The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-01-28


/ They require no such preparations Convince ihth
that their rights have been assailed that their Donof
| has been threatened with disgrace, and from the
East, the West, the North and the South you will
them hurryng to the support OF the government as
one man | trust, sir, that in all the steps ina
we take in relation TO this question, or any other
question connected with our foreign relations, We
will proceed calmly but firmly; that We Will inves-
| tigate The subject properly, and when the issue
comes up, that we will plant ourselves on the side
! of The country, and am confident that no want OF
preparation on its part will he wanting. have
never, sir, believe, been found advocating British
policy acd if could be INDUCED in one aspiration
more than another IL would be that the standard OF
British political morality might never be raised IN
this country. But am bound to regard Great Britain
az great and intelligent nation cannot smut my
eyes to the fact that We lave stronger and closer
relations with her, that our Interests are more mt
maely interviewer with hers, than with any other
nation on the face Of the globe. And say IN my
place. man, that if entertained the opinion OF
the British government and people, which has osen
expressed here from day TO day, | should be
ashamed 10 be in alliance with her. IL believed
that government 10 be the despotc, overlooking,
and cruel power which IL has been described TO be
here, should at once dissolve all commercial con.
nexion with her forever. But that happens not TO
be precisely the state of the case. What is the
state Of the easel We have an important unsettled
question with one of the most intelligent most
llghtened, most christian nations Of the earth Now
|
much common sense, TO pour out increasingly, UNI
trngly, the most bitter abuse Of that powers pow
or 10 whom we have over and over again made pro-
posals for Just and amicable settlement Of the COM
troyersy between us' Do we expect to attain u
peaceful and honorable result by the constant
aud yain abuse Of ths, power with whom
we have this controversy Why il our pariosm---if
our intelgenee--if our love Of country, and our
| common sense, were In proportion TO the abuse
which we pour out upon Great Britain, beyond all
| A. .ha md ma
lion under the sun And in all this is II TO be for
moment supposed that entertain any fear Of Great
Britain No, sir, whatever opinion we may enter
tain Of that nation or her goyernment-we owe Il TO
ourseyes-to the present generation ana 10 all iu'
ure nle 10 discharge the duties deyOlyng upon US,
not from the fear Of Great Britain-l do not sup
pose that there is a man ia America-there Is no
one at least who possesses an American heart, who
can ever know such feeliDg-but we must look TO
what is due TO ourselves as one Of the great family
Of nations, as well what is due to Great Britain.
What is due Settle your faculties honorably and
peaceabIy if you can; but raise no war-cry until
facts show that II Is necessary to go to war. III
gentlemen arc so well satishedif the senator from
Maine, as he stated yesterday, is convinced beyond
all doubt that war is ineyitable-l ask him, With
all his sagacity-his statssmanlike sagacity, Of
which he possesses large share-if he has made
an adequate provision for that state Of things which
he processes to before him, with the clear
! ness of the sun at monday Will that SUFFICE No
IL cannot, IN inc Oh any ccnhtoit oc
at all adequate to the object which gentlemen appear
10 place before them One Of two things is certain
We have peace now, and for that reason am OPP
posed TO an increase Of the navy. Again: If war
7 comes, it must be met by an adequate provision,
and by the whole force of the country Do not let
US march out with Fastafrs charge Of foot. Adapt
your measures in coincidence with the importance
Of the emergency, and then you show the best dIs-
position inspire universal confidence, Possibly
may be mistaken in the view which take Of the
l,,tR hat Kun
pose that war--iho direst Of all calamltes-should
GOMEZ Sufficient" Mr. President, "unto the day
is the evil thereof" Because that will be an evil
the consequences Of which no man can calculate.
That is not TO be estimated in dollars and cents. 1t
is to be calculated by the sufferngs Of the who
country The question, then, will not be, whet
will you take from the national treasury, or by the
hand Of taxaton-but when you see the gloom and
sckening desolation--l do not mean the fear-coD-
seauent upon the state Of things produced by the
most honest war, then you will begin to realize the
consequences Of what has been said and done here,
and perhaps not till then. If it be the pleasure of
the Senate to lay this bill Oh the table, or to post
pone ill the first Monday in May, have no objec-
lion. As remarked before, should prefer laying
il on the table, TO keep it in the power Of the
Senate. II any gentleman really supposes that war
between the two countries is inevitable, l ask him
to bring forward measures adequate to the prosecu-
ton of such war, so that the people of the
country may know what you about. and
to the people--not to prepare their hearts but
to prepare their arms-to prepare the hreside
and the domestic circle. IT, in the opinion of the
Senate of the United States, there is danger of war,
which makes it necessary for our government and
people to prepare for such event. now is the time
to commence; but do not let us commence with a
corporal's guard-do not let US commence with five
frigates and five six millions OF dollars-but let
US estimate the whole amount, that the country may
f know what it will be called upon to do Crying
, w m bcen
reprobaed by the highest authority. Reproduction,
as severe and poiated is equally mered by the cry
of ''war, "war," when there is no danger of war
Mr.. President, in conclusion let me say that | shall
vote for the notice. Do not be alarmed about that!
turning to Mr. HANNEcAN.l But do not'wish to
= exhaust the treasury, and exhaust the nation by
making preparations not warrantcd-not called for
by facts.
Mr. MILLER said that he was in favor of an
augmentation of the steam power of our navy, for
the purpose of coast and harbor defence. He
thought, by posponement of the bill, suggested
, by the senator from Missouri, they would have
time to consider what revision was proper, so as to
receive the vote of majority of the Senate. He
had long been Of the opinion that it necessary
! for us to expend more money than had heretofore
been expended for putting our coasts, our harbors,
and rivers in state Of defence, not for the purpose
Of preparing for war, supposed to be now probable
by some, but In the exercise of the general prnci-
pie that should govern us-"in time of peace pre-
pare for war" He thought that the best and most
economical defence for our harbors and rivers was
steam-vesses of the lower class. The present plan
of coast defence, exterior and interior, consisting
of Notifications at the mouths of bays and rivers
and lines Of Qualifications, what we called har-
Dor defence. He believed that since steam-power
had been applied to war purposes and steam ships
were now made Of, that we might lessen the ex-
pense OF defending our harbors by applying floating
batteries, or steam war-shps of the lower class for
this purpose AS far, therefore, the bill proposed
to build steamships for harbors and rivers, he
u would go most heartily; but far as it went to
build steamships Of the larger housekeeping ves-
sels-he was opposed to it. There was no necessity
fori unless we were to have ofaggression, and
unless we were led into war, which gentlemen
have discovered in the futurc---fghtng the battles
Of all the nations Of the carh defending the oter-
ing republics of South America, and interfering in
8 their disputes All we had 10 do, however, was to
keep ourselves in proper state of Defence resting
! md. he -