THE. New Zealand Herald AND DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS. FRIDAY, MARCH 6, 1885.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXII, Issue 7269, 6 March 1885, Page 4

THE. New Zealand Herald AND DAILY SOUTHERN CROSS. FRIDAY, MARCH 6, 1885.

The inaugural address of President Cleveland to the United States Congress, the heads of which are given in to-day's telegrams, appears to have been very comprehensive and thoroughly American in its sentiment. In the act of assuming office he bravely recalls his countrymen to the importance of their political creed, commonly known as the Monroe doctrine. For some time past there has been a growing tendency on the part of some of the most ambitious of American statesmen, either from a wish to get rid of the monotony of an everlasting and exclusive devotion to questions of internal legislation, or in the hope of acquiring greater notoriety, to manifest a weakness for dabbling in Foreign politics. To this class the opponent of Mr. Cleveland in the late Presidential contest (Mr. Blaine) avowedly belonged. In fact, he was the recognised leader of the party who were desirous of making the power of the American nation felt beyond the limits of its own territory, and went in for what they chose to call a spirited Foreign policy. Singularly enough, however, this policy was dressed out in the Monroe garb, and proclaimed a sort of dictatorship of the New World in opposition to the ©retentions of the Old- It assumed the right to put forward Americanism as the sole arbiter not only of all matters specially affecting the United States, but also of all pertaining to any part of the American Continent, saving it might be the portion of North America belonging to Great Britain. It was in its character and aim not relational, but essentially antagonistic. The most significant manifestation of its spirit and • tendency were witnessed while Mr. Blaine acted as Foreign Secretary under the Presidency of Mr. Garfield. In the most unscrupulous manner this bold and able functionary demanded for his Government the exclusive control of the Panama Canal, while at the close of the fierce war that took place between the States of Chili and Peru, he assumed for that Government the right not only to dictate the terms of peace to the belligerents, but to forbid their asking or accepting the mediation of any European Power. This was the doctrine of Monroeism extended far beyond wnat was originally thought of, and so eager were its advocates in their attempts to enforce it that they incurred the risk of involving their country in serious disputes with some of the European nations, which it was the express aim of that doctrine to save it from. Had Mr. Blaine been successful in his candidature, there can be little doubt that the vigorous prosecution of that policy would hare been reverted to, and that America would have been thus, dragged into, not perhaps entangling alliances, but certainly strained if not hostile relations. Such contingencies have been obviated by the election of Mr. Cleveland, and the clear enunciation of the Monroe doctrine in its primitive form which he has just made. On the other points in the President's address not much need be said. The reform of. the Civil Service, which he recommends, is beyond dispute greatly required—more, perhaps, in America than in any other country in the world. Nor is this fact a matter for astonishment when it ie recollected that wherever there is the greatest freedom there the greatest abuses are sure to be found. In social politics, as in other departments of human life and action, extremes meet. The repression of polygamy referred to is a necessity imposed on the American Legislature by virtue of thievery law of liberty whose operation provides for the production of contrasts. Not a little might be said on the proposal to grant equality to freedmen. A morbid social feeling skill stands in the way, even in the United States, of all men being recognised as entitled to the same rights which pertain to their common humanity. It is the mission of a true Democracy, however,to bring the principle into practice,in daily life, and President Cleveland speaks the voice of the party now in power, by assigning to it a becoming prominence in his address. That voice he also gives utterance to in recommending the exclusion of the Chinese from the United States; though, unfortunately for his consistency, the law of humanity, as also of interna*

tional reciprocity, here fails him. Even a President of the United States cannot be expected to prove the acme of perfection; bat, making allowance for this -weakness in the joints of his policy, the address of President Cleveland must be acknowledged as distinguished by much ability and manliness.