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

sds Of the House are the peace-Party. Timld coun'
ala lend to war-"ear admitted 10 our councils be.
trays Ike treason " | cannot sympathlze, then,
with gentlemen who use this argument, although
they may use IL honestlyi nor will permit TO d.
vert this discussion, SO Tor as am concerned, from
lis true and legitimate track, We ask nothing on
this side of the House but The exercise Of our eonst'
tutona rigbts-rights that are pointed out and de-
fined by the very treaty under which we are act
ing. And is il true that the exercise OF these
rights, as we propose II, Is any cause OF war Z
No Sir "Old men see visions, and young men
dream dreams - the gentleman from Virginia, Mr..
HUNTERl tells Us and my word ior H. II was
but the dream Of the genteman's waking houTS
when he made his antwar speech, on the ground
that this notice was measure designed IN any way
calculated to be war measure Whlie wnh gen
temen in all parts Of hls House, he most cheerlulIy
concurred lhat peace was be desired above every
hing else save the of our national rights
and our national honor, he Mr. ii did not hold
war 10 be all eyl from which they shrink, when the
preservation of our national rights and our national
honor demanded It. If we were to be deferred from
exercising our constitutional rights by that stale
clamor then how long would il be before would
be stripped of every right we do possess by inviting
other governments TO aggressons upon usi
There was another remark 10 which he wished to
alude. Too often within these walls, IN the discus
sion Of various measures, had he heard taunts and
reproaches, either directly or Ivy implication, cast
upon various sections Of this UL,on; and when they
had been directed TO that section where II was his
pride and his pleasure TO reside lac had felt them thrill
along his nerves hike electric shock and the i'm
pulses of his heart had been upon his lips TO hurl
them back again. But time and reflection had
ehasLened these feelings, and he passed them by
Ia sorrow that they should come from tho lips
Of any individual on this floor; and while il was his
glory and his pride to be AN inhabltant OF
that section whose motives were so ohen ques-
toned here, he had single word TO say in behalf
Of that people. He had no objections TO inteTpose
here in defence Of what may have been the errors
or the weaknesses of her politicians, but IN behalf
OF her citizens he had word to say. He believed
them 10 be patriotic as any other class Of cltl-
Zsns TO be found IN our Union. They had e. ibit-
ed their patriotism and their yalor many a we'll
fought field. Their bones had bleached on many a
northern hill and the barren sands Of the South had
drunk in their best blood. Sir, (said Mr. III J
point with pride to the North and invite you there
to witness a system which has grown up with us
and which is our ornament. | point you To ouI
system OF free labor. point you TO our common
schools--to our churches, with their spires point.
Jog towards heayen-and glory in them. They
are the monuments that belong 10 people who
have the true spirit Of citizens Of free government
But stop not there; | ask you to go with me
throughout this whole broad nation; and | point
you 10 her-l point you to the whole Union as a
monument Of political grandeur towering towards
the heavens, upon which the friend Of freedom,
wherever upon our globe he may be, may gaze,
around whose highest summit the sunlight Of glory
forever shines and at whose hose a free people re-
poses, a0d, uust, forever will repose. So much
for New England, my home so much for the Union,
my country.
Mr. ii. now advanced to a more direct discusson
Of the question Immediately before them; and he
first asked the attention of this House to the duty
which they, as guardians of the public veal, owed
to themselves and to our common country. lie
called their attention to the duty which, n com
ponent part Of this government, they owed to its
citizens wherever they may he found. II there were
single duty which rises over, above, ard beyond
all others, that Of the American republic tn
afford protection to the American citizen wherever
he may be found upon the American soil. 1t was
one Of the highest duties incident the charge com
mItted TO their hands; wherever our national flag
floats upon the breeze, il should be certain Inde
of ample protection to the American citizen in all
his rights OF person and OF property. Why, is il
true asked Mr.. III } that in the nineteenth centu
ry, under this government, which VIC believe to be
the best the world has scon-s it true that the
cry, 81 am an American citizen" shall not be as
u safeguard, and pledge OF protection the
cry, al am Roman citizen' in the palmy
days of Rome' Ii was said by ancient philosO-
pher that the government which feels sensi,
bly,, and which redresses most promptly, every in.
jury visited by a foreign power upon its most
humble citizen, but discharged the duties in
cumbent upon il. And is it not truly so; What in a
greater degree than the strict discharge of its duty
It's citizens will call forth their affections aud their 10y
atty and will draw them forth to protect the insu-
lions and defend the standard Of their common coun
try IN the hour Of that countrys PERI The citizen
who realizes the full assurance that his rights will
always be defended with sleepless vigilance " ILL.,
in his turn, be ready to discharge with prompt
ness and fidelity all the duties that country may re-
quIre OF him.
How, then, is our government to extend that pro
lection, and that aid which required from il &c
its citizens to those wanderers to the distant portion
It's territory westward of the Rocky mountains. Sir
those citizens have been wrested from American
soil to be tried for alleged offences by foreign laws
They have been dragged from their peaceful homes
from their own domestic fresides, and have beer
tried and held amenabe to the laws Of British prov
inces; and here in the l9h century, from this stale
camor OF war ringing IN our ears, are we to STOP
and fold our arms about us, and say I'VE vii
pause while before we give this notice. We may
the lion in his lair. England with her chair
ofmililary posts around the world may be aroused
and we do not precisely foresee what will be the
consequence" No; the notice should he gver
now, and protection to American citizens should bt
extended wherever they found on American soil
and then that flag that had been borne ao in triumph
in the battle and IN the breeze upon the ocean ant
Il upon the lakes, the emblem of protection tc
each and TO every of our citizens, will float for
4 over the homes of free and happy people
/ That flag which now
80 proudly drinks the morning light
Ger oceans in foreign cline,
Asymbol OF our might"
This faithful discharge of governmental dutie.
Il will be one OF the strongest arguments IN favor o
the advancement Of the principles Of our own free
government. The feeling of every citizen that pro
lection in person and property is secured to him by
4 the laws and by the flag of his country, will serve
more surely than aught else to extend and wider
our broad domain. Let it be done, and gov.
ernmcnt will pursue its onward course by its mora
power, until 1t shall extend from the isthmus Of Da
ren to the frozen regions Of the North-from the
n rough rock-bound coast of the Atlantic, back &c
\ the gentle murmurs Of the Pacific. Then, in the
lnimtable language Of our own distinguished poet
'Wide shall our free increase,
III Aud wide extend the elastic chain
That binds in everlasting peace
State after state-a mighty train"
Mr.. Fl next proceeded TO the consideration of this
question in Il commercial point of view. Oregon
was ours; il belongs TO us; and the question o.
title he had no disposition here to examine. L
had been thoroughly, ably examined by those who
in authority, and the result has been presented