The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-03-03

can DC aoJuSted py negotiation, and we shall near
| nothing more Of that war about which so much has
been said. Every calculation which may be made
IN relston TO war must, from the nature Of things,
be conjectural England can have war IL she wants
itshe can avoid Il IL she chooses II she prefers
II, and We, in the maintenance Of our just rights,
should be forced TO IT, there is no injury which she
can lnAict upon us which we could not measure out
10 her triple fold.
Gentlemen have widely miseaculated the strength
and resources Of our country for national defence.
To this subject | have gwen some attention for
the last three years. IL IL impossible that any
power can ever make any serious nroads upon
Ire United States. The gentleman from South
Carolina Mr. HoLsEsl has been loud in pro-
claiming the power Of the British government;
and other gentlemen have joined him in say
lng that We were weak and powsrless. There
vas more fancy han fact in the picture which the
gentleman from South Carolina has drawn Of our
capacities for var. ] could but think Of the lamb
IN the hons Jaws, when the gentleman was SO elo-
gSsntly desenbing the horrors Of that which
~as oon,lng upon "a. ] had wellnigh forgotten for
time the triampbs Of our arms in the revolution,
eesnine representations Of sesae of Which Decorate
Ne r-.ssda u this Capitol The 18th Of September,
lsll, a. North Point, and the 6lh of January at
New Orleans, were remembered only to beget as
iouishnent al their results. Reason returning, |
could but believe hBt England was compelled to
sekn0~lsdge the triumph OF our arms in the revo-
luton, and that success attended efforts in the
waf of 1872.
n the notice proposed TO be given be measure
u var and should IL be elayed until you are fully
PREPARED for SaI, according to the notions Of some
gentlemen, Of preparation, IL would never be given.
NsiiheT you nor J. SIR will ever live 10 the day
when every exposed point upon your long line Of
go and lake coast viii be defended with fortihca-
tons Such system Of defence would require a
large standing army 10 man these forts. A prepa.
ramon for war upon such scale can never be made
w this country. Such system would be as use
lsss a. - contrary To the genius Of our institu-
u0ns We claim no great standing army. They
have been epudiatOd in the American republics, az
dangerous 10 the liberties OF the people. We have
no necessity foT them TO sustain government Of
our choice, IL 10 not necessary TO tax the people
With them. But N the citizen soldier is our
strength, and Il var should come upon US, not less
than a million o. men will be rssdy-perhaps ten
dofing their terVces-in defence Of the coun-
Try, FoftihcatIonS on your coasts are necessary only
70 keep your enemy Bt a distance from your cities,
and 10 compel him 90 land II he land ut ALL at such
distance ss will enable you TO arrange your forces
and give him bsule.
I should be grRtifed 10 feel myself at liberty TO
give you fall statement Of the extent Of our arms,
nov ready and NJ for use at any moment, well as
the number which might, IN a few months be made
ready foT USE, and also Of our facilities for the man
ufaeture Of more. This statement, full as it should
he, might very properly accompany the remarks Of
The gentleman from Virginia, Mr.. BAYLyl who
ghlAtNAN lnDofb unutf a great fniStFke rs TO the
means OF defence now at the command Of the gov
eminent. am not at liberty now to give this state.
moni; but will say that that gentleman il mistaken
and that means Of defence are much greater
than he estimates them 10 lie, and il not now can
be very readily made ample to repe any force which
may be brought against US. This much ] have felt
due my position to say. These remarks are made
in vain boast Of our advantages; and while as
nation, We would not indulge in an over-esimate of
strength and provess, we should not be intimi-
dated by the varlike preparations OF Great Britain
They bootess against the sons of revolution
cry sres. The strength Of the American nation is
In the affections Of the people for their free insu-
tons and the government q their choice This is
their shield and their fortress-their sure defence
against any foreign foe.
But sir, considerations Of policy demand the no;
Britain to this territory has not believe except in
few instances, been advocated here, yet it seems
there some sort Of recognition Of some right of
hers which led To the convention Of 1878 and con-
iinued by the convention Of 1927 II has been said
that these conventions were commercial alone, und
only recognised the right Of Great Britain TO hunt
and fish, and carry on such trade as naturally grew
out Of these privileges. Now, If such was only her
right, she has still further trespassed She has ex-
tended il 10 agricultural purposes. Already have
agricultural settlements been made by the British in
| Oregon. But more; they have built forfca,ons;
they have extended their civil and criminal iursdic-
ton, not only the country north Of the Column
bia river, but over the whole country. Will YOU do
less for your emigrants' Have you not afforded
military escorts beyond the Rocky mountains TO the
Columbia river IN encourage emigration tbere2 And
will you leave your emgrant there lawless and de-
fence'essl VIII you do less for your people than
Great Britain has done for her subecs' | trust not
sir; and ifyou give them laws collisions must arise
between emigrants coming from the two nations
md governed by laws different in their character
and provisions. II seems TO me that collision must
be the inevitable result Of such line Of policy, and
war must be the consequence. We shall more
probably avoid war by giving the notice as pre-
liminary step; thus sustaining our national faith,
and telling her, in plain, firm, and decided language
that the question has reached the crisis; that the in
terests OF our people require that these mooed aues-
tons should be settled; that the partnership must be
dissolved; tina, the boundaries must be Defined that
American citizens must know, through their own
government, how far they may carry the rife
and the axe, and be under the egs Of our own laws
and the protection Of our own flag. What guarantee
have you that the British government will not ex.
| tend her settlements even further down beyond
| the sites Of her present fortsl If she has right
| to do all that she has already done, she NAV
| extend her settlements as low down az Califor-
MIA itself. We have, indeed, no official inflammation
OF the fact, but we have through the public
| prints that the British government now holds a
| mortgage on California. Do we mean that Grea,
Britain (already in possession Of the Canadss with
which we have no desire 10 interfere) shall plan,
her standard At the mouth Of the Columbia river in
California, and perhaps ia. Cuba, and that abe shall
completely environ our repnbci
intended, Mr.. Chairman, TO have shown tina,
Great Britain, exercising the privileges shc has un.
der the conventions Of 1915 and 1877. with such as
she has assumed, would never desire the nbrncaton
OF the treaty. and that the only way 10 SETTLE the
question ~ 10 give this notice. II was 10 this view
and to preserve our national faith that voted for
the notice at the last session. have listened TO this
debate TO see AZ any argument could be adduoed II
sufiieien, weight to change my views and my vote
have done NO from an honest desire 10 arrive Al
such conclusions as might best prornote the honor
and interests Of my country. have heard no such
argument. The notice is, in ITSELF peaceful meas.
ure u will lead to termination Of The dispute Il
may result IN war; Il II does, "a will be sttribaiabl,
| to England's own choice. She can seuls Il III en-,
will No one can tell what may b, her choice. Tn,
notice will less likely produces war than the collision
ofths emgrants She may oui-oolonizs you. She he,
many Inducements TO colonize which you have not
II war is to come Of IT, zee no reason for ia post
ponement. do not wish 10 email upon those whs
are to come after Us disputes which ough, 10 he set
tied by ourselves. greatly prefer peace, both 10,
| NM nd L-..'.f . "A