New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-11-23


politically sapacious. 1t was partially an
nouncod nv President Washington, through
Secretary jefferson, as early as in II %, and
then made applicable to the state of affairs in
France at accords with our principles" said
Mr. Jefferson. Ito acknowledge any Govern
mont 70 he rightful which is formed by the will
Of the nation substantially expressed" Inc
ouaIifvjne phrase here employed may, OF course
be variousIy interpreted, but the test to apply
TO a new Government to show whether or not
il exists by popular consent, Is one Oh COM
petencv. II is not necessary that the people
shoud take a vote for or against it. If 1t Is
able TO be form its obligations, and If the peo-
ple are orderly under It's operations, 1t has been
our policy to recognize it, and in determining
these questions we have taken a generous view
of the situation. Every reasonable assumption
has been in favor of the de fact0 Government.
Mr.. Van Buren,, while Secretary of State went
indeed to the extreme of declaring that so
far as we are concerned, that which is the
Government de facto is equally SO de Jure'"
and while this principle has never been acueu
upon in formally recognizing a new order .,
things, its profession by Mr. Van Buren, wei
illustrates the liberal policy of our statesmen
It is policy based on the right OF people 10
soft ND such governing systems as they please,
and ON orr interest in culdvating friendly re-
lations with any system thus formed.
H. is left to the Executive, and to him alone,
70 nerform the act which admits a new Govern
ment into good fellowship with our own. There
may he circumstances in which considerations
Of expediency prompt him to consult Congress-
nc Jackson did when he knew that the recOg-
milton of Texas would mean war with Mexico,
or as any President would need to do if he COM
bined recognition with convention. The SUI
preme Court. however, has affirmed the doc
trnc frequently that under the Constitution
the Executive authority is complete, and Mr..
Seward put the principle into these unequivocal
words THE question Of recognition OF for
eign revolutionary or reactonary Governments
is one exclusively for the Executive, and can
not be determined internationally by Con-
gressiona action" Revolutions in South
America have been so frequent since the Span
Sh- American States began to grow FESTIVE
under transatlantic authority that we have been
frequently called upon to give expression to
our policy on this important question. 1t has
generally been given 50 readily that our hand
has been the first to welcome new conditions,
especially when they were in harmony with
republican ideas. We have always been quick
to encourage the growth of free government
and the extinction Of class claims President
Harrison may therefore be expected to act to-
ward Bail generously and quickly. There
is no need for haste, nor is haste de-
mandcd by the newly formed authority at
Rio. 1t has already called for an election early
in December of popular representatives, to
whom it will commit the nations welfare. 1t
arrogates nothing to itself but the right to con-
tinue the orderly administration Of affairs mean-
while. 1t is our obvious policy to cultivate
kindly relations with Provisional Government
thus sensible and patriotic, and to await the
action Of the Brazilian people.