The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-02-05


ain Is setted-if il must cnsue before oyr dieute.
with that country can be honorabIy adjusted, then
let the honorable gentleman from Maine bring in a
bill 10 build FIFrY VESSELS or WAR When Ind
that Time has arrived, my vote shall be cheerfuly
given, but until it does take place thus house shall
by no Hot of mine, give loose rem 70 expend lures
OF the public money for the increase Of our naval
power, and saddle the tax-payen Of this ma
ton with an annual outlay OF Ten or tesius mil
lions of dollars. What is the osJKcr Of all this
Why il is all a mere pre1xt sir, under
the guise OF which il is proposed 10 levy an i'm
uense tax upon the laborng classss for the sup
port OF the 1istoeraey and nonsyed ns~ePottss Of the
country But repudiate the idea that we are TO be
involved in a war with Great Britain. i cannot
bring myself TO believe that the good sense Of this
country will ever tolerate the idea that upon ques-
tion like this-one which, in every form IL may pre-
sent itself admits of amicable arrangement of
peaceful negotiation and seitlsment--this Christian
country, deeply devoted, ss Il ~ 70 al the arts OF
Peaee, and proudly leading IN the van Of civilization
the world, and the immediate interests Of its own
people as exchange its present happy cnndjon for
the savage slaughter and rapine OF the batle-feld
The cruel and sanguinsry wars that hate deluged
Europe with poverty and crime, impoverished its
people, and chained distant generations 70 the dread
full incubus Of public deb,-and all this with that
haste and prccipitancy and want Of mature delibsra
tion which seems to distinguish the measure now
before this house. Such an act Of rashness on the
part Of this nation has not yet despoilod 10 FAIR
name.
Who, Mr.. President, in 80 disastrous an event.
mus be the Sufferers' PROFESSIONALLY the agncu-
tura and mercantile classss-the former Of which
represents the great body ofmy constituents. The
COTTON PLANTER, the TOBACCO and RIcE-oRowIRs,
the sHIPBuLpERs, aud all those who deal IN the mer-
chandse Of the eastern States, are TO be sacrificed
and for what Why, for war ofconquesi, which, 10
ave or ten years, will lead back TO the poibt we
have now reached, where peace may be secured by
honorable negotiitIon. That war too, is not, 10 be
fought in the Oregon territory. Il is to be fought
on the seacoast Of the United States--a var the
most destructive in the annals OF modern hislory-a
war whose bighuhg and disastrous results will not
DO confined to this country and Great q. iuin, but
which will extend their desosting evils Throughout
the whole civilized world. It is impossible that
Great Britain and the United States engage in a
war without involving IN II the rest Of tie world
No man can close his eyes TO the evil consequences
Of such conflict And, sir, ask is this a subject Of
such light aud trivial importance, that 1t ought TO be
the theme OF idle gossip and of Laughter IN the
streets of Wdshlngt M Who gnssIp and laugh
Those who have everything 10 gam and nothing to
lose. speak of those who arc bankrupts IN PROP
ERrY-hankrupIs in roIITiCs-b ankrupts m NOR
AIS These are some Of the whose voice
rings loud for war. The ambitious d. haIogue,
TOO, eager to ride into Off e, seeks also to
fan the a me, and appeals to the passions
and prcjudices Of the people TO raise tina, current
which is but TO wan TO fruion his own selfish plans
Of sggrandscment. The spcculator, too, whose for
tunes have been ruined by his schemes Of
hazard, and who is anxious tp profit by he rich
spos Of war, talks loudly Of patriotism and insult.
ed national honor. ] trust that ws-, and discreet,
and dispassionae statesmen--that grave -ern,or---
Will be disposed To look at this question ir differ
sni light ] reeratc, am ready 10 meet pu ,chen u,
hour has approached. But d. not apprebend war at
present; and, therefore, shall denounce al this dis
play Of hostilities and warlike bravado. call on
all Christian men TO unite with me in denouncing
II. s....
Mr.. President, would say more on this subject IL
were able have felt il to be my duty tomake these
few remarks, by way ofshowing my constituents the
motives which influence me in opposing this bill.
| have endeavored to speak with due regard to the
feelings Of every gentleman who may differ with me
on this subject; and | state now in advance, that
whenever the time shall come when it may be neces-
sdry to assert our rights to o egon-when our claims
may be contumacously denied and our honor insult
ell shall be found as ready TO assert thoss hits
as any gentleman on this floor But with all due
Difference, differ from some OF my friends with
respect to what they appear to regard the proper
course at present; and here, let add that deeply
regretted to hear the other day something like a
sneer against the course which respectable portion
of my friends from the South have taken on this
question. was the mortified to dis over, too,
tina, fall from the ps of one whose pa riotism and
integrity honor and respect. ! attribute it to the
heat of debate for am sure he is friendly disposed
toWsrds the South. have always been the friend
OF Oregon; am yet its friend If happen to differ
from those who wish TO consider themselves the
real and exclusive patterns Of Oregon, trust that
shall not be read out of the church until have had
fair hearing. | may perhaps be able to show, as
time, the great divulger Of truth, progresses that
a.. les, Il Kill
able to obtain the earliest day the ,ohoc Of Oregon;
and that its opposite, if it did not forever annihate
our rights, would al least protract their peaceabe
possession and involve our country for years in the
horrors of war; to entail on future generations the
still more enslaving and ruinous evils Of debt.
The annexation of Texas has been alluded to in
connexion with the Oregon question. Allow me to
cay that do not perceive the slightes, analogy be-
tween the two cases. The situation of Texas, both
for commerce and protection-its population and
cultivated soil--all combined to render its annexa-
ton to the Union of paramount national import
ance.. Texas was country lying ON our southern
borders, separated from the United States by mere
imaginary lines, and in the union Of the two coun-
tries, as have before said, no obligations Of nation.
al faith were violated against any government--the
whole world according to Texas The right to do all
acts within the province of free and independent
sovereignty. But how different is the attitude OF
our Oregon relations. Here is a country three
tnousand mUes distant from Inc Un1teu STATES, anu
to which Great Britain assumes certain claims
These claims, too, we have, in some measure, ac-
quiesced in by solemn treaty; and We now propose
TO take possession of that country--to be sure, moi
in violation Of that trcay y. If Great Britain evel
had any rights in Oregon--if had never held tha
territory in joint occuPancy--I would have beer
as willing az any one to take sword in hand
and at once cut this gordan knot But th'
circumstances Of the case are far otherwise; and
if we acquire the territory by quiet means, i
will much better suit my peaceful temperament
would much prefer to see this question amcably
adjusted by negotiation, in which event we might
without much difficulty, obtain the whole Of thu
territory. Sir, who knows bat by some CONNER
cia regulation, highly advantageous to both coun-
tries, England N ght be induced to give up tn,
whole country TO 81 degrees Of north atitude'
regard the signs as proptious for such an event
And, Mr.. President in Gods name let me ask |
senators, in their over-anxious zeal for the acqus
ton Of the Oregon, have calculated the great AM
beneficial results Of such an Adjustment Are al
the great interests Of the coutry 10 be sacrificed II
the speedy acquisition Of this terftory' Is it deenet
Of such vital importance to acquire 1t that ever
other interest is tn be made subservient TO I'D
trust, Mr.. President, that senator's will con-ide
dispassonatey the importance OF the crisis which
~. 4 ,I.,o