Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1841-1853, 1846-04-02

secure peace, and time. under the guidance of a ssgseious
and cautious policy, a wise and mastery inactivity, will
speedily accomplish the whole. | ventured 10 saw A wise
and mastery inactivity. in despite Of the attempt to cast
rdicule upon the expression. Those who have made the
attempt would seem TO confound such inactivity with mere
inaction. Nothing can be more unlike. They are as
wide apart as the polls. The one is the offspring of indo-
lence, or ignorance, or indifference. The other is The re-
suit OF the prOfoundest ssgacity and wisdom-a ssgaciiy
which looks into the oPerstons Of the great causes ia the
physical, moral, and political world; which, by their in
eessant operation, are ever changing the condition Of
nations Tor good or evil and wisdom, which knows how
10 use and direct them when acting fsvorably, by slight
touches. TO facilitate their progress, and by removing i'm.
pediments which might thwat or impede their couSse-
aud not least have to wait patiently for the fruits of their
operation. He who does not understand the difference
between such inactivity and mere insctiOn-the doing of
nothIng-is still in the horn-book Of politics, without a
glimpse OF those higher elements Of statesmanship nv
which a country Is elevated to greatness and prosperity.
Time Is operating IN our favor with a power never before
exerted IN favor Of any other people. II is our great
friend and under the guidance Of such a policy, IL will
accomplish all that we can desire. Our population is now
increasing at the rate Of about 600, 600 annually, and il
progressing with increased rspidity every year. /, will
average, If not impeded, nearly a million during the next
rs years; at the end of which period our population
ought to reach upwards Of forty millions. With this vast
increase, it is rolling westwardly with q strong and deep
current, and will, by the end of that period, have spread
from ocean TO ocean. It's course is irresistible. The
coast Of the Pacific will then be probably as denseIy pouu-
lated. and as thickly studded with towns and villages, in
proportion to its capacity TO sustain population, as that Of
the Atlantic now Is. At The same rate we shall have in
creased to upwards Of eighty millions Of people at the end
of another twenty-five years; when. with one foot on the
Atlantic and the other on the Pacific, and occupying a
position between the eastern and western coasts Of the old
continent, we shall be in q position better calculated to
control the commerce of both oceans, and to exert an inhu-
ence over both continents, than any other country in the
world. If we avoid war, and adhere to peace, all this will
be e~fected-efected, | trust, without the loss Of our free
popular institutions. / am aware how difficult is the task
20 80 fra rfsfpfa1nc 0-o 60 Ill 4. IL -
immense a population; but we are blessed with a ConsiiS
tuition admirably calculated to accomplish it. Its elastic
power is unequalled, which is to be attributed to ie fedeat
character. The hope Of success depends on preserving
that feature in its full perfection, and adhering to peace as
our policy. War may make US great; but LET it never be-
that peace only can make US both great and free;
With a few remarks relating to myself personally, / shall
L have been charged with being more strongly in
cined to secure the annexation OF Texas, than cur rights to
Oregon. II has been attributed to my greater parIiality to
the South than to the West. But / am yet to learn why
Texas should be considered as belonging TO the South rather
to the West always thought that il formed a part, and
an unimportant part, Of the valley Of the Mississippi; and
on that account, as well as for giving greater security to the
southern portion OF the valley, the West desired It's annexa-
Besides, have yet to learn that Texas IS confined toa
southern latitude. 1 had supposed that it extended far north
and west, up to the latitude of ~ deg. in the neigbboThood
Of the great pass Of the Rocky mountains, on which the VAL
ne Of Oregon TO US so much depends. ] had supposed that
what are called the Southern States had not so direct and
an interest. in its annexation as the West but il would
seem, from language held on the occasion, that in all this I
mistaken, and that the annexation Of Texas was purely
southern question, and only supported by the West under
the expectation OF obtaining in return the support Of the
South TO the whole Of Oregon uP to 81 deg. 40, and, If neces-
say, at the certain hazard Of a war.
But passing by all this, and assuming that Texas was
purely a southern, and Oregon was a western question 1 repel
the charge Of partiality, and shall now proceed to show, that
a different line of policy was pursued by me in reference
to the two, il was because ii was right and proper il should
be. | treated both questions in the manner best calculated
to effect the OBJECT in view, and indeed the only one by which
both could be secured. The circumstances of the two cases
were entirely different. In the case Of Texas. time was
against US in that of Oregon, time was with Us and hence
the dIneTence IN my course oil policy IN reference 10 them-
To understand the difference it is necessary TO premise, that
Texas had reached that period in her history when il was
clear that she would be compelled to form intimate and de-
pendent relations either with US or England, If she continued
independent. But it was manifest, If left alone, without
movement on our paIt, that her connexion must be with
England and not with us. She could extend to Texas COM
meTcial advantages far greater than we possibly could, and
afford her greater facilities in obtaining means to relieve her
her great pecuniary embarassnents. England saw this,
and had actually commenced her movements to avail herself
Of its advantages. We, too, perceived il; and also that an
nexation afforded the only means of counteracting her move
nents. and preventing Texas from being placed exclusively
Department, with a view OF taking charge Of the pend
ing negotiation for annexation. / saw that the time had ar
rived when immediate and decided action was required that
time was a against us, and that to resist the consequence,
and decision were indispensable. / acted Accord
ngly, and success proved the ~soundness of my policy. II
not a case for mastery inactivity. Not so the case Of
Oregon, where time was with us, and hence the different
line OF policy which / adopted in reference 10 il, and which
would have secured the whole, had my advice been followed,
as has been explained.
In one particular my policy was the same in both cases.
aimed in each TO avoid war and preserve peace. IcleaTly
III III dnhtAiuR AtAdS was No udDSeT II
war with England, if managed judiciOusly. She was an in
State, and had been so acknowledged by England,
France, and other powers. She had a right, as such, to dis
pose of herself, and to unite her destinies with ours, if she
saw proper, without any right on the part of England to re-
ist il, or ground or pTetext 10 make war in consequence. /
also perceived, that there were no just grounds to apPrehend
Mexican wal in consequence. She was not in a condition
to make war, without the aid Of England, and there was no
reason to appTehend that she would be aided or countenanced
in it by the latter; unless, indeed, the Oregon question should
terminate in a war between US and her, IN which event, L
regarded a Mexican war as inevitable, as has been stated.
Thus far my snticipations have been realized-Texas annex
I'd, and peace preserved, by the policy which 1 pursued. A
different line of pOlicy-one which would have permitted
England TO obtain the asceDdancy over Texas, which she
would have acquired without annexation, would have inevi-
led TO a state Of things, involving US and England final
" in war. II would have been impossible TO prevent feel
ngs of jealousy and enmity from growing up between US and
Texas. The veIy similarity Of our character and pursuits, and
The rivalry which they would give birth 10, would necessari-
y lead to that result; while the long and Il-defned bounda-
nv between the two counties, extending fOT more than 4
thousand miles though forests, pTanies, and navigable rivers,
without a natural boundary in any part, would produce ire
luent collisions between our people and those of Texas.
Controversies and conflicts would have been the result.
as the weaker power, would throw herself upon
Great Britain for support and wars-frequent and bloody
wars would have followed. Annexation has fortunately
-emoycd these causes Of war. Should the oregon controversy
terminate in peace, every cause Of war between the two
would be removed, leaving the prospect of lasting
peace between them.
MIR. Hannegan's Oregon Speech.
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