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

and illustrations OF the pugnacious disposition OF
The world till your patience and mine were ex-
hausted.
Why, sir, il England had temple of Janus as
Rome had of old, it would be as seldom shut az
was that Of her imperial prototype. Tire first ff-
teen years OF this very century nearly all pass
ed IN the greatest war known perhaps in the annals
OF mankind and there are senator's in this body, and
am among the number, who were born at the close
OF one war with England, and have lived through
another, and who are perhaps destined to witness
third, And yet Jealous but i'll, judging men would
try 10 induce us 10 cast by armor, and lay open
our country, because forsooth the age is too eDght
ened TO tolerate lam afraid we are not as good
as these peace ne, al all es,, persuade themselves
end attempt 10 persuade others, ,... ....
But, sir, to advert 10 another topic. ! perceive
and am happy 10 find il so--thst there has been a
union Of sentiment one branch Of this sub
ject between the honorable senator from Maryland
and myself than had supposed All ] regret is,
that he had not ayowed his opinion earlier in the
session; for | should have felt myself greatly en-
coursged in my course by the identity Of our views
respecting the danger of the country The honora-
bic gentleman says eve all have felt al one time,
at leas trust that that time is passed-the nation
in imminent danger of war" "From the mo-
ment the President of the United States deemed it
right and becoming, in the very outset OF his official
career announce to the world that the title Of the
United States 10 the northwest territory was clear
and ndsputAble, down TO the period Of his message
in December, when he reiterated the assertion,
could not how il possible war was TO be
ayered." al could not but listen with disniay and
alarm al what fell from the distinguished senator
from Michigan at an early period Of this session."
Now, sir, have not the slightest wish to misln-
terpret the sentiments Of the senator from Maryand
but frankly confess do not understand how, with
the opinion he expresses that war was unavoidable,
any remarks Of mine could have been thus charac-
terized. | am well aware, indeed, that they came
like bomb-shell into a powder magazine But
why, ! have yet TO learn. Like the honoa-
BILE senator from Maryland the moment
read the Presidents message, ! saw, to my
own conviction at least that our relations with
England we're in a critical situation; and that a re-.
gard TO duty, representatives and sentlnels OF
the people, required us TO take measures OF precau-
lion, proportional to the danger, whatever that
might be, The President, with due regard TO his
own responsibility, well as to the just expecta-
tons Of his countrymen spread before us, not only
his own views and recommendations, but the whole
diplomatic correspondence which had passed be-
tween the two governments, on the subject OF Ore.
gon. Well, we all saw there was dead halt in the
march Of the negotiations. The President told us,
in effect, they were closed. | am not sir very te-
nacious TO the word. do not attach that impor-
lance in fact, to the condition ITSELF which the
ator from North Carolina appears TO do. ] am will
ling TO call It closed, terminated, suspended, or,
in the Executive phrase, dropped" All wish to
show u.s. that nothing was going on. Why the
honorable senator from North Carolina dwelt with
such earnestness upon this point, | do not eompre-
bend, unless indeed, he supposed that il the nego
tlatons were closed, they were closed forever, be-
yond the reach Of the parties. IL such were his
views, | do not partake them. | trust no ques.
ton Of mere etiquette will keep the parties sep
araed, II other circumstances should Indicate they
might be brought together. Such course Of action,
rather of Inaction, would deserve the reprobaOn
of the whole world But however this may be- the
President said, that all attempts al compromise had fail
ed. These are his words He invited TO give
the notice. for the termination of the joint occupa.
ton Of the country. He said il was all ours, and
that title 10 ii maintained BY irrsrdgabie facts
aud arguments; and he said Also that at the end of
the year, the temporary measures, which regard
10 treaty supulatons allowed only 10 adopt at ths
time, must be abandoned, and our jurisdiction over
the whole country established and maintained. Such
were, in effect, the views submitted to us by the
Chief Magistrate Of the nation, in the discharge Of
a solemn duty, committed to him by the constitu-
ton.
One would think here were elements enough of
trouble to engage the attention Of the national legs-
ature, and to command its immediate action. If the
ship of state were to be steered by the chart thus
prepared by the pilot, either Great Britain must
turn from her course, or we must meet her. There
was no other alternative. She must gainsay much
she had said. She must relinquish much she had
claimed. She must concede much she had denied.
She must do what proud nation does with reluc-
tance rerace her steps in the face Of the world and
lower herself in her own estimation. did not say
she would not do all this. do not say so now
But looking to her history to her position, and to the
motives Of human conduct-as these operate upon
communities we'll upon Individuals had great
difficulty in believing that she would do it, and
said so. And there was yet another element of I'M
certainty combined with all these causes of embar-
rassment, and that was the doubt if she to the
parallel of ago, whether she would find our govern
ment ready to come back to the same line. | know
nothing Of the intentions of either government upon
that subject | cannot speak autbori;atively, and
therefore do not undertake to speak at all. |
Know rs little as any one in this room, be he actor
or spectator in the that is passing Whether the
offer would be accepted if repeated, or whether it
would be repeated if demanded. All I know is,
that as the basis Of an amicable adjustment that
time, which, while it mends some things mars 9TH
ers Is every day increasing the difficulty Of its es-
adjustment; and that, as means of terminating this
controversy, believe the question is rapidly passing
from the control of the government to the control Of
public opinion.
Under these circumstances | introduced resolu-
tons of inquiry into the necessity of adopting meas.
ures for the defence Of the country and on the 18th
Of December, advocated their adoption and ex-
planned my views, Of which have now troubled the
Senate with a brief summary, and to which the
honorable senator says he listened with "dismay
and alarm" "Dismay and alarm" at propositions
for defence, when the gentleman himself saws that
"the nation was in imminent danger'9 When "he
could not see how it was possible war was TO be
avoided" For it will be observed, thew were sub
sequent circumstances subsequent by some weeks,
which removed this impression Of the danger of war
made by the Presidents inaugural address, and by
his message at the commencement of the session
They were the speeches Of the senator's from Mis-
sour and New York, and especially the speech re-
Gently delivered by the senator from North Caro-
lima. For myself did not hear one word fall from
the senator's from Missouri and New York. so far
as recoect. in which did not fully concur. The
former, besides the authority which long expe-
rence, high talents, and great services his country
and his party give to all says, here and elsewhere,
understands this whole subject better perhaps than
in the nation. And all have borne our tribute
Of qualification to the able and statesmanlike expos
ton Of the matter given by the senator from New
York. did not understand either of these senator's
as abiding to the Interior of the President
or seeking to express any opinion respecting the re-
suit of this controversy. And will ask the senator
from Maryland whether, upon grave question like
this, is not safer and wiser to deduce the views of