Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1844-06-27
AN ELOQUENT PASSAGE FROM MR..
CHOATE'S SPEECH.

Senate on the iexas Treaty, by the Honorable
Rufus Choate. It is particularly convincing. A.
BILE and eloquent:
say, sir, that the war which you threaten. tho
war for the annexation of Texas, is war of in
justice to Mexico. But if all this were destitute
OF foundation, how can you answer the narrower
view so powerfully exhibited by the senator from
Missouri! You say the de jaeio is the measure
oil the deJure. You say tina, to the extent of her
actual conquest Texas has rightly cong uered, and
may rightly cede. Well, she cedes, YOU bny. TO |
the Rio Grande. Shs cedes the .lSepublic of |
texas, and her law defines and describes the Re- |
public as extending to that river. The cession |
assumes then to convey, purports to convey, to |
the river. Iou accept 1t as it is made. Then
you purchase to the river. The deed grants overy
thing, or 1t grants nothing. You accept ALL or
you accept nothing. Well, sir, has Texas ever
had moments de fdcto occupation to the river
No. Ii you claim to the river, then, on your own
principles. you violate the rights of Mexico
Have you then announced TO Mexico that YOU re-
lease, that you do not claim beyond the de facio
possession! No, indeed, you do not pretend to
have formed the purpose of making such an
nouncement. Far from il. You have sent down
letter to MIR. Green to say that you are ready to
negotiate about boundary! But YOU have no,
authorized hin to Intimate doub, that your RICH,
extends to the river; nor to intimate disposition
TO yield one inch oil the grant in The treaty; and
you perfectly we'll know that you mean to hold
every inch If you can; nay, the Senator from
Mississippi earnestly and deliberately maintains
your right to it all.
But. Mr.. President, whether this war be just or
unjust, necessary or unnecessary, il will be what
all war is, a tremendous evil. 1t will be a crime
rs well as an evil, whether it nvades any riph
OF Mexico or not, II 1t is not necessary. Bella
Jusfa qutOus necesSdrid. There is IA measure of
necessity which will excuse you for striking
neutral, and friend to the heart. But il must be
M incumbent and irresistible necessity, one which
knows no law, nor prudence, nor morality, nor
tic OF kindred, nor compunctlous visiting of the
love OF man. Convenience, expediepcy, policy
none of these is of force to Justify such an act
1t must be, as MIR. Windham once said in the
House of Commons, polite TO the degree on ne
cessity.'
When, in one OF her darkest hours, England, TO
prevent the fleet OF Denmark, with whom she
was at peace, from falling into the hands of
France, and thus helping her gigantic enemy TO
add the empire Of the to that of the land,
completing the bridge Of boats for his march to
London;' when England, under the strong i'm
pulse OF seli-preservation. directed the lombard
incnt OF Copenhagen; spilled the blood Of friends,
almost oil knsmen; laid in ashes or in ruins
dwelling houses, public 'edifces, .hat beautiful
church., The pride OF an ancient capital; planting
immortal hate In the heart OF whole nation,
leaving there the memory Of great wrong, 'ren-
dereu perpelua' by the melancholy sentiment in
splred by the eternity Of the tomb; when Eup-
land, lighting single-handed for existence dared
In The madness of desperation 10 do this, how
solemn, how universal, was the call sent up to
her by the whole world of civilization, TO make
clear the necessity which excused so awful an
apparent outrage on the most sacred rights and
most sacred feelings Of mankind
10 such call on you, not for the sack Of one
Guy, out Tor war OF indefinite duration, what
answer VIII you make Can you plead the re-
quisite degree OF necessity 2 You know that Won
cannot. Sir, besides the apprehension that Eng
'and WILL by treaty or by influence, induce Tex
as TO emancpare her siaves-besides this, there
Is mol even The pretence of a reason for this war
=" your friend. 1H's apprehension is all. No
oouy Will say that The advantage of an addition
OF SO much land and water to your unbounded
ana unreclaimed domain would compensate for
drop OF blood. No sir; no sir; if such an add
lion were all clear gain, and all unmixcd good as
lar as ii went; 1t we were purely homogeneous
people, without diversity and conflict of interests
ana OF sentiments; II we were all free States or
all slave Siates all commercial, or all agricultu-
raj, or all planting, all manufacturing States: if
such Vdsl accession on one side had no tenden-
cy TO disturb the balances of our parts by NOR
oia ana unjust enlargement OF one interest and
region and sentiment if the land proposed 10 be
auded were added equally and literally 10 every
Siaie-ay, If it were larger than Europe fairer
IMAM The poets dream of the islands of the happy
IL would not all be worth the life of one man!
mean exactly what l say. / mean that me-
d'ta'ing on The vast extent Of our country now;
the parallels of latitude, the climates through
which 1t is spread out; observing how incomplete
~ IL Is Ptopitd, now lnadeqnateIy 1t Is titled;
now much remains TO do, how many cycles must
pass before it shall become the abode of the
greatest number of the happiest beings to which
us mighty, undiscovered capacities are equal; be-
lore 1t shall al-all, the seashore the river side.
the valley the green hil-stand forth adorned
WIN beauty, radiant with joy, as a glilering
pride; calling to mind, what constitutes State'
calling to mind that material element of great
ness, ihough much, are not every thing since by
me soul only are the nations great and free; sDe-
culatIng on the nature Of that subtle and mysle-
Tlous element, nationality, and on the Influences
which helghien or dilute ii; and on the possible
limits OF territory, beyond which it cannot be diff
Insed; EBedtaing on these things, say again, if
this were CaEada instead of Texas, would not
give ior II the life of one man! No not +!
'The blood of man should never be shed. but
10 redeem The blood of man. Ii is well shed for
our family, for friends, for our God, for our
country, for kind. The rest is yaniiy. the
rest is crime
1t is the dread, them Of an English treaty with
lexas, leading to the emancipation of Texian !
siaVes, tiiat causes you to make war on Mexico, |
and 1t IS nothing else. have heard il SAID. 10 be !
sure, that this dreadful English treaty. will Sc |
cure the introduction of English manufactures
INTO iexas, In such pTofuson, duty free that
snngged into the United States, they will dry |
up your revenue and PROSTATE your domestic la {
Dor. j laugh at the apprehension and distrust
lis good faith Intreduus odi. When / shall he
told now Texas, whose want OF money alone it
is that puts independence out of her reach, is to
i've and grow great without an impost, and when
i learn 10 believe that Arkansas, Missouri and
LOUISIANA, viii form vast combination with
forkshire and Liverpool for smuggling goods,
may ieel this apprehension too. In the mean
time, do not consent TO join in bombardment