Herbert Albert Laurens Fisher Quotes
If a treaty serves its turn for ten or twenty years, the wisdom of its framers is sufficiently confirmed.
Herbert Albert Laurens Fisher, 1865–1940, English Historian, Educator, and Liberal Politician., Political Prophecies, 1918
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2nd Viscount Melbourne. The “American treaty” was the Webster–Ashburton Treaty to adjust the final borders between Canada and the United States that were still in dispute from the War of 1812. Note that the British Prime Minister was critical of the position that was being taken be some British diplomats. In many American negotiations with Russia and others, there are hard liners who believe that the negotiators want too much to preserve peace and are not sufficiently willing to go to war for the nation’s principles and honor. As this quotation shows, this is not just an American phenomenon, but in almost all nations there are hard liners critical of all international negotiations and fearing that a desire for an agreement will undermine the positions that should be taken. This is an example where the hard liners were on the non American side.
Terrorism even then put strains on traditional diplomacy where bombers would take sanctuary or raise money in countries whose diplomatic policy was opposed to terrorism of all types. At this particular time, Irish terrorists would raise money in the United States to support the terrorists bombing English targets.
The Constitution was not drafted until 1787 and was ratified later. In the interim the young United States functioned under the Articles of Confederation, in a sense, our first Constitution. This clause established that the Federal Government should have the exclusive power and authority to conduct foreign affairs.
The notion of Executive Privilege developed over the years. Our first President thought nothing of giving the Senate access to all the papers and records regarding the negotiations of the treaty with Great Britain.
The Republican controlled Senate had turned down the ratification of the League of Nations presented by Democratic President Wilson, and looked like they would turn down any international treaty even if presented by a Republican President. This statement allowed the treaty ratification by only a few votes. However, after that the Senate turned down our participation in the Permanent Court of Arbitration at the Hague. See {640099}.
England in this quotation claims the right to interfere in the internal affairs of another nation if there is mismanagement or crises AND her national interests are affected.
The “proofs” were diplomatic assurances—treaties—that England would guarantee the territorial integrity of Belgium. The British made strong diplomatic efforts to persuade Germany not to occupy Belgium. The German’s none the less send armies in under the excuse that if they did not, the French would occupy the country and have a strategic advantage over them. Diplomacy could do no more good. England had to send troops or renege on its obligations. So England was in WWI.
Herbert Albert Laurens Fisher OM PC FRS FBA was an English historian, educator, and Liberal politician. He served as President of the Board of Education in David Lloyd George's 1916 to 1922 coalition government.
