The Portland daily press., 1882-09-16

Inc foreign pollcy OF President G3rheld'S
administration had two principal objects in
view: First, to bring about peace. and prevent
future wars in North and South America; sec
ond, to cultivate such friendly, commercial re
lations with all American countries as would
LEAD to large increase in the export trade OF
the United States, by supplying those fabrics
in which we are abundantly able to compete
with the manufacturing nations of Europe.
To attain the second object the first must be
accomplished. Ii would be idle to attempt
The developmer and enlargement Of our trade
with the countries of North and South Ameri-
ca, if that trade were liable at any unforeseen
moment to be violently interrupted by such wars
as that which for three years has eDgrossed and
almost engulfed Chilli, Peru and Bolivia; as
that which was barely averted by the friendly
offices of the United States between Chill and
the Argentine Republic: as that which has
been postponed by the same good offices, but
not decisively abandoned, between Mexico
and Guatemala; as that which is threatened
between Brazil and Uruguoy; as THAI which is
even now foreshadowed between Brazil and
the Argentine States. Peace is essen ial to
commerce, is the very life of honest trade; is
the solid basis of International prosperity; and
yet there is no part of the world where resort
to arms is so prompt as in the Spanish Ameri-
can republics Those republics have grown
out of the old colonial divisions, formed from
capriciouS grants to favorites by ROYAL charter
and their boundaries are in many cases moi
clearly defined, and consequently afford the
basis of continual disputes, breaking forth too
often in open war To induce the SPANISH
American SfafnS adonf fu1 Ia.
OF adjusting their frequently recurring conlen-
tions was regarded by the late President as on @
OF the most honotable ana useful ends to which
the diplomacy of the United States could cou-
trlbute-useful especially to those States, by
securing permanent peace within all their Dor
dels, aud useful to our own country BY afford
Ing coveted opportunity for extending lis
commerce and securing enlarged fields fer our
products and manufactures.
Instead OF friendly intervention here and
there, patching up treaty between two conn
trles to-day, securing truce between two 9TH
ers tomorrow, it was apparent to the
PRESIDENT that more comprehensive
plan should ba adopted if war was to cease
IN the western hemisphere 1t was evident
certain European powers had in the past been
interested in promoting strife between
the Spanish-American countries, and might 5e
so interested in the future, while the interest
OF the United States was wholly and always
on the side OF peace with all our American
DtiSuDoTe, ana peace between them All,
1t was therefore the Presidents belief that
mere incidental and partial adjustments failed
to attain the desired end and that common
agreement OF peace, permanent 10 its charae-
ter and continental in its extent, should if pos
slble be secured. To effect this end il had
Oeen resolved, before the fatal shot of July ID
to invite all the independent governments of
North and South America TO meet in peace
congress at Washington. The date to be as-
olghed was the 10Th of March, 1882, and the
invitations would have been Issued directly af-
Ter the New England tour, which the Prosl-
Dent was not permitted to make. Nearly six
months later the 22d of November, Presi-
dent Garhel rs successor issued the invitations
ior the peace congress in the same spirit and
cope ana with the same limitations aud re-
strlctions that had been originally designed
As soon as the project was understood ia
South America it received most cordial ap-
proVal, and some of the countries, not follow
ing the leisurely routine Of diplomatic cores
DoDdence, made haste TO accept the invitation.
There can be no doubt that within q brief pc
Rod all the nations invited would have
formally slgnihed their readiness to attend the
Congress, but in six weeks after the invita-
lions had gone to the several countries. Presi-
dent Arthur caused them to be recalled, or at
least suspended The subject was afterwards
referred 10 Congress, i'll a special message
IN which the President ably vindicated his
constitutional right to assemble the peace COZ
gress, but expressed desire tbat the iegisa-
u% department of the government should
give an opinion upon the expediency of the
step before the congress should be allowed to
convene. Meanwhile the nations that re.
ceived the invitations were in an embarrass-
ing situation; for after they were asked by the
President to COME they found that the Il after
rad been recousidered and referred to another
department of the government. This change
vas universally accepted as practical though
indirect abandonment of the project for it was
not from the first probable that Congress
would take any action whatever upon the sub
ject. The good will and welcome of the
Invitation would be destroyed by long debHe
in the Senate and House. in which the
question would necessarily become in
-rmixed 18th personal and par
ty politics, and tho project would be ultimately
wrecked from the same cause aud by the same
process that destroyed the usefulness of the
Panama Congress, more than fifty years ago,
when Mr.. Clay was Secretary of State The
time for Congre ssional action would have been
after the Peace Conference had closed its
la ,ors. The conference could not agree upon
anything that would be binding upon the
United States, unless assented TO as treaty by
he Senate, or enacted into law by both !
branches. The assembling of the Peace Con-
Terence, as President Arthur so we'll demon
s'rated, was not in derogation of any right or
prerogative of the Senate or Ho1se. The |
money necessary for the expenses of the Con-
lerehce-whlch would not have exceeded ten |
thousand dolsrs-could not with reason or
proprlety, have been refused by Congress. If |
IL had been refused, patriotism and philan- |
thropby would have promptly supplied il.
Inc spanish American States are in special |
need OF the help which the Peace Congress |
would afford them. They require external
pressure to keep them from war. When at
war they require external pressure to bring
them to peace Their outbreaks are not only |
frequent but are sanguinary and sometimes
cruel. The inhabitants of those countries aIe |
a brave npOn4 he lOp0iUo a bat has
always been brave descended of men that |
Dave always been proud. They are of hot |
temper, quick to take affront ready to avenge |
a wrong, whether real or fanced They are at /
the same time generous and chi lalrous, and /
hough tending iur years past to arrangement +
and alienation from as, they would promptly {
respond 10 any advance made DIV tie Great I
Republic Of The North, as they have ior Two 1
generations termed government. The
moral influence upon the Spanish American
people OF such an International assembly %
the Peace Congress, called by the invitation
and meeting under the auspices of the United