The sun. [volume] (Morris, Stevens County, Minn.) 1882-1895, 1889-10-10
International American Congress.

This great body met in Washing ton, where
the delegates were met by Secretary of
state Blaine, Iwho, without the cere-
mony of formal introduction welcomed per-
sonally each and all of the delegates. After
few minutes thus employed the delegates
were seated, and Secretary Blaine, standing
at one end of the long central table, spoke
in substance as follows:
Your presence here is no ordinary event. 1t
signifies much to the people Of all America to-
day. 1t may signify far more in the days to
come No conference Of nations has ever as
sembled to consider the welfare of territorial
possessions so vast and to contemplate the pos
slbities of a future SO great and so inspiring.
The delegates whom l am addressing can do
much to establish permanent relations of conf
dence respect and friendship between the ma
tions they repre- sem. They can show to the
world an honorable and peaceful conference of
seventeen Independent American powers. in
whicn all shall meet together on terms of abso-
lutte equality: conference in which there can be
no attempt to coerce a single delegate against
his own conception of the interests of his ma
tion: conference which will permit no secret
understanding on any subject, but will frankly
publish to the world all its conclusions: con-
ference which will tolerate no spirit of conquest,
but will aim to cultivate an American sympathy
as broad as both continents; conference which
will form
NO SELFISH ALLIANCE
against the older nations from which we are
proud to claim Inheritance; a conference, in
fine, which will seek nothing, propose nothing,
endure nothing that is not in the general sense
OF all the delegates timely and wise and peace
full We meet in the firm belief that the nations
of America ought to and can be more helpful,
each to the other, than they now are, and that
each will find advantage and profit from
larged intercourse with the others. We believe
that we should be drawn together more closely
by the highways of the sea. and that at no dis
tant day the railway system of the North and
South will meet upon the isthmuS and connect
by land routes the political and commercial cap
itals of all America. We believe that hearty CO.
operation. 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. We believe
| that spirit of justice, of common and
| equal interest between the American states will
leave no room for an artificial balance of power
| like unto that which has led to wars abroad and
drenched Europe in blood. We believe that
| friendship, avowed with candor and maintained
| with good faith will remove from American
| states the necessity of guarding boundary lines
| between themselves with fOrtitications and mil
| tary force. We believe that standing armies,
| beyond those which are needful for public order
and the safety of internal administration, should
| be unknown 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 recognized rule of administration
| between American nations and in American Da-
tions. To these subjects, and those which arc
cognate thereto the attention of this conference
is earnestly and cordially invited by the gov
| ernment of the United States.
MR. BLAINE MADE PRESIDENT.
At the conclusion of the address, which
was received with an amount of enthusiasm
somewhat remarkable in body OF this char
acter, Secretary Blaine retired Hon. JohI
B. Henderson of Missouri was elected presi
dent pro tenn, and appointed committee O.
| five on organization. The committee re
| tired, and in a few minutes returned with
! a recommendation, which was Immediately
adopted, that Secretary Blaine be named a.
| president of the congress
| The magnificent train of the Pennsylvania
company, which is to convey the delegates
on their long journey, arrived here to-da!
anu stands practically ready to receive thos
who are to be it's occupants for the mex
forty days DR.. Sternberg, of the army, goes n
surgeon of the congress He was selected b.
tine secretary of war for this duty because O.
his familiarity with the Spanish Language
and the Spanish American people. 1h
American delegates rave been assigned
to berths in each of the sew
eral cars, thus enabling them to mingl
more freely with the foreigners and promot
the friendship already initiated here Th
| delegates TO the international congress hav
| received invitations to no less than forty
| two banquets in the various cities which ar
included in the itinerary of the trip, an
about twenty of these invitations have beel
accepted.