St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-07-05
CREDIT TO THE COUNTRY.
That It Has Established the Clear
Rights of Neutrality.


Special to the Globe.
STEPHEN, MINI, July AT general
Independence day celebration here the
orator was Gen. G. c. Andrews, of st.
Paul. His topic was the justice which
has characterized the dealings OF the
United States government with foreign
countries. He said:
The intercourse of the United States
with foreign powers forms chapter OF
exceptional interest and credit. Ameri-
cans themselves do not sufficiently appre.
ciate the honor their country is entitled
to for having established the principle
of neutrality, or the right OF every lnde-
pendent nation to remain at peace
while other nations are at war.
This great doctrine, now universally
recognized as an ineOntestable principle
of international laws was established by
the efforts and sacrifices of the United
States during three-QuarterS of cent
ury. No nation has done so much as
the United States to establish the free
dom of the seas. In its dealings with
foreign countries its distinctive and ira
ditional policy has been pacific and
just, and especially devoid of every
thing in the nature of sensation and
buster. A record of this sort during
its whole history is no slight ground OF
distinction. This record is all the more
creditable when one considers the
temptations and provOcati0ns we have
had for wars for territorial aggrandiZe-
ment.
We have had frequent provocations
for war with Spain. Mr.. Evarts, When
secretary of state, referring to her re-
peated unlawful seizures of our mer-
chant vessels in Cuban waters, and 10
the burdens and exactions Illegally I'M
posed on our commerce, stated 1t very
mildly when he declared they
had become well nigh unbearable.
The unlawful seizure by Spanish
authorities of the Virginius on the
high seas and summary execution OF
ffty-three persons found on board.
many of them citizens of the United
States, and several of them mere boys,
without lawful trial, and thus directly
III violation of our treaty with Spain
was, to say the least, a tiagrant
insult to our country. But we
settled with Spain i'll a peaceful man
ner. And yet there still, under Spanish
rule. is Cuba. larger in territory than
the great state of Ohio, capable of sus-
tanning fifteen million inhabitants, al
most in sight of our shores-so near. In
deed, that one can leave our port OF
Key West after supper and arrive IN
Cuba before breakfast the next morn
ing.
So we have had curious causes of dis
pute with England. Charles Sumner
was not alone in thinking that the Ala
bama claims should have been for IN
direct damages amounting to several
hundred million dollars; yet we settled
the matter by arbitration, receiving fif-
teen and a half million dollars. When
one considers how England'S possessions
compass the globe, how vast they are, how
steadily she extends them in Asia and
Africa; especially when one thinks OF
the vaStness OF her territory on the
American continent, and how many
islands she owns in the West Indies,
some of which ale as large as Connect
cut. while we do not possess a single
one-that she even holds the Bermu-
das so near to us; also that
at Jamaica and Halifax at our
very gates, as it were - she has
mighty fortresses and powerful fleets /;
considering these and various other
facts and circumstances, surely the
course of the American government for
undertaking adherence to peaceful ne
gotiatiOns in her dealings with England
has been unparalleled.
DIN 1876, England had on Lake Cham
plain and the five Great Lakes nine
armed vessels with capacity for 800
guns, and the United States had twenty
five vessels with capacity for SIS guns.
though not all the vessels were equipped
nor afloat. But the existence of armed
fleets in those waters, under opposing
flags, would have given occasion to dan
gerOus collisions. The same year negotia-
tions were commenced by the United
States through John Quincy Adams,
then American minister at London.
for the reduction Of this naval force and
| the practical disarmament of the lakes.
| England cordially acquiesoed in the
proposal, and in 1877 an arrangement
was concluded between the two govern
ments which limited their respect
| i've naval forces on those lakes
10 merely three vessels of 100
tons each, and each vessel to carry only
one 1S-pounder gun. This benign result
explains why it is that there are no
navy yards and ships of war on the
Great Lakes. Thus, it was at the i'll
stance of the American government
| that those waters were dedicated to
peace and that dangerous occa-
| sion of collision and even of war have
been avoided. This is one of many eX-
amples where the American govern.
ment has successfully eDdeavored to
broaden and strengthen the foundations
of peace. / claim that the record of our
country for justice and the promotion
of peace in its dealings with foreign
nations is glorious, and calculated to III
spire admiration. And when we hear
enlightened foreigners speak of OuI
country as the Great Republic, we have
| reason to feel that they do not use an
unmeaning expression.