Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1841-07-16


The House rosuming the consideration OF the reso
luton of Mr.. Floyd, in continuance Of the debate oil
yesterday, Mr.. Gushing said
In the hasty remarks on this subject, when SUB
mtted to the House yesterday, commented on the
general spirit of the speech of the gentleman from
Pennsylvania, (Mr. 1ngorsoD and on s,lndry Incl
den al topics introduced into the speech Of that gen
tlcman. | reviewed also the foreign policy of MI.
Van Buren, more especially in relation to Great BIZ
tain beginning with the notorious instructions OF MI.
Van Buren, to Mr.. McLane, his first great act as Sc
creary Of State, and tracing the subject down to the
close OF his administration as President of the United
States. 1endcavorc also to exhibit to the House the
party consequences to the present Opposition OF an
attempt their part, to stimulate the war feeling OF
the People of the United States, and showed that any
such attempt could not but operate eventually to con-
solldac the power of the present Administration, IN
whose han the issue Of war or peace must, OF ne
ccssity rest. now propose to discuss the merits OF
| the question before the House
| When thus speak of the merits, do not mean the
merits of the case of Alexander Mcleod, but the
merits Of the discussion pending, and OF the concerted
attack on the foreign policy of the Administration
undertaken by the Opposition in both Houses OF Con-
gress shall avoid to-day, as did Yesterday, the
points debated in he Senate. 1t would be idle for me
TO rcargue the particular things which have been dis
cusscd there SO fully, ably, and trlumpiantly by
eminent Senators To do so would be
"'To Gid refined gold, to paint the lily,
| Or add perfume to the violet"
| Nor do stand here now to make apologies for the
foreign Department, of the American Government or
merely to defend the of the Secretary of State
My purpose on the contary, lstoattack the course
Of the Opposition in this natter AMI to show that, if
not the obje t, yet the tendency and end OF ihsir
to substitute for the true issue between the
United States and Great Britain n alse one; to play
into the hands of England to force the Government
of the U. States, if they may to abandon the npreg
nale fortress of right and to drive the country to the
edge of prccipcc, over which, if the nation should
fall it would, like The rebel angels in Milton, he hurl
I'd down. as it were from the heaven of its present
lofty position into the bo,,omess abyss of error and
| I is he t,,nt q nd npyI
result of the argument Of the opposition, as will IN
der,ake to demonstrate.
The question involved in the case of Mcleod is a Sc
Con1ary and incidental onc-ncideEta to the main
question of the attack the Caroline. To appreciate
the position of the United States in the whole
matter therefore, it is necessary go back to the
original fact.
What was that fact ? Instruction and civil ex
listed in the British Province of Upper Canada con-
tcrninous with the territory of the United States
That insnrecton had Itsroo in causes which appeal
ed rtcsstibly to the sympahes of the People of the
Unitei States to their revolutionary recolec,ions
and to their innate love Of liberty. 1t was question
of colonial inleocndnnce, of republican feeling, ofove
for liberty and of the right of sefgovernment. 1t
was impossible for the people of the United States not
to svmpathz with the nsrgont party in such
To do so was no fault of theirs but on the contrary
a merit lfanv disorders occurred our side of the
line for those disorders Great Britain, not the United
States responsible Great Britain was respon-
slbe for all the unavoidable consequences Of her
, msgovernncnt of her own Colony, or the agitation
|
Of the line well as hers; for it the ordinary case
Of two nelghbors occupying parts of the same house,
in which, if one of the cotenanis sets fire TO his part
Of the house, either by carlessness or by malice is
his fault which involves the other in the common
lamty. That individual citizens of the United States
the frontier should be dsnosed to aid the nsurgent
Canadians, the natural and necessary fact but
the Government Of the United S atos exer,ed sef
and exered itself efficiently, to restrain its citizens
the English Government itself has again and again
n avowed IN the strongest terms. Nay, it owing
to the strict observance Of neutrality the part OF
the United STATES that the Canadas not, thai
time, lost to Great Britain
s The United States, in this respect are above re-
proach, ard least Of ALL can Great Britain make on,
J., tines permitted and frequently encouraged her sub
iccts to enlist, no, by individuals only, hut by whole
, ha,laons. in the civil wars of other nations. when
il was, she imagine it was for her interest
e No commoion could exist III any part of the world
S in Euronr Asia, Africa or America into which she
! did not thrust herself as government allow hei
subjects TO Intervene. The spirit of universal inter
# modelling characteristic OF her Whole foreign po-
It ley. The United Stacs on the contrary took g
higher and bier view of their duty government
d T'cv did not allow themselves to inquire what was
for their interest; they did not found their foreign po
e lcv upon so~dd consideration; they did not under
i take bascv prrvatcate in International que,ti..-
$ by pretending to be neutral ns Government, while
q heir people were let 10 Sc as ind vduas to organize
4 war against fns-iVn power. They adopted, az the
/ spirit of tn ir foreign policy The same ,cple which
i animated their domestic institutions, viz: the asser-
ton and maintenance Of moral right the only true
guide for the conduct of nations well men. For
the safeguard of their own honor as nation, for tn,
p love Of the eternal principles of righ the L. States
have, by long system of legislation established e
4 public Icy of neutrality national and individual in
their foreign relations. In this we have set the
I ample to the world-nn example viii h England her.
self in her own legislation On the subject, has beer
Q c'nrnus in profession, at least to fol ow.And wher
. the troubles in Canada broke ont, the Federal Gov
If ernmen, nerposed in good faith to check, and 81
n far possible prevent all interference therein h
E. par Of the people of he United States.
,, Great Britain, on the other hand, At nearly the
is same period oftime, exhibited the pecacle of allow
n ing whole regiments Of their subjects 10 enlist
II and equip themselves in her ports, for the pur
IS pose Of cngaglnt as mercennrles IN the civil wars
n Spain and Portugal. Nay. a member Of Parliamcn
i tool, the command of British legion engaged in h
ar civil war in Spain attended in his place the ous
Is of Com in the intervals of his campaigns and ha
10 been kninhodby the English Government in recon
or pense Of his service. IN that war. multitude q
other conspicuous examples might be cited, in confr
ST nation Of which is the fact that when, in the yea
g 1919 the English Government procured the passag
IN Of an act to prevent estmtnt the service of tn
he Spanish colonies against Spain that oppose
sh by many of the most eminent men in England, an,
st in part by the same men now IN nowcr there hcin
IT. departure from he ancient and long continued po
N icy of England which without any admitted hrtac
o. of its neutrality, had, furnished supplies munion
g, ofwar and men for one party or the other, in ha
re the rivil wars of Europe.
he repeat, therefore that in general matter Of III
of troubles in Canal the conduct of the United .tatc
in altogether above rcpronch, at least so far
On regarded Great Britain. And it was under these Gil
i, cums'snrcs and Notwithstanding the highminde,
ii, neutral policy Of the United States that the attack
tv the Caroline took place And therefore unless thel
IA. something in the particular circumstances of ii
,at Of the Caroline 10 take il out of the rencr
Of principles of national right, that attack who'll
ell unjusrifable and confors on the T. states ind.
n putablc claim on Grea, Britain for redress.
th Was there anything in those circumstances TO col
ey s'itue such an exception There is but one sonr