The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-02-11

debt itself may be finally obli d - Eeffcc
would be disastrous 10 them, sndno 80 Injurious e
In summing up these incalculabs interests in DO
half Of the rosintsnsocs ofpeAcs, ! feel no appre
tensions thst Great Britain would listen 70 The ex
4 trayaxant phlippics Of gentlemen on this floor
breathing awful threat. 80 lick Great Britain, and
10 bring down our young and snrased esgls upon
her poor prostrats hon." These were brilliant
declarations, calculated 10 IRE up the passions
Of our peoples but with all Difference, | eonssdsI
i them in bad taaie and out Of place. and shall At
4 tempt 10 take no part IN them. These speeches
will have no influence anywhere In tone OF
manly hrmness, let us preserve our honor and self.
respect, assert rights clearly reserved, and mss,
upon the acknow leagment Of claims undoubtedly
bust Then 10 doubt the result Of the issue, Is 10
doubt the final triumph ofeyerlssting truth. .
/ But IL had been repeatedly said that We should
have no war, because James X. Polk would book
out Those who made this assertion. knew not the
mani they professed not TO know him in the can
Vase Of 1874; but thought they had found him
out, and longer unaeqa4ntsass ~ ssp>sdonsbs
1 ignorance. He is man OF krnmsss Of purpose, Of
grsAf stennsss Of ehaIaclss, Of iron nerve, and Of
anyislding pstrioo.mj and when he bseks ssa, all
hope "a gone ..., rel-.- ,..4
But il is vain and unwss expectation that either
England or the United States can or will back out
No brave man, in personal controversy, viii ever
shape his course upon the presumption that his adj
yersary is coward; and il ID equally unjust and
impolhc TO suppose our friend will not bear him
self wnh the utmost CALAMITY. La this case, hope
gentlemen will put the Presdent 10 the test, as be
has invited them 20 do; eyading no responsibility
that belongs 10 them, and sho wing disposition
themselves hrst 10 back oai. .......
| Genilemen in this debate had said much about
the Soutb-much Of violated pledges given 10 the
North and West on the Texas questiOn-much OF
the sectional feelings which controlled their action
All this was unjust, and unworthy Of the gentlemen
| suhn q ~ nd m the of the SOuth
and on her behalf, here in my position huh II
i back TO the source from which these reflections
come with Indignation. The assumption that Ore
| gon was sectional quesuon-that II was a north
eTn question, western question, was absurd and
ndculous. IL belonged as much 10 the South, as TO
the North, or TO the West. IL came home near
and dear to my heart, and the hearts Of my con.
stituens, 10 the heart Of any gentleman on this
| floor. We shall not yield the palm, that in times
gone by the leaders on the Oregon question were
from the South. Jefferson, Madison, Monroe,
| Floyd and Linn, all southern men and slayehold-
ers have been the orginstors and unhinching ad-
vocaies Of all the for the maintenance oil
our claims in Oregon. Many Of the arguments
urged in this debate but the re-echo OF the sen
tments long since expressed by southern states-
| men.
Gentlemen should remember that there may be
differences Of opinion between individuals from diff
ferent sections ofthe Union; but regards the
South as whole, they have never been actuated
j by any narrow or contracted considerations when
national interests or national honor were involved
In every national dispute the South has always been
with the country. In the assertion Of our right'
she has ever been foremost in debaio--in their de-
fence, foremost in the field. | know that some
valued friends from the South differ with in
in the opinions have expressed, and IN the course
| intend to pursue. But il is honest difference:
know their patriotism, their honor, and their viii
lmgness to make sacrifices for the country, and
Il H.. leasf- that those
whom intend to go heart and hand in maintain
ing what we conceive 10 be the rights of coun
try, should make the indiscriminate assault that
their feelings and views take their color from the
section ofcountry from whoi they come ! hope
we shall have of it, because II is unjust and
unworthy any member on this foorlp cast such ar
imputation upon them. II b"
For my own part might be considered western
as well as a southern man. All my interests, Of
fections, and predictions were with the South
Il love her institutions, her genial climate, hei
fertile plains, and above all her warm and generous
hearts; but my location is in the great valley Of the
Mississippi, which is one day destined to be the scat
of empire in this giant republic. Our people are
among the pioneers who are TO emigrate to Oregon
and ready to go to the utmost verge sanctioned
by honor and just policy to make these emsrant'
feel that they American citizens, and that they
will receive the protection and defence Of the gov.
eminent of the United States.
i In this full and explicit avowal Of my views on
I this subject, have proceeded on the presumption
that the extent Of title was not the point IN con-
troversy, and that the position of the question, and
the state of public opinion, demanded that some
thing was to be done by this Congress looking "a
the settlement of the dispute, and the definite ascer
tanment of our rights. ! think have shown tina
to take possession, make grants or promises Of
grants of land and to erect forts for the protection
Of the country, must result IN inevitable war. Io
give the notice and abrogate the treaty may lead
though not necessarily, to hostes But in thai
event. we shall meet the shock with consciousness
of having maintained our honor and preserved ou
good faith. But other mode is still left open 70
be pursued, and that was the only means by which
don claims to the country, to leave our people
who are now cmigranng to Oregon under the guar
danship and protection Of themselves. Still they
will migrate across the mountains, and they will
carry with them their American hearts devoted e
liberty and to our free institutions. There they vii
equal to the task of defending themselves. They
want to know what you intend to do, and on wha
they may rely, and what extent Of country YOU
title covers. But enamored of quiet, and afraid tc
act, you do nothing, and thereby abandon the coun
try and secure your peace Are gentlemen willing
to purchase peace at such price, and having ob
tanned il, are they ready to fold their arms in con-
tentment, and talk about honor, and glory, and II
lustrous aneestorsl Away with such a thought
Strike the word honor from the American yocabula
iry or define 1t TO be cowardice, cravenheartednsss
i No, sir. The hour has not yet arrived when WI
will shrink back from the assertion Of right or thu
vndicaton of truth. When this government, strong
and athletic as she is, will quail at danger, and sub
nit to be ,despoed Of her br,hright, when we did
not fail to vndicac and maintain rights with
Population of three millions in 1776, Of seven mil
iioas ID 1912, esawe now, with q EpopulaAon o.
twenty MILLIONS N 1916, ignominously skulk from
their defence, For myself, and the gallant people
4 whom have the honor i'm part to represent l vii
say, never! never! ...,..
In the last canvass, wherever l went, assures
my constituents that whenever the occasion die
come, would pledge them ono and all, irrespective
of party to you and through you to the people Of tn
United States to stand or fall by the assertion Of on
rights in Oregon; and everywhere received hear
ty response, springing involuntarily from the DO
SONS of patriotic people. They require me to &C
forward in the path Of truth, Of honor, Of right, o
Justice and good faith; and II and its balefu
consequences follow from such course, they vii
: meet them with courage, hrmness, and slacrii!
that can never know defeat. ......
- ELEGANT AND EXTENSIVE