The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-04-01

: tation that we obtained LOUISIANA, Florida, and
Texas, thus more than doubling the superfcies OF
the whole Union And whatever line OF boundary
may be now desgnsted for Oregon, that American
statesman must be blind 10 the progress Of events
; who cannot foresee that by continued peace and
prosperity, our glorious Union must 90 on extend
ing her limits until before the close OF this century,
our boundaries shall extend 30 rs TO include the
> whole region between the Arctic ocean and the
Iisthmus OF Panama War, which has been called
the game Of kings may retard while peace will GER
Itainy accelerate this glorious destiny. Such ter
ritory united in sovereign and confederate States,
; with every variety In soil ana product, and with
perfecty reciprocal freetrade between all the parts
would present spectacle at which the rest Of the
world would first gaze in wonder, and then admire
and initiate The State which have the honor in part
TO represent may now be called the great staple State
of the Union; for her exports largely exceed any
other her vital interests insspsssbiy united with
free-trade. She wants the world for market. She
was looking TO the present ss the suspicious mo-
ment when her long-defered koye would at length
be gratfed and unrestricted commcrcs should bind
itogether the nations of the globe. BY oonseatn-
neous but not concerted movement upon both sides
of the water, her long-chershed views seemed about
TO be contaminated, when this dark cloud nterposed
and threatened TO substitute war, with all It's moment
Gus consequences for peace, and unrestricted COM
merce. In the maintaining OF a war in defence OF
our national honor, Mississippi will never hesitate
but she will never consent dsregurding the policy
ofeyery administration for period Of thirty years.
to rush mady into sanguinary conflict, rejecting
those honorable terms for adjusting the Oregon con-
troversy which have been offered by the Presi-
dent of her choice, Mr. Polk and his predecessors,
from the revolutionary patriot, James Monroe, down
To the present period.
A strong effort has been made in the Senate to i'm.
press the country with the belief that the President
was opposed TO all further negotation, and would
reject every proposition short Of surrender OF the
whole territory. | am not authorized TO present the
a.. 49,.
disclosed IN his message and the dispatches upon
the subject; but judging from them, draw the con-
cusion that the views of the President have been
greatly misconceiyed IN regard TO this controversy.
We have, hrst the strong and decisive fact,
that the President did offer the 49th parallel,
Notwithstanding II had been three times before
offered, and rejected by the British govern
ment; and when It was again rejected by the
British minister, when offered by the President,
in the very despatch in reply to that rejection the
President expressed his strong desire for peare, and
that the amicable relations between the two coun-
tries might be preserved. Thus stood the
when the President communicated his message to
Congress- the offer of the 49h parallel having
been rejected, and no proposal made on the part of
the British government, but requiston made upon
us for a proposition more favorable TO them, when
the President declared in his message that "no
compromise which the United States ought to ac-
cept can be effected "
He does not say that compromise ought to be
made, but simply announces his opinion upon the
facts as they then existed, that no compromise
would be offered that we ought to accept. IL is
true the President does announce in his message his
opinion Of the superiority Of our title TO the whole
territory, but he had previously avowed that opin-
ion, and had distinctly repeated II In the very de-
spatch offering. the 49th parallel a compromise.
is also true that the President does declare in his
message that he would never consent to the surren-
der Of the free navigation Of the Columbia river;
but he does not also state, in addition that he would
never consent again 10 the 49th parallel a COM
promise, but simply gives IL his opinion that no
such compromises could be effected. have no
doubt the Presidsnt will obtain for the whole ter
rtory, If 1t is in his powcr bat " he cannot, and
the 49th parallel should be offered to us by the Brit
sh government, or what is substantially equivalent
to it. there is nothing in the message the despatch
es indicating the opinion that the President who ia
but branch Of the war-making and treaty. making
power will rashly reject such proposition, which
he and three Of his predecessors have made-and
thus most certainly involve the country in a war,
which every philanthropst and patriot must believe
should only be invited when every fair and honora-
BILE compromise shall have proved unsuccessful. Is
the 49th parallel honorable compromise The
President and, three Of his predecessors have de-
clared that it was; and if the British ministry gov
erned by wiser counsels, should change their opin-
ions, dlsavoW the rejection made by their minister
Mr.. Pakenham, who say that the President
should deprive the Senate Of its constitutional right
as branch Of the war-making and treat -making
power, OF advising upon such momentous ques-
ton, by the unconditional rejection Of such a COM
promise! Is the majority of the Senate, or Of the
House Of Representatives, prepared for declaration
of war upon the rejection Of such a proposition
Do they believe it ought to be rejected If they do
why are they not making all the preparations neces-
sary to meet the momentous ssut' Why are we
not increasing our army and navy1-repairng our
fortihcations and placing our whole country in
posture for defence, well as aggression Above
n he arm emf
naval and military, to defend the whole territory of
Oregon, which is the very subject matter of this
controversy Why we not preparing to collect
a direct tax of at least fifty millions per annum, to
meet the great emergency | cannot withhold the
expression of my surprise and establishment that
all those who believe that must insist, no
war, upon a surrender ofthe whole territory should
not be found laying upon our tables, and urging
from day to day the passage of, bills for direct
tax, and the vast augmentation of all our naval and
military defences demanded by such an occasion.
| Below the 49th parallel or what is substantially
equivalent to it, doubt the President never could
consent to go, be the consequences what they may.
| And this believe, is almost the universal senti-
ment of the country and Of every senator in this
chamber. But this is very different position from
that of rejecting all compromise and all negotiation,
and involving the country in war by the mere act of
the President. know nothing of whether such an
offer will be made not but if it should be, and the
President should rashly reject it without consulting
WIG ochu'e, he VIII, ny OWH Hcfc oct, "FoiNc
the country in war, the disgrace attendant upon
the settlement of the question at The parallel of 49o
after he has rejected the proposition.
Mr.. President, do those who demand that the
President Of the United States shall reject the 49th
parallel, reflect upon the fact, which it is believed
no senator will deny, that majority ofboth branch
of Congress would agree to settle the controversy
at the 49h parallel. Must the President, in open
disregard Of the known will Of one, or both houses
of Congress- reject proposition which one or both
of them would accept Even if the President, in
his own individual judgment, was opposed to set
Element by the parallel Of ago, yet he could not
ject such compromise in view Of the opposing
opinions known to be entertained by both houses Of
Congress, whose hearty concurrence and cordial
cooperation he must have, If such course should
result in hostile collision between the two
tries. 1t is well known, Mr.. President, that four
ffths Of the senators in this body, among whom are
three-fourths Of the Presidents political friends,
however they may vote on the question Of notice,
in favor Of settling the question upon principles
Of compromise; and in the House Of Representa-