The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1846-08-22

knows, that we nave no way leit, Uul
to extend our laws over the territory,
or surrender it to Great Britain. Shall
we extend them? If we do, and she
arm to resist their execution, we must
meet that resistance, also, by arms
The question of war is, therefore, with
her, not with US, to decide. If we re-
fuse to extend our laws, but one reason
has been, can be given-the fear oi
England. If, then, this fear prevails,
how stand we in the judgment OF the
world? What will be the effect OF this
disclosure of the inefliciency OF our
Government, for the defence Of its own
soil? What will be the effect. when it
shall be seen that. this Republic--the
only one which has been thought suffi-
cientIy strong 10 guaranty the safety
OF its neighboring and kindred Govern
ments against European monarchs-
what will be the effect, when even we
are found willing, for the sake Of peace,
to allow Great Britain to extend her
system of monarchy, not only upon
this continent, but over a part OF our
own soil? If we do this, will these SOW
ereigns longer hesitate in their designs?
Will they not, on the contrary, take
courage from our apparent want OF 1t?
VIII they not advance in their purpose
of universal dominion' Will they not
reduce the Southern Republics of the
continent, and force US, atlast, to fight
in their defence, as an indispensable
preliminary, 10 the final defence ofour-
selves? These, sir, are my views OF
the moral involved IN this controversy.
And now, sir, | shall proceed to look
briefly into the motives by which Great
Britain has ever regulated her conduct
towards the United States. This !
deem necessary, in order to understand
the secret springs Of the pending hIfi1'
Guilty.
Sir, it is in the social nature of her
empire, that these motives, are 10 be
found. They have originated, not in
the whlms of this statesman or OF that.
They are the product Of no arbitrary
theory, of one party, or of the other.
They spring from those vital laws Of
her social being, which prescribe her
legislation, which overbear all states.
men and all parties alike, and bring all
into subsection to an overrullng poltl-
cal necessity.
The insular position of the parent
centre of that Government, first gave
maritime direction to all her interests.
Those interests required and sought
colonies, and by planting them the
world over, converted an lnsular king
dom into an extended colonial empire,
based upon commerce, and upheld by
the frail security Of commercial credit.
TO plant colonies, it became necessa-
rv for her to obtain territory at remote
points, often pre- occupied by others.
She purchased no such territory. 10
purchase, required the consent OF 9th
ers-a thing not always attainable. She
therefore, simplifed her mode Of acqul-
siton, by reducing it to a system which
had but one principle IN ii. That prln-
ciple was, to start causes OF quarrel, 10
raise questions about navigation or
commerce, to set up claims to rivers
or territory, and to enforce her preten-
sions, however unjust, by the terror OF
her arms against the timid, and by the
use of them against the brave. When
successful in one claim, no matter how,
she has instantly started another
Thus, everywhere, has it been her pol.
icy to create and keep open causes OF
quarrel with distant nations, that she
might ever have ready some pretext for
seizing upon the territory Of others, as
often as the spread Of her commerce
required new colonies. With US, her
policy has been, in principle, the same,
though more complicated in form.
Our strength, and the danger with
which it menaces her adjoining posses.
sions in the event Of war, has impaired
more circumspection to her aggres-
sions. In dealing with US, therefore,
she has mixed up with her system Of
terror, all the subsidiary elements OF
diplomatic duplicity. Time, space, and
persons, are ldkeI lnto '!ei t3leU'ot'oi0'
She raises her questions of dispute at
different periods; she lays her claims
of territory at different points; she en-
ploys cunning and finesse to postpone
their settlement to the auspicious hour,
when terror can best promote her pur-
poses, and then. by negotiation, adjust
ing but one question at a time, she starts
others in its stead, and holds them in
readiness for the future, when another
auspicious hour shall arrive. In word,
her policy, as it regards US, has ever
been, to start new questions Of dispute
when adjusting old ones; to threaten
war in every instance as consequence
of our refusal to yield; and at the same
time, declaiming about the horrors Of
a war between two such nations, pro-
fess her deep solicitude for the mainte-