Fergus County argus., 1889-10-17
BLAINE's ADDRESS.
The Welcome Extended to the Delegates Of
the Congress Of American Nations.
Oct. 2. 1889

| 'Osentlemen III the Inltfiiatioiiai
American Congress Speaking Tor the
government Of the United States. ] bid
you welcome to this capital. Speak
ing for the people OF the United states,
! bid you welcome to every section
and to every state OF the Union. Iou
come in response to AN invitation ex-
tended 10y the president on the special
aut hOrization of congress. Your pres
ence here is no ordinary event. II
signifies much To the people of all
America to-day. II may signify far
more in the days to come. No con
ference of nations has ever assembled
to consider the welfare ol tcrrii oral
posse essions so vast, and to contem-
plate the possibilities of u future so
great and so inspiring. Those now
sitting wit hin these walls are empOw-
cred To speak for nations whose bor-
,lers are on both the great oceans;
whose northern limits are touched 10y
the arctic waters for thousand miles
beyond the straits of Behring; whose
southern extension furnishes human
habitations furt her below the equator
than is elsewhere possible on the globe.
"While cOnsilerat IONS Of this char
acter must inspire Americans. both
south and north. with the liveliest an
ticipations OF future grandeur and
power, they must also impress them
with u sense OF the gravest RESPONSE
bility touching the character and de-
velopment OF their respective nation
alities. The delegates whom ] am ad-
dressing can do much tn est ablish per-
manent relations oi confidence, re-
spect and friendship between the ma
tions they represent. They can show
10 the world an honorable and peace
iul conference Oi seventeen independent
American powers, in which all shall
meet together on terms Of absolute
equality: n conference IN winch there
can be no attempt tn coerre n single
delegate against his own conception of
the interests oi his nation; IL confer
once which will permit no secret under
standing on any subject. hut VIII
frankly publish to the world all it,
lconcluslons "a ,oni.r nee which VIII
tolerate no spirit oi conquest, but viii
aim to cultivate an American sym
pathy as broad ~ both cont inrnts: -
conference which will form NO selfish
alliance against the other nations
from which We are proud To clam in
heritap'e: II conference, IN Tact. winch
will seek not hing. propose not hing. en-
dure not hing that j. not in the general
sense of al l,- delegates timely and
wise and peaceful.
And Vet We cannot he expected to
forget that our common ai"has made
rs Inhabitants of the two continent :
which. at the close oi tour cent urles.
. are still regarded hcyond the seas ~
the New World. Like situations beset
like synipathies and impose likeduties.
We meet IN the firm bciief That rheia
ions Of America ought tn and can he
more helpful each To lac other than
they now are, and hat each will find
advantage and profit from anenlareri
; intercourse with the others.
I'VE believe we should be drawn %
get her more closely 10y he highways oi
the s~a, and that AT no distant day
the railway system of the north and
the south will meet upon the isthmus
, and connect 10y land routes the po-
lilical and commercial capitals oi alI
America.
We believe that hearty eo-olera
!. tion, based on hearty confidence. vii
I save all American states from he bur
. ,iens aud the evils which have long anl
: cruelty afflicted the oldrr nations %
!, the world.
We believe that II spirit of justice
ol common and equal interest het w--i
the American states will leave no room
for an artiiicial balance oi power lik,
I unto that which has led To war,
J. abroad and lrenched Europe in blood
= I'VE believe that friendship aVOwe,
= wit Il candor and maint aimed with goo,
p. faith will remove from the American
:. states the ne,essli y of guarding bound
=, AIRY lines bet tween themselves with ior
tiiirat ions and military force.
We believe that standing armies
T! beyond those which are neediul 10
T. maintainingpu public order and he ,aiei
= of internal adminlst rat ion. should b
II unknown on both American cont
" nenis.
n. I'VE believe that friendship and no
~. force, the spirit of Just law and moi TIA
n, violence Of the mob. should he he ~,
ognized rule oi administration letwee
American nat tions and in Amerla
;" nations.
e. ''l'o these subjects and those whlc
" are cognate thereto the attention ,
is this conference l. earnestly and coi
m daily invited 10y the government ,
80 the 'nit ed STATES II will bt IA nre;t