New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-02-02
PROPOSED PEACE CONGRESS

| PARTNiENT AND MCTILATED IN PUBLICATION
| THE CORRECTED TEXT.
| Ex-Secrctary Blaine on Monday wrote to
President Arthur for permission to publish the
dispatch proposing Congress of American
| Nations, in order to correct misapprehenslon
ana misrepresentation as to the scope and de-
sign If that Congress. The President referred
the request to the Secretary of State, whose
decision was that the dispatch would be pub
llshed when called for by Congress. Mr..
Blaine took steps to.have the correspondence
called for by the Senate, but found that the
dispatch had been published in NewYorll and
elsewhere in mutlatcd form. The corrected
text of the dispatch is given TO the public here
with.
| EXPLANATORY LETTER FROM Mr.. BLAINE.
WASHINGTON, Feb. This evening eX-Secretary
Blaine sent n letter 70 the agent of the New-York
Associated Press as follows: g deem it due to
justice to make a brief statement. which ask you
to transmit to tho papers of your association to-
night. On Monday morning last, January 80.
addressed tho following to the President OF the
United States:
MY DEAR Nh. PRESIDENT: As Mr.. FrelinGhuyscn
/ has made auSiOn to th" proposed Congress OF
! american nations in dispatch which he has made
| pnhlic, and as the scope and design OF
that Congress arc, greatly misunderstood
| AMI mer. presented. both at home an! in Europe,
! respectfully ask that you will direct the pnbica;;
| tiOn of the original invitation have the original
draft myself. but of course, / do S feel at liberty
| wish 10 order its formal Official publication. Will
! you kindly grant me leaye to Use the copy at my
| discretion Very sincerely JAMES &. BLAINE
! In the aftcrn on of the same day the President
sent his private secretary to my residence with the
verbal message that he saw no objection to granting
my request but that he had referred my note to the
Secretary of State. Yesterday received a message
! from the Chief Clerk Of the State Department
! that Mr. Frelnghuyscn would publish
| the dispatch when called for by Congress. This
morning wrote n note to Senator Window, Chair
man of Foreign Relations, asking that he would in
troducc n resolution calling for the correspondence
When the Ncw-Yorl papers arrived l found the
| document, though with many errors, published in
| The Ncr- York HcTdH | understood it has been
published in papcr IN each OF several large cities
The dspatch was obtained surreptitiously. from
whom or by whom 10 not know 1t was no doubt
FASTENED to partial publication in order TO deprive
it of tho wider advantages OF the Associated Press
which was anxious to secure for il, in order that
the Misrepresentation concerning the invitation to
the Peace Congress might be definitely cOrrected.'
| The following il corrected copy of Nr. Blaines
| dispatch inviting a conference of North and South
| American republics to meet in WASHINGTON;
DEPARTMENT OF STATE, J
WASHINGTON, Noy 20. 1851
SIR: The attitude of the United States, with re-
spcct 10 the question of general peace on the Amerl
can continent is well known through ITS persistent
efforts for years past 10 avert the evils Of warfare,
or these efforts failing to bring positive conflicts TO-
| an end through pacific counses or the advocacy of
impartial arbitration. THIS attitude has been con-
ssicntly Northumberland always with such fairness,
IA to leave no room loI llhput.s 10 oir m
| any motIv" except the humane ana IlNntereS cu
one OF saving the kindred States of the American
Continent from the burdens OF war The position
J OF the United States. as the ieaqmg rover
of the new world, might well give TO
| its Government claim 10 authoritative
uteranGe tor the purRIhSe o OF qbeng qba tbH GT" ns
friendly relations exist. Nevertheless the good
Offices of this Government are noi ard have not at
any time been rendered with snow OF dIctatiOy or
compul,ion, but only IS exhibiting the solcltous
| good will of common friend.
| For some years past growing disposition has
| been manifested by certain states OF central ana
South America to refer disputes affecting grave
questions Of international relationship and bound
aries to arbitration rather than to the sword lt mas
been on several such occasions source of r0tound
satisfaction TO the government OF the Unieu
States 10 sec that this country IS in large measure
looked to hy all the American Powers as theiI
| friend and mediator, The just and impartial
| counsel of the President in such cases has never
| been withheld, and his efforts have been rewarded
by the prevention of Sanguinary strife or angry con
tentiOn between peoples whom we regard as 0reth-
| The existence of this gro wing tendency convinces
| the President that the time Is ripe for proposal
that shall enlist the good will and active coOpcra-
ti0n of all the States Of the Western Hemisphere,
| both North and South in the interest Of humanity
and for thc common veal of Nations. He conceivcs
! that none OF the Governments OF America can he
less alive than our own to the dangers and horrors
| Of a state OF war, and especially OF war between
| kinsmcn. He is sure that none OF the cmels OF
| Government on the continent cen be more sensitive
than he is to the sacred duty OF making every en-
dcavor TO do away with the chances OF fratrlcdal
strife and he looks with hopeful confidence to such
| active assistance from them rs VIII serve to snow
| the brOIdncss of our common humanity ana the
strengih of the ties which bind us all together as
erea, and harmonious system of American Common
Impressed bv these views the President extends to
! all the independent countries Of North and
| South America an earness invitation to participate
| In "a general Congress, TO be held IN the city OF
| Washing on on the 22d of November, 1SS2, for the
Of lreventinr war bel wcen the Nations ot America.
He desires that the attention OF the Congress shal
be strictly confined TO this ono great OBJECT that It's
sole aim shall be TO seek way OF permanently
avertIng the horrors of cruel and bloody contests
between countries ofenest OF one blood ana speech,
or the even verse calamity OF internal commotlOh
and civil strife that it shall regard the buIdensOme
and flr-reachiug consequences OF such struggles
the leQaces of exhausted finances OF oppressive
debt of oncrous taxation of ruined cities, OF par
! alyzcd industries, of devastated hcldS, OF ruin
| loss conscriptions, of the slaughter of men.
| of the grief of the widow and the orphan,
of cmbittered resentments that long survive those
who provoked them and heavily aillct the innocent
| generation that comes after.
The President is especially desrous to have it un-
derstood that III putting forth this invitation the
United States does not assume the POSITION OF cOun-
| selling or attempting through the voice OF the
| Congress to counsel any dctcrminate solution oieX-
i.ting questions which may now divide any OF the
countries OF America. such questions cannot prop
| erIv come before the Congress. It's mission is
higher 1t is to provide for tn interests OF all IN
the future not to settle the individual differences OF
the present For this reason especially iHe IreSl-
| dent has indicated day for the assembling ct G
Congress so far III the future as to leave goO9
| ground for II pe that by the time named
! Ghe nressnt situation on the South Pacific
coast will be happily terminated, and
that those engaged in the contest may take
peaccablc part III the discussion ana solution Oh tIe
| General question affecting in an equal degree the
! vrllbclug of all.