Arkansas intelligencer., 1846-01-17

4 r
were-ins,rucltng the committees on Nava. ar
fairs. on Military Affairs. and on the M'',''a, 70
make inquieries into, and repor, lmmedla.c'yi 'no
condition of these several arms OF the na''o"a' ee
fence, and ,olay before the Senate any sugses"oa
they might deem proper for their augneh'o''o" W
improvement.
The resolutions in themselves are apparently OF
small importance, and without their adop''on
would have been the duty of the committees 10
have taken the course which they Indicate hu,
the debate 10 which they gave rise, ana ue n.a'
action of the Senate upon them, give mem an 'h'
teres, of the most extraordinary kind.
Mr.. Cass on the 18th called them up, and sup
norted them by remarkable speech, predlcating
The whole movement upon the great probability OF
war between this country and Great Britain. lie
states his case strongly. Negotiation has ceasec'
The ultmatum of both parties has been presented.
Both have been rejected. England will not' ana
in fact, cannot recede from her position. we are
in more decided positon-instead of rc'rogade
movement wo are bound TO advance; instead OF
being Quiescent, We must act. Mr.. Cass thinks
wal inevitable, and he truly says that "It is better
to fcht for the first inch than the las--oel'cr 10
defend the door.sill than the hearth-st"ne. "iioV.
| ing experience both in war and peace-having
checked the advance Proctor al the time OF lulIs
infamous retreat from Upper Canada--havlng by
single publication blown the qu!niupIe alIiance
to tho winds-having been soldier. statesman,
diplomatst, we are disposed to place great
deal of confidence in his representations.
He was followed in the discussion by Mr.. Nan
gum, who expressed his regret that the resolutions
had been in, oiuced, the more particularly on ac-
coun, Of the speech from Senator Cass, by which
they had b, en supported. lie desired to leave
Il, l,l. tp tlp "
had met with the entire appreciation Of tho coun-
try. The President seemed to think there would
be no war-hc was inclined to the same opinion
When the crisis arrived, when informed BY the
Executive that the difficulty could not be settled
BY peaceful means, he and his friends were " it,
ling to 90 as far as he who went the farthcst.-
When money and soldiers were wanted, any re-
f QUESTION would receive his support. But he
thought it foolish for two great nations to go 10
. war for q small tract of barren soil. Oregon
. could no. be the cause-t would only be the pre-
,ence of hosties--thc real cause would be the
antagonstic principles of government which are
now uga,ng the world--repubIcanIsm on the
one hand, monarchy on the other. When such
a war came, if come it must, it would no! be u
sectional contest-it would involve the world. and
v shake Christendom TO its centre. In such 4 con.
n flct there would be no antl.war men in America.
Mr.. Allen followed in reply to Mr. Mangum, II
that can be called reply ln which all we're on
: the same side. Witou! entering into the geLer-
al discussion as TO the probability of war, he ad-
voca,ed tho adoption Of the resolutions as nccessa-
ry and proper in themsel,es-such as migb. with
\ propriety be passed at any time.
y Mr.. Archer followed. He had great conf.
= dence in the President. He had come TO Washing.
ton with (orebodings of evil, but the Presidents
- lud convinced rim ;nat the anurs OF the
II country had been conducted with wisdom and eau.
ton, aud he WAS disposed to let the subiec, resi-
unit, the PresIden, should intimate that all ope oi
peacefully arranging matters were nt an end. -
=, Mr.. Archer, in continuation, fepcted the drplo
=, rabe condition in which his immediate constu
~ ents would be placed in case Of war, cpen Il,
e nearly the whole of Eastern Virginia is to uava
!. attacks. ln conclusion be expressed his doterm
If nation to vote for the resolutions, if pressed, but
& thought them unnecessary, and rather tended tc
= provoke war than preserve peace,
Here the discussion ended on the lJih. and il
seems 10 have been understood on all sides, thai
/. the decision to which the Senate would come OIL
the next day would clearly indicate the future
policy of the Government.
On the 10th Mr.. Webster spoke upon the sub
ject, with his usual ability. He deprecated the
introduction OF the resoutions--tlley woud eifec
nothing but what would have been achieved by
other means-ihey would only tend to enlanglo
tho web of egotaton--exasperate the opposite
q parly-excite to an improper degree the feelings
, of the pcople-and derange the business of the
country. He wished for some action on the par,
:. OF tho Executive first. II all hopes of peace were
at an end, let them be informed Of it in a proper
,, manner--st with closed doors, and adopt such
measures as might prove necessary.
Mr.. Sewer succeeded, a,,ac ed the position OF
+ Mangpm, Archer, and Webster, and expressed
his own belief that there was but one arbi.er who
could settle the dispute, and that was-gun pow.
r der. Ia
The debate was continued through the greater
' portion Of the day by several members. when the
question being tnkon on the passage Of the rcsoIu.
tons-fhcy icerc unanimously adopted.
Thus we perceive that the division in our conn.
sells which England calculated upon, exists mol.
We may disagree among ourselves on subjects Of
domestic policy, but when q contest arises from
, wIlhou! the republic has but ono hcar,-one head
-one hand.-Deha.
Wenre ga!d 90 sec :hat the distinguished Sen,t.
tor Ashley, Of Arkansas, now Chairman of the
Committee on tie Judiciary, by the voice of the
Senate, has proposed bill for the permanen, pros