St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1889-10-19
AMERICAN CONGRESS.
A Welcome Extended by Secretary
Blaine.


INFORMAL LUNCH TO THE DELEGATES
WASHINGTON, Oct. 2.-Shortly before
noon the delegates to the international
American Congress left their headquarters
at the Wallach mansion and repaired in
body to the State Department. All the
delegates to the congress were present
with the exception of Mr.. Coolidge, of
Boston, who will Join the party later on
After short stay in the waiting room, the
delegates were escorted by Assistant Sec
rotary Adee to the diplomatic reception
room. Here they were met by Secretary
Blaine, who, without the ceremony of
formal introduction, welcomed person.
ally each and all of the delegates. After
few minutes thus employed, the dele
gates were seated, and Secretary Blaine,
standing at one end of the long central
table, spoke as follows
Gentlemen-Speaking for the people and
Ihe United States, bid you welcome.
Your presence here is no ordinary event
1t signifies much to the people of all Amer
ica to day. 1t may signify far more in
days to come. No conference of nations
has ever assembled to consider the welfare
of their territorial positions SO vast, and to
contemplate the possibilities of future so
great and so inspiring. Those row sitting
within these walls are empowered to speak
for nations whose borders are on both the
great oceans whose limits are touched by
the Arctic waters for a thousand miles
beyond the Straits of Behring; whose
southern limits extend as far as human
habitation can be found.
''This must impress the people with &
sense of gravest possibility touching
~ oho md IF heir
respective nationalities. The delegates
whom | am addressing can do much to e=-
tablish permanent relations of confidence,
which they represent This is confer
ence which will tolerate no spirit of con-
quest, but will aim to cultivate an Ameri
can sympathy between both continents
conference which will form no selfish ALI
ances against the older nations from which
we are proud to claim Inheritance; con-
ference, in fine, which will seek nothing,
prize nothing, endure nothing that is not
in the general sense of all the delegates
timely and wise and peaceful.
"And get we cannot be expected to Cor
get that our common fate has made US the
inhabitants of the two continents which,
at the close of four centuries, are still re-
garded beyond the seas as the New World.
Like situations beget like sympathies and
impose like duties. We meet in the firm
belief that the nations of America ought
to and can be more hopeful each to the
other than they are now, and that each
will find advantage and profit from an en-
larged intercourse with the others.
1--WE believe that we should be drawn
together more closely by the highways of
the sea, and that at no distant day the rail
way systems of the North aud South will
meet upon the Isthmus and connect by
land routes the political and commercial
capitals of all America.
owe believe that hearty cooperation.
based on hearty confidence, will save all
American States from the burdens and
evils which have long and cruelty afflicted
the older nations of the world.
1--WE believe that a spirit of justice, of
common and equal interest between the
American States, will leave no room for
an artificial balance of power like unto
which has led to wars abroad and drenched
Europe in blood. We believe that friend
ship, avowed with candor and maintained
with good faith, remove from American
States the necessity of guarding boundary
lines between themselves with fortiica-
lions and military force.
eve believe that standing armies, be-
You'd those which are needful for public
order and the safety of internal admins
tration, should not be known on both
American continents.
"We believe that friendship, and not
force, the spirit of just law, and not the
violence of the mob, Should be the recog-
niZ I'd rule Of administration between Amer |
lean nations and IN American nations.
''To these subjects and those which are
cognate thereto the attention of this con
ference is earnestly and cordially invited |
by the government of the United Stetes |
1t will be a graat gain when we shall &C.
quire that confidence upon which all inter
national friendship must rest. 1t will be |
d greater gain when we shall be able to |
draw the people of all Anne rican nations !
into closer acquaintance with each other,
and to be facilitated by more frequent and
more rapid intercommunication. 1t will |
be the greatest gain when the personal and
relations of tho American
States, South and North, shall be SO de-
veloped and so regulated that each shall
acquire the highest possible advantage
rom the enlightened and enlarged inter I
course of all.
before ne Conference shall formally
snlet upon the discussion of the subjects to
5e submitted to it, am instructed by the
President 10 invite all the delegates to be
he guests of the government during a
visit to various sectioLs of the
with the double view of showing
20 our friends from abroad the condition
Of the United States, and giving to our
,wn people in their homes the privilege
ind pleasure of extending the warm well
come of Americans to Americans"
At the conclusion of the address, which
vas received with an amount of enthusi-
ism somewhat remarkable IN body of
his character, Secretary Blaine retired
ind the following resolutions were adopted:
Resolved, That this Congress names as
PRESIDENT pro TEN. the Hon. John B. Hen
lerson, delegate to this Congress, repre-
enting the United States of America
Resolved, That committee of five
members be appointed by the president,
whose duty it shall be to designate the re-
,ort to the Congress on its reassembliDg
q November next, such committees as in
lis judgment should be appointed to facil-
tate the business of the Congress and the
lumber of members which each committee
hall have"
Mr.. Henderson, of Missouri, took the
hair, and under the last resolution the
Glowing COMMITTEES on organization was
nnounced by the chairman:
Senior Romero, the Mexican minister
ouncillor Lafayette, Rodriguez Pereira.
{ Brazil DR.. Alberto Nina of Uruguay
r. Horatio Guzman, of Nicaragua, and
IT. Jose M. Hurtado, of Colombia.
The committee retired, and in few
returned with recommendation,
ts.lx daratad that Son-