The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-06-19
SPEECH OF MR.. FICKLIN,

Mr. PKEsDESr; IL Is certainly with feelings Of no
ordinary interest that to address large and
respectable an audience assembled in " the Quaker
civ =" upon question Of such vital imporlane nee as
the one now under confederation.
The kind, not 10 say enthusiastic, welcome given
to those Of us who are temporarily in the city, can
not fail to inspire each with sentiments OF last
ing gratitude.
Permit me, in the outset, To congratulate you upon
the favorable position which We at present oceupy
IN regard to our territory the Pacific. Some per
sons | am fully aware, indulge in gloomy forebo-
dIngs in regard TO IL; think that we have been
100 rash, and others that We have been too timid
some hope TO make political capital by not doing
anything, and II war should come Of il, they could
excaim, III told you so !" whilst others expect 10
gain notoreiy by rushing madly and reckessly for
ward until they plunge this government into war
with Great Britain.
War with that power is neither to be ''sought nor
declined" We should not step out Of our path To
provoke It, nor can we, II we would, avert il by
rmldly and doubtngly contendng for our rights.
American yalor IL not preeaTious or so doubtful
a. to require TO embark in needless and bootless
war to establish Il. On the land and on the sea our
Dfowsss IN arms has been illustrated by deeds Of
daring, which, II they can be equaled are not likely
soon to be surpassed by others. LCheers.
We have but one course on this question and that
IS onward The broad and beaten road Of duty lies
before usi and II we pursue il by marching straight
forward, avoiding lndlrecilon or ndecsion, we will
our nights without the firing Of u single gun
AbstaInIng from the high-sounding manfestoes and
5Iood-and thunder proelamalions of Mexico most Of
which "sound and fury sisnifying nothing" we
should not do anything needessly TO irrila,o Great
Britain but at the same time should indicate 10 her
N manner not to be misunderstood that we will not
yield Iot or title Of what pertains to national
honor though war should be the inevitable result
Loud cheers. II war would be injurious TO US, il
would be disastrous to Great Britain; and she will
ponder we'll the consequences before she embarks
IN it, Her first and greatest desire is, that "he cup
may pass" from her lips untasted but If that can
not he effected by some one Of her ineNhaustibe ex-
pedients, she will meet the crisis as best she NAV
Her policy is, to war with barbarians and to trade
with the United States. She had rather do her ira
ding than her fighting with our people Yet our
mprudence may bring her to the point when war
or humiliatng and unconditional abandonment Of
all her claims on the Pacific, would be the only al.
TENTATIVE presented-in which event she is certain
To fight, because il would be her interest to do So
II true to ourselves-if united as a nation and not
divided into political parties on great questions which
ertain to national right and honor-if we regard the
American flag and soil as not being in the peculiar
keeping and custody Of any party but as being the
property, the birhrght, OF the whole people Of the
naIlon-then, say, without fear of successful con-
uadlcton, we are impregnable from the attacks Of
any, ay, of all, the nations Of the globe
Should this government ever crumbe, as those Of
the Old World did, it will not be the result Of out
ward pressure of foreign force but from internal
the luxury, the excavation, and cor
rupton Of its citizens. The canker must long lie at
work at the heart Of this nation, before the death
damp is seen upon its brow, Loud cheers.l
Where on the face of the earth, could a sufh-
Gent number of troops be found to garrison forts
TO establish military camps, and to continue from
he ,,.sI
try, from the st. Lawrence to the Rio Grande,
from the Atlantic to the Pacific ocean, And if
the troops could be found, where would provisions
be obtained to sustain them? The thing is prepos.
ferrous. The armies of ancient Rome, Greece,
Carthage, and Persia, combined, would be wholly
inadequate and unavaing for such purpose.
Without being boastful of our position, it is a
secure one; and without passing unmeaning and
undeserved panegyrlcs upon our countrymen, ]
will say that they have the indomitable energy and
yalOr to maintain their rights under every emer-
gency. Notwithstanding this, | would say, let US
scrupulousy avoid giving any just cause of war;
bu, should it come, let it be terminated only when
the British title pretenson to title has been swept
from this continent. immense cheerng.] TAt
this point the cry of canada, 4" was heard from the
audience. Yes, CONTINUED Mr. f, Canada would
be ours. We would at once march the American
army and plant the American flag beyond the St.
Lawrence; and it would be an easy conquest.
There are many lovers of liberty there who desire
that annexation and remuneration should extend
North as well as South
find in Frazer's Magazine, lending British
journal, a most sensible and rational view Of the
bonds OF union between Great Britain and the
anadas. The extract also fortifes the pc siton
that Great Britain cannot war successfully with US
on this continent. 1t is as follows:
But to hghtth battles OF the Canadians is very thank
eas II has always been and always will he in the nature
compelled to hang hepessy its support 1t is idle to
rely on their loyalty and gratitude"
We're then day those colonies to discover that their
real interests lie the other way were they TO raise unan
cry for independence for ailiaton members
Of the republican Union the armed interference the part
England however unavoidable would in the end prove
vain and improvdent"
Whatever may be said as the justice and wisdom of
tAS system do not what honor or advantage Eng
land Europe may obtain by interfering with it. War in
America with whatever result might be crowned would
be attended with any permanent success England
lieutenant governors to unpfofabe colonies II is uni.
ersay lodged that British trade has gained by the
emancipation of the states The day may equally
when The Independence Of the Canaas nay ofal the Brit
sh trans Atlantic and Australian colonies may be looked up
on matter OF mutual expectancy What OF III The Brit
h will not the less have settled and thrven on nearly
three ourhs OF the earth Old England will not the less
he the centre OF hundred New Englands. II is not
by the appointment ola few executive officers by
nonng Idle garrsons in those provinces but by mparng
to them the advantages of her industry learning and civil
laon that Great Britain may exercise lasting supremacy
and boundary lines in desert that kindred nations can
conhue to the advancement Of the common Of JUS
ice and humanity All struggles between England aud the
eldest of her colonies the latter to carry into
eject her ambitious views by armed conquest and usupH
ton would be equally unnatural and mpolitic But il her
new possessions either the result Of purchase in the
case OF Louisiana and Florida spontaneous edition and
pacific aggregation as in the instance Of Texas-howeyer
such transactions be affected by diplomatic inrgues
and party mannuvres-what right can England have TO
md fault or what object In meddlng with it"
Though individually preferring the simple reso-
uton requiring the President to give the notice to
end the joint occupancy, and though unwilling to
yield one inch south Of $40 40', yet will submit
some reasons why our position may be better than
the resolution to give the notice had passed with
out preamble or modification. Had it been pre-.
scented in the simple form tho Senate for its final
vote, It could not have received more than bare
majority, If that; and the probability is, that II
would have been lost. But suppose it had passed
by bare majority, losing all The wings, and not
commanding all the democrats would il not have
greatly weakened us as well with the British gov
eminent as in the eyes Of the civilized world
Would not those who voted against the resolution
have been regarded as favorng the british preen.
slons to title in that country And would she not
have supposed that in war growing out of the
question, the sympsthies Of those voting against the
resolution would be on her sidei Nor do regard
as less suspicious, that the preamble and resou
ton that (slightly amonded) were finally adopted
TF.