The New era. [volume] ([Portsmouth, Va.]) 1845-1847, 1846-01-20

view OF the probable consequences of such war
as that must be which should lead to such con
clusIon as is promised, have virtually admitted
that the republican system of policys is practica
BILE only in time of peace. Such is not my opinion.
we have not had time as yet TO introduce or
mature our system. The idea upon which they
rest not fully possessed by the public mind.
They require time aud period of peace for their
full development. But if once Isaiured and de.
veloped, believe they would enable our govern
ment and people 10 stand the shock and pressure
OF war with far greater ease and buoyancy than
under any other course of policy. !, for one, am
OF The opinion that IT we were now to plunge into
war we should fall into some of the worst forms
OF the paper system, owing TO the remains of
what believe To be a wrong idea once implanted
In The public mind and yet believe that the ex-
penses of war could be lar better sustained
without these abnses of that system than with
them. | have long thought that we suffered
almost as mnch in the last war from such abuses
as from the British troops. But, Mr. Chairman.
have YET another answer. The genius uf our
institutions Is racIlic-they were not organized
tpr distant and offensive warfare. For defeuS We
war believe they are line strongest in the world,
Tor they bring 10 It's aid the united hearts of our
people. We were not organized fer career OF
war and conquest, and thank God iur il: fur
then we should have required far more. despouc
i1rm oil government. and we might have stool as
fair chance as any to become the cnrse Of man
kihd, instead of being their beneiacln,s, as
MAINTAIN We have been by the example of nur
institutions and our progress We have alAays
been proud To believe that ours was higher and
more glorious destiny we have believed it To he
our destiny to achieve our lriumphS in the useful
arts 0i peace, to subdue the difficulties and master
me Src'etS'"f nature. 10 adurn and cultivate the
earth, To introduce new and higher civiIiza
ton, To develop better forms Ofsocial and political
organization. aud To InnSier 10 The pruurpSS and
The universal peace and happiness of mankind by
the heneicent example oi free and happy PEG
pie, who were wealthy without rapint strupo
without crime, great without war and peaceful
without fear. Towards these great and henif
cent ends we have already done much; and in
doing IL we have won more ifue glory Than it,
like lanerlane. we had Jeff pyramids of human
heads as The monuments of victory or like Attlla
or Aarc, The scOurge of God and the pest Of
oatlnns, ravaaed and desoaled the earth in The
storm ut our warfre. Our thousand of miles of
railroads and canals which have thrown down the
barriers OF nature To the utilization of our people
and TO the common and kindly Interchange of so
much That ministers to the happiness ofman, are
far n0bler monuments To the genius of n peoDle
than the column OF Jrajan or the palace of Blen-
helm. These are the monuments which are
worthy our name and on! destiny.
But, Mr.. Chairman, return to the enquiry
which l was pursuing. | have endeavored to
give gentlemen the advantage of their own sup
pnsiions; and IN Whatever way have turned the
apesiry for them, the picture has seemed TO be
l"rDIddlng. But most 50 in that aspect which
gave us the picture of war waged TO such EXTERN
tics by Two nations whose powers of mutual an
noyance are 50 great, and whose capacities for
mutual benefit are so large? Is it not likely that
hnf M ffnft. l,l ~ ,-,.f,
and bloody, and agree to terminate it by an arbi
tration which, in the universal opnon of the
civilized world, is considered fair and honora
bic mode of adjusting national differences? Sir.
l believe that If there should be war, il will most
probably terminate Ia an arbitration, and thus we
should have an arbitration and war, when we
might nave an arbitration without a Wal Could
any man hesitate betw eeA such alternatves2 But
gentlemen here are against an arbitration / nv
self wish TO avoid it, and ! believe this may east
iy be done by means which most probably
wonld secure us the whole territory in peace aud
honUr. Let us refuse TO give the notice: leave
The negotiations To stand where they are; for we
have now done all thar it becomes us to do in the
line Of negotiation. We have offered a compro
hlse upon liberal terms which has been refused,
and We have manifested proper desire for peace.
Let us now rely upon our superior means of colo
nl2atlon. Great Britain has elected 10 leave the
ultimate possession Of the Territory 10 DEPEND
on our relative capacities for settling it. I'm this
contest. the advantages are on our side and il
must end in putting US in possession of all that
we claim. We thus avoid the chance of LOSING
the territory altogether. There are gentlemen.
know, who are disposed TO smile at this; bat lie,
me remind them that. in comparing ourselves
with Great Britain. rney must remember that if
there are some theatres where we are her superi-
or. there are others where we are her equal. and
there are others, again, upon which peculiar and
sometimes Transient circumstances 1--WE her the
superiority. In war for Oregon at this time
she possesses superior advantages in her Iopo es
tablished and sedulOuSly cultivated influence aver
the Indian tribes, in the command of the forces Of
the Hudson Bay Company which are At hand
and in the facility with which she could tfsns
port troops from her various stations on the Pa,
clfc. But if we wait few years, the balance of
power must change. circumstances will cast il
on our side as they now do on hers and in a c,,,
test-if contest there must be lur Oreo,r- 90
shall be found the stronger party In that terrific
~. But 10 has been said that If we refuse #,
give THIS notice, we shall violate our net,ooaI
honor. How2 Has or sensiblhty ON this mini
been just now awakened? from 1884, tt,s
day we haze never felt this joint OCCUPATION 10 no
a stain Up"n our nati0nil honor Has n sgorbee,
pretended unni recently that 70 was ~ d,sr,sce An
continue the convention Is jnere auvta,a,r lie