The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-04-03


was proper to entertain. 1t was doubtless right and
proper that the Senate Of the United Staes-so I'M
portant branch Of the goyenment-Should look
frwaTd to, sni earthly weigh, the results that
might be anticipated to follow the giving Of this no
tee. They were bound to look forward and see
whether that measure was likely to result in war.
II such result was likely 10 follow from If, UNI
doubtedly they then might take different view Of
it from what they might il they supposed that il
would, on the contrary, result in peace. Thus far
he believed il proper to 20 beyond the intrinsic
merits Of the question before themi but beyond that
he could not for the soul of him the proprety OF
the introduction Of any one of the various views
and positions, and points, and considerations intro.
duced on both sides Of the Senate not bearing in his
judgment directly on the question. What had they
TO do with such irrelevant considerations With
what propriety were they brought forwardl 1.-THE
giving Of the notice, in the judgment Of the Senate
must result in war, ii might, perhaps, afford
grounds OF difference Of opinion, and furnish reason
for deferrlng the notice till they prepared for that
war; but that was all that he could see had a egiti.
mate bearing on The question. Notwithstanding he
had said that many irrelevant considerations had
been introduced there were few Of them that he
felt bound to notice, and 10 comment upon. He
would not have introduced them himself but as
they had been introduced, though Improperly as he
believed, yet he hardly knew how the discussion Of
them cou be we'll avoided in these circumstances.
Having been presented for their elaboration and de
eision, silence might involve wrong construction
Of the views Of the Senate. One matter had some
what surprised him. Il was the introduction Of the
subject Of the Baltimore convention before the Sen
ate; and the statement Of the gentlemen from Viz
sins, Mr.. ARcHLR, charging that that was the
result Of jacobInlSm, was still more surprising On
reading the gentlsman's speech, he (Mr. A took
occasion to examine the subject with renewed at.
lenton. He confessed that he had not before been
| t.T. - ~
was not yet-but he had examined with some
care the grounds on which the gentleman had pre-
Eened the charge Of jaeobinsm against any portion
Of the democratic party. de could not see the
propriety Of the ailusion TO the Baltimore conyen-
uon, either on one side Of the Senate or the
other. But it had been introduced, and he
conceived it be his duty to make some reference
to it, He read the resolution
RsIolr,d That title to the hole Of the territory
Oregon clear sul unquestOnabe that portion Of the
ought 10 be eeted to England any other power
and that the TooccuPation OF Oregon and the nneNso
Of Texas, at the earliest practicable period grvat Amer
can which this convention recommends TO the
cordial support Of the democracy Of the Union "
That resolution with several others was offered
by Mr.. Butler, Of New York, a prominent mem
Der Of the democratic party; and II was more nor
less than recommendation TO that party throug hour
the United States, which constituted a majority OF
the people. Some gentlemen on the other side
Of the chamber shook their heads in to-
ken Of dissent from that assertion; but
in proof OF it, he had only TO point
to the fact that the candidates of that party
for the presidency and vice presidency had been
elected. He denied that there was anything that
savored Of acobnIsm in the resolution he had just
read. Whether il bound the people or mol, he was
quite certain that il hound the President and Vice
President. Long anterior to the Baltimore conyen-
ton, Mr. Polk, as was well known, had given to
the world similar views on the Oregon question to
those which were presented in the resolution. He
MIR Polk had always claimed that the tite Of the
United States TO the whole Of 0cegon was clear and
unquestionabe. HI mad con,en led for that in Ian.
guage as strong as that employed by the honorable
senator from Missouri Mr.. BESroSl in the yea
lS42. Mr.. A. then went al some length TO argue
that by the Baltimore resolution, the President was
egitimately bound. But he repudaied the idea
that there any jacobiniSm in it, II was not
held in isrrotm the legislation of Congress II
was simply declaration Of the opinions and viii
Of majority Of the people Of the United States and
one by which their candidates were bound. The
gentleman from Virginia Mr.. ARCHER had thought
proper to decry the intelligence of the western peo
pie. He had accused them OF recklessness of
temperament, but charitaby expressed the hope that
The blessings OF more dfuSed educa-
ton amongst them would in time correct
the evil effects Of that temperament. He
(Mr. A. would ask il the senator really knew
the people west Of the Aleghanes, to when he had
American people that surpassed them in patriotism,
in warm, intelligent, and sober attachment to the in
stitutons Of this country. So far from being reck-
less, they had exhibited the patience Of Job. After
entering into a solemn com pact with them the old
States had taken into their possession the whole Of
the public lands of the western States they had re-
served to themselves the right Of SOIL although pro-
fessedly admitting the West into the Union on an
equal footing. But the West did not resort to any
but constitutional means Of obtaining redress. So
with regard TO the tariff Of 1872; they had quietly
and peaceabIy submitted to that which was nothing
but legaliIed robbery Of the fruits OF honest in
dus,ry and toll. The baot-box had been their
only resort. They had never had in the West
Hartford convention to resist their own government
No; they were law-loving people. And as TO ed.
ucaton, he believed he could show that in that re-
spect they contrasted not unfavorabIy with any
portion of the Union. To show that he would
ask tho indulgence ofthe Senate whilst he referred to
a table which he held in his hand:
Proportion Of white person 20 years Of 0se ho cannot
rrad and Write TO the aggregate Dhis population Of the too
ing States, according TO census Of 1870: