On general principles of law and reason, the treaties, so called, which
purport to be entered into with other nations, by
persons calling themselves
ambassadors, secretaries, presidents, and senators of the United States, in
the name, and in behalf, of "the people of the United States," are of no
validity. These so-called ambassadors, secretaries, presidents, and senators,
who claim to be the agents of "the people of the United States" for making
these treaties, can show no open, written, or other authentic evidence that
either the whole "people of the United States," or any other open, avowed,
responsible body of men, calling themselves by that name, ever authorized
these pretended ambassadors and others to make treaties in the name of, or
binding upon any one of, "the people of the United States," or any other open,
avowed, responsible body of men, calling themselves by that name, ever
authorized these pretended ambassadors, secretaries, and others, in their
name and behalf, to recognize certain other persons, calling themselves
emperors, kings, queens, and the like, as the rightful rulers, sovereigns,
masters, or representatives of the different peoples whom they assume to
govern, to represent, and to bind.
The "nations," as they are called, with whom our pretended ambassadors,
secretaries, presidents, and senators profess to make treaties, are as much
myths as our own. On general principles of law and reason, there are no such
"nations." That is to say, neither the whole people of England, for example,
nor any open, avowed, responsible body of men, calling themselves by that
name, ever, by any open, written, or other authentic contract with each other,
formed themselves into any bona fide, legitimate association or organization,
or authorized any king, queen, or other representative to make treaties in
their name, or to bind them, either individually, or as an association, by
such treaties.
Our pretended treaties, then, being made with no legitimate or bona fide
nations, or representatives of nations, and being
made, on our part, by
persons who have no legitimate authority to act for us, have instrinsically
no more validity than a pretended treaty made by the Man in the Moon with
the king of the Pleiades.