Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1869-04-29

negotiations with the English government
respecting the Alabama Claims affirming
i'm tho language of Mr.. Adams, that u Is
the duty of this government ITO cafeiuiiy
abstain from any step that may nave the
smallest influence in affecting the result
Of any insurrection against an esta bllshed
government
am aware that the resolutions of SYM
patty with Crete may be thought to be
an exception to this rule, but a careful
examination of those resolutions will
show that they were not intended for
home consumption alone, nor alone to en-
courage the Cretans, but were addressed
in friendly spirit to the Turkish gov
eminent. The resolutions were written
by Mr.. Sumner, and are very carefully
guirded in their expression of sympathy,
~ will be seen by the copy which read ::
BE II resolUed, &c, That the people of the
United states renew the expression Of their SYM
lathy with the suf ring people Of Crete, to whom
they bound by ties OF common religion, and
by the gra ritude due 10 the Greek race, of which
the Cret,ns part; that they rejoice to be-
eve that the sufirrings OF his interesting people
may be happily terminated by policy OF forbear-
ance on the part Of the Turkish Government ;
aud they hereby declare their earnest hope that
the TURKISH Government will listen kindly to this
representation, and will speedily adopt such gen.
Erpi~ stepS VIII secure 10 tTete the much de-
sired blessings VI peace, and the advantage of au-
tonomic government.
SEC. 2. ARd be Hfttrtlter resolped, That reig-
lDn, civIliz tLlon and humanity require that the
EXISTING contest IN Crete should be brought to a
close, and 10 accomplish this result the civilized
Powers Of the world should unite in friendly IN
Hntnce with the Government of Turkey.
SEC. 3. AM he IL fuyfher resOiUed That IL be
the duty of the President to instruct the minister
of the United States at Consfautinople to coop.
ertte Uilh the ministers OF other Powers in all
good offices to terminate the suff rings OF the peo-
pl" % Crete and that 1t shall be the further duty
OF the President 10 communicate a copy of this
Ts7oiuton u the Goyernme Mt of Turkey.
The Spanish Government could not
have objected 10 resolutions like these, as
the Turkish Government could find in
them no occasion for offense
Ii the authorities | have arrayed prove
any thing. they establish the principle
that 1t Is the duty of this government to
ne eptirely neutral in its relation to the
canteading parties III the Island of Cuba
This neutrality must be something more
than mere name. It should affect every
official act and expression, not only of
our Executive and Senate, but of every
department OF the governu ent. The
luty OF neutrality Is as binding upon
Congress as it is upon the President, and
~ binding upon one House as upon both ::
eun-ltls and ministers cannot throw it off !;
courts cannot ignore it; no officer of the
Government can, 50 far as his official du-
ties are concerned, escape from its binding
obligations. | agree that it does not nee
sssariiy reach far enough to cover mass
meeting in Cooper Institute, or the elo-
4uent lips of Mr. Beecher; and quite
likely no member Of this House would Vi
.l,,t. | nj
public meeting for resolutions of svmpa-
thy With the people of Cuba. But W hen
ia vote is asked here we must vote, if at
all, under the obligations of our oath and
AZ part OF the government of the Unit
ed States. Any action we, may take has
IN official character and any action that
this House alone may properly take is, as
far as we are concerned, full and com
plete expression. Ii this were joint
resolution, members might possibly excuse
an affirmative vote by the belief that the
other branch of Congress would not con-
cur, aud thus the resolution having failed
the action OF this House would be-
practically OF no consequence. ~ome
ra>J tai- resolution, we purnc -,ut if we
-.--''~-'"" !" snch shape ,scly put this
exp -" + 4au, as to make our
S'i' 49,, : responsible tor every
p%-'h"A Al il. 1t becomes an official
"cs, eo'"i'' e in itself, and not needing
we Cav" yurrcnce of the Senate to give il
AL ne vitality it can have.
1t is not my purpose, Mr.. Speaker, mol
Is 1t necessary To my argument, to con-
sldrr whether this House has the right
under the constitution to intermeddle
with the Executive and Senate in their
treatment Of foreign affairs. When the
House OF Representatives unanimously
passed resolution declaring its opposi
tInu To the recognition of IA monarchy IL
Mexico, Mr. Seward courteously informed
the French Government that, while thai
resolution undoubtedly truly interpreted
the unanimous sentiment OF the people o.
rhe United States, 1t was another anC
distinct question whether the United
States would think II necessary or proper
tarxpresS themselves in the form adopted
ly the House of Representatives, That
he declared, us II p actical and purely ex
ccutIve question, and the decision of L
cnnstitutianally belongs, not TO tho House
OF REPRESENTATIVES, nor even to Congress
but To the President OF the United States.
Mr.. Seward also III that communication
lid stress upon the fact that the declara
tiuu WAS iii the form of ii joint resolution
and not having received the concurrenc,
of the Senate, h al no validity legisla
tiv, acf Whether Mr.. Seward was RICH
ornot In his view of the value of an ex
preston of this House respecting our For
elm relations, | am not III favor of put
tIu.. Secretary Fish under the necesslt.
81 following Mr. Stewards example 10y i'll
Turning the Spanish Minister that wha
tins House of Representatives may do o
vote IN respect to Cuba Is OF no sort o
run,cqu, nee: nor do think 1t adds mucI
10 the dignity ur position or strength O
this House ~ Il part at the government
Ia piss Il resolution which Il to be eX
ul,iued away. bs he executive department
very much rs it would explain the resc
lutions " hch might be adopted 10y a Gu
ban juntl or 10y mass meeting. IT W
have not the constitutional right to dc
clare what governments shall ana VIVA
,hal not he recognized, what rebelilo
shah and what Shall not be encouraged
W.. shall not only maintain our own sell
respect, but add to the respect III wh1c
,uur actions and votes are held 10y the pee
ute and hy the other branches of the COY
rrnment hy "a 'masterly inactivity o
thisani similar subjects: and if we hay
lie constitutional right to have any dee
l.ratian We mav make in regard to Cut
respected by anybody, that declaratlo
should not be made until it is warrante
by the law of nations and the practice I
this government
Ia thi. ease III Cuba that time has nj
arrived Ii is not improper for me
state that the Committee ON Foreign X
latinns had before them no official INTO
nation whatever respecting the actu
condition of the instruction. We ha
the newspaper reports as members OF IN
House have had them from day to da
but they establish nothing except tn
there s an insurrectiou i'll some parts
the island One of the last dispatch
which have seen from Havana gives !
news, because all the reports from the /
terror were 10 contradictory and uure
able as to be worthy of no credence. III
insurreetion has been in existence for fl
months only, and has made yet but vel
little provress in getting control of Il