The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-02-06

/ fered from the majority ofu upon this question
The spirit ofthe West, It's enthusiastic devotion "a
the glory and grandeur OF our common country, and
the enlargement Of the bounds OF civilization and
the expansion OF our republican Institutions, haa
been called . spirit; and We have been read lee.
lures upon the horrors of war, and the blessings Of
peace; and told that 10y the decisive action which
We are about taking, we hazard everything
and can gain nothing that wisdom dictates a
I course Of ''masterly inactivity"
| Sir, was il 10y this suplne course that we gained
our present independent existence the frssst and
happiest people ON esrIhl Was il by inactivity thai
we sealed our title TO be considered Of the first
ADD greatest and brayest people under heavens sun
jim word was il by mastery inactivity that &C.
CURED Texas1 No, sir, no! But by aetion--en.
ergetic action
Peace is one Of the greatest and best, and holes,
gifts Of Heaven. Never shall ! talk lightly OF iu
blessings. Would TO Heaven that lis benignahl
smile might forever rest upon all the children Of
men!
But sir, it need not bedisguised--the days Of the
millennium have not yet arrived. We must oeea-
sionay brave war and ali its horrors, or sink into
contumey and contempt, and become by-wod
and areproach among the nations OF the earth. II.
! We ore asked, sir, If we expect, by giving ths
notice, to dispossess England and again, five sup
pose that We can effect our purpose by reading
law to the British trooPsl Did we not read "our
law" to Mexico; backed as she was by both Eng.
4
ond edition in legible characters, by the footprints
of an American soldieIy, in the sands OF Corpus
| Christi What western man then held back
! What western manor, should rather say west.
ern democTst-then held the cold shoulder 10 you
and called this a southern measurep None sr;
none, at least in the gallant State which have lie
honor In part To represent.
So bitterly opposed are the leaders Of the whir
! party in the section Of country from which hail
to the reduction Of the tariff 10 the revenue stand.
ard, and so vehement is their hate towards South
Carolina for the stand she has taken upon this sub
ject, that their bterest term OF reproaeh, they
consider il, has been to designate democrats Souh
Carolina politician. Sir, have borne this name in
latitude Al for years; but really have been appr
hensive, lately, that | shall be compelled to ask
my wing friends to amend the title. can stand
good deal from the gallant palmetto Stae-my sym
/ pathies have been with her. have her fields
deserted, and her palaces made desolale, by the
iron heel Of the oppressor. have seen the RdVan.
tages which God has given her transferred TO re.
gions less favored by nature, under the operation Of
oppressive enacIments; and, after long and ardu-
Gus struggle, have come here now instructed To DO
her justice. Texas, Oregon, and the tariff, with
the other great measures now before US, shall each
their turn receive meet with from such action
an honorable, and just, aud bona ide interpnta.
ton OF the issues placed by our national convention
before the American people shall require at our
! hands.
4
not fud il in the proceedings Of the democratic COZ.
vention. may, however, sec room for its infer.
from the neglect 10 me..tion Texas and Oregon
in the proceedings Of the WING convention; but sH,
that is not the chart which steer by.
Mastery inactivity, where the rights Of my coun.
try at stake! Why, SIR the idea is saerlegious
There is, however, something superlaIiveIy rideu-
lous in this idea Of mastery inactivity and bed
chamber diplomacy. Why, run the one into the
| other, and jury Of old women would declare you
mon eoDipo5 msntis."
We are told to remain quiet, and that Oregon will
be conquered in our bed-chambers. Sir, do gentle
men forget that the bed.chambers Of our own cit.
izegs are now in Oregon unprotected; that they
surrounded by the creatures OF foreign corpo-
ration that they cry aloud 10 US for protection from
the wilderness; and that 1t will be burning, scorch
| ing, blasting shame upon US II we heed them noP
| 1t is true that we Of the West have particular
anxiety upon this subject not because look upon
it western measure, but because our brethren,
our friends and our connexions have their lot
] on the other side Of the Rocky mountains | know
some ofthese people. They were of those who helped
us TO reclaim one Wilderness noble, generous
racea race sent before the masses Of civilized life,
as the dove from the over-crowded ark. They come
! not back, but have pitched their tents in the Far
West. Shall we not keep covenant with them,
Shall we not protect American citizens upon an
American soR For, Notwithstanding the British min
lister has had most able assistance this foor where
1
expect it, yet what has been the result Of all
investigations That the British pretcnce Of title
like the bsseless fabric Of dream; that It Is only
strong enough to be placed in words, by species
of contemplate special pleading, unworthy OF the
honorable representative Of any honorable nation;
disreputabe ina county-court petiifogger.
shall not argue the question Of title at length.
would be act of supererogation on my part at
this time after the able expostions which we have
had both from the Executive and in this hail.
But must be permitted to allude TO one position Of
the British minister; and do this because, n,uhum
in parro," it shows perfect specimen of the nature
| of the British side of this question. He says:
| l. The American title is not good against Great
Britain, because it is inconsistent with that Of
Spain.
9 The Spanish title is not good against Great
Britain because it conflicts with that of the United
| States; and
g. That hence the British title is good against
| both.
Here we have, sir, new version of the old story
of the borrowed pot. lawsuit once took place. IN
volving the question of damages on a broken pot
| and the learned attorney of the defendant filed his
defence as foIows First, that the pot was broken
when he borrowed it; secondly, that it was whole
when he returned it; and thirdly, that he had never
| had it. '' ..a...
No one denies our right to give this notice. Then
why not give IL Among the many Ito meg strange
| and incomprehensible reasons given by gentlemen
!
given by two or three of the gentlemen who have
preceded me, and which is, in substance, that con-
sistency requires Of them that they vote on the side
contrary to that Of the venerable gentleman from
Massachusetts; and yet don't know but this is as
good an argument against the proposition before US
| IS any which has been advanced a.
Mr.. Chairman, thank God that came here un'
der no such magnetic influence subject to be GAL
vanizcd into positive negative positions upon this
great question by the action of others. 1t is enough
for me to know that my country calls, and gore,
CARELESS alike Of those who shall go with me, and OIL
those who shall prefer to lag behind.
Another grave reason given by one gentleman
why we should not now act is, that John
Bull, though an old bull, is very stout
bull at present, and that we bad better wal
until he falls further into the serc and ye
low leaf Oh, my coantrymen! has 1t come
this that the American people are to be appealed 70
through their fears; and that, in arghteous cause,
we are TO await the natural decay of our adversary
before dare assert rights to our own errlio'
rye The voice Of our peoI l. forbid it; and Inc
bones of our ancesisy would rise in j"dgmen.