Lincoln telegraph. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1836-1846, 1841-09-30

tally not for rendering to her an issue upon which
we ourselves are wrong-and upon which she is
far better prepared for immediate aggression or
defence than we can be. For upon that
very border where this resolution tends to pro-
yoke hostile invasion, she is armed up to the eyes,
while we are but defenceess. She has stationed
there in military array an army nearly double in
number to the whole army of the United States
an army well appointed and ready to strike at
word And you have line of States and pop
ulous border, with nothing but a river between
them and the British army, who at a signal from
their commander, could sweep through thou
sand miles of your country with fire and sword
and desoation, and fall back into their strong
holds beyond the river, almost before the knowl-
edge of their incursion could reach this metropo-
lis of your country.
Now, with regard to the Northeastern Bounda-
ry, the right is all on our side, and the wrong
wholly on the side of Great Britain. We can
concede nothing. Our right must be maintain
ed-peaceably If we can, forcibly if we must
For say to this House, that from the bottom of
my soul believe we ought, if called upon and
required, to put forth whole strength and
sacrifice the blood and treasure of this nation to
maintain our rights upon that issue. With re-
gard to the other question, would say, that | am
not disposed to make unnecessary additional is
sues upon matters which have no immediate
connexion with that for believe that the award
OF impartial judges would be against us. What
Is the object ofthis resolution It's to make an
issue with Great Brtain-an issue of right
wrong upon the affair of the burning of the Car
olne No, sir; never shall my voice be for 60
ing to war upon that issue. hold it, in the first
place, as a maxim, that American statesmen
ought, before engaging their country in a war
with Great Britain, to be extremely careful not to
multiply issues with that country We have now
one which is full enough to exercise us for years
to come, and the cost is much more than l am
willing to speak of at this time, and that issue
must come, as | believe. l certainly would not
avoid it by any sacrifice of any kind. But while
I say that, l will not multiply the issues; and
more especially | will not add to that issue other
issues, upon which when we 60 TO a third power
to arbitrate upon it, they will say we are wrong
Go to war, and the fair fields of the State of New
York may be deuged in blood. The State of
New York may be ransacked by foreign enemies,
and irreparable injury may be done to its people.
And ifthe issue must be terminated with peace,
as it must be, either by negotiation between the
parties themselves, or through third Power, the
issue will be decided against us. We should be
told by any other nation that it is not the thing
for to quarrel about.
have not the time, if were possessed of the
information, to give history of the affair of the
Caroline and it is known as much to every
member of the House as it is to me. We have
heard great deal of talk about territorial rights,
and independence, and of State rights. But in
a question of that kind other nations do not look
much to your State rights, to your indepen-
dence questions They will not talk of your in
dependence; but they will say who is right and
who is wrong. Who struck the first blow,
take it, will be the main question with them.
take it that the late affair of the Caroline in
that the parties concerned in it were employed
in acts of war against it, and | do not subscribe
| to the very learned opinion of the Chief Justice
of the State of New York, (not, | hear, the
Chief Justice, buta Judge Of the Supreme Court
of that State) that there was no act of COM
mitted Nor do subscribe to it that every ma
ton goes to war only on issuing declaration or
proclamation Of war. This is not the fact. Ma
tons aften wage war for years without issuing
any declaration of war. The question is not here
upon declaration of war, bu;acts of war. And
| say that in the judgement of all impartial men
of other nations, sve shall be held nation
sponsibe; that the Caroline, there, was in a state
of war against Great Britain; for purposes of
war, and the worst kind of war-to sustain
instruction / will not say rebellion, because
| rebellion is a crime, and because | heard them
talked of as ''patriots." Yes, and | have heard
in the course of the discussion here, these pa
triots, represented as carrying on righteous
cause, and that we ought to have assisted them
that we ought to have given them that assistance
thata nation fighting for its liberty is entitled TO
from the generosity of other nations. Well, ad-
NIT that merely for moment. If we were bound
to do it, we were bound to do it avowedly and
above board but we disclamed all intention of
taking part in it. And yet there was very little
disguise about this expedition; and that this ves
sci was there for the purpose of hostility against
the Canadian Government ] say, therefore, that
we struck the first blow; and If, instead of press
ing this matter to war we were to refer 1t to a
third Power, even if it should be to a European
/