Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, IA [i.e. Ind.]) 1839-1854, 1847-03-03
SPEECH OF MIR. COR5TIE
SHEE.IH OF VIZ COX q II
In the United States Senate on the lh instant,
on THE
ssThrce Million BILL"
Specially Reported for the New York Tribune

task futile ana foolish as 70 go over the whole
field OF discussion which this SUBJECT embraces.
/. has already been occupied by vigilant
ard stronger hands than mine All that | may
ha1e will be to gather, here there, sheaf
two before the harvest be fully garnere1. rise,
Mr. President, and have solicited the attention of
the Senate only for the purpose of performing
the humble task Of presenting TO the body and
through it, if possible, to the particular consttu-
ents which represent, some reasons that have
impelled me TO occupy, what every one must
know, in times like these, is, to say the least of
il, position not desirable
| have been compelled. Mr.. President, from
console ntions convictions which have pressed
themselves upon my mind from tbs CONNIE nee
rnent of the scssion-from the time received the
Presidents Message. up to this hour-to give GER
+ tain votes upon very important measures which
have been presented to the SanIte, which separate
ma not merely from the other side of the Senate,
with whom those great questions very sell
dom can unite bat also from majority OF these
gentlemen belonging to the same political party,
of which suppose may call my self a mem
b-r-ou this side OF the House. 1t is no. remark
aaie M Presd mt at least il is not matter of
surprise 70 any one who has attended to the va
rious opinions which have been expressed even
in this Hall, that there should he radical OTTER
ence Of opinion resulting out of that variety OF
character. and that diversity in modes of thought
AMI application Of thought to the business Of life,
which, at least IN the state IN which we at present
find mankind, j. almost natural necessity 1t
must, however, haze struck every one, SIR, as I
very curious fact that the two Senators on the
other side Of the Hail. in looking at the present
aspect Of pubic affairs should entertain such sin
guiarIv opposite views
j The pro:-;:.lii and conieinplative mind of the
Senator from South Carolina NJ. Calhoun IN
looking abroad at the present condition Of the
RsauhIio. could see nothing all around him but
darkness, and doubt, and dIstrust and fearful ap-
nrehoflsion. ana impene trable gloom: while to
the mind of the Senator from Michigan Mr.
Clss all was bright, and calm, ana placid sttt'-
shine, and prosperous breczes and a smooth sea
Now Mr. President if this diversity of opinion
is ound to prevail IL minds hapltuated and &C
customed to think earnestly and sincerely upon
public affairs, it will present itself to everybody
as recurring IN him who Is to determine between
these two conflicting opinions, al! the atte ntion
which is possible for the human mind TO give the
subject under the awful responsibility which rests
upon every mar in determining upon question
affecting deeply the happiness and interests OF
so many millions of human beings
1 Now, / wish it were IN my power to entertain
those placid convictions which appear TO have
settled on the mind of the Senator from MIchi-
gan rather than have my mind disturbed, as II
has bee n in common with the Senator from 5.
Carolina, BIZ visions and prospects OF evii-by
fearful .pp~ah asion that Ivory step we are now
taxing may be the last which we shall be
permitted to take III Career and in our histo-
~ as Il free peope; and | am the less inclined 10
listen to tins SIREN song the Senator from MIchi-
gan sings to his soul i'll the present fearful
aspect of public affairs, because, Mr.. President,
have heard it before now. Every one must rec
ollect the condition of this country two or three
wears ago, when that other question, which was
bu. the prelude and precursor to the one which
we are now obliged to discuss, was before the
Senate of the United States, and anxiously at
tracted the attention of the whole people OF the
United States--the question OF the Annexation
of the Republic of Texas, but recently a portion
of this very exico with whom we ars now AZ
war.
We were told then, sir, that Texas, being an
independent Repu bic, had right to dispose Of
herself in whatever way and 70 Whatever enc
aud purpose she pleased, and the parent Republic
of Mexico having no cause to complain, would
utter no coplai nj at the disposition she was then
about to make of herself We told that war
with Mexico would not-coud not ensue, If that
step should be taien by the people of the United
States. We were told them We are told now,
by the Senator from Michigan, that a.! was calm
all tranquil that as he said yesterday, the
sentinel might sleep securely on his tower-that
all would be peace, and that that step could in
sense disturb the endly relations existing be-
tween the Republic of Mexico and the Republic
Of the Cnted States. W. asked not to
tcipate the evil which to come, just as the
Senator from Michigan begged not to antic-
pate evils which mi ght be in prospect before US
"Suficient unto the day is the evil thereof was
then the song with which the advocates of that
measure sought to lull into tranquility, or into
apathy, the excited feeling of the public mind in
this country.
/ And, Mr. President the day has come, was
then predicted; and the evil predicted has come
with il. We here, sir, now, not as then at
laws that brought into your treasury everything
adequate to its wants-not now as then free from
debt and taxation, its necessary consequence
But here with treasury that IS beggared
that lifts up its irnploring hands to the monopo
lists and capitalists of the countrythat sends out
its notes and 'promises to pay into every mart
and into every market in the mountaineering for
pittance from every hand to help to swell the
amount necessary to extricate us from
inevitable as it now seems IT was-from that
very act which was adopted under such flattering
promises two years ago. Mr.. President, it is no
purpose of mine TO arraign the conduct Of the
United States upon that occasion 1t is no pur-
pose of mine to treat the young and newly
adopted sister-the State Of Texas-as an alien
or stranger in this family of Republics al
lude TO this only to show how little reliance IS
to be placed upon those favorable enticipatons,
in which gentlemen indulge with regard TO con-
sequences which may flow from measures 10
which they are strongly welded, either by feel
ing or by party attachment
And is there nothing else, Mr. President, in
the history of the last year to Justify the Senator
from South Carolina in that important declara-
ton which he made the other day, that in the
whole history of his life-comprising the most
eventful periods in the history of this Republic
there h ad never been time when SO much dan
ger was threatened TO the interests happiness and
liberties of the people of the United States as
now Why, sir, if any one would sit down free
senuent upon a constant interIningling with
those busted in public affairs. and in those calm
and sequestered solitudes whore thoughtful men
indulge the mseIyes in reflections upon passing
events, and lock over the history even of the
last and then 7u9ciur from all the