The Hillsborough recorder., 1846-04-16
EXTRACTS

senAis On the sth aud 5th Of March, 1886.
MIR. President. hope have not de-
e.ded without > just consideration Of my
responsibility, both here and hereafter. up
on the pOsilIO1 shall take. But. afier
much reflection. long and anxious thought,
\ conscientious effort 10 determine The
point with justice 70 other nations. but
with unlallenng faiihfulness IN The honOra-
bic obligations and lasting interests Of my
own country. ! have come Ia The cOnclu-
sion, as Senator OF the United States,
shai We cannot, sRshi not. must not CON-
promise this controversy in any manner
very materially different from thai TO which
the President, a. ! understand his position
and these rerords. stands himself commit
ted, and rightly committed; and shall
therefore vote TO give him the notice, and
with Il all the moral weight Of an Ameri-
can SenaIe's settled opinion, that il Great
Britain will not. or If she cannot, consent
TO do US justine BY yielding her Pretensions
Of dominion over the territory belov that
line Of 49' as compromise, then we will
have 10 fight. repeat il. we must then
fight for IL. IL my mind had not settled
down into determination 10 concede no
more than compromise at 490, with the
qualifications already stated, would vote
against the notice; for without that deter
minasion Of the Senate, the notice would
have no moral weight whatever, and be
worthless, worse than worthless. in the
negotiation. II would be temporizing
pre:ence-a species oflegislaiive diploma
cy, an empty hrayadO, Of which we have
had quite enough already, unsuiied 10 The
dignity Of this body or the gravity of The
subject, and rather embarrassing Than help
ful to the Administration in pursuing the
negotiation. In word, we ough. to re-
fuse the notice, unless there is solemn
determination TO make the compromise
line Of 40 our fighting line-if il must be
so.
But, Mr.. President, there are some 9th
er topics that have been introduced into
this discussion which | feel obliged to no.
sice. We have been told that The people
have decided this question, and all Demo-
Gratis are called 10 obey the voice Of the
people at the peril ofconsequences. lam
i Democrat, and upon party questions a
party man. Of this | make no conceal
Psa Psslsa aqd Al RoBBSst BBSt oSs been sas
last long. But | am not slave to dicsa-
tion, nor a tame follower Of any mans
lead. especially upon questions likely TO
involve my party in danger, or my coun-
try in ruin. | am Democrat enough not
to shrink from speaking the truth boldly
to the people, as they shall hear who hear
me at all. | had rather serve them than
please them, though have found in my
own experience that honest service is the
best avenue to their confidence. | do no,
know nor believe that the people are oP-
posed 70 an honorable compromise Of this
controversy. That they might be made
so by arliul appliances l have no doubt
But | do not shrink from meeting such ar
Issue direc,ly-nol |. l should hold my
self no Democrat if did. BY the Con
stitu,ion of the United States, the making
of Treaties is confded to the President
under the advice of the Senale. talk o
treaties, not ordinary laws. In treaty
making we act in private, and upon inior
nation we cannot disclose. We deny Il
foreign Ministers The right to discuss ,h'
cause of their Governments to our people
Should one undertake il, he would be dri
ven from the country, as he ought TO be
We represent. States; and Senators are pre-
. sumed to be statesmen Of some learnin;
-, and great Judgment. We generally ratii.
Il treaty before The people are permitted t
know any thing of it, or OF the reasons 70
its ratification. II we were cautious Il
, observe the rules. this would always be tn
. ease. How absurd, therefore, to tha
the People have retained, or that they wis
:, to exert, or that they can righ.fully exer
else the power to instruct the Senate upol
the making of treaty. How execrabl
q. and revolutionary would be the doctrin
) that a President should seek to set asid
!. his constitutional advisers, and go be(or
!. the people, whether it were the homes
:, I" Masses" or Baltimore Conventions, 9
~ ~ town and country meetings, wherein fat
" tons are first formed, and then led BY dt
magogues, who called them together. Oh
\. my country! my country! when that sha
, be our fate, il, in the providence of God,
. shall ever be!
0. Methinks isee the coming storm. Th
a. press may be already charged; but n
matter. This ismy eountry's question
not mere party strife. These are III
y. sentiments my head and my heart approT
he and will not withhold them. The Pres
es dent may peril his Administration--son
in of YOU believe he will--ifhe or his frient
he should dare 10 think like Washington
v, act like Washington. But he will viola
%. his duty and peril his country if he do
he not. So did Washington peril his Admi
X. is,raton; but the people, the Democrac
came to the rescue, and all was WE'LL
much humber victim Qike him who a