The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1882-02-02
TELEGRAPHIC NEWS
BLAINE AND TEE PEACE
CONGRESS.

I'eo AooUSSOC0U 1859 UOSHtISy-
ton, d. c.:
l deem it due to justice to make a
brief statement. which ask you to
transmit to the papers of your assO-
citation, tonight. On Monday morn
ing last, January Goth, [ addressed
the following note 10 the President
of the United States:
Ny Dear Mr. President:
AS Mr.. Frelinghuysen has made
allusion to the proposed congress of
American nations in a dispatch
which he has made public, and as
the scope and design of that con-
greSs are greatly misunderstood and
misrepresented, both at home and
in Europe, [ respectfully ask that
you will direct the publication of
the original invitation. I=have the
original draft myself, but of course,
l DO not feel at liberty to use it
without your perm SSiOn. If you do
not wish to order its formal official
publication, will you kindly grant
me leave to use the copy at my dis
erection? Very sincerely,
JAMES G. BLAINE.
In the afternoon of the same day
the President sent his private sncre-
tary to my residence with a verbal
message that he saw no objection to
granting my request, but that he
had referred my note to the secre-
tary of state. Yesterday l received
message from the chief clerk of
the state department that Mr..
Frelinghuysen would publish
the dispatch when called for by
Congress. This morning | wrote a
note to Senator Window, chairman
of the foreign relations committee,
asking if he would introduce a.
resolution calling for the CORES
pOndence. When reading the New
York papers l found the document.
though with many errors, published
in the New York Herald. l under
stand it has been published in one
paper in each of the several large
cities. The dispatch was obtained
surreptitiously, from whom or by
whom, l do not know. 1t was no
doubt fastened to partial publica-
ton in order to deprive it Of the
wider advantages of the Associated
Press, which l was anxious to Sc
cure for it, in order that the misrep-
reservations concerning the invita-
ton to the peace congress might be
definitely corrected.
Very Respectfully,
JAMES G. BLAINE.
Following is a CORE cted copy of
Mr.. Blaine's dispatch inviting a
conference OF the North and South
American republics to meet in
Washington:
DEPARTMENT OF STATE,
WASHINGTON, DC,
November 90, 1881.
Sir-The attitude of the United
States with respect to questions of
general peace on the American con-
tinent, is well known through the
persistent efforts for years past to
avert the evils Of warfare, or these
efforts falling, to bring positive con-
fiictS to an end through pacific
counsels, or the advocacy of impair
tial arbitration. This attitude
has been constantly maintained,
and always with such fairness as to
leave no room Here is an
unintelligible break of the present.
For this reason, especially, the
President has indicated a day for
the assembling of Congress so far in
the future as to leave good ground
for the hope that by the day named
the present situation on the South
Pacific Coast will be happily termi-
mated, and that those engaged in the
contest may take q peaceable part in
the discussion and solution of the
general questions affecting. in
equal degree, the well-being of all.
1t seems also desirable to disclaim,
in advance, any purpose or the part
of the United States to prejudice the
issues to be presented to the congress.
1t is far from the intent of this gov
eminent to appear before the con-
greSS as in any sense a prot ctor OF
its neighbors, or the predestined and
necessary arbitrator of their dis
putes. The United States will enter
into the deliberations of the congress
on the same footing as the other
powers represented, and with the
loyal determination to approach the
proposed solution, not merely in its
own interest, or with a view to as
sert its own power, but as single |
member among coordinate and CO.
equal states. So far as the influence
of this government may be benefi-
cial it Will be exerted in the direc-
ton of concilating, whenever con-
fiicting interests Of blood or govern
ment, or historical tradition may
necessarily come together. In re-
Spouse to a call embracing such vast
and diverse elements, you will pre-
sent these views to the minister of
foreign affairs, or enlarging, if need
be. in such terms as will readily oc-
cur to you upon the great mission
which it is within the power of the
proposed congress to accomplish IN
the interest Of humanity, and upon
the firm purpose of the United
States to maintain a position Of the
most impartial friendship to-
wards all. You will thereupon,
in the name of the President Of the
United States. tender to His Excel
lency -, President Of -, a
formal invitation to send two com
missioners to the congress, provided