The Portland daily press., 1882-02-04
THE PEACE CONGRESS.
A Letter from Mr.. Blaine to Presi-
dent Arthur.
PROTEST AGAINST THE ABANDON
MENT OF THE CONGRESS.

was sent to President Arthur to-day Dy Tx
Secretary Blaine .,
WASHINGTON, d. c., Feb Sd.
To the President of the United States:
The suggestion of a congress of all 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 warmly approved by your
predecessor. The assassination of July I'd pre-
vented his issuing invitations to the American
states After your accession to the Presidency
l acquainted you with the project and SUP
mitted to you draft of such invitation. You
received the suggestion with most appre ciatlve
consideration and after carefully examln-
ing the form of invitation directed that IL 10
sent. 1t was accordingly dispatched IN NoVem-
Der to the Independent governments OF Amer
lea north and south, including all from the
Empire of Brazil to the smallest republic. IN
a communication addressed by the present
Secretary of State on the 9th OF last month to
Prescott and recently sent to the Senate was
greatly surprised to find proposition looking
70 the appulment of these invitations, and Twas
still more surprised when read the reasons
assigned. quote Frelinghuysens language:
1.-The United States is at peace with all nations OF
the earth and the President wishes hereafter to de-
termine whether it viii conduce to that general
peace which he would cherish and promote for this
government to enter into negotiations az cohsuta
ton for the promotion OF peace with seiecUeu
friendly nationalites without extending like con,
hQ6nc0 10 OLler peoples Win NuOul tuo Ohi'ou
States is on equally friendly If such partial
confidence would create Jealousy and illwll, peace,
the object sought by such consultation womb NOT
be promoted The principles controlling the rela-
tions of republics of this hemisphere with otner
nationalities may investigation be found SO well
established that but little would pc cameo az ms
time by re-opening the subject which is not novel;
If / correctly apprehend the meaning OF
these words it is that we might offend some
European power if we should hold In the
United States congress of selected national
tiles of America" This is certainly new
position for the United States to assume and
one which / earnestly beg you Will not permit
this government to occupy.
European powers assemble in congress When-
ever an object seems to them of sufficient I'M
portance to Justify it. / neoer heard OF their
consulting the government OF the United
States in regard to the propriety OF their so
assembling, nor have I ever known of their
inviting an American representative to be
present, nor would there in my judgment be
any good reason for their so doing. Two pre-.
sidents of the United States in the year OF
1881 adjndged it expedient that American
powers should meet in congress for the sole
purpose of agreeing upon some basis for arbi-
tration of differences that may arise between
them and for prevention'as far as possible OF war
the future. If that movement is now to be
arrested for fear it may give offence in Europe
the voluntary humiliation of this government
could not be more complete, unless we should
| petition European governments for the priyi-
| lege of holding the congress.
/ cannot conceive how the United States
| could be placed iu less enviable position than
would be caused by sending in November cord
| ial invitations to all the American Governments
| to meet in Washington for the sole purpose OF
| concerning measures of peace, and in January
| recalling the invitation for fear it might
| "create jealousy and i'll will on the part OF
| monarchical governments in Europe. Itwould
| be difficult to devise more effective mode for
making enemies of American governments
and it would not add to our prestige in the
European worlds.
Nor can see, Mr.. President, how European
governments should feel jealousy and ill will
towards the United States because of an effort
on our part to assure lasting peace between the
nations of America unless, indeed it be the in
| terest of European powers that American ma
tions should at intervals fall into war and bring
| reproach on republican government. But
| from that very circumstance see additional
| and powerful motives for American COVER
| ments to be at peace among themselves. The
! United States is indeed at peace with all the
| world as Mr.. Frelinghuyson well says, but there
| are and have been serious troubles between
| other American nations. Peru, Chill and Bo-
| livia have been for more than two years en-
| gagged in desperate conflict. 1t was the for
tunate intervention of the United States last
| spring that averted war between Chill and the
| Argentine Republic. Guatemala is at this mo-
| ment asking the United States to interpose its
| good offices with Mexico to keep off war. These
| important facts were all communicated in your
late message to Congress. 1t is the existence or
menacesIof these wars that influenced President
Garfield, and as I suppose, in5u-
conference of all nations of America to devise
methods for permanent peace and consequent
prosperity for all. Shall the United States
turn back, hold aloof and refuse to exert its
great moral power Tor the advantage OF its
S 4ggs ig4RGE2 i haze nSs to- ~aly
congress, Mr.. President, I beg you to consider
we'll the effect of so doing. The invitation
was not mine. 1t was yours. I performed
| only the part of secretary to advise and to
| draft. You speak in the name of the United
| States to each of the independent nations OF
America. To revoke that invitation for any
| cause would be embarrassing To revoke it for
avowed fear of jealousy and ill-will on the
part of European powers would appeal as little
TO American pride as to American hospitality.
Those you have invited may decline, and hay-
ing now cause to doubt their welcome will per-
haps do So This would break up the congress,
but it would not touch our dignity. Beyond
philanthropic and Christian ends to be obtained
BY an American conference devoted to peace
and good will among men we might hope for
material advantages as the result OF better
understanding and closer friendship with the
| nations of America.
At present the condition of trade between
the United States and its American neighbors
is unsatisfactory to US and even deplorable,
| According to the official statistics OF our own
| Treasury Department the balance against us in
that trade last year was $120,000,00o, sum
greater than the yearly product of all the gold
and silver mines in the United States. This
vast balance was paid by US in foreign ex-
change, and very large proportion of it went
| to England, where shipments of cotton, pro-
visions and breadstuffs supplied the money. If
| ANYTHING should change or check the balance
| in our favor in European trade our commercial
| exchanges with Spanish America would drain
| off our reserve of gold coin at rate exceed
| ing $100, 900 600 per annum, and would proba-
| bly, precipitate suspension of specie payment
in this country. Such result at home might be
worse than a little Jealousy and ill will'
abroad.
do not say, Mr.. President, that the holding
of the peace congress will necessarily change
the current of trade, but it will bring us into
kindly relations with all American nations.
1t will promote the reign of peace and law and
| order 1t will increase production and con-
sumption, and will stimulate the demand for
articles which American manufacturers can
furnish with profit. 1t will, at all events. be a
friendly and suspicious beginning in the direc-
ton of American influence and American
trade in a large field, which we have hitherto
greatly neglected, and which has been practi-
cally monopolized by our commercial rivals in
Europe. As Mr.. Frelinghuysen's despatch
foreshadowing the abandonment of the peace
congress has been made public by your direc-
ton, 1 deem it matter of propriety and JUS
tice to give this letter to the press.
am, Mr.. President, with great respect,
Your obedient servant,
JAMES G., BLAINE,