The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-02-04
CONGRESS AL.
SPEECH OF Mr.. WICK.
OF INDIANA,

IN The House Of Representatives., January 50, 1876
On the resolution authorizing the President =
give the notice for the termination Of the Joint oe
sapAney Of the Oregon territory.
The House being in Committee OF the Whole or
| The State or the Union-- - Z"
Mr. WICK rose and addressed the committee a
follows
lie was 10 q place, he said, 10 which il had bss.
Justly remarked that one could neither speak no.
bear, and in which, in point Of fact, iue tina
wss said was heard. Though aware ofthis Difficult
w. he should undertake the task of speaking, and
strange as ii might seem, not for Buncombe, but fo
this House
His good constituents at home had been quietl,
enjoying the Christmas holyday eating their due k
and turkeys, or pursuing their ordinary avocations
and perfectly unconscious that their represent
alive here had for tho last two three weeks ex
hbited the ungracefu figure Of sitting here leanin.
upon desk, erouched like a canmount waichin.
foJ prey, and waiting for the moment TO spinI
forward at the close Of each Of some hundred q
more speeches, and at the top OF his voice. cry
"Mr Cbnirman" His constituents had heart
nothing Of this, but he meant To tell them about i
waon he got home, and let them know that the
dheulty here is, not TO make speech, but to OBJ
iaio the floor for the purpose Of making one.
Nov that have obisined the floor, Mr.. Chair
nan, (said MIR. w. y I find that II is privilege
scarcely worth rejoicing over, for everything had
been aid that could be said on the subject, and il
was perfectly exhausted There was not an
inknismal point which had not bern made the
subject Of long speech; and am too proud (said
Mr. W. to repeat what others have said before.
What then, shall do, In the COMMITTEES Of the
Whole the state Of the Union, believe il is in
order TO speak OF matters and things in general and
also to respond IN things which had been said by
others in the course Of this discussion. There are
some things which had been said in the debate to
which no direct answer has been made, and (said
Mr.. w. will attend to them.
WhiIe are en- r.grd here in delhsrntino imam
asuleet concerning foreign rclations-t the most
delicate Of all topics discussed here-he could well
comprehend the propriety Of not "oersteppng the
modesty Of nature" and of measuring every SEN
sncs by the dictates Of calm discretion and pru.
denee. He would endeavor to control himself ae-
eord,ngly and to "let his moderation be seen"
Ye, he felt at liberty to remember that he wus the
representative Of fearless and independent people
Who speak their minds in free off.hand style al
ways however, in courtesy or, what is better, good
.pature.
At an early stage Of this debate we had been told
by an honorable member from South Carolina tMr.
RHErTl that the Yves, and Northwest had claimed
special interest in this question; and in other quar-
iers il seemed to be understood a western or
northwestern question. He mir. w } wonld say
that the Northwest had strong interest in this
question. So had the entire country; and no (Mr
wy was surprised to see the representatives from
some portions Of the country apparently blind to
that interest.
The honorable member from South Carolina tMr.
RHErrl had, in addressing the committee, seen prop
er 10 infer or suppose that the Northwest was de-
srous, by means OF this que ston to bring on war
for wars sake, and on the suppostion that war
would be profitable to the nor Invest in pecunipry
point Of view; and in this conclusion, so dishonora-
bic to the North west the member from South Caro-
lima Mr.. RHErrl is fully sustained by some foreign
newspapers, and by some of the opposition papers
at home. Sir, (said Mr.. W. live in the North
west and 4 kno w hat the feenge md h. u,,.h h..
OF her people are much better than the gentleman
does. He guesses, but know. l would take his
word upon any subject concerning which his means
oflnforming himself were ample and mine limited;
and he may take my word when | tell him that he
has been grossly misinformed. have never seen
man in the Northwest who wanted war for the
sake of war, or Of any supposed pecunary profit
to result from it. We, sir are afraid of the evils of
war, for it would deprive Of our marke: for our
products, and Of many Of the blessings which we
enjoy War would bring as much trouble to
10 any part of the country. We woudinever wish
for war, either for profit or glory. 49,. ..a
Again. il has been said that the West wants a
war, or a war fever, for the purpose of making a
northwestern President. What is the gentle
mans position In regard to this allegation DID the
gentleman refer to the distinguished senator from
Missouri, I Mr.. BENroMl lfso, what will become
II war should take placer A war would at once
deprive him of all the benefit of his long advocacy
oflhe hard-money principle for his untiring advo-
eacy of which the northwest has so much and so
long admired him; for, as the honorable gentleman
from South Carolina says, an era Of war is always
VA Does the gentleman refer to distinguished cti-
zen Of Michigan and senator from that Statel That
distinguished gentleman lives within eleven hun
drcd yards of the British line and the occurrence of
AwsT would inevitably consgn his houses to the
flames, and his property to destruction, Why
should be invoke war; But still (said MIR. Wy
do expect that, in the course of our history, the
northwest will, at short day. too, furnish an actu-
al live President of the United States, to the great
Empire State, the Ancient Dominion, and to South
Carolina. And do not think that shall be obliged
to make war for the purpose Of effcctng that OBJ
ject. Living in the West, I am well informed as to
its feelings, and speak with confidence in regard
TO them. II has been said by the honorable mem
Der from South Carolina, Mr.. RHETr,] that we in
the northwest have nothing to lose by war, ms
we export nothing, whereas the South would lose
the market for her cotton. The honorable gentle
man from South Carolina was evidently misin-
formed on this subject. The wheat and other
products Of the northwest found its way to
England, formerly through Canada, but now
diIeclly The northwest makes as many clear
dollars in proportion to her population from the
export or her wheat and other products as
South Carolina docs from the export OF her cot
fon The prices Of our produce as well under
stood in Liverpool, and London, and Charleston, as
10 the price Of cotton. We sell our produce wher-
ever !, is wanted--to England, when her starving
population require il, and to South Carolina, when
crop fails ~
In reference to the sentiment which the gentleman
from south Carolina bad advanced, that those
should not hazard public war--whoesale murder
VINO 90 not defend their personal honor accord
ing to me peculiar fashion adopted in some parts Of
the world, because, they say, that tends to murder,
will say that the gentleman is mistaken, if he
applies ito US of the northwest, for We do defend
our personal honor, according to our own code The
gentleman cannot refuse us our own way of doing
this while he remains a consistent advocate of State
o sovereignty and State rights. $3.50
The gentleman cannot gaipsay that Indiana, for
example, is sovereign State, and therefore entitled
10 establish her own customs and usages. In ex-
teme cases, sir according TO our custom, two gen
'hemen lock themselves. up in room in the third
story, and then proceed their personal hon
Or and he that jumps out Of the window, the end
ola hafhopr carrying with him the ears, eyes mo-
es, &c belonging to both is the victor. That, sir
our code; and when the whole world, q mean the
civilized worldly shall adopt IT, we will hgbt the