Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1846-03-26


j The conduct Of the Executive must now be
greatly changed lie must act very different
y ~ now from what he would have done when
i he recommended the notice under the pursua-
Il sion that there could be no compromise, but
that we must assert our rights By arms. That
he can advise the same thing now which ne
aagised then, is impossible Then, lie had not
the rarn9tegt expectation Of a compromise If
HOW be has a different view, and thinks Great
Bliiain is ready 10 meet us with an offer such
as we made, here say that, if he shah now
decline that offer, | do not envy him the eonse-
i quences that shall follow. The change which
has taken place isnot change IN the President;
ii is a change in the state Of things. 80 tar
from its being any Inconsistency, it's on the
contrary, the highest consistency TO agree to a
compromise when matters have reached a
point which was not contemplated when he
sent as his message. There is prevalent
among us a great error in regard 10 this mat
ter Of consistency. Some persons think that
consistency consists in a uniform adherence TO
one policy, let the circumstances ofthe country
change or not. Others think that consistency
les in always thinking the same way, after a
man has seen the most cogent reasons for
changing his opinion. The consistency Of
these persons is much like the course a ply
stefan who. in the treatment Of a mallgnantfe-
yer, should give emetics and calomel at the
beginning and then hold himself bound TO
/ continue to give emetics and calomel through
every subsequent stage of the disease. Con-
sistency like this would kill the patients and
! there Is no statesman worthy OF the name who
would be guilty Of the political quackery OF adj
vocatnp the same course of policy, though
the circumstances Of his country had COM
pletely altered.
But not only the Executive position chang
ed, but the position of the parties in the State
I has changed in no less degree and my friends
mere who go for all Of Oregon friends | will
call them, for have no other than the most
| friendly feelings towards them) must and do
| feel that there has been change. So long as
they thought that notice was wholly IN
consistent with any compromise, they were its
warm and enthusiastic advocates but now,
when they begin to discover that, notwithstan
ding the giving Of the notice, a compromise
may still be effected, they find themselves
without the same reason for their former zeal 4,
and shall not be at all surprised if, before this
! question is finally put, these very gentlemen
viii vote against the notice altogether.
But trust the friends to whom ] allude
have undergone still further change besides
/ that OF their position. trust they now begin
to see that there are some doubts in regard TO
our title to the whole Of Oregon. That it is
unreasonable. they cannot now say for 1t
! has been questioned with great ability in their
presence here on this floor | know, indeed
/ that their convictions have been as honest as
they have been strong. But, admitting that
our title seem TO them ever so clear, is not
something due to the changes which have
since taken place Is nothing due to the fact
! that majority even of their own political
/ friends think that eur title IS not so clear but
! that 4 compromise may be honorably effected
Is nothing due to their opinion2 And does
not the mere fact of such division OF opinion
among men perfectly honest on both sides pre-
sent the strongest reason why the dispute need
not and ought not be decided By force? APP
peal to these Senators as patriots, as wise and
prudent men, 10 say. when our contest is with
! so great Power, whether they are willing to
hazard all for question on which the opin-
ions OF good and honest men all over their
country are undeniably divided | appeal to
! them even as party men, TO say whether they
will insist ON pushing this question TO such an
extreme as to divide their party.
As to the other portion of the Senate, On
which consider myself as included il is I'M
/ deniable that great change has taken place.
| | feel it myself. Nothing could once have in
duced me to consent to the notice recommend
ed by the President but now it is very posi-
! bic may give my vote for a modified notice
in some form.
! And this brings me now, at length, TO the
direct question. Shall we give to Great Brit
ain the notice proposed, or shall we not? The
/ question is not free from doubt.
| One reason in its favor is. that it will prevent
! the continued agitation Of this Oregon question
J A. 4 4
| the next Presidential election. The meas ure
of notice, if properly qualified, will, ! trust,
| keep all quiet until the year has expired, and
that then there will be no room for any farther
| difficulty.
Another reason in its favor is. that in all
probability Great Britain will not make final
move until Congress shall have acted on the
subject; so that we should, as soon rs possible,
do something in the matter. If it Were not for
the force Of this consideration, | should be for
postpouing the notice for the present.
And now 10 the question, in what form the
notice shall be given? will vote, under no
circumstances, FOR naked, absolute notice
The circumstances Of the case have greatly
changed. We are not in the same state Of
things which existed when the Executive mes
sage first came in and ! cannot vote under
the remotcst impression that there will be no
compromise, II any gentleman once hoped
SO, and would have gone for the notice under
that hope, that motive has now passed away
Nor can | vote for the resolution which has
been sent US from the House of Representa-
lives. have two objections toit Iii equiv
ocal in its meaning. II itmeans 10 declare that
the President may settle this difficulty by com
promise il means nothing, for the President
has that right; but if it is meant as a hint to
him to negotiate for a compromise, then am
for speaking more plainly. | am most deci-
dedly against all equivocaton in matters Of
state policy. Let us say plainly what we
mean to say. II we mean compromise, let us
say compromise and not send the President
a resolution on which he may put just any
/ Interpretation that suits HIM.
If we give this notice at all. | think it should
De given substantially as has been proposed by
the gentleman from Georgia. If | consent to
the notice, it win be, as have said, to keep
this agitation from running into the next Pres
idouual election, and finally 10 terminate the
question and if we give it at all, let us give it
precisely as we intend, expressing the opinion
that the difficulty should be settled by compro-
mise. So much feel inclined TO vote for
But this whole measure is subordinate to a
u L al