Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1882-02-03
Ms. BLAlsE's proposal FOR A PEACE
CONGRESS.

his invitation to the South American
Governments to be given to the press. It
il an interesting document, but the
conception it embodies cannot add any
thing of value to the authors reputation as
a practical statesman He has invited all
the South American States to send Com.
missioners to represent them at Congress
to be held at Washington on November %,
1882, for the purpose of concerning
measures to prevent war between the sew.
eral States concerned. None can doubt that
it would be an excellent thing to obtain
lasting peace among the South American
States, by this or any other means. But
craftsmanship is supposed to recognize
aetualities above all else, and plans
which merely present promising appear
ance on paper, but rest upon no solid
foundation of fact and experience, must be
condemned in spite of their sentimental
attractions The first consideration in such
case as the present is not whether 1t Is
| practicable to assemble Congress of the
kind indicated, but whether such Con-
gress could do what it undertook to
do. And in order to determine this
question it is necessary to refer to
the past experience of mankind, and to
examine the civilization and tendencies of
the communities particularly concerned.
| l.. Il, {l,,k
Peace Congresses have been frequently
held, but that they have never been sue
cessful in securing peace. 1t is undeniable
that the reasons for preferIing peace to
war are of such character that all men
might be supposed to be capable of appre-
ciating them. The evils of war are SO
great and manifold that it might be
thought impossible to induce mankind to
resort to it save on compulsion. Ard yet
we learn from history that popular wars
have been at least as common as dynastic
ones, and that it is indeed not only posi-
BILE to enlist the sympathy of the masses of
men in favor OF such action, but even
comparatively easy to procure their assent
to hostilities where neither reason nor jus.
tice are on their side.
| Men have indeed been known, even
while fighting for their own liberties, to
eyince so little love for freedom in the alb
stract as to engage at the same time in at
tempts to subjugate other communities.
The case of Spain at the beginning of this
century is in point. While her people
were everywhere rising against French
aggression and domination, they were en-
deavoring to prevent their South American
colonies from obtaining their independence.
When the passions and prejudices of ma
tions are aroused they are in fact as deaf
to reason and morality as are individuals,
and though during a period of general
peace they may be willing to amuse them
selves with the passage of resolutions
pledging themselves to eternal friendship
and accord, it must be regarded as certain
that they will ignore all such promises the
moment some cause of quarrel arises, and
that those Governments which believe in
their own military resources will always
be inclined to try the arbitrament of the
sword. We might, for the purpose of
illustration, take any two of the most
advanced peoples-say Great Britain and
the United States-and let them hold a
Peace Congress. While it lasted, and for
some little time subsequently, there would
be very pleasant state of international
feeling. But let some disagreement arise,
and in less than week all the previous
expressions of amity would be forgotten.
An example of this kind has, indeed, re.
Gently occurred. The assassination of
Garfield led to quite ELUSIVE condition
of things between the English and Ameri-
can press. But the trial of Guiteau has
already undone all that, and at present
the English and American journals are en-
ga, in the bitterest of warfare.
Nobody can seriously doubt that, not
withstanding our civilization, enlighten-
ment, religion, humanitarianism, and all
other progressive" influences, England
and America would 60 to war if sufficient
cause of quarrel arose between them, and
that no treaty of peace could prevent
| this. But the South American States are
very much less civilized than the Americans
and English. They are inhabited by an
ignorant, superstitious, passionate, intrigu-
| ing, indolent, prejudiced people, of a
| great mixture of blood and race Their
institutions, when copied from our own,
serve only to foster corruption, narrow
and selfish ambition, and the spirit of
cabal and conspiracy. To suppose that
such people could accomplish what
would be impossible to "the heirs of all
"the ages, in the foremost files of time, I"
is irrational; and therefore seriously to
propose Peace Congress for South Amer
lea is impractical and unstatesmanlike.
| We have been for some time familiar with
the sham republicanism of these States,
, and all Mr.. Blaine's project could give US
WOulQ De Snam cCallllOu DeGWeen lnem.
They would continue to quarrel because
their interests are diverse. They would
continue to war upon one another because
some are stronger than their neighbors.
We cannot perceive that any practical
good could be derived from the proposed
Congress at Washington. 1t would be a
pageant only. The current experience of
the ways of mankind ought to have con-
WINGED Mr.. Blaine that it was impracticable
by any such methods to eradicate the ten
denotes which produce Interstate wars.
The process of Evolution involves the SUBJ
jugation of the weak by the strong in all
things. Civilization has not superseded
Nature. and humanity is as yet not even
within sight of that millennial period pict-
ured by the poet,
When the war-drums throb no longer, and the bat
| tie flags fured
In the parliament of Nan, the federation OF the
World.
Pace Congresses stand out as landmarks
in history to show the vanity of human
wishes. 1t has indeed curiously haonened