Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1869-09-29
Political.
Hon. Chus. Sumner on Foreign Affairs.

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From affairs at home turn to affairs
abroad and here wish to speak cautiously
In speaking at all break a vow with myself
not to open my lips on these questions except
in the Senate | yield to friendly pressure
And yet | know no reason why | should not
speak II was Taleyrand, who to somebody
apologizing for what might be an indiscrec,
question, replied, that an answer might be in
discreet, but not question. My answer
shall at least be frank.
In our foreign relations there are with me
two cardinal principles which | have no hcsi-
tation to ayow at all times FIRST, peace with
all the world, and secondly, sympathy with
all struggling for Human Rights In neither
Of these would fail, for each is essen
tial. Peace is for us universal conqucrer
Through peace the whole world will be ours
Filled with the might Of peace, the sympathy
we extend will be next to an alliance. Fol-
lowing these plain principles, we should be
open aud allow foreign nations TO know our
sentiments so that even wherc there Is dif.
ference there shall be no just cause for Of
leuse.
In this spirit ! would now approach Spain.
Who can forget that great historic monarchy,
whose empire eucircIcd the globe, and whose
kings were lords of mankind Patron of
that renowned navigator, through whom she
became the discoycrer of this hemisphere, her
original sway within it surpassed that of auy
other power At last her extended possess
sions on the main land, won 10y Cortcz aud
Pzarro, looscd themselves from her grasp.
Cuba and Porto Rico islands of the Gulf, re-
mained. AMI now Cuban insurgents demaad
Independence as nation. For months they
have engaged in deadly conflict with the Span
ish power Rnvaged provinces and blood
shed are the witnesses The beautiful island,
where sleeps Christopher Columbus, with the
cpitaph that he gave to CASTLE and Loon a
new world, is fast becoming desert. while
the nation to which he gave the new world is
coutcnding for its last possession there. On
this simple statement two questions occur
first as to the duty of SPAIN secondly as TO
the duty Of the United States.
Unwclcome as it may be to the famou.
Castlian pride, which has played so lofty a
part in modern Europe, Spain must not refuse
to see the case in its true light; nor can she
close her eyes to the lesson of history. She
must recall how the thirteen American colo.
nies achieved independence against all the
powe. of England-how all her own colonies
on the American main achieved independence
against her own most strenuous eiforts--how
at this moment England is preparing to re.
lease her northern colonies from their condi-
! tion of dependence and recalling these cx-
amples it will be proper for her to consider
/ if they do not illustrate tendency Of all
colonies, which was remarked by an iIlustrious
Frenchman, even before the independence Of
the United States. Never was anything more
prophetic in politics than when Turgoi, IN
I 1850, said " Colonies are like fruits, which
hold to the tree only until maturity-whcn
sufficient to themselves, doing what Carthage
did scdat some day Ameyica ,cW d." Has
not Cuba reached this condition Of maturity
/ Is it not sufficient for tsefl At all events
is victory over a colony contendng for indie
pendence worth the blood aud treasure il wl
cost? These are serious questions, which car
be answered properly only by putting aside
all passion and prejudice of empire, and calm
ly confronting the actual condition of things
Nor must the case of Cuba be coniouuded f0l
"a moment with our wicked Rebellion, having
for its object the dismemberment Of a Rcpub-
I lie to found New Power with slavery as
its declared cornerstone. For myself, can.
not doubt that, in the interest of both parties
Cuba aud Spain and in the interest of hu,
manity also the contest should be closed
Nor can the enlightened mind fail to see that
the Spanish power on this island is an anlch.
ronisin. The day Of European colonies has
passed-at least in this hemisphere, wher,
the rights Of man were first proclaimed aud
self-goyernment was first organized \ gov,
ernor from Europe, nominated by crown, is
q constant witness against these fundamental
principles
As the true course for Spain is clear, so tC
my mind is the true course of the UuteC
States equally clear 1t is to avoid involving
ourselves in any way Enough Of war hnv,
we had without hcedlessly assuming another
enough has our commerce been driven from
the ocean without heedessy arousing another
enemy. Two policies were open to as at tn,
beginning of the nsurrection. One was tC
unite our fortunes openly with the insurgents
assuming the responsibilities Of such an al,
lance with the hazard Of Letter, of Marqa,
issued by Spain and open war. The Other
policy was to make Spain feel that we wish
her nothing but good, and that, especially
since the expulsion of her royal dynasty, W,
cherish for her cordial and kindly sym
pathy. 1t is said that republics are migrate
ful, but | would not forget that, at the begin
ming of our revolutionary struggle, our faith,
ers were aided by her money, as allerward
by her arms, aud that Que Of her great states
men, Florinda Blanca, bent his energies I,
the organization of that armed neutrality il
Northern Europe which turned HE seal,
against England. say nothing Of the mo
tiyes by which Spain was then governed.
is something that in our day of need she len
us a helping hand.
1t is evident that, adopting the first policy
we should be powerless, except as an enemy
The second policy may enable US to exercis,
an important influence. The more / rolloc
upon the actual condition Of Spain, the moro
am satisfied that the true rule for Us is non
Intervention, except in the way Of good Off
ces- This ancient kingdom is now engaget
in comedy and tragedy. You have heard o
Hunting the Slipper The Spanish comedy
is Hunting a hiag. The Spanish tragedy i
sending armies against Cuba do not wsl
10 take part IA the comedy or the tragedy
If Spain is wise she will giyeup both Mean
while we have duty which is determined
by International Law. To that venerable
authority repair. What that prescribes
4 follow.
BY that law, as ! understand it, nations
are not left to any mere caprice There is
rule Of conduct which they must follow, sub
ject always to just accountability where they
depart from il. On ordinary occasions ther,
is no question for it is with nations as will
individuals, II is only at a critical moment
wher2 the rule is obscure or precedents ar,
uncertain, that doubt arises, as now, on tn,
question of recognizing the belligorenco oi
the Cuban insurgents. Here wish to be
explicit Belligerence is fact" attestcd
I by evidence Ii the " fact" does not exist
there is nothing to recognize. The fact can
net be invented or imagined it must bC
proved. No matter what our sympathy
what the extent Of ouf desires, we must look
at the fact There may be insurrection with
out reaching this condition, which is at least
the halfway house TO independence The