The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1867-188?, 1885-03-04
THE BERLIN CONFERENCE.


Tho House COMMITTEES on Foreign AfIairs
Adopt Mr.. Phelps Resolution on tho
Congo Ouestion--B Bclmont's Resolution
Letter from Secretary Frelinghuysen.
WASHINGTON, March 2.-The House
Committee on Foreign Affairs, by amajority
vote Saturday morning, adopted the follow
ing resolution, submitted by Mr.. Phelps on
the Congo question:
Resolped, That no prospects Of commercial
advantage warrants departure from the
traditional policy of the Government which
forbds all entangng alliances with the ma
tions of the world, and that the .participa-
tion of the delegates of the United States in
the so-called Congo Conference, while care
fully guarded, as your committee is In
formed, in the purpose, to confne their
powers to the consideration of commercial
interests excmsively--is unfortunate, SO far
as II is departure from the policy which
forbds the Government OF the United states
TO participate In any political comDinatlon or
movement outside of the American conti-
nent.
The resolution submitted by Mr.. Belmont,
which has been briefly alluded TO heretofore,
will, II is said, be supported by several MEN,
bers' of the committee, and should the matter
come up in the House lively debate is
promised. Mr. Belmonts resolution in Its
full text is as follows:
RESOLVED, That 1t is now, as II has ever
been, tho traditional, established and ap-
proved policy Of the people of these United
States to obtain due consideration OF their
own rights by friendly behavior, and by
profound regard for the rights Of other mn
lions, and, by forming entangling political
alliances with no nation, to preserve and
promote, peace, amity and commerce
having
their purpose and policy TO hold aloof the
American States and Territories from Eu
rope and aggrandisement and ambition; that
possessing, as these United States already
do, the chief habitabo and temperate parts
of the northern continent between the At
lantic and Pacific seas, and desiring no con.
quests but those OF peace, and no territorial
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT upon other continents,
whether by diplomacy or war, the House OF
Representatives, heedful of the admonitlons
of General Washington, and faithful to that
neutral policy of separation and peace which
our situation and the wisdom OF "A FREQ peO-
Pile have hitherto enabled us TO maintain do
hereby explicitly record their dissent from
the act of the President OF the United States
In accepting the invitation of Germany and
France TO participate IN the International
Conference nt Berlin, instead OF declining tho
same. MS tending to a reversal OF our tradi'
tlonal, established and approved foreign
policy.
The State Department last night made
public letter from Secretary Frelinghuysen
to Senator Miller, Chairman of the Commit
tee on Foreign Relations, replying TO in
.quiries concerning correspondence in relation
TO the northern boundary of Costa Rico and
the ClaytOn-Bulwer treaty as affecting the
treaty with Nicaragua. The Secretary re-
heaTses former arguments of the State De-
paItment to show that the Clayton-BulweI
treaty is voidable and goes further and
maintains that the treaty with Nicaragua
does not conflict with the ClaytOn-Bulwer
treaty. The Secretary concludes as follows:
The correspondence as to the Clayton-Bul.
wer treaty opened the way for the agree
ment with Nicaragua, with whom negotla-
tons have been long in progress, while the
Mexican treaty was the first step in the di-
rectlon of commercial reciprocity on this
continent. Treaties so important as these
cannot be quickly concluded; much prellm-
mary study is necessary before direct nego-
tlations can begin, and after agreement upon
general principles there Is necessarily delay
and discussion upon details. Those treaties
are all in line OF same policy which aims 10
peacefully knit together tho nations Of the
continent by bringing them In intimate COM
merclal relations.