Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1846-04-09

PIONt HtntSeH FeCfGdut 10 MS OOilgatlOnS as an
American statesman, as an American citizen
believe | appreciate as highly as any gentleman
The importance OF that couRtty to us in a CONNER
oal, political, and national point of view believe,
with the learned and eloquent gentleman from Ala
bama (Mr Hllisrd) that the day is not far distant
when railtoad will span this continent, uniting
the Atlantic and Pacific shores, and which will
thenceforward become the great highway and thor.
oughiare Of the commercial world &c differ at
all with the loudest and fercest champion of Ore
gon, It is only as to the exteEt of our title there
and as 10 the best and mode of ultimately if
not Immediately obtaining exclusive possession and
control of what rightfuily besngsio us. If the
question Of title or boundary should finally be set
tied by negotiatiOn--a consultation devouty to be
wished by all good patriets--and the 10th parallel
should be fixed upon as the line of division, doubt
not ii would be entirely satisfactory TO the Amer-
can people The possession of the country south
ofthat line would give all the practical advanta-
ges we should derive from the possession up to 81
deg. 40 min Besides, fear not to say, it gives US
all to which we have any clear title. While am
satisfied that have the better t,leGo that portion
of the country drained by the Columbia river, am
equally satisfied that England has the better title to
,he portion drained by FraEers river, and the 49th
parallel would be as fair and equal a.diysion be-
Nween these respective sections of country as could
be drawn by straight line. Such division would
give to each party their just proportion, according
to their respective titles; and this is the line 10
which the parties ought to come, and must come
at last If they will settle the dispute between them
selves doubt not the earnest desire OF the Brit
ish Government, for an early aud amicable settle
ment of this question and, if that disposition be
met by corresponding spirit on the part of this
Government, it may be settled upon Just and
equitable basis l would rejoice even, that the
present Administration should reap the,reward and
the honor which would belong to such an adjust
C, ~. h. Ill
everywhere be hailed the. harbinger and the
promise ofpeace.
1t is the desire and the policy of the people Of
shs Government to maintain peace with all nations.
They do not desire war. They doRoi believe there
is any occasion for war and above ALL ahey dep
recate that folly and foolhardiness which would in-
cucate spiTit,of war in the public mind which
would prepare the hearts of the people for war;
The sentiment is more worthy Of past and barba-
rous age, than of this enlightened Republic
will not stop to expatiate upon the evils and the
horrors of war, however inviting theme for decla.
nation, nor TO speak of its influences upon nation.
al character and the public merala i, is eaough
to say that the spirit Of warts in its,very nature,
hostile to the spirit Of Republican, liberty II is
spirit which but'too often degenerates into un-
bridled lust for blood, and rapne, and plunder-
We faverea in vain the hstoryof other nations.
if we have not learned that it aalndred spirit
which blotted out OF being the republics Of 'olden
time which have slept in the tomb of night these
two thousand years, and the mornings of whose res
erection has not yet dawned upon the world : that
twas kindred spirit which filed with rapine aud
blood the modern republics of'Venioe and Flor
ence. The teachings Of history have been in vain
to u.s. if we have not learned that it was kindred
spirit which infatuated 10 its blacklist deeds of atroc-
ity the Jacobn factions, and the sans cglloes de.
mocracy OF revolutionary France, and which built
up, upon the fall Of liberty there that imperial and
military despotism, before whose colossal power the
world itself stood aghast; that it was kindred
spirit which tore in sunder the later republics Of
South America, and struck down to the dust the
flag Of liberty which had been reared from the sum.
nit of the Andes. Let this spirit become the pre-
dominant spirit Of our ceuntrymen, and it needs
netthe.ken of prophetic vision to admonish us that
this young republic has already reached the years
Of its decline. Let this spirit prevail here, and
stand upon the authority Of the worlds history, and
proclaim to the American people that their destiny
is oreshadowed in the fate of those other republics
that have fallen before us.
The spirit Of war, thanks to God mas sumbered
Spon the earth for the last quarter Of a century,
Glutted with the spoils and exhausted by the
ges of thousand years, it halted in its march Of
death, and reposed from its work Of desoation, OIL
that dread night when the sun went down in blood
on the field Of Waterloo. Heaven grant that the
slumbering giant be 'undisturbed in his repose for
otneT ages 10 cOHe. ' me WOHu mas ndd time 10
take breath. The spirit of P eace-a peerless, and
godfke form--rose erect, and with steady and tr-
umphant step advancing over the earth, has dis.
pensed, with an abundant hand, blessings and hon.
or, and glory and happiness, to the nations. In
what age or century Of the world have the princi-
pies Of civil and religious liberty, the arts and SCI
ences civilization and christianity; all that ele-
Yates and all that adorns, and all that enobles and
dignihes the character and condition of man, made
such advances within the last thirty gears which
may be truly denominated the age Of peace. Ii has
been an age Of progress. II has been an age Of
glorious achievement; Of intellectual aud moral
triumph, such as the world has never before seen.
Sir. cannot longer dwell upon this theme IL
is, indeed. rich and exhaustless and sublime
theme, worthy ofcontempat not of the poet and
the orator only but of the civilian and statesman
OF the philanthropist and patriot.
Mr. Chairman, | kR0w that war is sometimes nee
sssary-sometmes unavoidable; 1t furnishes but
a melancholy evidence of the depravity Of man,
that is ever jusiifable The fearful alternative
Of war may be forced upon US, either by -advised
counsels at home, or by aggression and wrong from
abroad Ifthe long peace which we have enjoyed
to be interrupted we shall do well to see to il
that there is no occasion foT laying the provocaton
to our charge. Far better that aggression and
provocaon come from the other side. Let us il
possible, in the judgment of the world be in the
right, and our adversary in the wrong. In such q
contest the victory will be half won in the outset
would yield much to the spirit Of peace and har-
mony; and il the sword must be drawn let il be in
just and necessary war let It be in defence oil
the invaded rights and honor Of the country And
when that crisis comes if it must, II will be
met by the American people with one voice and
with one heart. If war be brought upon US by the