The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-01-12

4 sis Oregon worth the cost Of wars Let Eng.
land answer that question! Americans, native-born
| Americans never stop 10 ask what may be the cost
of national honor they will preserve IT, cost what
| il may. Considerations of commerce. cons idera-
i tions of "trade," are not 10 govern Us when the
limits of our empire are to be dIsmembered by the
hands Of foreign spectators, who grasp NJ territorial
jurisdiction, not 10 promote the happiness Of the
| people, but to degrade and enslaye them,
! To resist the invasion or ACKNOWLEDGMENT Of their
empire is the most solemn obligation that patriotism
can impose upon republicans, who hold their rights
in trust for the benefit Of their posterity. Can we
pause in the vndicaton Of these sublime interests be-
| cause we are told "Oregon may involve US in a
war;" Sir, well know that war is not frivolous
subject; there are evils hanging about il horrible
| gaze upop-sickeniBg TO contemplate; but still as
an argument |, as Native American, am not viii
/ ling TO use it, The true attitude Of patriotism is
based on right, truth, justice II our claims are
just, cannot pause Ia the assertion Of them with
out rushing upon evils tenfod greater than those Of
| war! 10 our cause JUST native American asks no
other question. This carries him through all diff.
culties-oyercomes all barriers-aild sweeps with
overwhelming power TO glorious triumph
! IL il said that we are "unprepared for war"
deny the fact, though am no advocate for HOSTILE
| ties. Are we not the American people, indepen-
dent and freel That itself is preparation for
! Have We not firm hands-braye sons That itself
is preparation for war. A brave and free people
never can be unpnpaTot 10 Tepel ON enepy or expe
TO ply scR. The latent energies ~ our Country on
ly require TO be called into action by our intelligent
sons To prove superior to any preparation Of for
cgn enemy OF a hundred years growth. | rest
these declarations the events Of our own history
Where was our preparation in l776, or IN 1912
Why, sir, at that time, even the wrath Of maes-
~ moderated when IL gaZed upon the insignf-
canoe of its foes! A regiment Of "red-coats," said
King George, will dispense the audacious rebels
and crush the outbreak in the bud. But the
| 10 An "a
proud in the mailed spendor Of their cress, but it
| vanished like the regiment ard lost in the
smoke Of Yankee rifles. Another came, and anoth-
er fell. And sull another, beaded by valiant
knights and pumed earls, who bowed beneath the
| yoke Of American yalor, and cried "quaref' from
hatcad foes, whose pale cheeks disclosed the gnaw
! ings Of famine!
With such pages in our history, will you tell us,
sir, that are unprepared, when our present re-
sources perfect giant rs contrasted with our
nakedneSs in I776 and 1872 True, our want Of
phys preparation invites attack; but that is no
reason why we should surrender our rights, when
we stand thrice armed by having our quarrel just.
! 1 II am of those who do not believe "Ongon" TO
be the real Of the present beigeent attitude
! of England. The controversy between us is rather
10 he traced to the conflict between feudal institu-
tons and republican systems Of government Our
| example Of free government is thought TO be dan
gerous to the permanency of Europe's thrones; and
England has been put forward, she was in the
of republican France, To head the combination
| of kings against the cause Of freedom. Our glor-
Gus flag, which lutters from the masthead Of every
American ship, throngirg every port Of the
world, has at last awakened the mOnarchs Of
Europe to the danger that CLEANS fom the
majestic emblems Of liberty. Let Europe
combined, if she will, strike at the cause of Amer
lean freedom, by making Oregon preteXt for war;
there is power in the free mans prayer that paes
with fear the face of tyrants, and makes them trem
BILE Oh their thrones. There is, in this country, a
! latent energy which, when reused to action, will
overwheln the most supeHdous alliance that des-
potism can rally to the <fof tyrants. Here, as
Americans, we battle wiilrnature on our sde-here
we do battle for freedom, on freedoms stage, with
mountains for our Shields oceans for garrisons,
God hiWSsu6fpr our ally! Setdstnee is the
first nature; SELF preservation the first law of
God; and while, as natlve-born Americans, we shall
be found indicating our right to every inch Of our
own SOIL let it not be supposed that we shall over
| look the republican institutions of our country,
which have no other basis, other security, ttan
the purity of the ballot-box. Our 3oject is conser-
vative Of freedom, aim The preser ration OF this
great country as an asylum for all the world We
are bound by every obligation, holy and sacred to
defend not only soil, but OUR BiRTH-RIGHT from
all INVASION Stunning the fate of nations buried
in disaster, avoiding their errors and initiating the
! wisdom Of more fortunate empires let us concen-
rae our energies to build up the national character
of The American people and entlre-free, glos-
Gus, and indivsible-with no divisions to distract
corruptions to eat into the heart of our in
stitutions--no factions to tear us asunder-no feuds
TO seduce into treason-but pure, free, exalted,
and notwithstanding in one solid column to
the great victory marked out for MS by our great
leader the acknowledged mode-patrot of the world
before the majesty of whose virtue all nations Of
the earth bow down in reverential admirtion-let
us achieve that second Independence from foreign
influence and foreign power which is the consum-
nation Of its parent in all that glorlhes man In the
perfection of his being, and the matchess excel
ence of government-whic aims at the happiness
of the many the civil freedom of all, and the cleva-
ton of the whole human family in the scale Of love,
! intelligence, and subordinatlon.