The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1845-02-12

the monopoly Of the cotton product Of the
world, power more potent In hands for the con-
msnd Of peace with iofsign nations Than any naval
or military force could arrOy-a power which, II
We choose 10 exert for safety, BY non-nlsroouiSe
would instantly paralyze an ineaculable mass of
captaI and labor abroad whose prostitution would
produce eony usions there, and eoaanReI the stability
and security Of the nation against which the blow
should be aimed 10 Cast away the power We thus
hold would be treason 10 the welfare Of our country
and dare you hazard its loss by t~mporiLng policy
Who will assume a responsibility 20 ieaTful1 Will
you, moreover, endanger the prosperity OF our own
planting Siatss1 Let other nations establish com
mercial treaties with Texas, admitting her cotton do.
ty free, she imposing tho lowest revenue duty Jpn
their Imports Of manuiacturs-mutual and equSa-
lent benefits, and the prosperity Of Texas must rise at
The sacrifice Of the prosperity OF our own planning
States. Cheaper production and lower taxation IN
Texas must give her citizens better profits abroad aud
thus enable her 10 supplant our own staples IN for
eipn markets. and should We feel the ruinous CONN.
uition without discomfort Admit Texas into IN.
| Union aud you deprive other nations Of the power
by determinations In their commercial policy #
cI esiing rival interests and diseord among US They
cannot then disturb settled equality which secure,
| our harmony.
But s,r this measure is demanded also A. a mean,
Of greater security u our commerce the Mlsss,Ip
ri and 10 our frontier defence. As an lndrusndsnt
| lower rival in all our tropical productions the 10
sition Of Texas, within days sail OF the mouth Of
%
lision with ourselves, TO harass and annoy the com
merce Of the great valley Of the West 10 lis Quilt
| through the MAIZE cLAUsuh. Consider one moment
the impor ance Of that commerce It's exports even
now exceed, in annual value, ssseDy-6ye millions Of
dollars. Nearly half the people Of the Union ar.
spread over the vast teTrty wateTed by the great ~,
terry Of the continent and its tibutares These omen
10 enterprise and industry nssigable communication,
Of internal AIDE, branching in all directions ou,d
ripple In extent the inland navigation, natural and ar
fetal, which now flats the Commerce Of New
York and makrs her still the emporium Of the NV
World; and UNNECESSARILY superior TO that WHICH
supplies the internal trade Of Paris, London Psking
Canton OF thai which, la ancient days reared no ,b
mighty cities Of Babylon and Thebes with Their
twenty millions Of inhabitants. The Imagination
stanss at the conception Of what New Orleans (,r
some other depot OF exchange which Necessity viii
force up at the mouth OF the MissssippD is destined
10 become. Not only our commerce IN the gulf but
our borders upon the southwest, opening thfough
migh rivers thousands of miles 10 the advance of
hostile army would be Ell posed 10 attack. With TeI.
alone a foe, her capacity TO inhIc injury and an
noy ance, when she becomes powerful empire as she
is destined soon 10 be Is IN truth formidable But
let her interests unite with the Interests of England
| and let them both be aTrpyeJ against Us and what
then must be our position z Look at the posture of
England in the gull, and tell me- she be permitted
10 add 10 her strength there without imminent peril 10
ouIselses4 She has the Bahama islands winch
1
the coast OF FLORIDA. She has the Bermudas which
stand cut upon the East and where she could ha rbur
every ship Of the line in her navy, and from eithrf
position watch attack, retreat she has Jamaica 10
the OF Cuba, commanding the western pass
around the key Of the gulf She 10 posted in Hondu-
ras, which overooks at once the eiatsua and the
Caribbean and she has the Islands which block
| the entrance 10 that sea. We will not now Examine
her position n, the north and essi but looking only
here, can We not see The exposure and the peril that
surround one half the commerce OF the U mon in the
event OF war Give her naval and a military rest
| ing SPOT in the harbOrs of Texas, ard from what
points are you not then endangers The valiant
member from Ohio, Mr.. BnBkeThC6,) with his "UI-
per MissOunans, may indeed keep the outlet Of the
Mississippi clear; bot like an Indian opening, tie
| clearance would but expose your commerce To the
rapscily of an enemy. he would find his insect not
| a" humbug" but hornet Sir, you can never br
secure until YOU contIo all the important chan.
nes of the Gulf Of Mexico. Other powers DE-.
vide that control with you. Let us, then when we
can, make sure of Texas. Let us see that Cuba
hereafter passes into the possession Of European
power, other than Spain under any contingency what
ever; and If in time events shall lead The way let W
peacefully acquire every position in the Gulf which
enable enemy 10 destroy, a rival 10 suppIant
our commerce there.
Sir, we are told, in the spirit Of rebuke, by orp,.
nentsIof this measure of the Iposure Of our unrrr
aies on the North 10 British power. True. Let Us
strengthen and fortify ourselves there. But that
exposure reason for rejecting acquisitions giving Us
security on the Soutb2 The territory drained by the
streams flowing into own rivers and lakes u the
North, and that which commands IN. outlet nf these
10 the ocean, and of its harbors there belong by ma.
ture TO ourselves. The time will come when foreign
power can no longer separate people identified m
interest, united in territory and in the sympathes
| fire. dom. When thsttime does come, will the Souh
draw back her support Never, sir confde in Der
devotion TO the welfare of the Union. The event. Of
revolution, and Of the second war Of independent
demonstrate alike the nationality Of her feeling and
| the feeling of the North.
But, sir, look TO the western Interior and you " i'll
find the position Of Texas indispensable TO enable you
to control the Indian nations there and be secure
against the designs of an enemy TO bring upon your
frontier savage war. Let man call this danger
too, q hLmbug" Both the great wars in which
our country has been involved have seen the savage
the allies Of an adversary whose path has traed with
their butcheres. With more than sixty thousand
warriors whom your policy has transferred to the
borders OF Arkansas and Missouri, separated from
Texas for hundreds Of miles, only by rivers and arb
trary lines, you are bound TO give ample protection
10 the frontier men, and TO those States I'M
doubted security and peace. II can never be done
while Texas may become an enemy, or the ally Of
our enemy
But, SIR this measure rises in magnitude when
| you look 70 Oregon, territory you are now ad,
vancing to occupy. Texas approaches the verge Of
the mountain pass through which alone upon the
South, you penetrate the grand rocky range, and
reach the shores Of the Pacific VIII you G,rce the
establishment Of an independent power which, now
as the ally Of your enemy, or hereafter alone as
your foe, may ut once harass your commerce IN
the Gulf and your pathway to Oregon Dare you
permit the security Of your intercourse with the
new land Of promise to be endangered Sir. they
are lndssolubly united by the hand of nature, and
must not DO divided by the blind policy of man
Your course is onward With Texas and Oregon,
your brilliant destiny opens before you. The com
merce OF the great valley is then secured. The com.
merce OF Northern Mexico is yours and you lay
tho foundations Of an empire the Pacific. which,
| 10 It's conquences, will long reyolutioDz e
The most powerful Kingdoms of the earth There
TO Oregon your ever active population will press for
ward with Intelligent and unconquerable energy
-FOUR arts, your manufacturers, your industry, your
capital, whatever /. American will 20 with then,
Connecting chains OF steam commun,cati must soop