, 1874-01-04

lae that OF the flrHlnlu6 happens 10 sao" us 1ts
deficiencies, we are apt to think only OF what We
find wanting. To appreciate what We possess.
however, we should look backward, and SEQ from
what smaA beginnings
TIE LAW OF NATIONS
has grown into q magnificent syatem IT princi-
pies founded in humanity aud reason. Con-
tcmplatlng the past, we may form very sanguine
hopes for tbs futuro,-not for the immediate
future. perhaps. but eyen the remote future is
not Indifferent to man.
International Law is divided into international
public Law aud International private law, and
prescribes tho du1ies and rights OF State to State
OF the citizens OF one State to those Of every
other, and to other States, Every individual
State owes allegiance to the law OF nations, and
is bound by it's prorisions. Wolf, ono Ut the
writers on the subject, speaks ct a ciratas
marina, equivalent to q central power, with
authority to enforce obedience to the provisions
Of this law. But no such power exists. Still,
it Is far from correct to suppose that
international law is destitute OF all
sanction. No nation can violate it with NJ
punity in even single point, since such vio-
laton entails loss of national honor, and Of the
advantages which the law insuros. SAuk tho
duties it imposes and claim its benefits, no State
can. Nor il there anything to prevent 3 coalition
of nations against one that is refractory to its
mandltes. It ia or may be the interest Of all to
do it. In so far "a it is true that nations hive
always had more or less intezcou.s, with one
another there has always been some law by
which that intercourse Was regulated and, II
such Ia. is to receive any name, it may be
called international law. Greece, Rome, and The
ar had a nj law RI natinnq h11t with
nothing in common with our international law but
the name. The thing covered by the name Was,
however. entirely different. So long as nations
themselves had nothiag in common, so long rs
each consi Tered all others barbarous, SO long as
law, in the sense in which the expression is used
to-day, was impossible. Batween
PERPETUAL ENEMIES
there are no rights and no duties. That the
Greek WAS man and the Egyptian man was
uo bond between Greek and Egyptian. COM
moa humanity WAS an abstraction never digni-
6e3 into relationship By Greek or Jew.
Modern International law is the offspring Of
Christianity. The Christian religion is cosmo-
politan. All previous religions were ethnic-
local They ware 80 many barriers between na-
ton and nation. Christianity WIS bond be-
tween nation aud nation. It first gave to dit-
ferent nations . common series of principles and
moral truths; and On this common ground, one
on which all could staud. the fabric OF inter-
national law has been raised
To the Greek. all who were not Hel!enes were
barba1iauB. According to Aristotle. it was the
mission assigned LIS countrvmen by Nature to
reduce all others to Beryitrd.- The Romans.
despite leir JUS feciale knew nothing Of inter-
national Law worthy OF the name.
THE ROMAN ENTIRE
had united tho world into great political eys-
tenn and prepared the way for the spread OF
Christianity. But tho Roman Empire could only
bring tho pcraons, not the minds, Of men to-
eethcr. To effect this q snbtler cause
was needed. When the Empire Of Cha1lemasue
was founded. the nations Of Europe were
brought into closer union yct-minds and per-
sons we're now brought in contact by Govern
ment religion, and Inv; and humanity was more
nearly organic than ever before. The crusades
proved the oneness OF the European mind. They
were 1eeult OF thar very oneness. Tho Bible
and Justinlap gaze law to the Christian world
Out OF the Bible, and Jus.inian, and the Canon
law came the principles Of International law.
Tho decreasing divergence between
nations begun BY Christianity was
contsiued by the mariners compass.
The magnet discovered America and
brought nations nearer to one another. Com
merce has continued it. Free trade may per-
feet it. Christianity caused fundamental prin-
ciples OF mornlity and law to be ono the
civilized world over. The mariners compass,
commerce, and FREQ trade are making the inter-
ests of all nations one. 4 common fundamen-
tai law md common interests: such is, in
epitome, the progress Of civilization since
the appearance of Christianity.
Thus, as said above, the history Of Inter-
national law, from its beginning to the present,
ia one OF progress. Looking ut it's present
state, there is something to be desired.
Looking at it's past. contrasting it's present
with its past, there is an infinite deal to be
proud Of. The advance made since each nation
was the enemy Of every otter-at the dawn Of
Christiauity-to the present, when the interests
of all ale o knit together that injury to one is
injury to all, is giant stride But greater still
does the advance seem when it is considered
that there was time, and that not by any means
geologic age ago, when there wa5 not single
principle Of right By which nation. could adjust
their differences while now thu question dis
cussed by international lawye1s i:
INTERNATIONAL ARD1rRAItoS-
how national disputes may be settled without .
resort to arms. The progress is measured by the
difference between time when a1l disputes we're
settled by war, aud ono when the possibility Of
settling al without it is the subject OF discussion
Surely, here is much to congratulate humanity
upon. Viewed in the light Of the past, tho con-
duct OF the United States and Of Spain in the
yirgnus case affords no reason to dcspond~
When the law Of natious is codl1cl, as there
seems some reason to think it Will bo before
long, it will he much castor to know it, and much
easier to decide which party is in tho right and
which in the wrong. This is now no easy
| task. The works OF authors like Grotius, Put
fcndorf, Wolff. Vattel, Wheaton, aro aushori-
tative only where treaties aud proto-
coils are silent, and where the great
! Powers have not By declaration made known What
the law is Hence the difficulties of interna-
| tional law TIE TRIBUNE, in q recent editorial
| pointed out the necessity Of such code, which
relieves us Of enlarging Oh that point here. Tie
fact that codiicatlon is even spoken Of is a
| proof Of the advances that have been made and
ava king It ahnwn thak there ia at last some