The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-01-28

hes Throughout tue country anu, sir, u woulu d
very strange il il were not ~so--passing strange
Moreover, I think tina, il is by peaceful negotiation
only that this boundary line be settled and de
kned--not by war. Aud now the country will b,
pleased TO hear from the official organ itself, II il
caled--and | believe il is justly entitled to it
that the question is still open for negotiation
that il may be still settled es TO rejoice the hearts
Of the lovers of peace throughout the world. What
means, then, this phrase Of 'going for the whole Of
Oregon or none p" What is the meaning Of the wal
speeches we have heard on this question: What
becomes OF those certain conclusive and ineontro-
yerble rights by which, We are told, this nation ID
entitled TO the whole Of Oregon Sir, this govern
u,ent is now standing where il ought TO stand, and
where, firmly believe, il intended to stand from the
MISUNDERSTANDING itself open for negotiation.
believe lhat all this noise about war is intended
more for the galleries Of this house, than for the
administration TO act Sir, we are told that the
hearts Of thepeope OF this country must be prepared
for war-to stand on the first inch of Oregon-for by
giving that, we must yield the last, Sir, when the
people OF this country satisfied that the whole
Of Oregon or a portion Of IL Is theirs-the moment
you draw this line and show them whsys, not where.
sbou,s, the hrst inch of their country is--Pll be
bound for IL they ready to fight for t. But be-
fore they ready 60 contest Of this kind,
they look 20 the Executive to tell them how to go
about tito show them where the boundary Of
their country H. When that is established you will
ind 10 the Senate nor In this wide land, dspo-
sed 10 hesitate but they will go INTO no dispute about
boundsries OF this kind. know 1.-TWO men IN
our part Of the country, whose farms were adjaeen
10 each other, and who disputed about the bounda-
ny lire; and the principle involved in the dispute
was, whether the limo ran the north south
side Of tree, two feet apart. Well, on that they
went to law, and spent the whole property. These
were inch-men, sn who, instead oil acting like wise
men, to find whose the inch was, destroyed both
farms for the purpose Of settling it,
Again, sir, IL 10 said is inevitable. IL we
give the notice. the honorable senator from Arkan-
sas says, he believes we will have war;, Well, |
believe " that state Of things followed up with
the declarations OF my friend from lndiana-"the
whole Of Oregon or none'-if We take possession Of
the whole country, and reject all negotiation the
subject nothingis efl but war. 1t is declaration
Of war IL is tsntamoun TO saying 10 Great Britain
This country u ours-we shall have il al-of not
an inch shall you take possession" Any
child would know that such language as that
amounted to declaration ofwar. But, sir. where
will this result One honorable senator has
told US that war will be the result | ask, then,
why give the notice in the present state Of
things, IL il will lead to war; Is 1t because you
are afraid England viii negotiate you out of ~
Are you afraid that the British authorities must have
the advantage fyou in such matters belieye, sir,
nobody has right to come TO that conclusions |
believe IL will not be borne out by our diplomatic
history. Nothing, sir is cause Of greater pride
70 the American people than the diplomatic history
ed or defeated' When-in what case has our ma
ton been dIspleased with the men who were en-
trusted to settle and defend their national rights
believe with little pliancy and prudence, with
the present prospect Of things before US, there will
be no difficulty in settling, and that honorably, this
question. Bot, sir, II we oppose this consumma-
aOn-if We are determined upon this notice, and
going for war-then war will surely come, and we
had better prepare for IL. IL senators tell me that
the notice ought to be giyen-that the notice will
produce war--then ask, in the name of my coun-
try 10 prepare for it. In this view of the case, in
| what position does the administration stand The
| Executive has recommended the giving Of the no.
tce Senator's high in the confidence Of the admins
traton, tell us that it will lead to war Is this fol-
lowed up by preparations for war No, sir, nothing
Of the kind. There is no recommendation to pre-
u pare for war the whole country is prepared
for peace The whole tendency of their policy seems
to point TO peace, far be learned by their
official documents What do we find there' A re-
communication TO effect a reduction of duties, and to
establish a sub-ueasury. A glorious preparation
for war! | cannot think, sir, that the notice will
lead 10 war, because, If so, preparations would be
made for it, But have detained the Senate longer
than intended this subject; but thought it due
10 my constituents, and felt it to be my duty to say
thus much. When war does come, there is is no
such thing as opposing 1t, and what have said was
not for that purpose; but, sir, wished to say was
against doing anything here that would prevent an
amcable settlement, tend to break up the peace
OF the country. The natural state of this country
Ia peace Ii is by peace it is what it is now 1t has
grown to its present greatness not by war, but by
peace. And the statesmen who cultivates it for the
next twenty years, will do more to contribute to
our national dominion, wealth, and power, than
standing armies of tens Of thousands. We should
therefore, sir, carefully avoid such measures as the
gentleman said were calculated to prepare the hearts
Of the people for war.
Mr.. CASS then rose and said that being obliged
,nl Ia Me-, Il
occupying few minutes on the subject before
them. To him the question a very simple and
plain II was this, and nothing else: "Are
the defences, military and naval, in a fit and
proper state for such country'' He asked every
gentleman who heard him TO put his land TO his
heart and answer that question, Why, if the naval
forces of the country were called upon, they would
afford vessel for each of the harbors; and as
for the standing army, if it were stationed round the
country, the soldiers on guard would not be in
sight Of each other. They knew that activity pre-
vailed to striking extent in the military and naval
departments ofGreat Britain; it was notorious that
she fitting out powerful ornaments for some
object not known; and yet in the relations now
existing between her and this country, the latter is
now as defenceless she twenty years ago.
II Every gentleman ought to ask himself, Was the
country in the state in which it ought to be- They
had heard great deal said about war establish
msnt and peace establishment For his part,
he did not understand the distinction. He
thought that every establishment for defence
presupposed state of war; If they could calcu-
late on continuance of peace, there would be
no occasion for any establishment War the
end Of all their establishments, naval and military.
Every man ought to ask himself this plain practical
queston-dot the circumstances in which the coun-
try is placed threaten dangeri The gentleman from
New Jersey had just given expression to the same
views, but he was altogether surprised to hear him
talk Of the fact OF his having heard war spoken of
there as inevitable. He should be very sorry il
was, but he was persuaded that such thing had
not been asserted in that body. The gentleman had
also said England was willing to negotiate. He
Mr. CAss) hoped with oil his heart she would; but
1t was to be kept in mind that the difficulties ncreas-
ed every moment. No man led the country. The
country led itself In peace They exercised
an individual opinion, but the country was not an
individual. Now it could not be denied that, all
things considered, if there was unreasonable proba-
> bl'ty of war, there ought to be reasonable
preparation. The gentleman had said the bill be-
; Pore them was neither peace nor war measure;
but was still perhaps adopted to the present posi-
ton of affairs. As danger approaches, the me-