from various States, and forming a court for the settlement of controversies arising between their several governments, has been proposed. However excellent such a tribunal may be in theory, and however useful it may hereafter be in practice, it cannot be dis- guised, that formidable difficulties oppose its speedy organization. Pacific sentiments must ex Lensively prevail, before governments will be disposed to enter into such an arrangement ; and the erection of such a tribunal must necessarily be preceded by tedious negotiations respecting the relative representation in the Congress, and the powers with which it should be entrusted. In the mean time, the military system would be continued, and its very continuance would render more difficult and distant the estabhshment of the Congress.
Happily there is a mode of " international jurisdiction," more simple, speedy, and practicable, and of which any two nations may at any time avail themselves, without waiting for the co-operation of others. This mode is faintly shadowed forth in our late treaty with Mexico, but in terms " Which keep the word of promise to the ear, And break it to the hope." The 21st Article is as follows : " If unhappily any dis- agreement should hereafter arise between the Govern- ments of the two Republics, whether with respect to the interpretation of any stipulation in this treaty, or with respect to any other particular concerning the political or commercial relations of the two nations, the said Govern- ments, in the name of those nations, do jjromise to each other, that they will endeavor in the most sincere and earnest manner, to settle the differences so arising, and to preserve the state of peace and friendship, in which the two countries are now placing themselves, using for this end mutual representations and pacific negotiations ; and if by these means they should not be enabled to come to an agreement, a resort shall not on this account be had to reprisals, aggressions, or hostihties of any kind, by the one Republic against the other, until the Government of that which deems itself aggrieved, shall have maturely considered, in the spirit of peace and good neighborship, whether it would not be better that such