South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1919-07-03

be there 90 assist the transfer OF
Cuba and Porto Rico from Spain 70
France. and Of the consequent pro-
by Henry Clay. now secretary OF
state i'm Pres't Adams cabinet. in
fulfllmcnt Of the memorable
pledge" Of 1929 that the United
States could not consent TO the oc-
cupati0n OF these islands by any Eu
ropean power other than Spain un-
der any contingency whatever"
About the same time certain OF
the Central and South American re-
publics having called congress
such as Bolivar had long hoped 10
see held. 20 meet at Panama for the
purpose OF discussing the welfare OF
an OF them invited the United
States. as we'll as all the other re-
publics 20 attend. Pres't John
Quincy Adams. who two years be
fore. as secretary Of state had
shaped the original expression OF the
Doctrine" on Dec 1925. sent his
Z, that ne had accepted the invita-
ton 20 the Panama congress and
that ministers on the part OF the
I United States would be commission
ed.
ITO attend at those deliberations.
and 20 take part in them. so far as
+ may be compatible with that neu-
+ trality from which it is neither our
/ intention. nor the desire OF the 9TH
err American states. that we should
depart"
/ Two or three weeks later the
president sent 20 the senate the
names OF two delegates 10 the pro-
posed congress. and OF a secretary 10
! the mission; and the fight for their
/ confirmation began. II lasted near
I Is three months. The senate had
some difficulty in getting all the
papers on the subject from the presi-
/ dent and, after il had them. showed
"a disposition not TO keep them con
/ fidential, as he had requested that il
\ do. The committee on foreign af-
I fairs proved hostile to the president.
submitting a resolution TO the sen
ate reading
1 Resolved. That it is not expedient
at this time for the United States TO
| send any ministers 30 the congress of
American nations assembled at Pan
anna.
/ Eventually this resolution was de
| feated BY a vote OF "A to 10, and
thereupon the two delegates and
their secretary were confirmed
against a similar substantial Opposi-
ton. The debate that preceded the
vote was a long and heated one, to
which Randolph contributed
speech OF four hours duration. Ben
ton of Missouri. who also opposed
the mission. indicates the partisan
character Of that opposition when he
says:
1T was the principal debate of the
session, and entered largely into the
contest. then hot. for party Suprcm-
Rcy-thc administration stalking it,
self upon the mission, as the Opposi-
ton did gainst it," (Boldface mine.)
IWiH history repeat itself 10 the
end, as il is now dOing?l
The Panama congress did not in
fact amount 20 very much. II had
met and dissolved before the con-
troversy in the United States on the
subject of participation was well
over. OF that belated participation
Prof A. b. Hart says: "Of the two
American commissions one never
left the States and the other one
died on the way"
But the debate in the senate. pre-
ceding confirmation. and the con-
| tempOraneous discussion in the
house, remain of great interest as
showing the unreconstructed atti-
tude OF many senator's and con-
gresSmen toward the doctrine"
a few quotations from Benton
Abridgement of the debates of con-
gress may be found pertinent:
Martin Van Buren, of New York
I am against all alliances, against
all armed confederacies, or cOnfed-
eracies Of any sort. care not how
specious. or how disguised: come in
what shape they may / oppose
them The states in question have
the power and the means. il united
and true 10 their principles. to re-
sist any force that Europe can send
against them"
Thomas II. Benton of Missouri.
The maxims of precedence are
the same among individuals and
nations Neither can become too
intimate with the other without
danger Of breaking up all friend
ship between them. The sweetest
wine makes the sourest vinegar.
the best OF friends become the worst
OF enemies, No feuds so bitter a.
those of families. no cause of quar-
reling so common as intimacy over
much. No peacemaker half so pow
erful as distance independence. and
complete separation OF interests,
And 90 my mind, there is infinitely
more danger of making enemies
than there Is chance for gaining
friends in this project for going into
the advising council 20 mix up our
affairs with those OF half a dozen
foreign nations con the
question OF slavery:) IL Is one
which cannot be discussed i'm this
chamber on this day. and shall we
90 20 Panama 10 discuss it, l take
II in the mildest supposed charac-
ter OF this congress Who are 20