The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-03-16

which our party had adopted in general eonyentio
at Baltimore in 1870, and dsniicaly tho same, b
lieve, were adopted in 1886. The second Of the.
read thusi
That the eoasfuon does NOT confer upon the gensr
government the power 10 commence sad carry on gene
al system Of informal improvement"
Now, sir, before proceed to comment spon thi
and aid, 30 far as my voice, and influence, and vol
can, IN drawing members Of the democratic party
10 that line, and thus not only crafty the gentlsma
from Kentucky, lMr. THonAssoE,l bat also era
lfy the whole democracy trust of this broad lanC
will address myself 10 the task Of relieving froI
my own shoulders ththe charge which gentlemen
in the height Of their fury on the Oregon question
have endeayored TO fix upon them, and those Of som
fifteen other good democrats, that we have been re
creant 10 our party faith. w..
Afer renewing and reassering the cardinal Prn
ciples Of our party, long since adopted the conysn
ton proceeded 10 pass other resolutions, and anon
The lsst was the following; Il. .....-.. +.
Rssoips4 That our us the whole Of Oregon Is eles
aud that no portion Of the same ought
occupation Of Oregon and The xaon Of feas
s.ss, prse,ie.bls period are great Amsrean measure.
which this een,snoa recommends 20 tho cordial snppor
Of the democratic party Of this union-"
In what, then, ! would ask, have offended Ar
there any degrees Of latitude mentioned in that
luton that must march up to, In defiance Of right
and proof, and good sense Not one. =.
Have advocated the ceding TO England, or AM
other power, All iroh Of what IL clearly and uRques
tionably oursi | have not. Have j opposed a TO
occupation Of oregonI BY no means. I have, OF
the contrary, proposed what considered as ampl,
means TO encourage emigration there.
But what then have donel | have advocated Tim,
for pereeting our title by possessonj have advocated
time for preparation 10 maintain and defend our rights
in Oregon. | have expressed my conviction that
our title to the whole country VIC have occupied
l.bf Al.
which we hare four times offered Great Britain
the territory is fairly and legtimately
matter for negotiation, thus APPROVING Of all that
has heretofore been done by negotiation. My SIN,
lhsn IL any have committed, consists in not sternly
planting myself upon $40 40, and denying the right
Of the government to settle the controversy by ne
collation. and compromise. Not q single word is
raid about "the notice" in that resolution. That is
matter TO be used, to be sure, one ofthe means
Of reoccupying Oregon. Butthe resolution, IL bind
Ing upon any party men, len this matter entirely
10 their discretion. The question Of time not
settled by the conventions II only bound TO carry
i cut Eat the earliest practicable moment" In my
Judgment is hzd been far wiser 10 have ieft IL alone
for one or two years, at least. was not prepared
10 say that the most favorable moment had arrived
10 risk war with any other power on this issue;
and, believing 50, vo.ed against notice.
Again. SIR when ! took my position on the sub
iect the notice was advocated here by It's peculiar
friends as war measure. One mentioned II as 'the
military way Of doing business" Another, that
he British lion lay in our path, anu that we mnrt
pounce upon him and 'make him spout boou "Se
harpoonsd whale" Another, full OF Yalor was
ready to give II, that "MiehigHn might take Canada
for her share of the fight" All were for giving it,
IN order that we might stake possession Of the whole
Of Oregon" voted against it then in order TO pre-
rent the country from being plunged by these hot.
headed gentry into too precip;iate and unequal
fct with England. II has, however by the force Of
my friends arguments brought 10 bear upon the
subject and by the voice of an aroused peope been
made to assume a greatly modified shape. Finding
lie country not so wRrike as they had supposed
he advocates Of notice for the sake Of war dwin.
He'd down to the small number Of ten by the time
The vote WINS taken; and have great hopes that the
matter will be made to assume a still more pacific
aspect before 1t leaves the halls Of legislaiion-in
forming the President that the American people de-
sire no war for Oregon, uness our rights there
ramped upon and no redress can be obtained for
The injury.
But, SIR, I assume higher grounds in our behalf
The Baltimore convention declared the question Of
Oregon not TO be party question. II recommend
ID democrats look upon it, freed from mere party
shackles, os great American measure" in which
not the democracy alone, but the wings and all other
parties interested Sir, SO received that rec
of my party; and in over one hundred
speeches made by myself over a great part of Ala
,ama, during the canvass OF 1914, | solcmny de-
lied either the Oregon or Texas questions being
,arty questions. ] urged them upon the people as
rational issues-soarng above our party domestic
,roils
Even, then, if I have erred, which deny, I am
rot amenable to party for it. My party, in SOL
mn convention, have placed the Oregon matter be.
ore me as an American citizen; and in this hall
nave voted upon it an American legislator, an
werable for that vote alone to my constituents, TO
ny conscience, and to my God.
And now, untrammelled by the charge of sim
lie drelction from party duty, turn to those gen.
lemen who were so kind as to desire to teach me
,arty lesson not TO be found in the book, AMI ask
hem how they stand by the test of party measure
nenti .... 49,. .'.. r', -. .... "rr. ..
How many of them have, in reference to this
ill, endorsed the principles laid down by the party
It Baltimore in 1896, renewed in 1910, and reas-
erted in 1874, THAT the constitution does not con-
er upon the general government the power to COM
hence and carry general system of internal inn
Already have leading democrats from
ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky, and
me from Tennessee, boldly set themselves up
sacred, as worthy to be observed as that to vote
gainst national bank or a protective tariff:-in
act, one of series of principles, all Of which mu-
ualy sustain each other. Ay! and what is worse,
he gentleman who reported this bill Mr.. TBBATTsl
vas sent by the democracy Of Kentucky as one
II the democratic fathers to this great convention at
Baltimore, and there, in conjunction with delegates
rom the whole Union, aided to frame these resolu-
ions-aided to adopt them unanimously; and now,
n capacity Of representative Of democratic dis
rict, and legislator refuses to endorse the princi
lie by vote; and, in fact, condemns it by his legis
alton! And at what timei Just as we have tri-
the echoes of our shouts of Joy
ave hardly died away, at our enthusiastically
'efore the people have forgotten that we were
pledged to them, if they elected Mr.. Polk, that we
would retronch the expenses Of the government
hat we would repeal the tariff Of 1912, and enact
me for revenue purposes alone--that we would re-
stabsh the constitutional treasury system--thst
We would not commence nor carry on general
ystem of internal improvements" ,.r.. .....
: With a firm belief in our sincerity, the people
rave confded to us the reins Of government--have
,ected our President--and sent large ma ority
here to refuse to commence and carry on works
,f internal Improvement. And what is done !
Why hot haste has been made in this the first Con-
yress of the new administration Ito commence and
AIRY on general system Of works of internal i'm
The friends Of the President are the
most conspicuous in this breach Of party faith, and
hey advance principles in support Of their system
running far beyond even what the great wing cam
Iidate, Mr. Clay, laid down in his speech at Hano-
YER in 1870 in which he opposed n general system