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

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,.
Tie journal Of yesterday having been read
Mr.. DROMGOOLE rose and inquired Of The chsil
whether It appeared that the bin introduced by hin
on Saturday, IN relation to Virginia claims, had
been ordered TO be printed
The clerk stated Through the chair) that the
printing had been ordered.
The SPEAKER announced that the regular bust
ness would be the call Of the States for petitions
THE NATIONAL DEFENcEs.
Mr.. ROBERT SMITH rose and faid, that as to-
day was petition day, but that order of business
would probably be set aside for the purpose of re
Stunning the discussion in Committee ofthe Whole on
the state of the Union, lac would ask leave at thi:
Time 10 present certain papers in the form of me
mortal connected with the deiences Of the coun
try.
The SPEAKER said tina, it could only be donc
by general consent.
Mr.. SMITH presumed, he said, that there would
lie no objection.
But objections were made.
The SPEAKER then proceeded 10 call the Slatet
in their order for
PETITIONS AND MEMORIALS.
And they were presented by the following mem
bers-
From Maine: Mr.. DUNLAP.
From New Hampshire Mr.. NORRIS.
Mr.. NoRRis' introduced resolutions Of thu
legislature Of the State Of New Hampshire recon-
mending a modification Of the post Office laW
so that newspapers may pass through the mail il
the State IN which hey are printed, free Of postage
and nstructing their senators and requesting the
representatives to use their influence TO procure sucl
mod hcatlon
From Massachusetts: Messrs ROCKWELL
ADAMS, ASHMUN, and ABBOTT.
TEXAS.
Amongst number Of other petitions, Mr.. Ap
ANS presented one from citizens OF North Carolina
praying that Texas might not lie admitted into Tn,
Union as II slave State
Mr. CULVER called for the reading Of the peti
tlon.
And it was read. 1t is confined simply to III,
prayer aforementioned.
Mr.. GRAHAM called for the reading the sig
natures.
They were read, and sferwurds examined criti
caliy by Mr.. @. And, on his notion the pctrtlor
was LAID on the table.
MAIL TO THE PACIFIC.
Mr. ADAMS, by way Of episode, the said J pre
scented the petition of Charles Fletcher, rcquestin!
the establishment Of Il maIlroute to the Pacific: re
ferred, on motion Of Mr.. A to the COMMITTEE
Oh the Post Office and Post Roads.
When Mr. ADAMS had gone through with hi
heavy budget, he made profound bow to TN
Speaker 10y whom 1t was returned with equal cour
tesy, and took bis seat
From Rhode Island: Mr.. ARNOLD.
OREGON.
Without proceeding further in the call of tn
States, a motion therefor having been submitted b,
MIR. DANIEL, and agreed to- the House again re
solved itself into Committee of the Whole OF
the state Of the Union, Mr.. TrBBArTs in the chair
and resumed the consideration ofthe joint resolution
heretofore reported from the Committee on Foreig
Affairs, for giving twelve months notice to GrCa
Britain Of the termination Of the convention of III
9th of August, 1927, respecting the territory O
Oregon
Mr.. TOoMBS was entitled to the floor, and ad
dressed the committee during the allotted hour
After RETIRING las the reporter undersood) to tn
interest and carnesness with which he had listene,
TO this debate with the intention of obtaining from
all attalnable sources whateverknowledge he coul
gather that might aid him IN the he was Gale
upon TO give, he proceeded to remark that Their
two questions involved in this resolution
First what were our rights in Oregon; and secondly
was it expedent and proper at this time To asse,
these rights, or rather TO begin their assertion by tel
mlnatng the convention of 1918. All other cues
TONS, notwithstanding the vast importance whic
had been gwen to them IN this debate, were who'll
incidental, dependent, and secondary in their in,
portance.
From the tenor Of the arguments here, and iron
the direction which the debate had taken on
would suppose that the House was debating III
question OF peace or war; and it struck his min
that those gentlemen who were opposed 10 givin
tins notice, had adroty availed themselves of III
advantage offered by this consideration to give the
direction TO the debate. And not only did il civ
gentlemen this advantage here but elsewhere
out of doors. The public press, that poten
engine for manufacturing public opinion, ha
joined in this hue and cry of peace. He wa
for peace-an honorable peace. An honorable pc &C
was the mother of all vrtuous hopes in men.
was the mother OF progress and of civilization. Blu
q dlshonorabe peace was worse even than war
the very worst of all national calamtes; and not
| apta ua,I Ina III
to maintain an honorable peace. Further than thi
he would not go. And, some gentlemen scenes
to overlook what an honorable peace was, he shoul
define what he considered to be its r,eaning-tha
by which his action here would be governed n
would stand or fall by it, The peace of which h
spoke was u peace maintained without the surren
der of clear unquestonable, and important natione
rights. Within these limits he would 90 as far a
he who would 60 farthest to maintain peace; but h
would not go one step further. He would give n
cause of offence to any nation. Neither clamor with
in nor clamor without, nor the arguments about TIA
tens of thousands of British cannon floating owe
every ocean, or looking out from British forts O.
every continent Of the earth, and on every isle q
the sea, ought TO influence, for one moment tn
representatives Of the American people on thi
floor.
The time had been when activity, was "mas,er
y" 1t was not 30 now. Whatever blunders nigh
have been made our side, if any, we shoul
L
present state Of things, no matter how il had bee
brought about, must be the basis of action here
and (he was understood to say the of event
had brought us to Il position from which, in hi
judgment, we could not retreat, even if in the opn
ION of some gentlemen, we should not advance
We could not retreat with honor What then, wer
the means by which we were TO retrieve the blunder
of the past, if there had been any, aud to acqur
success for the future? This was an importau
question. The fate probably of magnificent en-,
pire might depend upon it, but it must be decided
decided for the nation not only for to-day, but 70
all time, and for unborn millions. Let the member
of this House therefore elevate themselves as near
as possible to the magnitude of the question LIE
them pity Of it possible for them to repress III
indulg offcelngs natural indeed bu, less char
table, that intense sectionality which stood op
posed to the full operation of higher considerations
and let them bring to the discussion Of the questio
whatever of wisdom, Of virtue, Of knowledge, an
of patriotism they could command. And it they dis
cussed and decided it in this temper, and upon thes
principles, whatever might be the result personals
to themselves or to their constituents, they coul
stand erect and with a conscience void Of ofTenc
towards God and towards man.