The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-02-09


at the expiration Of twelve msnths that 80 eontin
ued then Of the same opinion, and was ready for
passing any resolution for giving thai nouee,
: Sir since that time this House has been engaged
with all the abi6ty--l must say abe--and
with all the patriotism, unsurpassed, as | believe,
by any people on the face OF the world In the con-
sideraion Of that very question. have endeayor-
ed to keep my mind as far possible as impair
tis on this subject as il il had not been made up
before; have listened with attention--all the at
tention could command-to the speakers on both
sides OF the question: and if my mind had not been
made up In the most positive and infexible manner
the opinion that time was come for the notice TO
be givon 10 Great Britain, do not know what would
have been the result OF this debate upon my mind.
mean to say that everything in the nature Of srgu-
ment, everything in the nature Of fact, everything
that can have the power ofpersuaslon upon the hu-
man mind, has BEEN in my opinion, brought for
ward and laid before this House in this debate; and
say, mol upon one side Of the question, but upon
the other cannot undertake to draw the balance
Of ability between the arguments on the two sides
but say that, in my estimation, there never was
debate in a deliberatiye body where a subject has
been more thoroughly and more completely exhaus-
ted than this has been IL has left me, sir, where
| was; il has left me with conviction fortified by
all that has been said in this elaboration, that the
time has come for giving this notice to the govern
ment Of Great Britsin-that the convention Of 1897
shall be terminated at the expiration OF the twelve
months from the notice being given by the Presi-
dent of the United States to the British government
Of the determination Of these United States to put
an end 10 that agreement. F
Upon this, however, I shall have but little to say
in addition 10 what he had said before; adopting as
far the committee will permit all the arguments Of
all gentlemen who have maintained the same side OF
the question. But, SIR in the course Of this debate,
even before what has fallen from the honorable gem
tlcmsn from Georgia, mfr. KRo, to-day, think |
h.v ard oher IF geptlemeU who have
spoken, drawn rather too much into personalities
upon this question. have been charged even be-
fore this day with inconsistency in my own course;
and sometimes it has been intimated that ! have
been actuaied by motives not of the purest and
most patriotic kind for having at former time en-
ierained the opinion that Great Britain has some
right upon this question.
MIR. A proceeded TO notice these personal allu-
sions, and TO present his Interpretation Of the sub
sisting convention between Great Britain and the
United States. The situation Of his health (he
sand was such that he must ask an apology from
this committee for anything desultory which 1t was
possible he might say, for reasons with which he
should not trouble the committee. He had recently
within few days past been urged by number Of
his friends to say something Of the reasons why the
termination Of this convention should take place; but
feeling the extreme burden under which he labored in
addressing the committee, he had come into this
House rather despairing of his opportunity for TAX
ing any part in this debate. And he should not
have attempted il, had il not been for the per-
sonal appeal made TO hm-he confessed in manner
which surprised him-from gentleman with whom
his relations had always been Of the most friendly
character and who hitherto has observed the rules
which that friendly relation prescribed. That gen.
tlemen commenced, by what he conceived to be a
dsorderly appeal to him, (Mr. Al contrary to- and
in violation OF, the rules Of this House. by putting
question to him. (Mr. Al instead of addressing the
chair at least Of addressing the chair, and stating
that he bad a question to put TO him (Mr. A. }
What right had the gentleman TO ask him any ques-
toni =
Mr.. KING rose for explanation, and Mr.. A..
yielding the floor, stated that he had addressed the
chair, saying, with all due respect, he should like
to ask the honorable gentleman from Massachu-
sets a question. The chair made no objection,
and, as he conceived, assented, and he Mr.. X. J
propounded it. He did not think there was any
thing unparliamentary or disrepectfu in il; he GER
ainly intended nothing dsrespectful to the gentle
man from Massachusetts.
Mr.. ADAMS (resuning) believe the gentle
man that he did not intend anything disrespectfu,
and perhaps nothing supplementary. According
to my IDEAS of the rules Of this House, j, was un-
parliamentary, though did not understand it TO be
intended as disrespectfu and therefore | answered
the question. ] answered it specifically, un-
disgusedly, as clearly as my heart and mind could
permit me to; and then he said
This portion Of the sentence was lost to the
! think he might have concluded, from wha,
he knew of me before that time, what my position
was, and he might have made any argument he
thought inferrable from it, without making that
direct personal appeal. refer to this because,
as said before, is perhaps the final and the only
reason why venture to address the committee a,
this time. have said, before this question arose. TO
the House, have said, in urging the Committee on
Foreign Affairs TO put us in situation to meet the
question: that was ready to vote for the notice to
Great Britain TO terminate this convention. have
not entered into all the reasons that have brought
to that conclusion; did not think it necessary;
was willing to leave upon the balance Of the debate
which has taken place in this House--upon the
arguments that have taken place on both sidcs--I
was willing to leave 1t to the House, and to say
ay"-yes, to say "ay"-to any Of the prop
osilions brought before the House TO terminate
the convention Of 1927, for which the largest
majority of this House can be obtained-to any
Of the propositions, from the direct, positive
proposition reported by the chairman Of the
Committee on Foreign Affairs, down to the last
of all, if there is any difference IN substance be-
tween them-down IN the last and most timid of
all which have been presented to this Honse. The
more positive, the better suited to my mind. But,
by way of compromise with the opinions OF
other members of this committee, with the desire
that when we come to this important determination
we should show az strong maiority ofthis House
possible, | would vote for the least positive for
the most conciliatory that has been offered, or that
can be offered want the termination of that con-
vention. As to the mode and manner of doing it,
] am willing to do it in the most conciliatory man
ner to Great Britain; am willing to accompany it
with all but supplcation that negotiation may be
continued between the two parties and brought to
successful result. am willing to do all that, pro-
vded this and the other House Of Congress shall say
that this convention may no longer exist.
Sir, there has been so much said on the question
of title in this case, that believe il would be waste
Of time for me to say anything more about it, I'M
less 4 refer to little book, you have there upon
your table, which you sometimes employ to admin
lister solemn oath to every member of this House
to support the constitution Of the United States IL
you have it, be 30 good to pass il to the clerk,
and will ask him ID read what conceive to be the
foundation Of our title. sr|
1.-THE clerk will be no good as to read the Goth,
9th, and 2Sth of the lst chapter Of Genesis
the committee will see what | consider to be the
foundation Of the title Of the United States. T.
The clerk read accordingly as follows
40, And God said: Let us make man in our image,
after our hkenessi and let them have dominion the
fish OF the and the fowl Of the air and the
cattle and over all the earth and every creeping