The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-02-12
THE DAILY UNION.

NOuiu DC sent mere VINO WOulu DC uIsposeu W 20
farther, and do more, than propose IN giving this
pacific notice. At the same time, II is due 10 my
self 10 say that do not entertain the idea that men
will ever be sent here with instructions 10 go beyond
$40 4O. do not hope, nor believe, that any man
would come here, instructed by the people OF the
United States 10 go for any measures that would
tend TO produce war with England. Mr.. President
have said this much to explain very briefly some
OF the reasons that will induce me 10 vote for the
resolutions Of the senator from Kentucky, and in
opposition to those offered by the chairman # the
Committee on Foreign Relations. But might not
have troubled The Senate with any remarks at this
time but for the very extraordinary INDUCED in
10 his observations by the senator from Ohio, tMr
ALIEN That getiteman is the chairman OF The
Committee on Foreign Relations Of this body-the
leading member Of the leading committee Of the
first deberaliye assembly in the world. What falls
from him officially, will go abroad over the country
and not stop there. What he says here will be
transmitted by the first steamer that goes to Eng
land and be read with great attention, concern, and
resentment by every intelligent Englishman. IL
will go Europe, and be presumed, from the Off.
eis position Of the gentleman, TO speak the sentiments
of the Senate Of the U. 81 or at least considerable
portion OF II. Sir, the senator, IN a speech Of two
days, INDUCED in denuneiations Of England, and
assertions that she dare not go 10 with US; that
she had become so weak, 80 imbeele, as to be una
bic TO yindicate her own rights. He endeayored 10
prove that the government Of England would tom
Die TO pieces in case OF a with this country. He
extolied--and in that | coneurred with him--the
military proves Of our own country. He did that,
but he also sought to excite studiousy the feelings
Of our country against Englishmen; and, worse
than that, 10 excite the feelings Of Englishmen
against US. IL has been leading object with the
gentleman, throughout this session, to prepare the
hearts Of the people of the United States for war
with Englandi and this the gentleman, on an occa-
sion prior 10 this discussion, has acknowledged to
be his object. SIR, say again that # the honora-
bic senator had sought only to prepare the hearts Of
our countrymen for war, 1t would not have been
one-lhird bad in its effects its tendency pre-
pare the hearts OF the English people for war
against US. He has sought to excite and inhame
the honorable passions Of Englishmen against US,
not one Of whom, after reading the speech Of that
gentleman, but will feel Indignant that his country
has been denounced as nation that dare not go to
war in vndicaton of it's rights. What would
the feeling Of American be after hear
ing such speech against his country delly-
cred in the House OF Commons, by lead
ing member-the head Of a leading committed
As a senator Of the United States-a member of
that body that is link il were between the peo-
pie and PTesIdent-his speech will be supposed to
speak the sentiments 9th country this matter.
Sir, we may tell the feelings Of an Englishman on
this subject, by putting the question home to our
selves; and ask you, if you would not rise with in
dgnatlon from reading a speech in which it was as
serted we dare not 60 tO in defence Of rights
Sir, undertake To say TO the sena'or-and hope
the declaration OF 90 humble a member of this
body as myself will accompany his speech TO Eng
land-that do not believe that there any consid-
cradle portion OF the Serae Of the United States who
would agree TO such an assertion as that in his
speech. From communication with my brother
senator's, undertake to say that not a third OF them
would approve Of that, any other declaration oil
the senator from Ohio, tending to excite sentiments
of hostility IN the people Of England or TO provoke
war. do not believe he speaks the sentiments OF
the President or his cabinet that subject of either
branch Of Congress, or Of any considerable portion
Of il.
A SENATOR. Or Of the people
Mr.. CLAYTON. Or of the people, as my friand
near me Gays. They respect the English as a brave
and powerful nation. They not willing to b
trampled on by England; and when she commits ar
aggression they willing to fight in their owr
defence; they have told England this thousand
times, and they are ready to do again; but they
not ready 10 excite the passions of any nation
a war with us. And if they collected in body
in presence of the American Senate, nine -tenths o.
them would repudiate any declaration made fol
them, that they were disposed to excite foreign ma
tons to war with them. Sir, tell England that she
dare not go to in defence of her rights and the
| moment II IS ascertained that such sentiment was
entertained in the Senate of the United States every
Englishman, lrishman, and Scochman now living
in that country will rally TO her assistance All i
| needs is TO make her believe we think that and wa,
will be inevitable.
Sir, do not belong to that class of men to VIII icl
the senator so frequently alluded, who seek to de
precate the power of my own country; but hold il
TO be my duty, as faithful sentinel here to tell my
countrymen throughout the land the real condition
Of their naval and military power, and contrast il
with that of any foreign nation with which there
may be danger Of war. If there was a danger nj
war with France, would hold it to be my duty to
tell them of the relative naval forces of France and
this country; and hold that this is not depreciang
our own, nor exaggerating the force Of the enemy
The tendency of the remarks of the senator from
Ohio was to condemn the remarks made by the sena.
tor from Michigan at the beginning of the session
That senator thought his duty tell his brother
majors, and the whole country through the medium
Of the reporters Of this body that we were in danger
and ought to arm; that our navy and army were
insufficient for the defence Of the country. He
pressed that view with all his energy; and, be-
lieving that something ought to be done in
that condition OF affairs, we appointed COM
mittee to whom referred the question OF
preparing adequate means of defence. Sir, no
wise man ever goes into contest with another
seeking to disparags the power of his opponent; no
wise general enters the battlefield deprecating the
power of the enemy and overrating his own. More
battles have been lost by that than all others
together. ! will now proceed to make few re-
marks in concurrence with the senator from Mchi-
gan about Increasing the defences of the country.
concur with the senator from Florida this sub
ject. They were not those Of an aarmist and
hold that the defenceess state Of our seacoast and
the unprepared state Of our other defences per-
feet justification of his remarks.
The honorable senator from Ohio says England
dare not 60 to war. Why Because she is exceed
ingly weak. She cannot defend herself, because,
amongst other things, her navy has lost, he says,
that supremacy which he admits it formerly had
amongst the nations Of the world. He thinks il is
by no means powerful as it was in 1909 and 1903
differ from the honorable gent man, and | beg 10
make an effort to convince my brother senators that
he was entirely mistaken with regard to that sub
ject believe that the navy Of Great Britain is ut
this moment greater than ever was since she be-
came nation. She has nt this time, according to
Accurate
Mr.. ALLEN. My proposition was, that her
power, relatively to the naval power of the world,
was greater then than is now relatively to the ma
val power Of the world.
Mr.. CLAYTON. think, then, that proposition
is still more Objectionable than the other. Let us
examine it, Let us look little into the facts Of the
case. Let thus test the accuracy OF the gentle
mans proposition. | have some statistics on the
subject which have heeh very carefully compiled,
e. 81. I al.