The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1845-12-15
THE DAILY UNION.

l IL - - a Ia - ~ - =
Lord Aberdeen, the Foreign Secretary of State,
said: '.Should il be otherwise can only say that
we possess rights, which in our opinion are clear
and unquestionable; and by the blessing of God and
with your support, those rights we are fully prepar-
ed to maintain" Loud cheers fiom all sdes
Under these imposing circumstances, we may
well ask of the Waterman, what of the night We
may well inquire, what we ought TO do take II
for granted we shall give the notice recommended
by the President; for if we do uot, we shall leave
the people Of Oregon without government, or with
an mpracticable one; and in either event. the coun-
try is lost to us, and the notice being given, in
twelve months, without an abandonment OF large
portion of her claim, we shall find ourselves in
voyed in war with England. And it will be no
common war, Mr. President; it viii be a.war not
merely of interest but of strong and stormy pas
sions growing out of the relative situation of the
two nations, and out of the very points OF resem-
blance which will but render The separation of the
parties the WIDER and the struggle the longer and the
bitterer. 1t will do no good to shut our ewes to the
prospect before us. Danger can neither be I'd not
avoided by Indifference nor by presumpt Let us
look our difficulties and our duties fully in the
face. Let us make preparation adequate to the
conjunctvre. Let us exhibit to England and TO Eu-
rope the spectacle Of an undivided people, anxious
for peace but ready for war. In the language of
Mr.. Madison, ''let us put the United States into
armor, and an attitude demanded by the crisis,
and corresponding with the national spirit and ex,
One war has already found us unprepared And
what that condition of things cost in blood and
treasure and disaster those of US who went through
the struggle can well remember; and those who
have upon the stage ofaction since that period,
may learn from the history of the times. And per-
haps to a certain extent this must be So and always
will be so. We are all opposed to great military
establishments in time of peace. They are as dan
tha,y araa A,.H thax her.
fore never be engrafted into the permanent instu.
tons Of the country. But when war threatens, we
should commence our preparations, and press them
with an energy and prompttude commensurate
with the danger.
The President has discharged his duty ably,
periodically, fearlessly. Let us now dis.
charge ours-not by words merely, but by
deeds. The best support we can give him is
to respond to his declarations by our actions. II
is my firm conviction, and do not hesitate thus
publicly to avow it, that the best if not the only
hope that we have Of avoiding war with England
is by exhibiting public and united determination
to prosecute it, should 1t come, with all the energies
that God has given us, and by an instant and seri-
Gus consideration of the preparations necessary for
such offensive and defensive measures as may be
required, and as prompt an adoption of them as a
just regard to circumstances may demand, Our
country is extensive. In many portions of the
population is sparse The frontier, both Atlantic
and inland, is long and exposed.
Our defensive works are unfinished, and some OF
them are unfurnshed | do not know, but fear
that many important branches Of supply are made
quate. Our navy, and especially the steam portion
Of II, is not upon scale commensurate with oui
wants, if war is almost upon US. That navy fought
itself into favor, and its country into honor, In the
seemingly unequal and almost desperate struggle
into which it so CALAMITY went in the last war. And
another. contest would find it equally true to its du
ty, and to the public expectations. ! trust the
time will never again come, when it will be
question in a great crisis, whether the ma
Wy shall be dismantled and rot in our docks
or whether it shall be sent out to gather another
harvest of glory upon the ocean. 1t is the
uterie for military and naval operations, 1t is first
necessary to procure Men we have ready; and
such is the patriotism inherent in the American
character, that they will be found wanting IN
the hour Of difficulty and of danger. Our militis
requires new and an efficient organization. 1t is
a reproach to us that we have suffered this import
ant branch of national defence to become so inei-
clent Il has almost disappeared from the public
view Both the laws upon this subject and the adj
ministratlon Of them require immediate and severe
examination. For this is one the great bdlwarks
of the country in the hour of danger. 1t has shown
It's patriotism and vaor upon many bloody field
and the future, if it should need its services, will
witness its devotion to the country, whenever and
wherever, and however it may be tried. Many o.
the supplies required for the operations of war, de-
tltle anu care
ton; and we must remember that we have to dc
with people whose arsenas and dock-yards are
filed TO repletion; whose supplies upon scale
equal to any probable demand upon them; whose
gigantic military and naval establishments, an
nounce their power and maintain it; and the etruc
ture OF whose government is better fitted than ours
for prompt and vigorous and offensive action.
It is in the spirit of these views that have sub
mtted the resolutions before the Senate, and II
which ask their concurrence.
A great responsibility is upon us. We shal
best discharge it by frmness, and by wise fore
cast which, while it steadily surveys the danger
makes adequate provisions to meet it. BY thus act
ing shall give practical appreciation of the course
of the President, shall show to our constituents
that their interests are safe in our hands; we shal
speak neither in deprecatng tone, nor in tone o
defiance, but Of frmness, to England; and we shall
are jealous of their rights and honor and as de
termined to maintain them, as monarchical govern
ments.
Mr. MANGUM. regret exceedingly that tn,
honorable senator from Michigan has brought for
ward these resolutions, and, more especially, tina
the strain of remarks in the discussion is designed
| to procure vote in their favor. The honorable
senator says that he has the utmost confidence o
the Executive on all these subjects.
| MIR. CASS interrupted him with the remark
| Coincidence Of opinion.
| beg the senator's pardon Coincidence of opin
ION Win the Executives Out IL stTlhcS HE that III
| fMr. CAss has resorted to most singular manne
of giving expression to it. have fair and gener
Gus confidence in the same high functionary. II II
true that the public mind has been most profoundly
| disturbed during the recess, causing many goot
men to believe that country vii be plunged int
war with Great Britain, and extending through al
the great interests Of the Union. On my arrva
here, ard an examination of the views of the Elk
ecutive, have extreme pleasure in stating that
found them characterized by degree of moderation
which the public prints in this city gave me nj
reason to expect. ] am therefore willing to con
fde all matters of negotiation to the Executive
arm; but, il failure should result, and wal
be the consequence, let it Gomez it would b.
vastly preferable to a surrender of our rights
and our national honor. And undertake TO say
further, on this subject-at least to give my owl
opinion and that of those whom in part represent
| il not the opinion Of the whole American people
that, if war should come, land pray to God it ma,
be averted at the expense Of the honor and in
erest Of the country,) after the period for its com
Il