The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-01-28

OF relInqulshng any portion OF our territory inns
is not the first time have been called on to speak
on that question: When measure, much more nv.
teresting TO the honorable senator from Maine and
the people whom he represents with so MUCH abil-
~ here, was before this body, believe was one OF
nine who voted against The ratification Of that irea-
ty; and voted so, not because | believed that the
treaty had not been with the best and pures
intentions on both sides but because the ratification
involved the great principle whether we're at ber
ty, by treaty negotiation and sipuations, to cCde
away portion Of the territory of te u. States. tell
my friend from Indiana, mir, HASSEGAS,l that |
shall be as warmly rsolyed--as determined not 10
surrender any portion Of our rights 10 Oregon, as
was on the northeast boundary question. But, sir,
day after day, we have been involving this question
in greater difficulty by looking at a state OF things
not likely to occur. have doubt that If the no.
tce be given shall get Oregon, and in far con-
tribute TO that onward progress OF our free instu-
tons, which they are, hope, under the Providence
Of God, destined to pursue for ages to come. !
therefore say that from my opposition to this bill
inference Is TO be drawn that am opposed 10 the
notice, or 10 any other measure necessary for the
protection Of our rights In that territory, and for Ia
king possession Of il too. But am not for putting
the before the horse. am not in favor Of incur
ring enormous expense-of running the expenses Of
the government up to forty millions by an unneees-
sary increase Of the army and nayy-when can see
no probability Of the occurrence of any justifyng
contingency. | am for holding on TO the money
until the emergency arises, and then II necessary
am for applying every dolar-Dot only every dollar
in the treasury, but every dollar that be raised
by great, intelligent, and patriotic people.
ask the friends Of this bill, what would be the
condition Of this country, II, after sugmenting
the navy as It proposes, and also sugment-
ing the army IN corresponding ratio, and run
ming the expenses Of the government up 10 forty
millions, it would be found ninety days afterwards
that all the difficulty about the Oregon ques ton had
been finally and honorably settled In that we
should have government bound with expense
Of forty millions, without anything TO justify the
enormous expenditure. There il another objection
TO the bill. have been satisfied for years that the
time had come when it was necessary to put the
val establishment Of this country OIL a permanent
footing, and to regulate It by law That conclusion
seems TO have been fully attained. In 1912, the
eyes Of the whole country appeared 10 be opened,
and after prdtracted, able, and labodOus nvestga-
tion it was determined 10 reduce the navy, instead
of augmenting it. That measure carried by a
vote Of this body-twenty-seye 10 seventeen. Ii is
not therefore, necessary, peace measure, TO aug
nent the navy establishment and il war is to come,
why q say il with all respect for my friend from
Maine, this bill would be but as LiIliput arrayed
against CULVER. II is too small The senator from
Missouri desires to postpone the bill to a distant
day should greatly prefer laying it on the table,
there to sleep until events showed that 1t ought 10
remain in perpetual oblivion. But II, on the other
hand, il should become necessary to make war
preparations, then could bring forward measures
adapted to the object and the emergency. That was
the view which | took Of the matter on its first
| introduction here. ! wished neither to postpone
| nor TO reject it, but simply TO lay 1t on the
| table, and await the progress Of events.
am still Of the opinion. At all events, IT.
in the present aspect Of our foreign relations-ii
no new light has been emitted tending 10
lead to different concluson--I state now, without
alusion to the Oregon question, that the time cannot
arrive, in the progress Of this session, when Can
vote for that bill, anything like it, IL there be
no danger OF war, | will not vote dollar for the
increase Of the navy; il there be reasonable danger
| of war, shall vote whatever may be necessary, al
though it should take the last dollar in the treasury
II is too large, and II is too small It's not good o
| peace-it is not good for war hope, therefore
the Senate, if they should conclude to retain tn,
control of this subject at ALL will postpone it till the
most distant day # not lay it on the table, there &c
sleep till we find a necessity for taking II up.
have another view to offer connected with the gen
| eral subject of this bill. A portion Of the country
which have the honor to represent, and the whole
section to which, locally, belong, is peculiarly ex
| posed and defenceless. Ii we are threatened by
foreign invasion, there is portion Of the continent
mors exposed, nor any that would require more an
| increase of the navy, than that section to which
belong But the experience Of the past has satisf.
cd that that section Of the country is not likely
to in for its full and appropriate share Of these
general and abundant appropriations Of the public
| money, elmer LOT one branch or the Olner OF the
public service. Although we pay into the treasury
infinitely more than our just proportion of the
| expense of the government, yet | have noticed
with modification and regret, too, that when the i'm.
portant day of distribution came the lions share
has been granted to others, and we have been put
| off with a pittance. Ii IL a remarkable fact and
ask the champions Of the navy, ask the advocates
of commerce, and of all the great interests of the
country, to look for a moment at the expenditures
for the navy and promotion Of commercial interests
and then see that of the most important cities
of this Union has received within the last FIVE years
the enormous sum of just Sl5 ,000 The city o
Mobile has received, within the last five years, from
all these monstrous expenditures for the navy ans
| for the advancement of commerce. the enorniou,
and liberal amount of SIS, 000-and that, too willis
| she has been contributing one-hfh of all the com
merce Of the country! And relate it with perfec
good nature, when asked for another small appro
priation distinguished gentleman, not now a mem
Der of this body, was refused by respected friend
on the other side of the way, then, think, at the
head of the Committee Finance, on the grount
that we had already received Sl5,O0O | cannot
therefore, for that reason to vote this gen
eral appropriation, when l see how miseraby W,
have Jared in the day Of distribution. am no.
however, selfish that point If any other por
! ton of our coast, more defenceless than ours
can be pointed out, ] will vote cheerfuly fo
whatever appropriations may be requisite, but il
return shall expect, not matter of favor but o
|
of another and most important vulnerable point,
will be met in corresponding spirit Butas for thes
general appropriations, either for naval or for com
mcrcial purposes shall go for them with great
ton, with great deliberations if go for them at all
In every light, therefore, in which can regard thi
bill, cannot vote for it either now or hereafter.
cannot vote for it as peace measure because if WI
arc to have peace we want no increase of the navy
A senator remarked that our commerce was on eve
ry ocean, and that our sails whtened every sea
Why that is the very strongest argument that hu
man ingenuity could deviss--the extent of that com
merce-the uninterrupted prosperity of that com
merce-for the purpose of showing that for the pro
lection of that commerce augmentation of our ma
! Wy was not necessary. have regretted, and mus
be permitted to express that regret, with entire
spect that wrong complexion has been stamped up
on the whole series of the measures presented sine
the opening of Congress. ask you, in the NAM
of all that is sensible, what is the condition of tn
country now You find trepdation and alarm
amongst the people of the United States from on
end of the country to the other; and ask, how ha
this state of things been produced' What measure
| have Won had before this bodV. calcueted 4,