New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1870-08-11
GENERAL BANKS ON THE WAR
Neutrality Our Duty
OUR INTERESTS WITH THE PEOPLE


| cording to the verbatim report OF the
Transcript:
Fortune favors the brave and just. Hav-
| ing achieved our work at home, the dis
| turbed condition OF Europe offers us an OPP
pOrtunity to re-establish our nag upon the
| seas of the world. 1t is not unnatural that
! efforts should be made 10 identify AIneri-
| cans with one or the other of the parties to
| the great contest which blackens the skies
| of the Old World. But Americans owe the
parties now engaged in warnothing, neither
| love nor hate. Our people have no revenges
| to crafty. Our constitution, as interpreted
by the supreme judicial tribunal, makes it
impossible for lis to acquire territory by
war, and we therefore can have no just
sympathy with despotic powers who make
| war for no other purpose. Our duty is now,
as heretofore, that of neutrality. If WASH
ington was sustained by the people III re-
jecting the appeals of France, whose purse
and sword had carried us through our
struggle for independence, and whose di-
plomacy secured for lis the sympathy OF
every European State except. Portugal, which
alone adhered to the cause of Great Britain.
surely we shall be justified in main tanning
Il neutral position between powers which
with indecent haste. recognized the eNls-
tence of war in the very inception of our
rebellion, before shot had been fired or a
life had been sacrificed in battle. We should
comprehend the nature of the contest before
we embark i'll ii as partlsans. II Is natural
from the character of our population. the
nature of our principles and our origin,
that we should sympathlze with the North
ern States of Europe. In a contest of Den
mark. Sweden, Russia, Hungary, Prussia
and Switzerland, against Austria, Italy,
Spain and France. we could not be indif-
ferent. Our views of religion, government.
progress. popular rights would carry US
with the North. But the contest i'll Europe
is not now of that character. Denmark,
Sweden. Switzerland, Hungary, and proba-
bly, Russia. sympathize less with the North
ern than the Southern leaders in the i'm
pending war. Prussia has made iInplacable
enemies of Denmark and Sweden by her
rapacitv for territorial possessions on the
Baltic Sea, and of Austria by her course in
Southern Germany. She has aienated
Switzerland and alarmed Holland and Bel
gium by her diplomacy.
Every State that borders upon her terri
tOry-Denmark. Sweden, Switzerland, Hol-
land, France and Australians been con-
verified from position of neutrality or
friendship to one OF dormant or positive
hostility. 1t is unnecessary for us 10 be-
come partisans of France. but surely her
policy, as it regards Intervention with the
rights of other States. can not be- more
questionable. The absolute supremacy of
Prussia in the Baltic Sea threatens Denmark
and Sweden, and shuts Russia in the Gulf
of Finland in the summer, as the ice restricts
her navy to the harbor of Cronstadt i'll win
ter. The possession of Holland by Prussia.
which is in keeping with her policy. would
reduce England TO fOurth-rate power A
Prussian king in Spain destroys France and
threatens the existence Of Italy and Austria.
1t is not to he supposed that any OF the
States of Europe viii yield TO such absolute
domination of a single power.
Our interest is not with imperial dvnaS-
ties. but with the people, and the small pro-
gressive States OF Europe. Our interests
are with Denmark, Sweden, Switzerland.
Italy, Hungary. Holland and Belgium.
Wherever they lead. our synlpathieS may
safely follow But until they make their
sign. neutrality is our line of duty.
l have 10 word 10 utter against German
unity. nor against Prussia as its leader |
advocate for every nation its natural bound
aries, and its necessary outlets TO the com
merce of the world. lprotest against the
policy which has maintained the Turk in
Christian Europe for three hundred wears
for the sole purpose of keeping Russia out
of the Black and Mediterranean Seas. |
would give to ITALY its natural capital Rome
The Danubian PrincipalitieS justly belong
to Austria, because they are necessary to
her autonomy. France, for augbt / have
to say. might extend her bound
aries TO the Rhine and to Den
mark should be restored Schleswig and
Holstein. of which she was robbed by
Prussia and Austria Spain should have a
republic or a monarchy. with d President or
King chosen from her own people, which
ever she pleases. Cuba should lave its
independence. and the United States foot
hold in the Gulf of Mexico. As for Eng
L. a.lsD
to her. But none OF these results require !
the humiliation Of the smaller States |
of Europe by war. War is waged !
for other purposes. 1t is to perpetuate and |
enlarge the personal government OF the |
present reigning sovereigns. Ii Will cost |
the people, if continued, from two TO four |
million lives. and involve the whole u
Europe in the general cOntagration. And |
we are invited, in contravention Of our
principles. to become partisans TO this terri
bio contest.
No. our duty lies not in that direction.
Let God reign and His will be done. Our
interest is for our own country and the prin-
ciples it represents. Of all governments
beneath the sun our own is tie best. And
the next best is still our own. Let our
charity for the wounded AMI suffering be
openhanded as tie day. and our prayers be
heard for the relief OF the enslaved and Op-
pressed everywhere. But our Judgment
should not be led by the partisan' of either
camp, nor make us to suffer from the
chances Of causeleSs wars.
In one aspect the occasion IS fortunate Tor
us. 1t offers the opportunity for the resto-
ration Of American commerce. The saddest !
thought that casts its shadow upon the
mind of an American when in Europe is that
the flag OF his country is excluded from the
seas OF the world. ~ us pray that out of
the trouble of other States may come TO us
the restoration Of commercial power. Not
as some have proposed, by allowing other
nations TO continue the carrying trade un-
der our flag, but by relieving our Justly re-
nowned shipbuilders from the prohibition
which now rests upon their calling in the
shape of enormous taxes, and giving to
others the privilege Of purchasing from
foreign nations such ships as cannot be con-
;tructed here. Let us work now for this
object and whatever may be the course of
events elsewhere, we shall witness as the
work III part OF OlU own hands the com
)lcte restoration Ofthe peace. prosperity
md power of our beloved country, at home
md abroad, on the sea and ON the land.
New RICE.-Yesterday evening, August |
enth, beautiful sample Of new rice was
aid on our table by James Wood, dealer in
louisiana and Carolina rice, from his depot |
It No. 80 Peters street 1t was grown in
olaquemines parish, on the farm of Mrs.
'alery Dobard. 1t is bright and beauti-
ul article, as most Of Louisiana rice is,
specially when hulled and polished by the
empire Parish Steam Rice Mill Last wear
he lot of the new crop Of Louisiana rice
consisting of five barrels, was received here
N the twelfth Of August, classed prime,
nd was sold at ten cents. The year pre-
-ious, six barrels of the first new rice made
ts annearance in this ma II, ct or, Ia 4,n+l. [