The New era. [volume] ([Portsmouth, Va.]) 1845-1847, 1846-05-21

@"o every incn OF inc ground upon which an Ameri-
can soldier has planted his foot, were clearly with
IN our own territory as claimed by him in 1919.
am not now to be diverted from the real poin,
at issue oy tracing the line beyond which our army
has marched. My present object is to Iepel
the calumnes which have been uttered against
our government for the purpose of putting our
country IN the wrong in the existing war have
exposed these calumnies by reference to the acts
and submissions of our accusers, by which they
nave asserted our title at least as high mp as we
taken possession. The President had ordered the
army no further than Congress had extended our
Jaws. have shown that the country in dispute
has constituted one congressional election distric,
In Texas since 1886; that its citizens engaged
IN the war OF the revolution that they participa-
Ted IN the convention which formed the constitu-
ton of the republic, and also the State constitu-
ton that the same country is within senatorial
district for the State of Texas, and has senator
residing within it; that it farns part of one of
the districts for electing members to the Congress
of the United States; and that il is included in
our revenue districts for tho collection Of tariff
duties, and has officers of tho customs residing
within it. sa eJr
In view OF all these facts submit it to the can
dor OF every honest man, whether the President
did not do his duty, and nothing but his duty,
when he ordered the army to the Rio Del Norte.
Should he have folded his arms and allowed our
citizens TO be murdered and our territory 10 be in
vaded with impuniy2 Have we not fosborne TO
act Extensively until our forbearance is construed
into cowardice. and is exciting contempt from
those towards whom we have exercised magnani
mityf We have long list of grieva nces-a long
catalogue OF wrongs to be avenged The war
mas commenced, and he who is not on the side of
our country must necessarily be traitor to it, |
had frosted and hoped that there would be no
anti -war party after war was once declared But
am particularly mortified to see one of those WIN
were ready to 90 to war for Oregon arraigning
himself on The side of the enemy when our coun
try Is invaded on another side of the Union. To
me, our country and all its parts are one and in.
Invisible. would rally under her standard for
the defence ct one portion as soon as tho other
the South as soon as the North--for Texas as soon
as Oregon And here | will now do nv southern
friends the justice to say. that firmly and never
doubted, that If war had arisen out Of the Oreyon
question. when once declared, they would have
stood shoulder to shoulder by me as firmly as |
shall by them in this Mexican war. When the
Oregon issue comes nave no fears of the result
MIR. Adams. | thought understood the gen
,lcman, some time ago. to be for 81 deg. 40 min.
and TO tell his southern friends that he wanted no
lodging on the Oregon question.
Mr.. Douglass Sir. was Tor Sd deg. 40 min.
and am as ready to fight for that line as the Del
Norle. My patriotism is not of that kind which
would lead me TO go to war to enlarge one section
OF the Union out Of mere hatred and vengeance
towards the other. know of no sections in this
respect; and while did complain of sumo of nv
southern friends on the Oregon question, I never
doubted their patriotism when war was actually
declared. But. since the gentleman from Massa-
chusetts has referred to the Oregon question, [
wish to call his attention to one Of his wise saw
ings ON that subject. and see if he will not apply
1t to Texas as well as Oregon. He told us tina.
he went for the policy Of the great Frederick in
regard TO Silesia. He was for taking possession
FIRST, and negotiating afterwards. According to
the genileman's own showing. that is precisely
what Mr.. Polk has done in regard to the country
on the Del Norte. He certainly ought not to
blame the President for acting over one of his own
maxims. The President has taken possession.
and has offered to negotiate, and gone SO far as to
send minister TO Mexico for that pu rpose. For
this he is abused also. He is condemned alike for
using the sword and the olive branch. His enc
mics object to his efforts for amicable adustmen,
as much as to the operations Of the army All is
wrong in their eyes. Their country is always
wrong. and our enemies in the right. It has ever
been 80. II was so in the last war. Then it was
nnbecomng moral and religious free people to
JeJoice at the success of our arms. We were
wrong in their estimation in The French indemni
~ case--in the Florida war-in all the Indian
wars, and now in the Mexican war. despair of
ever seeing my country again In the right, if they
are to be the oracles. The time expired
Mr.. Washington Hunt asked why, if that was
the case, this government had offered compensa-
ton for the grant of the Rio Grande as the boun
daryl
Mr., Douglass did not know Che said) that such
an offer had been made.
Mr.. Hunt said the offer was made by Mr.. Shan
non.
Mr.. Douglass said it was secret that was not
Entrusted to the friends of the administration.
Mr.. Hunt. Then the gentleman denies it7
Mr.. Douglass. Certainly not. know nothing
about and care nothing about it. neither DENY
nor affirm things as to which I have no knowledge.
The gentleman from Massachusetts, did not deny
that we had some claim TO the country west of the
Nueces.
Mr.. Adams. If the gentleman refers to me,
deny the fact.
Mr.. Douglass. can prove it, sir, from the
gentleman's words, though they are no. in his
handwriting, being in print. In his letter to Don
Onis, he says: "WeIl might Mr. Monroe and
Mr.. Pinkney assert that our ;i;Ie to the Rio
Grande del Norte was as good as to the island of
New Ofleans;' and this assertion the gentleman
not only made but proved BY great number of
authorities. The gentleman from Massachusetts
had said. in relation TO Oregon, that he would
take possession first, and negotiate aferwar ds and