The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1882-02-04

States:
The suggestion of a congress of
all American nations to assemble II
the City of Washington for the pur-
pose of agreeing on such a basis Of
arbitration for international troubles
as would remove all possibility Of
war OF the western hemisphere, was
warmly approved by your predeceS-
sor. The assassination on July I'd,
prevented his issuing invitations 10
the American states. After your
accession to the presidency | ac-
quainted you with the project and
submitted to you the draft for such
invitation and you received the sug-
gestion with most apppeciative con-
sideration and after carefully exam
lining the form of the invita-
ton directed it to be sent. 1t was
accordingly dispatched in honor of
the independent governments of
America, north and south, includ-
ing all, from the empire of Brazil
to the smallest republic. In COM
munication addressed by the present
secretary of state on the 9th of last
month, TO Mr.. TrescOtt, and recently
sent the Senate, was greatly sur
prised to find proposition looking
to the annulment Of these
invitations and I was still
more surprised when L read
the reasons assigned. L quote
Frelinghuysen'S language, The
United States is at peace with all
nations of the earth, and the Presi-
dent wishes hereafter to determine
whether it will conduce to general
peace, which he would cherish and
promote, for this government to
enter into negotiations and cOnsulta-
ton for the promotion Of peace with
selected friendly nationalitieS with
out extending the line of confidence
to other people with whom the
United States is on equally friendly
terms. If such partial confidence
would create jealousy 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 other nationalities
may, on investigation, be found to
be so well established that little
would be gained at this time by re-
opening a subject which is not
novel"
If 1 correctly apprehend the
meaning of these words, it is
that we might offend some
European powers if we should
hold Ill the United States, con
greSS of select natiOnalites OF
America. This is certainly a new
position fer the UuiJsd States to
assume, and one which l earnestly
beg you will not permit this govern
nsnt to occupy. European powers
assemble in congress whenever an
object seems to them Of sufficient
Importance to justify il. l have
never heard of their consulting the
government of the United States in
regard to the prspriety Of thelE so
assembling. nor have l known Of
their inviting an American repre-
sentative to be present, nor would
there, in my judgment, be any good
reason for so doing. Two Presi-
dents Of the United States in the
year 1881 adjudged it to be expadient
that American powers should meet
in congress fer the sole purpose OF
agreeing upon some basis for the
arbitration of differences that may
arise between them, and for the pre-
vention, so far as possible, of war in
future. If that movement is now
to be arrested for fear it
may give offense III Europe, the
voluntary humiliation of this
government could not be more COM
plete, unless we should petition
European governments for the
privilege Of holding the Congress. 1
cannot conceive how the United
States could be placed in less
enviable position than would be Sc
sured by sending in November a
cordial invitation to all American
governments to meet in Washing
| ton for the sole purpose of concert
ing measures Of peace, and in Janu-
airy recalling the invitation for fear
it might create Jealousy and i'll will
on the part of the mOnarchial
governments of Europe. It would
be difficult TO devise more effective
mode for making enemies of the
American government, and it would
certainly add to our prestige in the
European world Nor can L see
Mr.. President, how European
governments should feel jealousy
and i'll will toward US because of AT
effort on our part to assure lasting
peace between the nations OF
America, unless indeed it be-
| to the interest of European
/ powers that American ratiOns
/ Should at intervals fall into war and
bring repreach on the American re.
publics. But from that very cir
cumstance [ see an additional.
and powerful motive Tor American
governments TO be at peace among
themselves. The United States il
indeed at peace with all the world
as Mr.. FrelinghuySen well says, bu
there are and have been serious
troubles between other American
nations. Peru, Chilli and BoliYi
have been for more than tive year
engaged in desperate conflict.
was the fortunate Intervention o
the United States last spring tina
| averted a war between Chill an
the Argentine Republic. Guate
maIa is at this moment asking tn