The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1896-01-25
CHAuNCEY TALKS
n an Eloque mt Address He Speaks the
r Words os Peace.

n an Eloque mt Address He Speaks the
Words os Peace.
At the annual meeting Of the State Bar
Association, held in Albany, Chauncey
NJ. Depew said: -..~- 80. 1885,
"You will not expect of me technical
discussion of constitutions. codes or stat
utes. The needs of the state or the coun-
try in these respects will be ably pre-
sented in the papers which will be read
during your session.
"a meeting of the lawyers Of this
great commonwealth has Il profounder
meaning than suggestions for amend
ments to laws or facilities in procedure.
BY virtue of our official distinction as
officers Of the court there devolves upon
us public duties of the greatest import
ance. Never in our existence has OUT
meeting been held at a period SO inter
esting and at the same time so fraught
with dangers. Ours is lawyers gov
eminent 1t was the agitation by patri~
otto members of the profession which
brought on the revolutionary war. 1t
was the conservative wisdom of lawyers
which framed the constitution Of the
United States. Twenty OF our "a presl-
dents have been lawyers, "a OF the %
signers of the declaration Of independ-
ence and 30 of the IS members Of the con-
vention which framed the constitution of
the United States. A large majority of
members Of both houses of congress, and
of both houses of the legislatures of the
several states have always been. and
still are, members OF the profession.
1.-THE checks and safeguards against
revolutionary action which distinguish
the institutions of the United States
from those of all other democracies are
the fruits the wisdom and foresight Of
great minds trained to the law. The best
evidence of healthy public sentiment, or
rather of Christian civilization and en-
lightenment in the law is that today the
man who loses caste in the duel is not he
who refuses, but he who challenges.
1.-THE barbarous, murderOus and uncer-
tain methods of the ancient and the me-
dievial periods still prevail. The alarms
of war agitate the world. The columns
of our daily papers are filled with tele-
grams announcing the rage of nations
and the imminence of their flying at each
others threats. The battle blood which
is the inheritance of the ages, is a flame
for fight. Only one power keeps the ma
tions of Europe from instantly declaring
war. The bankers and business .-on
have become the arbiters betss cen H., ma =
tions. There are only two rAatiohs wnlGH
may be said to be free ION IN .nis thrali-
merceS The areatcsst ministers Of peace
T have ova1. r. ywn were the generals
whosa fanoe ,nllls the world, and whose
victories were in our civil strife---Gran1
ana sl,er,nan and Sheridan. During the
Wscio oJf their lives after the war they
were the apostles and preachers of peace
There are occasions when war is both
right and necessary and a nation must
embark upon it without counting thu
consequences but the issue of war is new.
or certain nor does the arbitrament Of
war always end in right of Justice. Now
is the time for the profession to do {
great work on the lines of lawyers of the
centuries in promoting International ar.
| bitration. The present. dispute between
! the English speaking races which is agi
tating the world calls for both practical
wisdom and legal acumen. There is ne
dissent in this country from the Monroe
doctrine as promulgated by President
Monroe and interpreted by Jefferson
Madison, Webster and Calhoun.
'Yet, any one who studies the Monroe
! doctrine will see how, in each individual
case, except where there is fragrant VIC.
| lation, like the French invasion of Mex.
| leo. the applicable Interpretation of il
should be the subject Of ~r-"-'-r
The presidents message to congress
presents novel yiew Of the principle
| If there is a dispute as to the boundary
| line between a south American repub-
! lie and a European power, now, that
grows insignificant, the territory involv-
I Oh hnxx 1icfon 1v # off tho ;,,Io
pendence of the country or how remotely
| it may interest us; we must demand thai
the two governments arbitrate the line
and if they refuse, we must find out if We
can what the line is and enforce it b!
! war. IT, however. pending our inquiry
the two parties agree, We have no fur.
! tler rights or duties.
'.This seems to surrender the doctrine
| if Venezuela or Brazil chooses to sell G
| portion of its lands. A slight extern.
sion of the principle con1pels us to as
sumo a protectorate over all. these re
| pl1blics Their enterprises and indus
tries are almost entirely. owned or con.
| trolled and carried on by Americans
English and French. Their govern
ments are in almost perpetual revolu.
| ton, and the military dictator of thu
hour confiscates property right and left
except that of foreigners. Ii re could re
" upon the United States to protect him
he would treat the lives possessions ant
business Of the Germans, English, Ital
ians and French with the same impartia
appropriation as he does those of hi
countrymen. These nations would de
hand reparation and redress. This woule
involve the collection of substantial dam
ages, and we would be in measur.
hound to assume the quarrel We might
lat the within of necessities of the success
full military dictator Of Venezuela or tht
Argentines, or Brazil, or Bolivia. or Par
aghary, or Peru, or Yucatan. or Hond,l
ras. or of Chile, be involved in frequen
i wars with the powers of Europe. Thi
would require an immense navy and
large standing army.
THE United States is the only natio,
so situated that 1t can with honor an.
safety move upon the pathway Of peac
Il for an ID ss.
.sINTERN4ATI u COURT. sss..
Il ofE arbitrati on, We have no fear of th,
com tries to the south Or the north Of Us
Land 5is mi les acIossS the ocean I,
! 81 n aEpps e,
81