South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1836-01-30


our commercial marine, with OUR an.
tire shipping, would pass almost in
stantly into the hands of England.
With the exception Of our public arm
ed vessels, there would be scarcely q
flag Of ours af1oat on the ocean. We
grew itch by being neutral while Eng
land was billigerant. 1t was that which
so suddenly built up the mighty fabric
Of our prosperity and greatness. Res
verse the position let England be
neutral while we are belligerent, aud
the sources Of our wealth and prosper
ity would be speedily exhausted.
Ia just and, necessary war, (said
Mr.. C. all these consequences oughs
to be fearlessly met. Though friend
to peace, when proper occasion oc-
ours, would be- among the last to
dread the consequences Of war.
think the wealth and blood Of a coun-
try are well poured on. in maintaining
a just, honorable, and necessary war ;
but ia such war as that with which
the country Is now threatened--a mere
war Of etiquette--a war turning on d
question so trivial as whether an ex.
pIanation shall or shall no. be given
whether il has, or has not been
given, (for that is the real point on
which the controversy turns,) ID puu
in jeopardy the lives and property Of
our citizens, and the liberty and ins,i-
tutions ofour country, is worse than
folly-is madness. I say the liberty
and institutions ofthe. country. / hold
them to be 10 imminent danger. Such
has been the grasp Of Executive pow--
er, that we have not been able to re-
sist Its usurpation, even in period Of
peace and how much less shall We
be able, with the vast increase Of pow-
er and patronage which war must
confer on that dspartmsn t ! In . sound
condition of the country, with our in
stitutions 10 their full vigor,and every
department confined to its proper
sphere, we would have nothing to fear
from war from France, or any other
Power bit our system is deeply dis
eassd, and we may fear the worst ia
being involved in war at such q juRe>
ture.
/ have, Isaid Mr.. yin conclusion,
no objection to the message aud doc.
umen,s going to the Committee on
Foreign Relations. have great con.
fdence in the committee, aud have no.
doubt that they will discharge thais
duty to the Senate aud to the country
with prudence and wisdom, al tina
present trying juncture. Blu, lei me
suggest caution against the hasty a.
doption OF the recommendation Of
the message. To adopt them, would
be to change for the worse the position
which we now occupy 10 this unfortu-
nate controversy, and lead, ! fear, dir
fectly TO war. We are told that
French feet has been sent to the West
ladies', which has been considered az
a menace, with the intention OF ffight-
ening US into hasty measures. Tbs
French Navefnmant itself has said, ia
its official Journal, that it acts on the
defensive, and that there is no Iegi,i-
mate cause of war between the two
countries. We would not be Justified
with these declarations, connected With
the circumstances Of thu case, were
we to regard the sending the fi.st as
menace. We must not forget that we,
in this controversy AREAS my COLLEAGUES
said the other day in debate, the plain-
,iffs, aud France the defendant. II
there must be war, i, must come from
US, not France. She has neither mos
tive nor cause to make war. As weS
then must declare the war, il is NOT
strange that France, after what has
passed, should prepare for the worst !
and such preparation ought fairly to ba
considered, not as a msnace, bat as q
precautionary measure, resulting from
our own acts. But should we in turn
commence aiming, il must be followed
ON the part OF France with Increased
preparation, and again on ours with q
corresponding increase, Till at lengths
the pride and passions OF both parties
would be SO wrought up as to bsras ous
10 opea violence.
l have {said Mr.. CALH,uN) ttIds
freely expressed my opinioa upon this
important subject, feeling deep con-j
viction that neither justice, honor, nor
necessity impel to arms aud that al
war win France, at all ti@ess and
more especially at the present. you'd
be among the greatest calami.ies that
could bs(all the c6antfy.
a. WV. II. MAckAY, who war