The North-Carolina standard., 1846-02-25
SMITH O'BRIEN UPON OREGON.

Smith O'Brien, one of the great leaders oftht
Irish people, recently made the following remarks
IN Dublin:
g am about to aIIud" to another topic-I mean
the present posture of aft irs in America (cheers
cannot regard the contingency Of war with
America otherwise than thing to be deeply
depIored (hear, hcar) l, know that the popuIa
Iion of this country are so fond Of fighting that
they have strong natural feeling in favor of any
war (laughter): A priOri 10 use word taken
from the schools they in favor of any war.
Some of our farmers entertain very pleasing re-
collection of the high prices obtained for then
produce during the that ended in 1915, but
they forget the reaction which followed it, and
which destroyed large portion of the farmers
and many of the gentry of Ireland (hear, hear.) |
repeat that should consider a war with Ameri-
ca most disastrous circumstance. Remember
ing that during the last ten years Eng land has
been engaged in several Of what the Duke of
Wellington calls little wars from which she has
emerged with very little honor, think she ought
to feel exceedingly obliged to those who, like my
SELF take the liberty of giving her good advice by
way of warning (chccrs) We have had within
the last ten years a with China With res
pct 10 the war with China the motives from
which it sprung were wholly un juslifiabIe, being
nothing but desire to force on the Chinese pco-
pie, against the wish of their government the con-
sumption ofopium, delcterious poison But there
was in the case Of China srecous excuse in the
treatment which the representative Of the English
government rGc'ived such as according 10 the
law of nations afford justification for the war,
and in the case of China the prcuniary results
peculiarly satisfactory to the English people
They have got both money and commerce by it
fhear). There have been other wars-thcre was
the invasion OF AtghanIstan and if ever there
was an invasion of any country wholly without
justification it that of Afghanistan (chcers).
We mct-I say we. for unhappily Irish regi-
ments we're dragged into that collision
= Liberaor-Most of them are Irish (hear) |
MIR. Smith OBrien-Thc British army met
with that fate which trust the invaders of every
country will ever meet (cheers( drpiore the
loss OF the regiments, but rejoice that the people
OF Afghanistan vindcated their national liberty
(cheeIs). England has cause for triumph in /
the result of that war (checrs). England has en-
gagged in another war-a war founded upon un-
paraIleled trcachery-the invasion and occupa-
ton of Sclnde (hrar, hear). We have already in
The Association denounced that invasion in its true
character, and repeat that it was founded upon
the grosses'treachery (cheers) England has no
cause for triumph in the consequences of that war
1t has already cost her millions of money! and
thousands of brave mnn. She occupies country
which has become the grave of her army, and
which is source of weakness 10 her rather than
strength. England had been engaged in another
WAR; war with SYRIA war, in nv opinion,
wholly unfoundcd in poIicy-whoIly without ius.
tIhcatlon from the law of nations (hear) We i'll
Vaded Syria without cause-without wrong done
to ourselves. We triumphed at the moment. but
we have gained loss, for Engand's influence is
less now athe court of the Sultan than it was on the
day when she sent her feet to the coast of Syria
TO lnhct ruin upon its town (hear hcar). Whv
DO recall these recollections2 Because have
frequently, in meditating upon public affairs. re.
preached myself individually for not having up,
lifted my voice against these guilty transactions
(hear, hear) AT the time justified to myseIf
my silence by the circumstance that upon some :
oI the questions at Issue | was not fully informed
by The misrepresentation which was laid before
parlament-and, perhaps also by sense of
my own obscurlty as an individual restrained me !
from giving expressions to my doubts on questions
OF so momentous nature. But at the present r
moment, with such contingency as n war with ;
America before US, will not hesitate 10 state fl.
iy and publicly my opinions (hear, hear). Emo
land and America lay claim to country on the .
western coast of America called Oregon Even 4
the Edinburgh Recie10 admits that the historical
title OF England to that territory is to saw the least
oil IT. exceedingly doubtful (hear) On the ground
oI contiguHV and convenience the United States
may advance much stronger and more natural
cnIm to It, 10 the United States with their m.
pidty increasing population, its possession is =
matter OF extreme importance. To ENGLAND lie
occupation is almost valueless There ;s ,haro |
fore, nothing except point of honor jnvovod =,
the case, so far as England is concerned and T
leave the English to settle this point Of honor a.