think il will appear a
usefi friendship. We eoihd claim from
foreign States no concession 10 oar own 20
litical, moral, and material principles if we
should not conform 20 our own proceedings
in the needful intercourse with foreign
States 10 the lust rules OF the laws of ma
tions. We therefore concede 90 every nation
the right 10 make peace or war for such
causes. other than political or ambitious, as
il thinks right and wise. In such wars az
are waged between nations which are IN
friendship with ourselves, il they are not
pushed. like the French war in Mexico, tc
the political point before mentioned, we dc
not intervene, but remain neutral, conceding
nothing 10 one bellinerent that we do not
90 the other, and allowing to one belligerent
what we allow 10 the other.
Every complaint made by the CHILEAN
agents Of an attempt on the par OF Spain "a
violate the neutrality Of the United States
has been carefully and kindly investigated
and we have done the same-no more, NJ
less-in regard TO the complaints instituted
against the neutrality Of the agents Of Chill
We certainly thought il was an act Of friend
ship on our part that we obtained assurance
from Spain at the beginning, and at the
other stages of the present war, that IN any
event her hostilities against Chill should no
be prosecuted beyond the limits which
have before described. We understand our
selves 10 be now and henseforth ready t
hold Spain to this agreement, If, contrary e
our present expectations, it should be found
necessary. In this we think We are acting /
part certainly not unfriendly 10 Chill. Il
was thought 10 be an act of friendship when
we used our good Offices with both parties t
prevent the war We have thought that W.
we're acting a friendly part, using the SAINT
good offices 70 secure an agreement io
peace without dishonor or even damage e
Chilli
Those who think that the United State
could enter as an ally into every war il
which a friendly republican State on TIN
continent became involved, forget that peact
is the constant interest and the unsweryinl
policy of the United States They forge
the frequency and variety of wars in whicl
our friends in this hemisphere engage them
selves, entirely Independent Of all control o
counsel Of the United States. We have NJ
armies for the purpose of aggressive wal
no ambition for The character Of a regulator
Our Constitution is not an imperial one
and does not allow the executive Govern
ment 10 engage in war, except upon the we'
considered and deliberate decree of the Con
yress Of the United States.
A Federal Government, consisting of thlr
ty-Six equal States, which are in many re
spects self-goyerning, cannot easily be CON
mitted by its representatives to foreign wars
either of sympathy or of ambition. If ther
is any one characteristic Of the United State
which is more marked than any other, II i
that they have, from the time of WAsHNG
ToN, adhered TO the principle Of non-inter
vention, and have perseveringly declined
seek or contract entangling alliances, eve
with the most friendly States.
II would be pleasant to the United State
10 know that the Government and people {
Chill have come 10 a correct understandin
OF our attitude and feeling towards then
Nor DO we fear that injurious misappreher
sions can long prevail among the enligh
ened and spirited people Of that State.
Lam, sir, your obedient servant
WILLIAM H. SEWARD.