The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-07-29

BILE station OF private citizen. The facts and cir
camslances which have preceded and attended his
resignation, sudden and unexpected as was, COZ
slitute sufficient guarantee 10 satisfy my mind OF
the pure and unblemished character Of the motives
by which he has been governed. The opponents
OF this tariff bill had nothing TO offer, nothing q
give, which could possibly tempt the virtue Of an
honorable ambitious man.
Those who hope for the rewards which unserupu'
lous aud ambitions men commonly eoyet and desire,
will not be foremost to initiate his example; they
will rather turn their attention in another direction
and 70 higher power--te the ample and seductive
fayors which surround your own chosen chief, and
seek TO bask in the light Of his bamy smiles. Ii il
he, and not We, who have the means and the appll.
ances TO boot TO control the consclences Of doubtful
or eorrupuble men. The honorable gentleman from
North Carolina, (Mr. DosBIS, for whom entertain
the highest respect and in the sincerity and fairness
OF whose feelings have the utmost confidence, has
said that he would rather that thus late senator from
his State had remained at his post and voted against
the bill, like man. if he could reconcile il with
his conscience 10 give il his support But would this
have been in accordance with the principle Of
the democratic party, and avowed in the doctrine
which they hold in regard to the right Of instrue-
TOSS He has told us that the democratic party Of
North Carolina are in favor Of the principles and
provisions incorporated in this BILL and that gentle
man was elected to carry out the views and wishes
Of that party. Well, that may all be 80, and fol
aught know he may have 50 understood IT, Bu
suppose he had been instructed by the legislature e
vote for this bill and he could not ave
done Il, would he not have been compelled TO resign
according TO the recognised creed Of the party in
that State' The fact Of there being no instructions
does not alter the principle in this case; for IL he
knew that Il was the wish Of his party that he
should vote for the bill, he was equally bound Io
vote for Il or to resign. To who holds TO thu.
doctrine, instructions mean nothing more than the
ascertaned viii ofihe legislature and where he has
good reason TO know the wishes Of his constituent.
without them, he 10 as much bound 10 obey their
will, or to resign, in the one as in the other
But IL IL not my intention to dwell upon this
unpleasant topic, which ! must take leave to say
has, in my Judgment, been altogether out Of place
since II was introduced here Indeed, | had no idea
before arose, Of making single remark in regard
TO the ments OF H. l arose for another and an en-
trely different object. My purpose was simply 70
PROFOUND single inquiry TO my honorable friend
from Pennsylvania, as TO a remark contained in a
brief report in the National lnielLgencer Of Friday
last Of some remarks made by the honorable gentle
man in relation TO the title OF the State of Delaware
in the Pea Patch Island | was not then in my seat
and as this IL the hrs opportunity which have had
since that time Of putting the question TO my honor
able friend, will avail myself Of il, by his per
mission, and do so.
The fertilization bill was then under eonsidera-
ton, and the honorable gentlemen, in giving notice
amendment 10 il for the settlement of the lons-pend-
ing question as 10 the title To the Pea Patch island in
the nser Delaware, remarked among other things
that the State Of Delaware had Withdrawn cher
claim 10 II; and Mr. Gale, now the only ramain-
ing claimant, had offered to submit to the erbitra-
ton Of the Chief Justice Of the United States - &c
Now, the question which wish to PROFOUND 10 nv
honorable friend is whether he is to be understood
oy this remark, as meaning to say that the State OF
Delaware has now, or ever has, at any former time
admitted or confessed that the title which she held
TO that island, prior the cession Of it to the Uni
ted States, and over which she still retains the gen
eral jurisdiction, is not good and valid against al
Claimants and all corners, from whatever they may
have originated. If this is the meaning which am
TO attach to the language Of the honorable gentleman
then beg leave TO inform him that il is an entire
and unqualified mistake. Prior to the cession OF
this island, some twenty years since, by the State
OF Delaware TO the general government, upon the
eondition that would erect and maintain fortress
upon H. the ne of the State had never been dispu-
ted by any living mortal. IL was then Of no value
whatever except for the purpose designated in the
resolutions ceding II to the general government, A
few months after the cesson was made and after il
was asccrtaned that the government was about to
TO enter and erect fort upon it, a certain unknown
and hitherto unheard-of claimant, of celebrated
hshing memory, arose in New Jersey and laid
claim TO It lie had, or professed to have
some sort Of title to it, which ne got for
hve hundred dollars, according to his own show
ing, and which he magnanimously came for
ward and offered to sell out to the general
government for twenty thousand dollars; since
that time he has continued to compound itself until
il now amounts, believe, to one hundred thousand
dollars; and ever since the matter has been involved
In an unfortunate and unwarrantable controversy
between the Claimants and the government. | do
not propose TO enter into history Of this contro
versy, as 1t would require long to recount it, and to
do the claimants that justice which the amount Of
their claim, the grounds upon which il is founded
and the remarkable pertlnacity in the prosecution Of
1t richly merit Suffice il to say sir that the title
ofthe State to every foot of it-and which title, by
her voluntary act Is now vested in the United States
lis "clear and unquestonablen
We, therefore, CO. SIR, IN the language Of the fifty
four tores, for the whole or none OF il, and do not
mean to be backed ont OF ''single pebble on the
shores Oft to quote the words of a distinguished
senator on the subject. The State of Delaware
coded her title to the government without money
and without price, and upon the condition. as have
already said, that fertilization should be erected
and maintained upon it. A fort was erected acord-
ngy but II met with the misfortune 10 be destroy
by fire some fifteen sixteen years ago, since
which no effort has been made to rebuild il. The
State has repeatedly invited the general government
to retrocede it, in order that she may assume the
burden and expense of defending it and indicating
her title TO it. But this the government has as often
declined to do; and, unless some steps are speedily
taken either to rebuild the works or to retrocede the
island she will in all probability feel it her duty to
end the question by re-enterng upon it for forfeit
ture of one of the conditions upon which it was con-
veyed to the government. | trust, however, that
this long-pending controversy may be speedily adj
lusted, and that no such step may become necessa-
ry on our part. am perfectly willing that the
whole matter should be submitted to the arbitra-
tration Of the present Chief Justice of the United
States, although | shall feel it my duty at the
proper time to strike out of the provisions con-
tanned in the bill before the House for this pur-
pose The people of the State have long felt live
y interest In this question; the island il all-impor-
tan in military point of view, although of no in
trinsic value 1t is not only the key, but the lock,
too, with good for upon it, to the upper Delaware
and the country; and therefore is Of the last inn
portance that it should be speedily and properly de-
Tended. The State has no fear whatever of the re-
sui. of the question as to the title before any fair
and impartial tribunal; and this |
am certain she will find in the distinguished and
able gentleman to whose arbitration it is now pro-
posed to submit it, She has never doubted, or
would permit anybody else to doubt, the validity
OF her title to il; and cannot suppose that it was
the intention of my honorable friend from Pennsyl-