The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-01-09

never--eyen in the moment when placing her foot
upon the PROSTATE form Of that mighty genius Of war;
Napoeon--been as completely panopled In all the
means Of defensive and OF aggressive war as she IL
now. At peace with all the world, and having pre-
pared the monarches OF Europe for her movements
amongst whom il is well said we have not friend
10 whose arbitration dare trust this caseshe has
been outstanding her resources, recruiting on a
large scale her naval marine-has built AN enormous
steam feet and sent them round the world, IN the
peaceful garb Of mail-steamers exploring the coasts
and harbors Of other nations-whist, too, she has
been constantly augmenting her already immense
military resources.
Blu, my colleague mr. HmLARpl who so elo.
quently addressed the House yesterday upon this
question says that he will not pause to count the
armies OF England, or to number her ships, or to
consider Of her resources. Sir, with feeling Of
sincere sympathy for that warm and gushing i'm
pulse which would fear no danger incurred in the
cause Of our common country, | must, however, be
allowed to express the opinion that IN this instance
IL is not FOLLY TO be wise.n II is wisdom 10 obIan
knowledge Of and to reflect upon, the strength OF
our foe A Washington has jeopardIzed not only
the lives, but the honor OF brave men, in order 70
find out the strength Of the energy ! cannot but
sympathize with this noble ardor, this heightened
American spirit, that is flashing up over the whole
nation; but when il would advise that this is vic
tory, must reject the advice. | know that IL il
equal TO half the battle and il the right-f truth
and Justice decided the swaying ranks OF war
freely, heartily, and joyfully would | now commit
this issue that fierce ordeal But SIR that Is not
the case; not justice, but might, rules upon the
blood reeking battlefield; and knowing this, il be
comes the legislator not only TO know the means OF
destruction which the enemy possesses, but TO see
10 il ihat his own country is not thrown into that
arena with nothing but the naked breasts and weap-
oness hands of her brave sons to maintain their
cause. A nation that blndly and passionately
plunges into n conflict OF arms with an opposing
power, deserves no higher need Of praise thar
should be awarded TO the prairie bull, that, shutting
his eyes, furiously but bndly rushes upon the OBJ
jet Of his hate, the aag-aaunting and armed ma.
tador.
The question arises, then, are we prepared fOr
this issue ofarmsl Alasi sir, sin peace" we have
not 'prepsred for war" From the very West
which now seeks to involve the country in its vi
cissitudes and horrors, has come a long-continued
opposition, as am informed, TO any such increase
| of our gallant and glorious navy as the wants OF
the country, it seems to me, imperiously demand.
Many Of our ships rotting on the stocks, or ly-
ing idly in harbor and our officers, Of course, per-
mitied 10 roam over the land, instead Of the sea.
Our army is so small that even at this moment,
learn from the chairman Of the Committee on Mil
itary Affairs, there is not single United States
soldier in the State Of Aabama-none to light q
match il hostile force enters the waters Of Mobile
bay.
At this very time, too, when wars dread horrors
are laughed at by young members of this House
full Of courage doubtless, but with experience
even now when we are about to dare old England
to cross swords with US, serious opposition is made
to passing the bill Of your Military Committee
providing for the raising Of single regiment Of rife
men ... q.
| Entirely unprepared, then, for such a terrible
conflict as that between ourselves and Great Brit
ain must inevitably be- will it be deemed reasonable
disbonorable, or cowardly, in one who here repre-
SCENTS portion of the people who TO be affected
by it, TO advise that discretion, that better part OF
vaor," warns to avoid it, if it can be done with
honori ..z.. A..
But / am here met with the assertion that this
notice Is peace measure. Would that conld be-
lieve so. But cannot shut my eyes TO the con.
trary, written as with pen ofron, both on the no
ice isse and the facts attending it. As yet have
listened in vain to some half-a-dozen hour spceche,
in its favor, for single argument showing it to be
such. On the contrary, nearly every advocate Of
notice being given, runs into enthusiasm in con-
tempating the gories to be achieved in revenging
the long unredressed injuries which England has
committed upon the world | will not repeat my
| argument showing that the convention adopted
substitute for war, and that therefore its tcrmina
ton involves war, or an abandonment OF the claim
of one the other nation. will now show how
it is viewed by its supporters, peace advocate,
though they are asserted to be.
| In the first place, the President, il seems to me
does not view 1t as peace measure. have had nc
conversation with him upon the point, and there
| fore speak only Dy tnbt Cnart OF MS opinions OH
| cially communicated to Congress-his message
! In that document he informs us that ono compro
mise which the United States ought to accept car
! be effected" "All attempts at compromise hav
ing failed )" he recommends that measures be taker
for the maintenance of our just title to that
| try." Now, sir, if England will accept Of no com
promise that we can offer, and we are to maintain
| by measures" now to be taken, "our just title,
| what must those measures" bcl ".Measures" of
character to force England to acknowledge our just
title" of course; and, as one of those measures, thu
| President recommends that this notice be given
and very properly and wisely informs Congress
that at the end of the years notice, Eve shall have
reached period when the national rights in Oregon
must either be abandoned on fairly maintained" And
ho,c, is now pertinent question, and against whom
! The answer is easy--by armies by fleets, by wal
against England, if she does not abandon claim
which she refused call attempts" to compromise !
| say that it is written on the very face of the
aspect which this question presents, that giving this
notice, and taking exclusive possession of Oregon
as the President recommends, Is war move. How
! are we to carry it into effect? How we to dis
posses our adversary from her thirty forts in Ore
gon Certainly those who know Great Britain
will not dream that reading of our law before
those forts will cause their commanders to strike
the cross of ST. George, and quietly give us exclu
| sive possession. Gentlemen have ransacked he
history to some advantage in this debate and have
learned that for centuries she has been acquiring
colonies and urging herself up the scale of terrific
rial accretion till now has been beautifully and
no less forcibly said, "the sun sets upon her
dominions."
| Have they yet found case, when, after so long
and so perseverngIy perssting in claim, she a
last, on the first show of opposition, quietly aban.
doued if If 90, yetto DO inforn,sd ofiiI Then
TO execute your law for asserting -Four Just title,
| force must be an ingredient Of the means used.
The venerable gentleman from Massachusetts,
| mir. ADAMsl has so argued this question: though
at the same time, saying, in what | conceive to
have been carefully selected phraseology, that he
"did not believe at all in any danger Of war, al hi.
time" Whether he designed to cover, with his be-
lief, the close Of the twelve months given by the
convention, he has not informed At all events
his arguments breathed fierce, energetic war spir.
il. Truly and well did he depict the whole charoc.
ter Of this move, when he illustrated il by rcciting
celebrated event in history, excaiming with very
great emphasis--"Thisi is the military ,oay Of doing
business" His illustration was drawn from the me.
moirs Of Frederick the Great. 81 bad some excel
| lent old pretensions," wrote Frederick, "to ar
| Austrian province, which some of my ancestor,
had owned one or two hundred years before, and
cent an ambassador TO the court OF Vienna, stating
my claim and presenting full exposition Of my
I n