Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1841-09-27
= 4 III 4 % ~ 4. g Il = =.
FIRST SESSION.
SPEECH OF JOHN QUINCY ADAMS,
OF MAssAcnusfTrs,


10 Hc Mcleod case.
llonsR OF RrpnisENrATIvns, September 4. 1871
Nj. ADAMS said Mr.. SPEAKER: have been
oil npini"n that thus resolution has occupied TAT
more 81 the time OF The People In Tins luose than
II ought, aud had fully determined not to add this
snpeilnhY OF discussion one word OF my avn. But
alter coming into the House tins morning. finding
mouou rendmg 10 lay the resolution on the liable
and tie Yeas aud nays called upon that moiou-
pcrecyIng also that the House have nothing else to
do, sudden impulse urges me, all unprpaied, 10
ash the nduig Il the House IN present some of
my views upon he subject aud finley should prove
dcsntoy aud Disconnected To overlook thai inf m
ny without holding me 10 II rigorous adherence to
The resolution itself, but allowing mn Ia touch oo.
easonally ut least, upon topics oolcially connect
ed With It.
Aud first, | observe, thai we have one rrca, and
mos formidable issue oi peace aud war pending br-
tween ns aud Great Btliam; aud the frs, question
which occurs 10 me -, What Is the Obj CT OF this
solution - what purpose was IL offered and Tor
What purpose has the House been agitaed with II
hon The very commencement of the SEES ION This
day !-lhf eenlcman who offered The resoluIion
dsel'lmel all raily pnrposes-hu btoaihed IN II lofty
atmosphere, elevated high above that OF party; but
what sort oi comprehension had both the friends
aud the opponents al % resolution pat upon II
No patly comp xion, Oh no Laughter l.
No; II was PATRIOTISM pure palrioilsm !-palI,ol-
ISM pure aud unde filed Renewed hughle, l.
sides ol the tieusr, credit ior whatever patriotism
they pfatessed but sure II was. that pau tism
a Coat oi many cnl3rS, and suited 10 very iforent
mpeX'oes-l laughter and II II had not been
ot thai unquahhrd profession o PATRIOTISM and
party, which had iuus through tins House from
every gentleman who had supposed tins Iesou ion.
he should have felt bound 10 believe II the raukest
pnf1y measure tint ever was introduced INTO
die House. y lngh.1 10, what Is Tins ,esolu>
ion The Unfed States are tins moment IN II cti,-
cal SITUATION. III thclf relations II peace aud war with
the most powerful nation on the face OF the globe
a nation rs, by the gentleman aimed ~ by Tins res.
oluuon, was most suikingly sad, the tap oi whose
fcveIe drum, begin my with the rising sun. travels
with him round the terraqneous globe. With this
nalion we have already one great and omdablc
question fostering 10 an issue, and III which We
clear rl2l aud she Is clearly wrong. Now !, Tor
one am not disposed to multiply Issues with her,
aud especially not for rendering 10 her an issue
upon winch we ourselves are winDg-and upon
winch she ~ lar better prepared iof immediate ag-
erosion or defence Than we can DE-. For up
On that very bofder where this resolution tends 10
provoke hostile invasion, she is arm, up To the eyes.
while we are all but decnCeess. Sh, has station
ed there III military array an army nearly double IN
number TO the whole army OF The Unit' d Siates-an
amy well appointed aud ready 10 strike al woid.
Aud YOU have lInc Of Siatesaud popuons bord !,
with nothing bat RIVER between III EN- and the BIl-
ish army, who al a signal from Ih.lf commander,
could sweep through thousand miles OF youi
country with fire aud sword nn1 desolaion, aud fall
back into their sllonghods beyond tho river, al
most before tie knowledge Of their lneutsion could
reach tins metropolis oi your county.
Now, wul regard 10 lie Northeastern Boundary,
The ~ lat IL al side, aud the wrong wholly
pu the side oil G,ca BuOaln. We eau concede no
lhIhg. Our right mus be maiulained-peaccably II
can, toIclbly II We must. For say 10 tins House,
Thai from the bottom OF my soul believe we Ought,
# called upon and required 10 put forth our whole
strength aud sacrifice The blood aud treasure Of lhIs
nation To MAINTAIN our rlghls upon that issue
With regard The other question, | would say,
that am not disposed TO make unnecessary addi
u'nal issues upon matters when have no imne-
dtaie come Clon wnh that Tor believe that the
wand Of impartial Judges would be against us. What
Is the object Of tue resolution! It's 10 make an
issue win Great B,ta,n-an issue oiiIght OF wrong
upon the affair OF the burning OF the Caroline. No,
SIR; never shall my vo.ce be ior gong 10 war upon
that issue. hold II, IN the first place. as maxim,
that American statesmen ought, before engaging
tnelT country IN war with Great Britain, To be CA
uemcly careful not TO multiply issues "nh that
country. We hay now one winch Is full enough
TO exercise US Tor y,ats TO come, aud the cost Is
much moe than | am wiling 10 speah OF al tins
Tune, aud that issue must come, as believe Ger
tlnIy would not avoid ii by any sacrifice OF any
KIND. But mhle say lhal, will not multiply The
ISSUE, aud more especially viii not add TO that
issue other issues, upon winch, when we 90 10 d
ihrd POWER to aIblltate upon IT, they will BAY we
dre wong. Ga To war, aud the far fields Of the
State II Ne" 1olk may be dcluged IN blood. The
State oi New l"fk may be ransached by foreign
enemies, aud nepafable n uiy nay be doue 10
lis pto ple. And II The issue must be terminated
with peace, II must be- either by golialioD he
tween The parties themselves, or through ii thrJ
Power The will be decided against u.s. We
should be told by any other nation that II Is not Tho
tinng loi us 10 quaIrcl about.
have not The time, II were possessed OF the
information, 10 give history OF The affair OF The Car
one; aud II Is know as much totvefy member OF the
House as II Is 10 me. We have heard great dea! oil
talk about territorial ghts, and Independence aud OF
State shts. But III aqueson Of that hind other ma
uons do not W. much 10 your State ighis, nor to
sodr Independence questions. lhey viii not talk
vi your independent but they will say who is right
aud who wrong. Who struck the dist blow, take
II, will be the main question with them. | take II
that the late affair ol the Caroline as IN hostile ar
ray gaust the Brush Government, aud that the
paIies concerned III II were employed III acts against
II E; aud do Subscribe 10 the very learned OPT.
lon OF the Chle Justice OF the Statc OF New York
(not, hear tie Chet Justice. bul Judge Of he
Supreme Couft OF thai Saic,) hat lhcle was no ac
ot eomnllt d. Nor do subscribe 10 II that e,-
eiy nation goes to war on on issuing declaration
/ OF proclamation OF war. his IS not the Tact. Ma
uons ulten ~a-e wal Tor years without issuing any
de, lara ION If The Question is not here upon
a declaration OF war, 6u' acts Oi war. And | say
that III the Judgment oil all Impartial men OF other
ions, shall be held Il natlon responsible
| that the Caroline, there, IN state OF =
gainsl Gtedl Butlin; for Puip9ses oi war, aud the
worst KIND oil "d-tU sustain an nsuriection will
not say rtbeliIon because rebellion is = crime, and
because | heard tnen talked as OF ''pauiots." Yes,
aud have h ard in the course oi the discussion
here, these paltlots represented as caiIylng on d
! assisted