Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1845-1851, 1846-06-13

are bound to believe; designedly now, painfully
see The fiy-our forty line never existed. Tue
treaty proves it yet its existence is still affirmed, to
mslead the uniformed, and to save the misleaders
from the modification of exposure.
| have performed a painful duty. | waited long
before would undertake il. To make head against
mass of err0r-io set nation right that had been led
astray--was a Hcrcuean task. but | have ventured
upon II, and do not regret it. The people may be led
astray, but they do not love They love truth
and Justice; and if there Is ifiy-four forty, as
there IS not they do not want to fight for ii. If Fra
zcrs river belongs to the British, it does they d
not want to take 1t away from her. The people are
Just, and ready TO act on Jacksons great maxim:
ASK nothing 6at 1rtat IS right--SuJmit TO nothing
L.Gt Is lcrOag.
The people have nothing but their country take
care of; and they want nothing but right and justice
Politicians have themselves TO take care of and coun
try and people subordinate considerations Was
ever the like seen of that whlcl we have witnessed
people led TO the verge of about line that did
not exis-whout mislcaders ever reading the treaty
which supposed to establish it A river of a
thousand miles IN length, covered with settlers for
fOrty years upon If, without knowing such
there And when the treaty and the river pro-
duccd and Tie mistakes shown, instead of confession
and repentance, resentment and attack upon him who
exposes tie error, and saves the country from sense
less, ignorant, unlustifiable war The miseaders
may act thus not 50 the people. They Will rejoice
at their deIyerance from deusion ihey will shudder
to think they have been led the verge of upon
the mistake OF treaty, and blunder in geography.
And ready to ABIDE their Judgment upon nay
correction OF tins mistake, and their perseverance IN
them after they were exposed. This day has been
tie most huiniliatng Of my Senatorial life. | have
felt for the American Senate when Ihave seen men,
Der clingIng TO error, and cndcavoring keep the
people IN error al tie risk Of war; by endeavorng
TO do away the plain words Of treaty, by garbling
and nutating scraps Of speeches deprcciate ano-
TIER Sena'orwhen the great question was one Of the
peace and homer Of the country in tie presence of
which every selfish feeling should have stood abased
i. and rebuked
tell the people there is no such line as fftv-four
forty from the sea to the mountains. tell them that.
so far Us such line proposed by the Ameri-
can government, II was proposed a northern line
Tor the British, and not as a northern line for our
selves. | tell them that forty-nine was offered by
Mr. Jefferson. by Mr.. Monroe and by all the early
statesmen, without exception, who negotiated tie
treaties which gave us Louisiana and the Spanish
claims to northwest America. tell them the British
Claim TO fnzers Is precisely the same with our
own TO the Columbia. And | say to them that who
ever says tie contrary OF this, viii be heEccorh
wliiul decc.ver ! make great allowance for icno-
rane e-for tie mistakes OF lgnorancc-but ignorance
ought TO Re docile. ard surrender on conviction |
make broad di,tIncti between the wilfuI and the
ignorant decelyer and broader one still between tie
deceivers and the deceived. The former are gener-
ally few. the latter manythc former are more or less
cniao.e, lie latter always innocent OF tie myrladS,
nay millions who have propagaied the Of fifty
four forty all but few were the innocent repeaiers Of
what came to item III way that they could not
doubt II. All these VIII rejoice to be rel eyed from
their Instead of getting angry with me. they
Will thank ne for the trouble take to set them right
They want nothing bat truth and Justice and thank
God that have the courage II give il to them, re-
CARELESS Of all earthly consequences | am right.
speak to my country from the calamtics Of war
upon mistakes and blunderS. | rely upon the equity
and Intelligence of the people. and give defiance to
ignorance. malice, and Misrepresentation.
When the vote Is taken on the instruction which
have submitted, let the Senator from Michigan move
to strike out fortynne and insert fty-four forty. We
shall then the sense of the Senate and the coun-
try viii see who pcrScycres in error and converts
into DESIGN what at first the mischief OF MIS-
TAKE