The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-01-22

! ~ 81 Of ill-temper Where had been the necessity
10 withdraw III The British envoy had not with
drawn his offer on its fe,ec.ion by US and the
try was now to be involved in war for the "whole
Of Oregon" one-half of which the President had hf-
| fered 10 give away. The American people were al
ways ready, if war was inevitable, to breast the
storm and stand by their country right or wrong,
and they would pledge united hands and hearts TO
It's triumphant prosecution. But who did not desire
that the grounds Of our quarrel should be just that
we should be mani testify right before the world be-
cause then we should have the sympathies 81 mani
kind with US; and because then We might With req
son hope that the spirit Of the living God-that same
spirit which had graciously lowered over our arms
heretofore-would again spread his wings for our
defence and inspire armies with determined val
OF, He had been with in our revolutionary strug-
GLE and IN our last contest with the same imperoos
power be had Sgain appesfed for Gun help, and had
nsrsed the arms OF our soldiers and marshailed them
on TO victory. Let our cause be dc just now f6 Il
had been heretofore, and we could invoke E'eh
Heaven, and God himself would lead US forth again
| 10 victory. r ....-... .. IL .n.
| Mr. G. thought that he had shown that II the
notice in lis present form WA given TO Great Bra,
ain war was the inevitable consequences unless the
administration should abandon its present position
What was the proposiuon3 II was that we should
terminate the convention Of joint occupation. The
President asked that our rights to the whole terri
! ,ofy should be asserted and msiatainsd, although
we had four times offered to divide the country with
Great BritaiA.. II Ne should enter on the oeeupa-
ton Of the whole territory, who did not see that
war would be inevitable II was 80; dsguise II ts
we might, war with all lis terrors and all its mise
ries and sacrifices you'd be the result Such being
the case, as the assertion Of our fight 10 The whole
Of the Oregon territory did not, IN his opinion, IN
volye at all the question Of the national honor we
might with great propriety look al the condition Of
the country and its state Of preparation for war.
Mr.. c. had said that this question DID not involve
national honor and here let him ask gentlemen
al.
what sea had Great Britain insulled our hsg' When
had our gallant tars been impressed INTO her
vice! What American citizen had been visited with
oppression by herr Point him to the time and
place, show him single instance when such
thing had taken place, and then he was ready TO 60
as far as he who went farthest. When such d fact
should he established he stood ready and prepared
to viadieate the rights of our citizens. Until this
should appear he mist not rashly pass the Rubicon,
which once passed there could be no reeeding.
This resolution the Rubeon; pass in It's pred
ent shape and the government must 60 on at all
hazards, or must content itself 10 retire within the
18th parallel. Mr.. c. should not rashHy place the
country in that position.
He had said that The nation was not prepared for
such contests and in this position hA vas borne out
by our past history, as well as by the present condt
ton OF the country. Should not our government
consider well that condition. Look at the States Of
the Union gIoaning under the weight Of heavy in
debtedness tkey cannot meet. Did they not owe
more than two hundred Efillions Of dollars the in
terest which alone amounts 10 mofc than twelve
millions annually The States we're una bic TO as
charge this now, and when was il to be met Penn
sylyania owed forty millions; Illinois owed from
fifteen to twenty Millions was largely indebted, and
could not even pay the interest on her liabilities.
Would gentlemen, under circumstances like these,
unless the honor Of the nation required it, plunge
the country headlong into a wild and preciptutc
war He trusted not. How our present debt
to be met ind how were we TO pay the MILL
more which such war Would impose, Again he
repeated that our national honor not be1g at stake.
we should, before taking such hasty step, look
well to the fearful consequences.
But what more was there in our situation which
makes this SO particularly inappropriate time TO
enter Upon grea; military contsstt What was att
ptesen,in contemplation by majority on that foof'
The chairman Of the Committee OF Ways and
Means engaged in preparing bill 10 reduce the
existing tariff, under the protested pretext of in
creasng the revenue. The House had been ex-
pecting it for some time, and it would probably be
brought in within few days. The tariff Of 1912
was to be largely reduced; and when that should
have been done, where would be our revenue 10
carry the war; The present tariff produced us
some twenty seven or twenty-eght millions, and
our regular peace establishment required at least
twenty-five millions OF that amount. Lessen the
duties and what amount would be col!ectedi Ger
tainly not as much as at present. if peace should
continue. But how much might be expected should
go to war; Not over five millions. War
must necessarily check our commerce and pre-
vent nporta,ions, and bring desolaton and ruin on
our revenue There would at once be deficit Of
twenty millions for peace establishmcnt and how
much more would be required fof war; AT least
thirty millions annually; and thus we should want
q revenue Of fifty five millions annually. Where
are to get III From the tariff now to be revised
and reducedi No; by the tariff of lS42 without
reduction, nor by any other tariff Resort must be
had to direct taxation The last resort to collect
thcc Of ht,A
upon the labor and toll Of people already oppress
ed with liabilities under the sub-reasury system,
which requires all government dues TO be collected
in gold and silver, would be intoerable oppression
upon the country.
Again, therefore, he insisted that, as no question
ofhonor was involved, it would he right to pause,
to look at the bearing Of so great and hazardous
measure and not rashly compromit the labor, and
treasure, and peace and blood of the nation. Cen
tlemen should not approach such question like
zealots, but like statesmen. .[
The favore system of the gentleman from Vir-
GINA behind him MIR. DRoMGooLE was soon TO
come into view. Instead of returning again to the
cursed paper system, had been termed, the gen
ueman's favore sub-trcaBury was 10 be held out
for the adoption Of the House; and all the currency
Of the country at least in all government transac-
tons, to consist exclusively of gold and silver
And how did the very learned gentleman expect that
we were to get revenue of fty-fve millions OF dol
lars annually, to be paid in gold and silver IL was
waste OF lline 10 thlnk OF such thlng ana Inc AZ
tempt to exact it would impoversh the country
The gentleman's fine machine would not work; and
such monstrosi,y ought to be engrafted on the
policy Of our government.
A gentleman from Ohio Mr.. BRNKsRHoFF bad
yesterday reoiced greatly in finding himself in
company with the venerable gentleman from Masea-
chusets on this question. He had lauded him to
the skies, other gentemen over the way had done
during this debate, who had formerly been accus-
toned TO abuse him. Gentlemen who had lived and
breathed with defamations Of that venerable man
upon their lips were now ready, with accord, to
place his on the fairest page Of his conutrys
history. Mr.. c. did not really know what the gen.
tleman had done to bring on him so suddenly this
profusion of praises.
He said lift was proper to give to Great Britain
notice of our determination to abrogate the copven
ton Of 1897, let an additional clause be engrafted
upon the resolutions, containing assurances Of
friendly disposition on our part, declaring that we
are ready to renew the negotiation, and settle this
only question of difference between the two gov
ernments. Such clause accompanying the notice
would tend to check the mad career Of both nations