Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1882-09-18

ministration had two principal objects in view
| First, TO bring about peace, and prevent future
wars in North and South America; Second. &c
cultivate such friendly, commercial relations with
all American countries would lead TO a large
increase in the export trade of the United States
by supplying those fabrics in which We are
abundantIy able to compete with the manufacture
| ing nations of Europe
| To attain the second object the first must be
| accomplished. 1t would be idle to attempt the
development and enlargement of our trade with
the countries OF North and South America if that
| trade were liable at any unforeseen moment to
be violently interrupted by such wars US tina,
which for three years has engrossed and almost
engulfed Chill, Peru, and Bolivia; as that which
was barely averted by the friendly offices Of the
United States between Chill and the Argentine
Republic; that which has been post
poned by the good offices, but not
deeisivey abandoned, between Mexico and Guate-
| mala; as that which is threatened between Brazil
and Uruguay; as that which is now fore
shadowed between Brazil and the Argentine
| States. Peace is essential to commerce, 10 the
very life Of honest trade is the solid basis of in
| ternational prosperity; and yet there is no part
| Of the world where a resort TO arms is SO prompt
as in the Spanish American Republics Those
Republics have grown out OF the old Colonial
divisions, formed from capricious grants
to favorites by Royal charter, and their
boundaries are in many cases not clearly
defined and consequently afford the basis
of continual disputes, breaking forth too often in
open war. To induce the spanish American
States to adopt some peaceful mode of adjusting
their frequently recurring contentious was re-
garded by the late President one of the
most honorable and useful ends to which the
diplomacy of the United Ststes could contribute
useful especially to those States by securing per-
manent peace within all their borders, and useful
to our country by atfording coveted oppor-
Ifv far ayfe en1i lie and rip,r
enlarged fields for our products and manufac
lures.
Instead of friendly Intervention here and
there, patching up a treaty between two countries
today, securing truce between two others tomOr-
row, it was apparent to the President that a more
comprehensive plan should be adopted if war was
to cease in the Western Hemisphere. 1t WAS evil
dent that certain European Powers had in the
past been interested in promoting strife between
the Spanish American countries, and might be So
interested in the future, while the interest of the
United States was wholly and always on the side
of peace with all our American neghbors, and
peace between them ALL
1t was therefore the Presidents belief that
mere incidental and partial adjustments failed to
attain the desired end and that a common agree
ment of peace, permanent in its character
and continental in its extent should if possible be
secured. 10 effect this end it had been resolved.
before the fatal shot OF July 3D. to invite all the
| INDEPENDENT RONcTnuleutS ol NOTtu dnu COutH
America to meet in a Peace Congress at Washing
ton. The date to be assigned was the 18th OF
March, 1852, and the Invitations would have
been issued directly after the New England tour,
which the President was not permitted to make.
Nearly six months later on the 22d of November,
President Garfeld's successor issued the invita-
tions for the Peace Congress in the same spirit
and scope and with the same limitations and re-
strictions that had been originally designed.
As soon as the project was understood in South
America it received most cordial approval and
Of the countries, not following the leisurely
routine of diplomatic correspondence made haste
to accept the invitation. There can be no doubt
that within brief period all the nations invited
would have formally signifed their readiness to
attend the Congress; but in six weeks after the
invitations had gone to the several countries,
President Arthur caused them to be recalled, or
at least suspended. The subject was afterwards
referred to Congress, in special message, in
which the President ably vindcated his constitu-
tional right to assemble the Peace Congress- but
ex pressed desire that the Legislative department
Of the government should give an opinion upon
the expediency of the step before the Congress
should be allowed to convene. Meanwhile the
nations that received the invitations were in an
embarrassing situation; for after they were asked
by the President to come, they found that the
matter had been reconsidered and referred to
another department of the government. This
though Indirect abandonment of the project. for
it was not from the first probable that Congress
would take any action whatever upon the subject.
The good will and welcome of the invitation
would be destroyed by long debate in the Senate
and House, in which the question would Deces-
| sarily become intermixed with personal and par
ty politics. and the p:ojeet would be ultimately
wrecked from the and by the same
process that destroyed the usefulness Of the Pana-
| una Congress, more than fifty years ago, when Nj
Clay was Secretary of State. The time for Con-
gressional action would have been after the Peace
Conference had closed its labors. The Conference
could not agree upon anything that would be
binding upon the United States, unless assented
to treaty by the Senate or enacted into a law
by both branches. The assembling of the Peace
| Conference, as President Arthur so we'll demon
strated, was not in derogaton of any right pre-
rogstve Of the Senate or House The money
| necessary for the expenses Of the Conference
| which would not have exceeded ten thousand dol.
lars-cou!d not, with reason or propricty, have
| been refused by Congress. II it had been
refused, patriotism and philanthropy would bavs
promptly supplied it.
The Spanish American States are in special
| need Of the help which the Peace Congress would
afford them. They require external pressure tt
keep them from When at war they
| require external pressure to bring them
| to peace. Their outbreaks are not only fire..
quent but are sangunsry and sometimes
cruel. The inhabitants of those countries are
| brave people. belonging to race that has slwsyi
| been brave. descended Of men that have Away
been proud. They Of no, temper. quich
| to take afrcnt. ready TO arenge wrong whether
real or fanced. They are at the same time gen.
crous and chivairous, and though tending fol
years past to estrsngement and alienation from
US, they would promptly respond to any advance
made by the Great Republic Of the North as they
have for two generations termed our government
The moral influence upon the Spanish American
people of such an international assembly as tbs
Peace Congress, called by the invitation and
meeting under the auspices Of the United State.
would have proved bene6cent and far-reacbing
1t would have raised the sta ndard Of their ciyliz
alton 1t would have turned their attention t.
the things Of peace; and the continent, whose un
developed wealth amazed Humboldt, might ha VI
had new life given to il, new and splendic
career opened to its inhabitants.
| Such friendly interven,ions as the proposed
Pesce Congress. and as the attempt to restore
peace between Chill and Peru, fall within the linz
Of both duty and interest the part of tn,
| United State Nations like individuals otter
require the aid Il snmon friend TO restore reIa
tions Of amity. fefa and Chill are in deplorahl,