Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1846-02-12


as she disdains to enact the braggar in the
quarrel, 50 il may be safely assumed that she
win never play the part Of the traitor IN the
conflict
The President Of the United States speaks
Of our obligations to facilitate emigration 70
Oregon, and to protect our patriotic pio-
neers" who are there And gentlemen tell Us
Of the attachment Of those people to ihelf
dear native land. Why DO they leave i, sra
Why is il thai they retire before the advance Of
civilization, prefering the wild excitement and
the rugged discomfons Of the wilderness %
the repose. the security. and die relinemenis
of social and cultivated hfe They manifest
their attachment BY disregarding the influences
that bind ordinary men 70 the places Of their
nativity, BY swapping recklessly the ties Of
blood. and kindred, and social connexions;
and calmly, and of their own free choice, de-
serting a generous soil and a genial cline,
abandoning the hearths ard the affairs OF their
childhood and youth, TO toll through vast
and perilous wilderness, where savage man
and savage beast meet them al every turn
through scenes whore danger lurkes IN every
path, and death is whispered in every breeze,
1 to gain at last home 50 inhospliabe and rude
that. according to the learned gentleman from
( Philadelphia, il takes the genius Of Shakespeare
to do Justice to its horrors. And il is for these
reckless and wayward wanderers that the dis
tnguished gentleman from Alabama would
have our Government endeavor TO realize the
fabulous ubiquiiy Of the Roman power, send
ing its mgis throughout the world Tor their
protection.
Sir, / am against any such principle. Il is
easier for these people to stay al home than
] for US TO 90 10 war II they Will go upon ter
ritory the title Of which is unsettled, let them
go at their own risk. A few men have no
right 10 involve millions in war. 1t is not
lthe policy Of our Government TO be running
lover the world looking after citizens, whose
allegiance is manifested only by acts of ex-
patriation. They went to Texas TO fight for
their liberty; they achieved great victories; had
wonderful prosperity; found the true FL Dora
ldo--a country richer than the dreams Of
Spanish ayarice had pictured; country IN
behalf of which ii would seem that relent-
ing Providence had repealed the primeval
curse; for we were told that production leaps
spontaneously from It's bosom, and man need
not toll for his bread. Yet, in few brief
wears, though unscourged by war, or pesti-
lence, or famine, they call on us to annex
them Immediately or sooner" or their friends
say they will perish. We do annex them,
in a way which, for its form and precipitation,
has left deeper stain on our national charac-
ter than any event since the declaration Of
our independence.
And siraightway they next put out for Ore
gon, and, getting there, call on us to termi-
nate convention, under which, for thirty
years, we have got along in peace and to do
it directly and instantly, despite the hazard of
a war; a war which, if it dose come, may,
and most probably will, be the most destruc-
tive which has for centuries occurred. And
that over, (f, indeed, it be the good fortune Of
our Confederacy 10 survive n,) they would
make another start for God knows where
perhaps to the North Pole, if they could find
trail. or make a trail to it-and the Tgis, pre-
sumo. would be Immediately called for again,
supposing any other people in the world to
be absurd enough TO contest with them such
a possession.
But, sir, if am mistaken in regarding this
as a war measure, then am still opposed to
it as a peace measure. 1t loses us inevitably
and certainly about half the terretory of Ore
gon, for suppose no man, and least Of all,
those gentlemen whose consciences are so nice
on the point of the national honor, can doubt
that, with the notice, the last proposition OF the
President must be re-submitted The settle
lment of the question now must lose us the
better half of the country: time, emigration,
and ''the multiplication tablet get US the
whole of il. This is no point Of interest to
me- | make the suggestion for gentlemen
who consider it a very valuable country.
Gentlemen talk about "h0norcjJe" peace.
Who here, sir. is for dishonorable peace?
win some Of these war-hawks come down
from their exercises with the eagle, and con
descend to deal in common sence for few
moments. and let me know--for wish to
learn-wherein ii is that the peace subsisting
between the the United States and Great Brit
ain is dishonorable peace? Have we an
insult. respass, or even a menace to avenge?
Has our flag been insulted, our soil invaded,
or our honor mpeached2 1t seems to me,
SIR, that ii is more dishonorable to break than TO
keep such peace2
/ Suppose, sir, that votes enough to carry this
measure be given. not with the wish or the ex-
pecmtion of getting Oregon, but to get Cana
da, thus exciting the people Of the country on
the merits Of the Oregon claim, for the pur-
pose of directing their force against province
to which we have no claim, and to any at
tempt to take which directly they could not,
as an honest people. be brought Was there
ever a war more infamous and attrocious than
that would be.
But. sir, observe hy the watch before me,
that have less than half minute left me.
| have many things ! would like 10 say on
this subject, and | regret for this time, and for
this only, the existence of your hour rule.
( Here the Chaiman'S hammer came down.
I