Lincoln v. Douglas <strong>MUNINN</strong> Volume 2 (2013)and statements made by Lincoln during these debates show us histendency towards abolition, but hesitancy to break with the status quoof the era. Lincoln revealed that he believed all men to have the right to“life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness,” that slavery was immoral(at least in legal terms), that the expansion of slavery into the Westshould be stopped, and that the issue of slavery could be decided as anation by Congress. 79 In the end, Douglas won a state race with a statistplatform, while Lincoln would win a national race with a nationalplatform.79Roy Morris, Jr., The Long Pursuit (New York, Harper Collins Publishers, 2008), 109,114.24
The Treaty of London (1838) <strong>MUNINN</strong> Volume 2 (2013)The Treaty of London (1838):Its Reinterpretation and Impact on the Outbreak andConclusion of the First World War†Micheal CollinsGrand View UniversityFrederick the Great (1712-1786) once said: “All guaranteesare like a watermark, more to satisfy the eyes than utility.” 1 This mightcertainly be the case with guarantees based upon jus gentium, or the“law of nations,” which is a concept left over from the height of theRoman Republic. Jus gentium is a legal and political framework, or aset of expectations and norms, common for all. 2 This ideal isfoundational for European diplomacy with regard to generalexpectations of behavior while respecting differing sovereign law codesof individual nations. The London Treaty of 1839 provides an excellentexample of jus gentium and its complications in diplomacy. In 1914,Great Britain used the treaty as justification in coming to the defense ofBelgium’s neutrality by declaring war on Germany. Just as theGermans invaded, British scholars and legal authorities quickly camewith books and articles on the Treaty of 1839 and its application byeither reinterpreting or redefining its words and utility. One inparticular stands out: England’s Guarantee to Belgium andLuxembourg, written by scholars Charles Sanger (1871-1930) andHenry Norton (1886-1937) in 1915. 3 Like many other publications ofthe period, this book looked at the core of the Treaty of 1839 focusingon the meaning of two words: “guarantee” and “neutrality.” Exploringfurther than other publications, these authors also reviewedinterpretations of the intent and meaning behind those same words asunderstood in every crisis in Europe involving pre-1914 Belgium.Sanger and Norton concluded that the force of the words and status ofBelgian neutrality were being interpreted by the British governmentcorrectly in 1914, thus legitimizing its declaration of war on Germany.Yet, there is sufficient evidence to the contrary. There was no clear†This paper was presented at the 56 th Missouri Valley History Conference, March 2013,Omaha, Nebraska.1Charles Sanger and Henry Norton, England’s Guarantee to Belgium and Luxembourg,with the Full Text of Treaties (New York, Scribner’s and Sons, 1915), Title Page.2Gordon E. Sherman, "Jus Gentium and International Law," American Journal ofInternational Law 12, No. 1 (1918): 57.3Sanger and Norton, 25-48, 77, and 93-113.25
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