The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1840-04-11


the Northern and Northeastern frontiers In proper and
permanent state Of defence.
Mr. WISE requested Mr.. Hand TO accept as sub
stute therefor or If not substitute, as modlnca-
ton, the following resolution offered by Mr. w on Mon
day last
RESOLVED, That the Secretary OF War be, and he is
hereby requested lay before this House, soon as
practicable, report OF full and connected system oil
national defence embracing steam and other vessels OF
war, and floating batteries" for and harbor de-
fence and national ioundres and the internal means
auxiliary TO these for transportation aud other wsrlke
uses by land and that he be requested TO furnish this
House with the reports submitted 10 his Department at
any time by Major General Edmund P. Gaines or other
person or persons of professional experience, Of their
plans oil Defence" If any such have been submitted,
with the views OF the Secretary OF War thereon. Aud
that the Secretary furnish estimate OF the expenses
Of his own and other plans he report, distinguish
ing such parts Of plans ought to he Immediately
adopted aud prosecuted, with the probable cost and
time OF their prosecution and commencement.
Mr. HAND replied to the request Of Mr.. Wise in
voice low not to reach the ear Of the reporter,
but he accepted the resolution Of Mr.. Wise, as modi-
fcstion. by way of additional resolution TO his own,
And the question being on the resolution as modi-
fed
Mr. WISE said that his resolution embraced
tire system Of national defence-a system which, 1t
seemed him. ought TO have been entered long ago
This Government he would venture to say, in the face
OF a threatened war in the most deenceless cond
ton Of any in the world. There not power on
EARTH civilized barbarous with 1.-THE OF the physi-
cal force which this country could employ that had not
in active operation moro means Of defence than
we In fact our condition was worse than u we had
spent dollar on our system OF for6catlons.--
There scarcely fort on our seaboard that was not
in condition to be taken BY the enemy, and be used
against ourselves instead Of being fort for our own
defence. He would not go into the inquiry whose
fault II was from the time that had the celebrated
excitement the three million appropriation down to
this moment, when stood in the presence of the
British Lion hnself-he would not now stop to inquire
who was to blame for the helpless condition Of our
country left as it was, to the mercy Of any foe that
possessed maratime power. he would not now stop
comment the utter. reckless folly OF war with
Great Britain about few pine logs IN Maine, when our
commerce, national honor. our lives, and every por
lion Of our frontier exposed TO British aggression
and British bayonets
Mr. HAND said he was no aarmst but although he
did not believe there any immediate danger OF war,
he would accept the proposition OF the member from
Virginia as substitute for his own
Mr. WISE ! am no alarmist. have no idea that
there is to be war But go for the necessity OF for
ti6cations upon The liberal scale for peace es-
adjustment.
Mr.. ADAMS appealed to Mr.. Hand to withdraw his
motion for the previous question
Mr. ADAMS proceeded to make some remarks, OF
which the substance may be found below.
lie stated for the benefit Of his constituents, and Of
the immediate neghborhood Of his constituents and of
The People Of the whole country that he did not appre
hend in the slightest degree, that there was any imme-
date danger Of with Great Britain, for years
come. And he founded this opinion on two things
IN the first place, he founded it the Message
Of the President Of the United States at the com
menccment Of the present session in which he (Mr
A thought there not single word OF recon-
mendalon to the People to prepare themselves for that
great and terrible conflict which must ensue whenever
Ernpn thad ot
he tina, Message he concluded in his mind that
there no danger Of war with Great Britain. And
why Because he sure that, II the President OF
the United Staten himself had the slightest apprehen
sion Of danger OF immediate or early COLLISION It
would have been wrong in him not to have recommend
ed very strong and extensive preparations for that event
When, after that Message was delivered, he (Mr. Az
weeks upon weeks pass away under an spprehen-
sion the part Of the citizens Of the United States
and Of many of the members Of this House that there
was danger Of war; when he the correspondence
which had taken place land which had from time
been communicated to Coneress) between the Secre-
tsry OF State and the British Minister herehe confess
ed he had waited TO what ground was that the
President Of the United States had concluded that there
was not the sghes, danger Of collision with Great
Britain at present.
When the last correspondence was communicated
to the Senaie-and when gentleman, the chairman
OF the Committee on Foreign Affairs in this House
(Mr. Pickens) sounded the alarm-an alarm which
nad peTVaueu the WnOe CpunlTy-ne UNIT. A. lett
a degree Of concern and apprehension himself not
then having seen the correspondence. But the very
next morning he IL and, in the last letter from
the Secretary Of State TO the British Minister, he
saw the grounds upon which the President had
come 10 such conclusion, and very safely come to
il. That correspondence as all must have observed,
had been Of an irritating character. There was an
ger passion, feeling upon both sides; and the COM
muny and many members Of Congress, seeing these
expressions Of irritation probably, TO the con-
cusion, unnecessarily as he thought, that there
danger Of an immediate collision.
He SO soon he the last letter OF the Secretary
OF State became satisfied that there such
danger; for in the very heat and tempest Of the
passion the Secretary Of State broke off, and said
that flom the day on which the President of the
United States entered upon the duties Of his Stain,
he had determined that in the event Of the two par
ties not being able to come TO an understanding by
means Of their negotiations, he would propose re-
ference of the great question issue Tor The second
time TO third party. To this the very natural re-
ply of the British Minister was, that this was new
proposition, which he could only communicate TO
his Government as he would Immediately do. And
that was the position in which the matter now stood
One of Two things must be: either there was pro-
position already on the part OF Great Britain TO ac-
cept proposition heretofore made the part OF the
Government Of the United States-and that, of
course, would necessarily prevent collison,-or the
Government Of Great Britain must determine wbeth-
er it would accept of this proposition for reference
Now, he said that the Government OF Great Britain
could not refuse inns proPosllioni ana Wnen Tue
question was referred 10 third Power we should
have from that time forward until al any rate
the arbiirators had come TO decision, which would
take years.
After some further remarks, Mr.. ADAMS proceed
ed say that the reference OF the question TO arbIaos
honorable mode Of proceeding; no nation could
refuse to adopt such course. The British Govern
men he maintained, must compusively, whether they
would not accept the proposition and # not COM
PEELED, they would do it from motives Of policy; and
therefore he concluded there danger Of war.
Tho only doubt he could entertain would be that the
people Of Maine, in the impotence and impetuosity