Sentinel of the valley. [volume] (Woodstock, Va) 1841-1848, 1846-05-14

had proposed to do, and that three
fourths of his friends on that side of the
| Chamber would be found among the
number. If that should be SO, (said
Mr.. P.,) and he thought the estimate a
fair and probable one, who could doubt
what the President would do?
| Entertaining this opinion, Mr.. P.
said he could vote most safely for the
! House resolutions. He had no fears
as to what the President would 90 if he
should have an opportunity-to do it,
But would the British Minister give
him that opportunity? MIR. P. did not
know that he certainly would. Fer the
( peace ofthe two countries, he hoped
he might; for without it the question
could not be peaceably settled. The
British Minister had spurned the offer
of the President, made alone in defer
ence to what hadb been done by his pre-.
decessors, and he had treated it thus
| without even referring it to his Govern
ment. Was this respectful; was it
courteous; was it due to the great i'm
portance of the subject? His Govern
ment at home haddisapproyed his con-
duct, not officially, however, to the
| United States, but, througha Minister
ofthe Crown in the British House OF
| Commons, to the world tlarge. This
would not be sa,isiactoryto the United
States. Could any one expect that
the President of the United States, un-
| der circumstances like these, would
come forward and renew again, of his
own accord, a proposition which thus
had been thrown back into his face,
and that, too, without respectful con-
sideration3 The President would not
do it. 1.-THE British Government de-
sired to reconsider the proposition, let
the fact be made known officially to
the President, and an opportunity
would doubtless be afforded. The
giving of the notice, Mr.. P. earnestly
hoped, would lead to that result. 1t
would doubtless be accompanied by
suitable expressions, such as became
the President of the United States to
make; and if the British government
had any idea of settling the question
as the President had proposed, or on
terms such as he had substantially pro-
posed, the fact would be made known,
and the question would be settled. =
But if, on the other hand, no such in
1 tention existed with that Government,
settlement of the controversy was
out of the question:. The American
people would never consent to. come
south of the 49th parallel Of latitude;
and MIR. P. was willing, an that suppo-
sition, to prepare for the worst. At
ter the notice should be given, and no.
thing done, he was ready and Wiling
to arm this nation, and to prepare fol
the conflict. He earnestly hoped, how
! ever, that wise councils might yet pre-
vail, and that the matter might yet be
! peaceabIy settled.
These weRth views Mr.P. enter
tanned of this important subject; and
whilst he could readily vote for the
!! House resolutions, yet, if he could
have had his own way, he would have
preferred to have had them slightly a
mended. He would, he said, amend
the second resolution by adding there
to these words: "But, on the contrary,
the hope is entertained that this long
lipending controversy may yet be finally
I adjusted, honorably and penceably."'
! 1t must be obvious to all that the Sc
cond resolution has only the effect Of
! qualifying The first to very small ex-
tent. II excludes the idea that Con-
{ gress intends by the first, TO prevent
negotiation for the settlement of the
question; and its only purpose is to de-
Iclare that Congress does not intend to
! interfere at all, but leaves the question
to be settled, or not, as the two nations
), may choose. Now, Mr.. P.would 60
further, and declare, as he had stated
u before, ssBut on the contrary, the hope
his entertained that this long pending
controversy might yet be finally adjusl
lied, honorably and peaceably;" not fol
{ the purpose, however, Of crouching 70
Great Britain, nor for the purpose Of
influencing the President, (for that was
unnecessary, as Mr.. P. had endeayor-
! ed 10 show, but for the purpose o.
putting ourselves, the Congress Of The
United States, right in The eyes of the
world; so that if, unfortunately, con-
j flict should come, it would be apparent
/ to all that it was not of our seeking. =
4 We are the war-making power under
i this Government, (said Mr.. P. and,
for the purpose Of guarding our act
in voting this notice from m.isrepresen-
I tation and misc construction BY The
world, he would amend the resolutions