Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-04-19
OUR CONTINENT.
THE CONGRESS- OF AMERICAN
NATIONS.
a Message from the President on
the Circular InVtfatiOn-The Views
of Congress Asked on Ehe Project.

WASHINGTON, April 1S-The following
message was sent to Congress to-day:
To the Senate and House Of Representatives
send herewith copy of the circular
invitation extended to all the independent
countries Of North and South America to
participate in general congress, to be held
in the city of Washington on the 221 of
November next, for the purpose of consid-
ering and discussing methods of preventing
war between the nations of America.
In giving this invitation I was not
aware that there existed differences
between several OF the republics OF South
America which would initiate against the
| happy results, which mighs otherwise be ex-
pected from such an assemblage. The
differences indicated are such as exist be-
tween Peru and Chill, between Mexico and
Guatemala, and between the States of Cen
| tral America. II was hoped that these
differences would disappear before the time
fixed for the meeting of the congress. This
hone has not been realized.
Having observed that the authority of the
President TO convene sGch Congress has
been questioned, | beg leave TO state that
the Constitution confers upon the Presi-
dent the power, by and with the ad-
vice aud consent of the Senate, to
make treaties, and that this provision
confers power to take all requisite measures
to initiate them, and to this end the Presi
dent may freely confer with one or several
commissioners or delegates from other ma
tions. The congress contemplated by the
invitation could only effect any valuable
result by its conclusions eventually taking
the form OF a treaty of peace between
the States represented. aud besides
the invitation TO the States of North
and South America is merely preliminary
act, OF which the constitutionality, or the
want of 1t, can hardly be affirmed. It has
been suggested while an international con-
gress would have no power to affect the
rights of the nationalities there represented,
still the congress might be unwilling to
subject the existing treaty rights of the
United States on the isthmus and elsewhere
on the continent to be clouded and
rendered uncertain bv the expression OF
opinions of q congress composed largely of
interested parties. am glad to have it in
my power to refer TO the Congress of the
United States, as l now do, the proprietv
or convening the suggested international
congress, that | may thus be informed of
is views, which it will be my pleasure to
carry out.
Inquiry having been made by some of the
republics invited whetherit is intended that
tulo lulerhatiOuaI congress snail convene,
it is important that Congress should at as
early day as convenient inform me by
resolution or otherwise of its opinion in
the premises. NV action will be in harmony
with such expression.
CHESTER A. ARTHUR.
EXECUTIVE MANSION, April IS, 1882.
The circnlar referred to is accompanied
by the following note:
"The foregoing circular of instruction
was sent, nautdtjS DalttdndiS, to the Legations
of the United States at the Argentine Re-
public, Bolivia, Brazil, Central America,
Chilli, Columbia, Mexico, Paraguay and
Urugusy, Peru and Venezuela. A copy was
sent by mail directly to the Minister of
Foreign Affairs Of Ecuador, in which coun-
try the Unite1 States have no diplomatic
representativen