, 1869-08-11
NEUTRAL OBLIGATIONS.

The American Secretary Of 6tate has
's 'seIpIained7 th:t he hns caused the artist
and detention Of the gunboats purchased
ty Spain, because he WIS satisfied that they
were to be used to relieve the present
Spanish feet opernting against Peru He
announces, ulso, that if the vessels escape he
will cause them to he pursued andcapturcd.
While these reasons are all proper and sat
,sfactu1y, it is curious commentary upon
nationbl morals TINT any explanation was
considered necessary in the matter.
It in high time that all classes Of people
in tie United States should understand that
this government is under allthe olliga-
tons which international laws impose upon
nations. These lauR are for the protection
of the weak fsum the strong, and are essen
;ial 10 the preservation Of pence. The nation
WHICH violates them is not only an aggres-
so1 upon the rights Of otheEs, but thereby
invites aggression upon its own rights and
the rights Of its people wherever they nny
:,e. To observe the law faithfully and to
execute il honestly il but vcriication of
he proyesbial truth that honesty is the
.ust policy" The United States owes it
10 Peru to see that the laws Of neutrality
Lall no. be violated by the building, n1m-
;ng and equipping Of vessels Of war in our
;orta by Spnin, TO be usei in tue war be-
tween TINT nation aud Peru; but the vosy
law nnd the good faith which demand this
,rotectiou OF Peru demand, also, like pro
lection for Spain. We have no moro right
10 pcr1.it sessel to leave our ports in
tended to war upon Spain, in tho interests
Il the revolutionists in Cuba, than VIC have
s"per7nit these Spanish steamers to leave
"ur wate.s against Peru. There can be but
.ne doctrine on this point. In time Of
| wRr between other nations we must either
| ~. neutrals or We must le partisaus, and, il
| the latter, We must assume the conse-
1nenccs. The American people unqucs-
tionnbly sympathize with the oppressed Of
| Ill l4nds, but that is no 1casou why the
Government Of the United States should
take up arns in their behalf In 1915
! kossuth demanded that the United States
mike an AIMED interference in the Hunga-
rihn rebellion against Austrla, md this do
mAnd for practical sympathy brought home
to our people the inter folly Of our
attempting to right the affairs
If nny other country. We sympathizc
with the liberal side in Cuba; We
sympatAzed with Peru aud Chill; We gym
pathized forty years neo With Mexico and
the Ccntrll American States In their revolt
against Spain; We syrupathized with The
French when thoy drove Louis Philippe
away and established q republic; We gym
patlizo with Ireland, and with Grecce, and
| if the British American Provinces wero to
strike for independence VIC would syrnpa-
tl,ize with them. During NIL this time We
have never violated tho laws of nntions, mud
have therefore given no pEesext or j"stih'
cation for any interference by them Rgainss
this country. We have, however, main'
.ainrd the timc-honorcd policy Of giving tc
al the peoples Of the earth who may be or.
pressed TINT home md TINT liberty denied
10 thtm elsewhere, and that ia practical
mid not possible to be given by my othcl
government,
| The poaceful example Of the United
States, and the Hcrupulpus integrity with
which We hayc always maintained our ueu.
trality. have mt hccu lost upon other na-
tions. The moral force Of thut example,
md Of our wonderful growth, wealth md
prosperity, have tended to .he liberalization