Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1884-07-04
MIR. BLAINE'S FOREIGN POLICY.

A good deal is said nowadays by the Dem.
ocrats and Independents about the foreign
policy that would probably be adopted by
Mr.. Blaine in case Of his election to the
Presidency, and all sorts of dangers are
anticipated by them. AS bearing on the
matter, letter published by Mr. Blaine in
September, 1882, is of interest. This letter
was written at the request of the publisher Of
a Chicago periodical, with the view
of defining the purpose and aim of the for
egn policy which the Garfield administra-
ton would have carried out had the Presi-
dents life been spared. In this letter Mr.
Blaine says that the foreign policy of Presi-
dent Garfield's administration had two prin-
ciple objects in view: First, to bring about
peace, and prevent future wars in North and
South America; second, to cultivate such
friendly commercial relations with all
American countries as would lead to a large
increase in the export trade of the United
States by supplying those fabrics in which
we are abundantly able to compete with the
manufacturing nations of Europe. To at
tain the second object, the first must be &C
Intervention here and there, patching up a
treaty between two countries to day, secur-
ing truce between two others tomorrow,
the President believed that more campre-
hensivc plan should be adopted if war was to
cease in the Western Hemisphere, and that
a common agreement of peace, permanent
in its character and continual in its extent,
| should, if possible, be secured To effect
| this end it had Leen resolved, before the fatal
shot of July 2, to invite all the independent
governments of North and South America to
meet in peace congress at Washington.
The date to be assigned was the 10Th of
March, 1882, 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 No
vember %, President Garfeld's successor
issued the invitations for the peace congress
in the same spirit and scope, and with the
same limitation and restrictions that had
been originally designed.
MIR. Blaine says that the project was re-
ceivcd In South America with the most cor
dial approval and he thinks that the result
OF the conference would have been the estab-
lishment of a friendship and intimacy be-
tween the States of North and south Ameri-
ca, which would have demanded and enforc-
led closer commercial connection. A
movement in the near future, as the legiti-
mate outgrowth of assured peace would, in
all probababilty, have been great COM
mercal conference at the City of Mexico or
Rio Janeiro, whose deliberations would be
directed to better system of trade on the
two continents. To such a conference the
Dominion OF Canada could properly be asked
to send represen atives. In the peace Con-
gress, to be composed of independents, the
Domiaon could not have taken any part,
and was consequently not invited. From
this trade conference of the two continents
the United States could hardly have failed
to gain great advantages. Mr.. Blaine then
goes on to say
1t is only claimed for the Peace Congress-
designed under the administration of Gar
neld That II was an impOrta Il and impressive
step on the part of the Unjved States toward
closer relationship with our Continental
neighbors. The present tendency in those
countries is toward Europe, and it is lament.
able factt that their people are not 80 near to US
10 feeling as they were sixty years ago when
they threw off the yoke of Spanish tyranny
We were then weak Republic of but ten
millions, but we did not hesitate to recognize
the independence of the new governments,
even at the risk of war with Spain. Our
foreign policy at that time was specially
designed to extend our influences in the
Western Hemisphere, and the statesmen of
that era-the era of Dewitt Clinton, and the
younger Adams, of Clay and of Crawford,
| Webster and Calhoun of Van Buren, and
Benton, of jackson and of Edward Livngs
ton-were always courageous in the Inspiring
measures which they advocated for the ex-
pansion OF our commercial dominion.
Three score years have passed. The
power Of the IcIuhllc ~ many al c,ion.
has gown by und all anticipation, but We
have relatively lost glouud IN some great
| fields OF enterprise. We have added thou
sands OF miles TO our ocean front, but our
commerce has fallen off, and from ardent
friendship with Spanish America, we have
drifted into indifference, If not into cold
| ness. II is but one step farther II reach
condition of positive unfriendlircss whch
may end in What would be 'qnyaleu
10 commercial alliaace against us, AL