Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-11-03

chase. Mr.. Foster notes that Benton failed
to realize at the beginning of his career the
great destiny which awaited his country
west of the Rocky mountains. He cites
speech by Benton in 1929 in discussing a
bill before the Senate fer the occupation
of the Columbia river, which he favored as
the nucleus of a new American republic on
the Pacific to Illustrate the hostile schemes
of Great Britain. Mr. Benton declared that
the republic must have limits and favored
the erection the highest peak of the
Rockies of statue of the tabled god Ter
minus, to stand forever as the uttermost
boundary of the United States. Mr.. Fos-
ter mentions the fact that Benton repented
of this sentiment and caused the sentence
to be stricken from the permanent record
of his speech.
Mr.. Foster declares that the establishment
OF territorial rights in Oregon was of
the utmost Importance, apart from the ex-
tent of the area gained, in that it secured
for the nation foothold upon the Pacific
coast.
In discussing the questions relating to the
Mexican war MIR. Foster says:
The extension of the national domain
has always been popular in the United
States
To this sentiment he ascrbes in large
measure the movement which led to the
annexation of Texas ana the declaration OF
war upon Mexico. the latter of which he
does not hesitate to condemn as an I'M
just act.
The Clnyton-BuIwer Treaty.
In mentioning the services of John NJ.
Clayton of Delaware as Secretary of State
urder Presidents Taylor and Fillmore Mr.
Foster notes that the chief claim of this
statesman to fame is through the Clayton
Bulwer treaty, providing for a joint pro-
tectorate by the United States over the
projected Ncaraguan canal and for its
complete naturalization. Mr.. Foster de-
clares that ''flom the date of it's ratifica-
ton it has been a constant source of dis
crssion and disagreement, and has general
~ been regarded as the most serious dplo-
matte mistake in our history" Later he
says that the treaty was ratified without
much discussion, in the belief that it would
insure at once the construction of the
canal and would exclude British colonial
ton and protectcrates from Central Amer
lea, but 1t was no sooner published than
1t began to be source of dispute as to
It's scope and meaning. Mr.. Foster cites
Secretary Blaine as saying in 1881 that if
was misunderstanding entered into. i'm
perfectly comprehended. contradictorily in
terpreted and mutually vexatious.''
Mr.. Foster treats fully of the meddle-
some work of Pierre Soule in our foreign
relations, particularly in connection with
the proposed annexation of Cuba. Had it
not been for the cool-headedness of Score
tary Marcy this country might readily have
been drawn into by Soule the soul Of
the conference which uttered the remark
able "Ostend manifesto" of 1854.
hlgh tribute to Secretary Seward for
MS careIul management OF the trying for
eign relations of the United States during
the civil war forms one of the most nota-
BILE features of this comprehensive work.
In the eyes of Mr. Foster Seward stands
IN the very front rank of American dip
lomats. He does not seek to conceal Mr.
Stewards momentary lapse from the plane
of caution when at the outset of the trou-
bles he proposed to President Lincoln
schemes and dispatches which would doubt
less have at once plunged this country
into war with England. His subsequent
achievements and sagacious manipulations
Of our foreign affairs gave Seward high
rank among the men who preserved the
republic.
The acquisition of Alaska was one of
Stewards greatest achievements. Mr.
Foster says of it:
1T was the first acquisition of non-con-
tiguous territory made by our government.
but this fact does not seem to have created
opposition to the measure in the Senate"
The Monroe Doctrine
The chapter on the Monroe doctrine is
notable in itself. being a clear, compre-
hensive, dispassionate statement of the facts
which led to the enunciation of this i'm
mortal policy. Mr.. Foster gives credit to
Jefferson for the earliest public statement
of the principle. He disproves the claims
of Claiming to have precipitated the declara-
ton. although that statesman did in fact in
directly cause it's PRONUNCIATION by his over
lures to Minister Rush for joint declara-
ton by England and the United States
against European aggressionS on the re-
VOTED South American states. Tracing the
course of the doctrine to the present time
as affected by modern world politics, Mr.
Foster brings the record down to the
Venezuelan boundary affair, which called
forth the latest and in his mind the broad
est statement of the principle involved. He
calls Mr.. Olney's dispatch to Lord Sails
bury 1.-The most complete and satisfactory