The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1844-06-28

"A Secret Journal, 45I) And he old Congress, be-
fore breaking up, IN September 1883, solemnly
Resolved That the free navigation of the river
Mississippi rs clear ana essential right OF The UNI
States, and hit the same ought to be considered
and supported SUCH Secret Journal, 49, Sep
TENDER 10, l77o)
In the convention while forming the constitution,
Governor Morris frankly stated that the fisheries
aud The Mississippi" security 10 them were 'the two
great objects OF the Union."-(3 Madi on Papers,
1928
The whole question, as a national one, was then
sett ed 4 hat was the embryo Of the present crsis
The duty to secure became Imperative as ma
been the duty 10 obtain million and hall oil
square miles OF territory, and what are now nine
millions OF people on the waers Of the Mississippi
aud her tributaries, were for.seen, and were TO DC
shielded in peace as in war and tranquility to Their
institutions, no less than safety 10 their property Of
| every KIND, we're in advance soIemniy guaranteed
| aud were never TO be neglected. On this implied
pledge your public lands have been sold there and
| settled.
1t Is not necessary. at this part OF our i'qury to
detail all the steps since taken under the coo,titu
ton to clrry out faithfully Of those great objects
| OF the Union connected with the Mississippi spain
| resisted and intrigued against all this She
OF the last to accede TO our independence and to
| make any treaty Of lims The nth to tie Flo
rida ne from fear OF our revolt proving example
contagious to her American colonies. 1t is said by
one oil our most learned historians that documen Mt
exists, IN which she advised by her prime IN MS
ter then TO allow the whole Of them to become indie
pendent except her w est lndia islands and if that
advice had been followed, which subsequent events
with the loss of millions of life and treasure show to
nave Deeh so wise, our present difficulties us TO Tex
| as would probably never have arisen. She pursued
HE opposite policy, and, after the peace Of 1883
sought TO push her claims even on tbs Mississippi
as high up as the Ohio river and MS far st as the
Ahegnshies' And after driving her from these pre-
tensions, and then from FL rida and Louisiana he,
descendants hold Texas daafh urin
ana long alter their ability to subd,ie it, or It's value
10 them can make 1t object in itself at all desra-
uie Both freedom and security to the navigation OF
uft mshty river were once placed wholly within
cur grasp by the purchase Of Louisiana.
say thi, under the impression that the western
boundary OF Louisiana, the Gulf of Mexico, truly
extended TO the Rio del Norte as heretofore shown
Any border enemy was then flung off to a safe dis
ance from the great outlet of half the exports
ot the whole Uuion. New Orleans the magnificent
depot OF the entire valley Of the Mississippi, was
then shielded from hostile surprise Our trade with
the West Indies and Europe left mere open and I'M
annoyed, and the vast population the western
tiers, now nine, and century more to be ninety,
millions OF people-trebe the numbers Of either
France or England, and more than treble size
IN erritory-was thus to be better protected, not
y in their commerce, but in their lives and honor,
from both the hostile tread and hostile Vaccinations
OF an encroaching eEemy. he security thus gained
| from the indian scalping knife was a, ad iItional
| motive and every cradle in the West witnessed a
founder sleep when the tomahawk could be removed
farther of, and forts and greater distances were
in.erposed between the log cabin and the savage
torch.
say that all this accomplished with the ooun
dairy then obtained, and in some degree lost
without II, having we had foreign foe and for
egn Indians the Sabine and the Red
rivers. The great American captain of age, with
hundreds OF Others have staked their skill and repu
tation his and bence that boundary, If once
owned by US, should never have been parted with in
1919; should be reganed the first favorable and
JUS, opportunity, has been since constantly at
tempted again and again, AID as is now amicably
within our power, by ratlfying the treaty under con
slderaton. We have are ady seen that It is no new
idea that freedom of commerce is Of little value with
out its security.
1t is 10 project that line farther west than
the Sabns is vital TO its security well impor
for prote ton in war; both aga civilized and
savage foes.
II IS no yagary that when our fathers, in |
1856 finally resolved their rights to the free navi-
CATION OF the Mississippi they, also 10 the act
aud by the dauntiess spirit meant to enforce
that right I'LL successful aud To defend IT, also, when
once acknowledged, as hey afterwards did IN many
Indian war well as on the bloody fields OF New
OrleanS. II IS no new principle of national law that
il then became the duty of the whole Union to look
over the luXurant regions of the Aieghanie- |.
with the affection and aid, and lavish on them |
so deiertnse and regard other parts OF The |
Union ami that only half obligations would be |
IL
ernlwa e1s, II not following It up with procuring Sc
curty TO that navigation and the immense interests
connected with IT. Such men Mes.rs. Gorham !
and Ciymer bad ought 10 have, outgrown their |
more narrow views and sectional prejudices The !
West and the Southwest were, by the tide of emf
grafton becoming bone Of cur bone and flesh Of our
flesh. In taking honest pains to give them protection
well prosperity, the position Of things has so
changed that The North and East and Middle States
arc in trdh giving their own families or the
Of Even If
ed q different IN 1885 IT will, f enlightened
concur ~ the course recommended in iSi<. Let me
particularize single illustration Of this among thou
sands 81 like scattered over the East and in
deed the whole Atlantic States.
On one OF the ht-tOps IN the interior Of New
Hampshire, only two generations ago dwell true,
en'erprisng, ,dustriou, New England family. Are
they still confined 10 their native mountaids and !
their interests and affections centred only ttete On
the contrary SIR OF them are Telling the forests
in the mighty West; others plant in the sunny
South is pushing his fortunes IN the Empire |
State another m Michigan another in Mississippi |
another on, the rich soil Of Alabama and thus their
homes and heir fortunes, their anxietes and their
patriotism limited only by their countrys extern,
and welfare The next gene ation ~il pr baby see
some Of their descendants in Oregon or Texas and |
breathing the bslmy air of the Columbia or Rio
del Norte.
Such, SIR is the destiny OF most Of the people Of |
this leading republic Of the New World presenting |
fVim Of government as novel and sidk ng as was |
the cont cnt ITSELF when discovered by Columbus, /
and developing a mission on earth by this branch OF
the Anglo-Ssxon race, which, while the school house
ard village church, side by side, mark their pr gress
will never be completed all they reach the Pacific !
The mass of them not they wander either |
fanatics bgos, but conform 10 all local
like peacesble citizens, I'LL reason and experience /
able, to work salutary changes.
How much more IS Il duty e. receive these |
persons INTO the Union, when opportunity offers,
than the French OF Louisiana, or the Spaniards of
orida However worthy, IN many respects, the /
character OF the latter yet all must that the mo-
raj 6tness, The education, hsts and religion OF most
Of our kin IN T'xas, render them more suitable for
an intimate alliance with US; and that their repub