Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1882-02-03
BLAINE EXPLAINS.
A Correct Copy OF the Ex-Seeretary'
Peace Conference Invitation, Which,
He Says, Has Been So
Misrepresented and MiscOnstrued at
Home and Abroad-Als0 His Letter
10 President Arthur.

WASHINGTON, February 2.-The following
is the letter issued last evening BY Ex-Secre-
tary Blaine to the agent of the Western As
socisted Press, brief mention. OF which was
made in the dispatches of last night:
WASHINGTON, D. c.. Febrnsry l, lSs2-
deem it due to justice ID make brief
| statement, which l ask you TO transmit TO
the papers Of your association tonight On
Monday morning last, January 30th, | adj
dressed the following note to the President
of the United States:
My DEAR Mr.. PREsIDENT-As Mr.. FIRE.
| linghuysen has made allusion 10 the pro-
posed congress of American nations in the
dispatch which he had made public, and as
the scope and design of that congress are
| greatly misunderstood and misrepresented,
both at home and in Europe, l respectfully
| ask that you will direct the publication OF
the original invitation. ! have the original
| draft myself but, of course, l do not feel at
liberty TO use it without your permission. Ii
you do not wish to order its formal official
! publication, will you kindly grant me leave
10 use the copy at my discretion. Very sim
cerely, JAMES G. BLAINE.
In the afternoon OF the same day the Pres
! ident sent his private secretary to my resi-
| dence with a verbal message that he saw no
objection to granting my request, but that he
| had referred my note to the secretary OF
] state. Yesterday l received a message from
/ the chief clerk of the state department that
Mr. Frelinghuysen would publish the dis
patch when called for by Congress. This
morning / WROTE note TO Senator Window,
| chairman of the Committee on Foreign
! Relations, asking that he would introduce a
resolution calling Tor the correspondence.
When the New York papers arrived l found
I . II Il
published in the New York Herald. / under
stand it has been published in one paper in
each of the several large cities. The dis
patch was obtained surreptitiously, from
whom or by whom do not know. 1t was no
doubt hasened TO partial publication in
order to deprive it of the wider advantages
of the Associated Press, which / was anxious
to secure for it, in order that the misrepre-
sensations concerning the invitation to the
peace congress might be definitely corrected.
Very resps ctfuily, JAMES g. BLAINE.
THE CORRECTED DISPATCH.
The following is a corrected copy of Secre-
tary Blaine's dispatch inviting a congress
of North and South American republics to
meet in Washington:
DEPARTMENT OF STATE,
WASHINGTON, November %, 1881.
SIR-The attitude OF the United States
with respect to the question of general peace
on the American continent Is we'll known
through its persistent efforts for years past to
avert the evils of warfare, or these efforts
filling, to bring positive conflicts to an end
through pacific counsels or the advocacy OF
impartial arbitration. This attitude has
been persistently maintained, and always
with such fairness as to leave no room for
imputing to our government any motive ex-
cept the humane and disinterested one of
saving kindred States OF the American con-
tinent from the burdens OF war. The posi-
ton of the United States as a leading power
of the New World might well give to its
government a claim TO authoritative utter
-ance for the purpose OF quieting discord
among Its neighbors, with all of whom the
most friendly relations exist. Nevertheless
the good offices of this government are not,
and have not at any time been
rendered with the least show of dictation
or compulsion, but only as exhibiting
the solicitous good will of a common friend
For some years past a growing disposition
has been manifested by certain States of
Central and South America to refer disputes
affecting grave questions OF International re-
Iationships and boundaries to arbitration,
rather than to the sword. 1t has been, on
several such occasions, source OF profound
satisfaction to the government OF the United
States to see that this country is, in large
measure, looked to by all American powers
as their 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 contentious be-
tween people whom we regard as brethren.
The existence of this growing tendency con-
vinces the President that the time is ripe for
a proposal that shall enlist the good will
and active cooperation of all of the West
ern Hemisphere, both North and South, in
the interest of humanity and for the COM
mon veal of the nations. He conceives that
none of the governments of America can be
less alive than our own to the dangers and
horrors of state of war, and especially of
war between kinsmen. He is sure that none
of the chiefs OF government on the continent
can be less sensitive than he is to the sacred
duty of making every endeavor to do away
with the chances of fratricidal strife, and he |
looks with hopeful confidence to such active |
assistance from them as will serve 10 show |
the broadness of our common humanity and |
the strength of the ties which bind us all to- |
gether great and harmonious system of
American commonwealth. Impressed by |
this view the President extends to all the in
dependent countries OF North and South |
America an earnest invitation to participate |
In general congress, TO be held in the city |
of Washington on the 22d of November, |
1882, for the purpose of considering and dis
cussing the methods of preventing war be- |
tNteu iHe HdilOHs Oh AmeTICd he ueSlTes |
that the attention of the congress shall be |
confined strictly to this one great object; that
its sole aim shall be to seek way of perma-
nently avoiding the horrors of a cruel and |
bloody contest between countries OF |
one blood and speech, or the even worse cal
amity of internal commotion ana civil
strife; that it shall regard the burdensome
and far-reaching consequences OF such
struggle, of the legacies of exhausted finances,
of oppressive debts, OF onerous taxation, OF
ruined cities, of paralyzed industries, of
devastated fields, of ruthless conscriptions,
of the slaughter of men, of the grief of the
widow and orphan, OF embittered resent
ments that long survive those who provoked
them, and heavily affiict the innocent gen.
Grafton that comes after. The President is
DESTROYS to have it understood
that in putting forth this invitation the
United States does not assume the position
Of couDseling, or attempting through the
voice of congress to counsel and determlnate
any solution OF the existing questions which
America. Such questions cannot properly
come before the congress. Its mission is
higher. 1t is to provide for the interests of
all in the future, not to settle the individual
differences OF the present. For this reason,
especially, the President has indicated day
Tor the assembling of the congr, So so far in
he future as to leave good ground Tor hope
-ndi DE the LHe | I
On the South Pacific coast will be happily
terminated, and that those engaged in the
contest may take peaceable part in the dis
,ussion and solution OF the general question,
affecting in an equal degree the well-being
If all. 1t seems, also, desirable TO disclaim
n advance any purpose on the part OF the
United States to prejudice the issues to
De presented 10 the congress. 1t is
ar from the intent of this gov
to appear before the :
congress as in any sense the protector OF its
leighbors or the predestined and necessary
lbitrator of their disputes. The United
states will enter into the deliberations OF the !
congress on the same footing as the other
powers represented and with the loyal de-
erminatiou TO approach any proposed solu
ion not merely in its own interest, or with
-iew OF asserting its own power, but as a :
member among many coordinate and CO. :
quail States. So far as the'infinence of this
government may be potential it will be ex- /.
rted in the direction of conciliating what
yer conflicting interests OF blood or gov
or historical which may naturally =
ONE together in response to q cali embracing
uch vast and diverse elements. You will :
resent these views to the minister OF foreign /,
fairs of enlarging, if need be, in such-erms !
5 will readily occur to you, on the great
Mission which it is within the power oil the 7
proposed congress to accomplish in the in !
crest OF humanity and uDOn the firm DUR I :