The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-02-12

federalism, In which she has been sDgulfed Tor some
years past-whsn she shall have proved more faith
ful to her own Distinguished son tha' virginia hes
done, il will he tine enough for HIM to lecture as
and 10 show what our duties sfo'
| SIR have not come here % pass any euogium
on tho State which ia part represent But sinee
she has been thus assaied, and an effort deliberate.
lly made to cast a blot upon her hitherto unsuled
sscutcheon since she has been accused, arTaigned,
and iii the testimony Of the aceussr IL To DO taken)
convicted, have felt It my duty to say word IN
lhsr yndieaton. Az 10 the charge against myself,
flor am one Of the ten representatives OF Virginia
on this h0or against whom IL is brought that had
reapsed from the ancient faith Of my State, let It
pass by mo las the idie wind that regard not"
bat felt il due to old Virginia. the bolwerk Of the
republican party now and heretofors, 10 set her
right before Congress and the country.
I know that when the gentleman from Illinois and
others told us that we, who occupy an antsgo-
nisIc position to that which he holds were appeal.
ing TO the fears Of the people, they did not under.
stand the force Of the terms which they used We
appealing u the fears Of the people, We the
South--of Virginia and ofso1h Carolina IN par
ticu!arto DO accused Of appealing TO the fears Of
the peoplel II we had made such sa appeal, it ls
one that would hsvc taffen as uron the ears Of
night, which Conld not be responded TO, because
there was no such letting existing But we made
no appeal, except TO their caution and prudence.
We did not attempt TO excite their preludlces or
alarm their fears by warning them that without Just
proyoeaton there was danger TO their rights
or their interests.
A word more before | cose this portion Of my re-
marks. | say TO all those who have SssaIed US,
that whilst we DO not yaunt ourselves achiey
ments yet, when thus assalled, ! must, IS one OF
her representatives, say that Virginia has never
thought necessary TO erect any monuments to her
sons, and il is not boast, II was Justly the
boast Of the gentleman from Maryland Mr.. Gus
the other day, Iha, his Slate "gave graves To her
emies and monuments 10 her defenders " We make
no such boast, because the fame OF our Common
wealth is so well established on the pages Ut our hslo-
~ hatit requires no scuptured marble pyramid Of
stone to commemorate her achievements, or to PER
peluate the virtues OF her sons. She builds her
monuments on the battle. field, and stamps the rec.
ord Of her achievements on the destinies of the
uOn.
| pass now, Mr.. Chairman, to another matter ex-
tremely irrelevant in its character, and which re-
greet 10 be compelled to refer to- speak Of the at
tempt which is made here to read out Of the demo-
cratic church all who do not agree the proprety Of
giving this notice, and TO the repeated illusions in
that connexion, to the Baltimore convention and
It's action say regret that any aluSon has been
made on this hooT to a mere party convention
whether held by wings or democrats. The time
has yet 10 come WHEN caucus machinery shall con-
troll the action Of the federal government The time
has yet to come when the dictates Of Il convention
shall be regarded as law by an American Congress.
And for one, do not hesitate to say 70 this House,
and through this House 10 the country that care
not what may be the dictates of party unless they
meet the appreciation Of 10Y conscience | will not
bow down TO them. No consideration shall induce
me to surrender the rights and interests Of my
sttuents, to sacrifice one title Of the honor and
true glory Of the natioR, because the party with
which II is my pride to act, and with which hope
! ever shall act, may think proper to lay down
different rule of action.
But what was the decision OF the Baltimore con-
venton' Did that make Oregon a party question:
A certain running resolution asserted rights 10
Oregon. Nothing was said about notice. The
convention did not require any one of the demo-
cratic party TO give that notice. II vas an Obstrsc.
declaration Of our right to Oregon, in which fully
concur, and which expect to cauy out by my NC
ton this hoor, either at this session, at some
subsequent time, if should have the honor Of
seat here. Is this party question: My friend
and colleague, Mr., PEspLETos,l the clone star" OF
whigsm from the State of Virginia, las fallen into
some error. In the fierce vchenence Of his denuu-
citation, he has given party aspect to the debate
unworthy OF the occasion, and unworthy OF lis
position as a representative here. | am not about
to enter into the history Of the Baltimore conyen-
ton, to reply to the hits Of my colleague against
that convention. 1t is true he told that that
vention had brought forth, rather suddenly, a GER
tain distinguished individually that the heterogeneous
elements of which the democratic party was com
posed must insure its speedy dissolution; and, III
his Imagination, he was contemplating the prospect
of that brilliant party with which he had, for at
least years, been associated gaining ascendrncy
in the councils OF the nation, and of own ate
| cannot but think, Mr. Chairman, that he had, in
his imagination gone back TO the of the ex-
ira session of lS4l, when party, flushed with ono
of the mos; brilliant trumphs that had ever been
achieved, came here in the full tide Of successful
pertinent; and, in the short fpace of six weeks, "a
less time than would be required in the estimation
Of the gentleman from Michigan, Mr.. CHAPMAN,
to take Canada) dissolved into original elements
and scattered to the four winds of heaven, new
| more to be gathered together
But Is this PARTY question: IL the Baltimore
convention 70 settled it. then charge upon the DEM
ocra,c party here that they have proved recreant to
their duty, and false to the instructions they have
received. soy, if il is party question, it is un-
doubtedly true that they have violated the insruc-
tons of the democratic party. Do you not remem-
Der, sir, that at the last session, the proposal 10
give this notice under consideration, IL
submitted in an independent form. 1t was pro-
posed TO be incorporated in bill then before tho
| House. And what was the VOTE OF the 50 mem
bers who voted in the negative, 79 were dem
ocras, and only wings; while, of the 100 who
voted in the affirmative 81 were wings and SO dem
ocrets. And this too, at the session which mme-
diaiely followed the Baltimore convention and after
the election OF Mr.. Polk. But one brief year ago,
then, we find the democratic party on this floor
pudiating the very issue which gentlemen now cay
was made by that convention, and decided by the
people III tiiat contest or, III IL party QuPS'On
| now, it was so then. II there is now any obIlga-
ton the democracy here to vote for this notice,
that obligation was equally strong upon them at the
| last session. And gentlemen who taunt US with
a departure from the household faith on this ques
ton, do but pnss the heaviest censure upon them
selves. The gentleman from Indiana in my eye,
mir. KEsNEDr,l who made a most amusing, as
we'll as an srgumentstive speech on this question,
| voted at the last session against the notice.
Mr.. KENNEDY explained. He said that az he
presumed it was not the desire Of his friend from
| Virginia to misreprssent him on this subject, he
would beg leave to state, that he had at time du
ring the last session voted az iinst giving this
tice; but on the contrary, in oil possible why's hi
had voted for it. He had concurred with his col
league Mr.. OwLNl in its Introduction on indie
pendent proposition; and after it was connected
with separate aud different proposition, he had
voted for them both together! II was true that h'
had voted against connecting these separate and dis
tinct propositions in one bill; aud one Of the
strongest objections he had against this connection
was the fact that it might defeat the final passage
this very notice, and possibly endanger both meas
urss. ..
| L.. .,oJ 10