The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1882-02-10
BLAlNE,s POLICY.
What He Has to Say About the Proposed
Congress of American Nations.

WASHINGTON, February 3.-The following
letter was sent to President Arthur to-day
by x-Secretary Blaine:
To The President of the United States:
The suggestion of a congress of all the
American nations to assemble In the city of
Washington for the purpose of agreeing on
such basis of arbitration for international
troubles as would remove all possibility of
war on the Western hemisphere, was warm
ly approved by your predecessor. The as
sassination of July I'd prevented his issuing
invitations to the American States. After
your accession to the Presidency, acquainted
You with the PROJECT and submitted TO you
draft for such invitation, and you received
the suggestion with the most appreciative
consideration, after carefully examining the
form Of invitation, directing 1t to be sent.
1t was accordingly dispatched to the indie
pendent governments of America, North and
South, including all, from the Empire of
Brazil to the smallest Republic. In the
communication addressed by the present
Secretary of State, ON the 9th of last month,
to Mr.. Trescott, and recently sent to the
Senate, | was greatly surprised to find a
proposition looking to an annulment of
these invitations, and l was still more sur
prised when read the reasons assigned. l
quote Frelinghuysens language.
"The United States is at peace with all ma
tions of the earth, and the President wishes
hereafter to determine whether 1t would con-
duce to the general peace, which he would
cherish and promote, for this government to
enter into negotiations and consultation for
| the promotion of peace with selected friendly
nationalities, without extending the line of
confidence to other peoples with whom the
United States is on equally friendly terms.
If such partial confidence would create jeal-
ousy and i'll will, peace, the object sought
by such a consultation, would not be pro-
NOTED. The principles controlling the
relations of the republics of this hemisphere
with the other nationalties may. on investi-
CATION, be found to be so well established
that little would be gained at this time by
reopening a subject which is not novel;"
If correctly apprehend the meaning of
these words, it is that we might offend some
European powers If we should hold In the
| United States congress of selected nation
alites of America. This is certainly new
| position for the United States to assume land
one which Earnestly beg you will not allow
this Government to occupy. European
/ al in xvha
object seems to them of sufficient Importance
| TO justify it. have never heard of their
| consulting the Government of the United
States in regard to the propriety of their so
assembling, nor have known of their in
vitng an American representative to be
present, nor would there in my judgment be
any good reason for so doing. Two of the
Presidents of the United States in the year
1881 adjudged 1t to be expedient that the
American powers should meet in congress
for the sole purpose of agreeing upon some
basis of arbitration of differences that may
arise between them and for the prevention,
as far as possible, Of war in the future. If
that movement is now to be arrested for fear
IL may give offense in Europe the voluntary
humiliation of this Government could not be
more complete unless we should petition
European governments for the privilege of
holding the congress. / cannot conceive
how the United States could be placed in a
less envable position than would be secured
by sending In November cordial invitation
to all American governments to meet in
Washington for the sole purpose of concert
ing measures of peace, and in January re-
caring the invitation for fear it might create
Jealousy and ill-will" on the part of mon
archial governments of Europe. Nor can
see, Mr., President, how European govern
ments should feel 'jealously and ill-will"
toward us because of an effort on our part to
insure lasting peace between nations of
America, unless, indeed, it be TO the interest
of European governments that American ma
tons should at intervals fall into war
and bring reproach on the American
Republics, but from that very cir
cumstance / see additional and
powerful motives for American governments
to be at peace among themselves. The
United States is indeed at peace with all the
world, as Mr.. Frelinghuysen we'll says, but
there is, and has been, serious trouble be-
tween other American nations. Peru, Chilli
and Bolivia have been for more than two
years engaged in desperate conflict. 1t
was the fortunate intervention last spring of
the United States that averted war between
Chilli and the Argentine Republic. Guata-
mala is at this moment asking the United
States to interpose its good offices with Mex
leo to keep off war. These important facts
were all communicated in your late message
to Congress. These and other facts infiu-
enced President Garfield, and, as supposed,
influenced yourself to desire friendly con-
gress of all American nations to devise
methods of permanent peace and consequent
prosperity for all. Shall the United States
now turn back, hold aloof and refuse to ex-
ert Its great moral power for the advantage
of its weaker neighborss If you have not
formally and fully recalled the invitations to
the peace congress, Mr.. President, beg you
to consider well the effect of so doing. The
invitation was not mine; it was yours;
only performed the part Of secretaryto advise
and draft You spoke in the name of the
United States to each one of the indepen-
dent nations of America. To revoke that
invitation for any cause would be embarrass-
ing. To revoke it for avowed fear of jealousy
and i'll will on the part European powers
would appeal as little to American pride as
to American hospitality. Those you have
invited may decline, and having now cause
TO doubt their welcome, will, perhaps, do so.
This would break up the congress, but 1t
would not touch our dignity. Beyond the
philanthropic End Christian ends to be OBJ
taaed by an American conference, 10 be
devoted to peace and good will
among men we might hope for ma
terial advantages as result of better I'M