The Republican journal., 1884-06-19

Blaine's Foreign Policy.


Blane's Foreign Policy.
The dudes are very much afraid that Mr..
Blaine. if elected President. will plunge the
country into foreign war. Their nerves were
similarly affected while Grant was President.
They are alarming themselves unnecessarily.
however, although their agitation is serving
the good purpose of emphasizing the fact that
under President Blaine's administration we
should have, what we have long lacked an
American policy, and that American citizens
will be protected in their lives, liberty and
property, at home and abroad. The New York
sun truly say Of Mr. Blaine: THE inner soul
of Elaine j. his intense Americanism. He is
American through and through, bone. fibre and
finger nails. He always flies the American
iiag, and the American eagle perches on his
shoulder TO the hereditary antagonist, fee
and rival of the United States, to England. his
flag i, never lowered. not even in CEREMONY
This does not mean war 1t means that this
country has left of its swaddng clothes, that it
is man-g own, and means to assert the prerog-
aliVeS of manhood. Ii means that the people
Of this country. of whom Mr. Blaine is to-day
the able>t and best equipped representative. do
NOT propose to submit to the insults and caprices
of every little third or fourth rate power that
may see fit to insult our flag or ll-treat our cit
liens. President BIaine's foreign policy will
mean that and more. 1t will mean not only
The maintenance of ''the proper dignity, honor
and influence of this great nation.'' but an in
crease of American commerce and influence on
tins continent. The prospect of policy of
tins kind touches the pocket nerve of Great
Britain, and the shock Is felt by her free trade
sympathizer> in this country. Here is proof
from London paper. Under the heading of
"A Beacon>iied beyond the Sea- the Pail Mall
Gazette SAYS:
"BIalne's nomination is the most notable event
for England since Lincoln's assassination.
Wherever Blaine can Gust the British from the
position they hold on the American continent
he will endeavor 10 replace English influence
and trade by American. His menacing inima-
non that he disregarded the CLAYTON RuWer
treaty Is an evil aug2ry for the future relations
Of England and America. His Intervention in
Ptlu was most ominous when lie declared that
be di>liked England to win commercial tri-
umph> in fields ,cgitimately belonging to Amer
ica'
Mir. Blaine is on record. His views as to a
foreign policy We're indicated when he was
Secretary of state under President Garfield,
and were approved by the people. and by those
Who are now opposing him. and they are
further set forth in the first volume of his
book. "TWonty Years in Congress-" No one
accorded higher praise to President Garteld's
Secretary of State than George William Curtis
In liarrers Weekly of March 26, 1881, be said
OF Mr.. Blaine; CAS- Secretary of State his
course viii be regarded not only without pre-
judice, but with the most friendly authorization.
And Nov. }, 1881, Mr.. Curtis said of the foreign
policy of Secretary Blaine, as shown in his letter
on the Panama canal The letter states with
admirable frankness and tirmness the tradi-
uohal ana reasonable position Of this country,
""} 4 rH BE- nDtre,Soiia ststaited.' 1T
is another illustration of the skill and ability
with which Nj Blaine has managed the de-
partnent conhded to him. He has what NAV
be called the American instinct, an essential
quality in our Foreign Secretary, yet restrained
III It's official expression by an equally Amer-
can tact and good sense" Again. June 4, 1881
Mr.. Curtis said in the editorial columns of
larpcrs Weekly: "Secrctary Blaine's PROMPT
ana energetic defence of naturalized citizens
and of Il threatened hostile commercial policy
in Europe towards certain American exports,
showed admirable vigilance" These were not
merely the sentiments of Mr.. Curtis but were
those of The people generally. And in his re-
Gently published book Mr.. Blaine thus eypress-
Is himself as to the relation which this country
hold, or should hold to other civilized nations:
The future safety of these continents rests
upon the strength and maintenance of the
lnion; for, had dissolution been possible.
events have shown with what small regard the
interests or The hon'r of either of the belger-
ens would have he IN treated. 1t has beel,
Taught to the smaller republics that if this
strength be shattered they will be the spoil of
foreign arms and the dependent provinces again
OF foreign monarchs. When this contest was
over the day of immaturity had passed. and the
United States stood before the world Il great
and permanent power. That power can afford
10 bury all resentments. Tranquil at home
developing its ineXhaustibe resources with a
rapldity and success unknown in history. bound
III sincere friendship, and beyond the POSSIBLE
lily of hostile rivalry with the other republics
OF the continents, standing midway between
ASA and Europe, Il power on the Pacific as
wen as on the Atlantic, with no temptations to
intermeddle in the questions which disturb the
Old World, the republic of the United States
desires 10 live in amicabIe relation with all
peoples, demanding only the abstinence of for
eIgn intervention in the development of that
policy which her political creed her territorial
extent, and the close and cordial neighborhuod
OF kindred Governments have made the essen
tIal rule of her national life.
Commenting on this paragraph the Boston
journal well says: To ''bury all resentments,"
to ''have no temptation to intermeddle with the
questions which disturb the Old World.' and
to ''desire to live in amcable relations with all
peoples" are not the sentiments of ii man de-
sirous of war; TO demand the 'abstinence of
foreign intervention" on the American CONT
nents is no new or startling doctrine 1t is
essentially a New England declaration, because
ii was first put in official words by John Quincy
Adams when he was President Monroe's Sec
rotary of State. Can any man who is truly
American fail to respond to the sentiments en-
braced in the paragraph we have quoted?