Iowa territorial gazette and advertiser., 1846-01-10
Congressional.
IN SENATE.
MosDAY, Dec. Is, l845.
NatiOaa al Defence.

!. 4aa. I'M. MosDAr, Dec. Is, l845.
4 n National Defence. ...t.-s
Mr.. CASS called for the reading OF the
following Resolutions, presented BY him on
the 9th instant: -ad.ya 49,
Resolrrd, That the Committee on Naval Ar
iairs be instructed 10 inquire into the condition
Of the navy OF the United States, and into the
quantity and condition Of the nsvai supplies now
On hand; and whether an increase ofthem il not
necessary TO the efficient operations Of the navy
ana 70 lts preservation and augmentation; and,
gehera'iy into its capacity for defending our
eoasf and our commerce, and for any service the
eAsenc'es q thc country may probably require.
Iasoired, That the Coinnittee on Military
Affairs be instructed 70 inquire into the conds.
tlon OF the national fortihcations and their arma-
| mehts, ami whether other defensive works arG
necessafyj aad into the condition and qaaafity
O the m'.itary supplies; and into the sae of tn
means Po .sessed BY the government for tie de.
fence Of the conntry
( +fcsolrsd, Thst ,he Committee on The Militi.
ne instructed to inquire into the present condi.
| uoa 81 that great branch OF the public service.
,ld INTO the state Of the militia laws; and that
they DC ther Instructed TO report such changes
~ tue existing system as will give more experi-
ence and efficiency to that arm 5f defence, and
| vii place il IN the best condition Tor protect.
ng ,ne country, should i be exposed to foreign
Mr.. CAss, ii support Of IL. r.solu.
tons, then rose and said: M
Mr.. PsEsiDrsr: II is impossible 10 BE-:
ruse the Presidents message, and 10 OBJ
serve the progress Of public opinion Ill
England, as this is indicated in the decla-
rations OF her statesmen in Parliament and
IN her daily journals, without being aware;
that crisis is fast approaching in the in.
tcreourse between that country and ours;
which demands the serious consideration;
and may require the cordial and active Co.
operation Of the whole American people.
The President has told us that the negoti:
stions respecting Oregon, if they have not
reached close, have, at any rate, reached
position almost equivalent to Il. ThS
claims Of the respective nations are utter.
" irreconcilable; and compromise by 4
voluntary sacrifice Of d portion Of their
pretensions BY one party, Of BY both; 5t 4
submission Of the whole matter in coAtfo-.
versy to some foreign power, seems the
only alternatives by which peace can b
preserved. "a s:.l
Our government has already deciinsato to
submit our rights to foreign arbitration
That is process which under equal cir.
cumstances, may well be adopted by indeA
pendent nations to terminate disputes,
which would otherwise seek the arbitfa-
ment Of war. It preserves the honof IT
both PARTIES, and ought to preserve the lust
interests Of both. 1t substitutes reason for
force, and is therefore suited to the adtaae.
ing opinions Of the age, and to The duties
and feelings Of Christian communities. But
these equal circumstances do not exist in
our present dispute with England. TherS
are obvious considerations, into which {
need not enter here, growing out Of the
relative situation Of that country and of
ours, with those powers Of Europe from
whom an arbitrator would almost necessa-
rily be selected, and ont Of the influence
she possesses over theft, counsels, and, 1
may add, growing out Of the nature Of ouf
institutions, and the little favdf these sn;ot
at present upon the eastern continent;
which may well have made the govern.
ment hesitate to submit important interests
at this particular juncture, to such d ifibu::
nal. 1t may well have thought It proper
to hold on to OUR right, and TO hold on .alsd
to our remedy, rather than 10 commit both
to royal arbitrator. War is great a.
lamity, and ought to be avoided by ali prop
er means; but there are caiamities Ereatef |,
than wat, and among these is national ais
honor. t2a5t'7 7fas 81 sss
l did not rise, sir, as will be seen, to dis:
cuss in whole or in part the question -four
right to Oregon. That subject viii comd
up in its own time. There may bs soinS
difference Of opinion, as well in Congress
as in the nation, respecting The territorial
extent Of that right; though take this op:
'portunity of expressing MY entire and
hearty concurrence in the claim as advancs
ed by the President. But am sure there
is no great party, aud l Trust there afe isw
individuals In this country, who are pfg-
pared, even in an extreme spirit of eUrr-
promise, to accept the most liberal Offer
that England has yet made. Her preten.-
sions, aud ours are SO widely separated.
that there seems no middle ground on
which TO meet. Oar most moderate claims.
and her most liberal offer, leaves the, paY.
ties asuhder by seven degrees Of latitude,
and by large proportion Of the territory
in question. What, then, is our condition?
Can we rcccde? Can VIC stand sill? Of
must we advance? - -
As 10 receding, it is neither 10 Be dis ),
c'isscd nor thought Of. I rcfet 10 ii; but
to denouncc it-a dcnnncirtion which will
find response in every American bosom.
Nothing is ever gained BY NATIONAL p,isil-: .
lanimity. And the country which seeks Ia
purchase temporary security by yielding
to unjust pre,ensions, buys present ease 4
the expense Of permanent honor and safety: I
Il sows the wind to reap the ,whirlwind.
! have said elsewhefc what I viii repeat
here, that it Is better to fight for the first
inch of national territory than for The laft.
1t is better to defend The door sill, Than The
hearth stone-t the porch, than ihe altar. - !
National character is a richer treastf|
than gold or silver, and exercises a moral
Influence, in the hour Of danger, which, IL
not power itself, ID its suresl ally: Thus
far, is ours untarnished, and lei Us ali iois, i,
however separated BY party or BY spacl;
50 to preserve i. .t,., n. - = :
five cannot fecede, cal, We stand sillS I
No, Mr.. President; in iris, q III III oaAsh..
er elements Of national power and Rreaty
ness, our duty and our destfnY a1fS 0ns.
wards Y. We might as wen attempt Ii staY