The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-01-03

this moment, so critical that il viii become them as
the guardians OF the public safety TO beEiow some
thing than their ordinary attention (or rather
more than their ordinary inattention) TO the eoDd-
ton ofour national defences and that they were call
ed upon 10 place the eountry-without making too
much Doise-in posture OF preparation for the
worst emergencies For one, then, he was not
against referring this bill, which provided for the
raising OF two regiments of rlhemen--nor should he
be opposed TO bill for raising twenty regiments. lie
should not be fOuad against any measure Of nation
al defence which the friends of the administration
should take the responsibility of rIop' sing in this
House, or in the other house Of Congress.
So far, there seemed 10 be united counses in this
House and throughout the country on the subject
of Oregon; but certainly there were material dher.
ences Of opinion Onsother points. And Tor one, he
had no hesitation IN saying, that this was no llme
for cOneeaIing these differences He had no faith In
the hush-policy on this question, whether upon one
side Of the water or the other-in the wisdom of
concealing differences which all knew 10 exist on
this question, in order TO produce kind Of stage
exhibition, and profounder effect on the spectator
Lord John Russell Sir Robert Peel, and Lord Pal
n1erston, during the debate which occurred some
eight or nre months since in Parliament, on the in
angural address Of the President of the United
Stntts, had seen III TO express something Of coin
cldeut opinion. But he did not know that the peo
po Of this country, or their representatives were
any more awed from the expression and maintenance
by those funciionaries Of similar views on this sub
jet, than they would have been these distinguish
ed leaders of the two parties had exhibited a liltle
less unanimity and had seen ft to indulge in those
differences Of opinion which they commonly
manifestedi and, he said, upon this side Of the
ter he did not believe any concerted concurrence Of
opinion going TO produce any effect on that side
Of the water, on this side; on the contrary, he
believed Il was best for every one 10 express
his own honest views, and 70 look far more for
the effect Of the expression Of those views on
our own people and our own policy Than on the gov
eminent Of Great Britain. He was aware that when
he expressed his own views he should not altogeth-
err escape imputaiions. He was quite aware that
there were those here with whom the slightest dis
sent from the extreme views put forth by the adj
ADMINISTRATION would be regarded az pretext for i'm
putting To any one who expressed this dissent n
want of patriotism, a want Of love Of country,
want of true American spirit For himself he
spurned all such impulations. His patriotism was
not to be measured by his willingness to plunge
this country into war with Great Britain, with
any other nation; and he did not admit that true
love Of country was TO be guaged by the measure
Of hatred which one felt TO any other nation For
himself, he intended 10 express the opinions he hon
sslly and sincerely snlertainedi and he believed il
was time for some one 10 have the American spirit
the true American spirit, as he mantained-tO ap-
peal not to the impulse of a superficial popular
tIment on this question, but 10 the "sober second
thought" OF moral, intelligent, religious people
lion, the American eagle; and sorry was he to say
that II was one Of the tendencies Of nature to
give response to such appeals; but he believed, too
thanks to the education, the morality founded by
our fathers AFTER all, that the intelligence, the NOR
al and the religious sense Of the nation would re-
spond TO their appeals If they made them. He re-
membered the anecdote of some old British courter
century or two ago, who, in reply IN some one
saying we will take the of the people said al
will take the nonsense of the people, and beat you
two to one" There might have been some peril
nency in that remark applied to the British people
OF that age; but there was little in its application to
the American people at the present day. The non
sense Of the American people might rule for an
hour, but the sound sense or the people would as
sert itself and carry the day.
There we're other imputations, in the form of par
~ reproach, which might be cast upon him for the
avowal Of the sentiments contained in the resolu-
tons which he had introduced, and whose prnci-
pies he intended to maintain here. IL seemed, he
thought, in some quarters, (though he hoped not in
many, that it was bad policy to speak against the
course OF the administration on the Oregon question.
il seemed 10 be thought that there was nothing
the political opponents Of the party with whom he
acted much desired that they Especially those
coming from New Engand) should be making
speeches against war, that they might brand them
as "the peace party" He believed If there
any one disposed to make this mighty Oregon ques-
ton a mere instrument of q party character, he
might find, in the recent developments of the ad
minstration, the amplest materials for throwing
hack the imputation with which they weTe will
ing to brand them. He might ask, where ure those
heroic intentions of the Executive to maintain the
"vbole'' of our rights to Oregon-rights "cear and
indisputab e"-when the administration had recent
ly offered TO surrender TO Great Britain five degrees
of latitude' II might be easy for them to taunt Mr.
Secretary of Stale for having reserved his strongest
argument--that on which he now confidently relies
for the whole of Orcgon--to the last letter Of his
correspondence with Mr.. Pakenham, If he was
quite unwilling that the country should understand
how good our title is to the whole territory, until he
had offered to give away part He could conceive
that here was good ground of reproach for any one
disposed to make this mere party instrument
But for one, he bad no hesitation in saying that he
knew no party views, he knew party obligations
on question involving the high interests of our re-
laons with one of the great powers of the globe
He was not disposed to approve of putting DIP the
peace OF our country to be mere pawn on the po-
iticsl chess-board, to be periIled for party pur-
poses. He honored the administration for what
ever OF the spirit of peace of compromise, of con-
ciiatlon they exhibited. He was disposed to de-
fend it from its own friends when those friends
rose IN this House and called on them to rebuke it
for offering 10 surrender portion of the American
territory. And now, If any one desired TO brand
him as member of the peace party" for this, he
barred his heart, he held out both hands for that
brand-sor ITS earliest first impression. He would
receive il while the iron was The Hottest; and III
were shame ii a shame in which he gloried
II there were any odIum to be attached a man for
expressing the desire of peace, and willingness TO
compromise on question which was clearly @
question for compromise, as his friend had admit
ted-if there were any odium for this, he said,
in regard to il, as Cicero said in regard to any
odiun that might rest on him for too scsere or sum
mary dealing with Catiinc, SEQ amino ssmpsr fu,
III iapidiqm rirtue partam gioriam non nridian,, pu-
iGremr
He was DESTROYS Of Knowing, in this CONNECTION,
who stood here member Of the ,car party. He re-
joced to say that, as yet, he had seen no man so
vehement upon this question to be willing TO
brand his own brow with that Cain mark. Why,
every gcnt'aIaan-even the gentleman from Illinois,
LMr. DorGLAss,l who went furthest on this ques
ton-tod them all that, in WOW of peace, he wgs in
favor Of takjng possession Of the whole Of Oregon
that he was in favor of notice for terminating this
JOINT convention at the very earliest moment; and
that lie thought that the very way of all others TO
secure peace, and 10 render assurance doubly Ger
tain in relation to the peace OF the country. His
hoporable colleague, Mr.. ADAMS he was sure,
expressing such sentiments he did which he re-
GREETED to say he utterly differed from--which he
regretted to say, in his judgment, Wsyc calculated to