Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1841-1853, 1846-06-18

bound to believe; designcdly now as we painfully
see. The ffty-four forty line never existed The
treaty proves II; yet Its existence is stll affirmed TO
mlslead the uniformed and to save the misleaders
from the modification Of exposure.
| have performed a painful duty. | waited lonr
before would undertake it. To make head against
macs OF error-to set nation right that had been LED
astray-was Herculean task, but I have ventured
upon 1t, and do not regret it. The people may be led
astray, but they do not love They love truth
and justice; and if there Is ifiy-four forty, as
there is not they do not TO fight for it. If Fra
zers rver belongs to the British, it does they do
not want to take 1t away from her. The people are
just, and ready TO act Jackson's great maxim:
ask nothing but ThGt IS right-Submit 10 nothing
that as lrrOng.
The people have nothing but their country to take
care of; and they want nothing but right and Justice
Politicians have themselves TO take of and coun
try and people are subordinate considerations. Was
ever the like of that which we have Witnessed
people led TO the verge Of about line that did
not exiswithout misleaders reading the treaty
which was supposed to establish it! river of q
thousand miles in length covered with settlers for
forty years upon it, without knowing such river
there And when the treaty and the river was pro-
duced and the mistakes shown instead of confession
and repentance, resentment and attack upon him who
exposes the error, and the country from
less, ignorant, unjustifable war. The miseaders
may act thus not so the people. They will rejoice
at their deliverance from delusion they will shudder
to think they have been led TO the verge of war upon
the mistake of treaty, and bunder in geography
And am ready TO abide their judgment upon my
correction of this mistake, and their perseverance in
them after they were exposed. This day has been
the most humiliating of my Senatorial life have
felt for the American Senate when Ihave seen MEM
Der cllnging to error, and endeayorng to keep the
people In error, at the risk of war; by endeayorno
TO do away the plain words of a treaty, by garbling
and mutlatng scraps of speeches to deprecate ano-
ther Senator-when the great question of the
peace and honor of the country in the presence of
which every selfish feeling should have stood abashed
and rebuked.
tell the people there is no such line as ffty-four
forty from the sea to the mountains tell them that
so far such line proposed by the Ameri-
can government, it was proposed as a northern line
for the British and not as northern line for our
selves. tell them that forty-nine was offered by
MIR. Jefferson, by Mr.. Monroe, and by all the early
statesmen, without exception, who negotiated the
treaties which gave US Louisiana and the Spanish
claims to northwest America. tell them the British
claim TO Frazers river Is precisely the with our
own to the Columbia And say to them that who
ever says the contrary of this, will be henceforth
wiful deceiver. / make great allowance for igno-
ranoe-for the mistakes Of gnoraRce-but ignorance
ought to be docile, and surrender on conviction.
make broad distinction between the wiful and the
ignorant deceiver, and broader still between the
deceivers and the deceived. The former are gener-
ally few the latter many-the former less
culpable the latter always innocent Of the myriads
nay millions who have propagaed the Of fifty
four forty all but few the innocent repeaters Of
what came to them in a way that they could not
doubt it. All these viii rejoice to be relieved from
their error. Instead of getting angry with me, they
will thank for the trouble take to set them right
They want nothing but truth and justice, and thank
God that have the courage to give il to them,
CARELESS Of all earthly consequences. | am right.
speak to my country from the caamities Of war
upon mistakes and blunders. rely upon the equity
and intelligence of the people, and give defiance TO
ignorance, malice, and misrepresentation.
E When the vote is taken the instruction which
have submitted, let the Senator from Michigan move
to strike out fortynne and insert flour forty. We
shall then see the sense of the Senate, and the
try will who perseveres in error, and converts
into DESIGN what was at first the mischief Of MIS-
TAKE.