Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1889-10-17
Two American Congresses.

The International American Congress
which has been opened at Washington is
the second organized effort to bring the
Governments of this continent into har-
monious relations. The first council was
advocated by Bolivar in 1921, and was
finally summoned to meet at Panama after
the negotiation of a series of treaties be-
tween Central and South American States.
Mr.. Clay month after he became Secre-
tary Of State in ls25. received overtures
from the Mexican and Colombian Ministers
in relation to the participation of the
United States Government ia this Con-
gress. The project was a congcnial one
that enlisted his hearty sympathy, the
general conception of a league of republics
| represented in the New World by species
Of amphictyoric council appealing strongly
to his imagination and enthusiastic nature.
The invitation was Immediately accepted,
| aud Ministers were commissioned by Presi-
| dent John Quincy Adams to attend the
Congress Mr. Clay. by his functions as
Prcsid,nt-maker, had excited the rancorous
enmity Of political factions in the House
and senate, aud his South American policy
was bitterly a>>alcd and successfully OBJ
structcd. The Senate first took umhrage
At the appointment of Ministers without
it, advice aud consent but when President
Adams reluctantly sent In the nominations.
confirmed them after rIotracted debate,
in which Shareholders combined with op-
poucnis Of the Monroe Doctrine in antag-
oniz!ug the policy of the mission In the
House appropriations for the mission were
>trennou>ly resisted. and it was not until
June, l>26 that the envoys set out for
Panama Ouc Of the United States repre-
>eniaive~ died on the way, while the
nthcr arrived after the Congress had adj
Jnuru,d t. meet nt Tacubaya. Mex. ~
THE srrnud session never took place owing
I'm thc distractions Of South American
poiitt.~ III. .nitei States Government was
. uot represented ID the Congress.
2 hr failure of the Panama Congress,
while 4 Bitter disappointment to Mr.. Clay,
Sa~ in", table IN the Circum~ tances. Aside
from those factional rescntments which
inspired hostility to his diplomatic policy
md rendered IT imperative through delay,
A" South Am"r ran scheme was essentially
p"ull,.l ia IL character. differing in this
respect from the present Congress, which
j. grounded upon commercial aud economic
Interests rr,iprprallS affecting the seven
trrn nations represented IN it, II j. true
Thar President Adams IN hts messages To
Congress reftrTcj 10 the possibility of
commercial reciprocity bat hr was acting
nn thc defensive. and naturally had re-
course To generalization. which seemed TO
deprive the council Of it, political char
arirr. Those who had projected he Con
Src>~ contemplated the organization Of a
defensive league against European ag-
-r,>>jou, which had recently plotted the
rc-,>tabl>hmrnt Of Spanish tyranny in
South and Central America. There were
among Boltyar'~ followers advocates Of an
aggressive policy aimed to accomplish the
liberation Uf Porto ktCc and Cuba and il
Wa this fact that alarmed the southern
senators. who naturally apprehcndcd a
Slave iusurrrctlon ia their own States. IL
those islands were - ne rcyolutloniGri a.
'hr result ~ the Panama Congress. Com
nrfciL consideration, had a small part in
'h4t j.-d.rv"tcd aud unsuccessful attempt
~ concentrate American forces and inter
r-t~ MIN Monroe Doctrine itself which
had only recently been proclaimed was
regarded with suspicion by the Spanish
American republics ami the United States
ENJOYS were virtually instructed to inter
pTrt X A. the assertion Of a benevolent
privilege on the part Of the strongest
Power to offer friendly advice 10 weaker
States. The scheme for concerted ac-
ZION which Boliycr aud his friends had
tn view was political rather than CONNER
cial IN is scope, and MIR. Clay a. Is ap-
parent from hi State papers. fully under
stood the limltatlonsSt the Congress
The conditions under which the second
international American Congress has as
~cmhicd are utterly unlike those under
which Mr Clay'- enterprise was brought
70 nauGht, The menace of European in