Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1847-03-11
MIR. CoRWIN's SPEECH.

We now very much regret that we published
the first hasly and imperfect report of Mr. Cor
wins splendid speech, instead of waiting for
gist of the argument but it lacked the .fn,sl
which properly belonged to such a structure
the graceful drupery fit to clotle the noble senti
mcnts of the orator. The closing paragraphs il
our last were taken from the revised speech, and
we now give another extract, on the folly of wars
for conquest, which was not given in the report
copied by us from the Tribune.
Mr.. President, this uneasy desire to augment
our territory has depraved the moral sense and
bghtcd the otherwise keen sogacity OF our peo-
PIE. That has been the fate OF all nations who
have acted upon the idea that they must advance
Our young orators cherish this notion with ter
vld, but fatally mistaken zeal, lhey call 1t by
the mysterious name of destiny" "Our des-
tiny" they say, is onward and hence they argue
with ready sophistry, the proprety Of seizlng mp
OH any territory and any people that may lie IN
the way of our lated' advance. Recently these
PrJgressives have grown classical assiduous
students of antiquities have helped them to a pat
ron saint. They have wandered back INTO the
desoated Pantheon, and there, amongst the poly.
thelstlc relics of that "pale mother of dead en-
pres" they have found god whom these Romans
baptised "Termnus," centuries gone by.
Sir, have heard much and read somewhat OF
this gentleman Terminus. Alexander of whom
] have spoken, was a devoee of this DIVINITY
We have seen the end of him aud his empire 90
II was said to be an attribute of this god that he
must ditCdyS advance, and never rccede. So both
republican aud imperial Rome believed. It was
as they said, their destiny. And for while it
did seem to be even so. Roman Terminus did
advance. Under the eagles of Rome he was car
RED from his home on the Tlber to the flrthcst
East, on one hand, and to the far West, amongst
the then barbarous tribes OF western Europe on
the other. But at length the time came when
rerlbutive justice had become destiny" The
desplsed Gaul calls out TO the condemned Goth
and Attila, with the Huns, answers back the bat.
tie shout to both The blue eyed nations Of the
North," IN succession, or united, pour forth their
countless hosts Of warriors upon Rome and Rone's
always advancing god Terminus. And now the
batte-aXe Of the barbarian strikes down the con-
querlng eagle of RoTc. Terminus at last re-
cedes, slowly at first, but finally he is driven to
Rome, aud from Rome to Byzintium. Whoever
would know the further fate OF this Roman d,ity,
SO recently taken under the patronage of Amei-
lcan Democracy, may find ample qualification OF
ms curiosity III the luminous pages of q lbbon'a
Decline and Fall" Such will find that Rome
conquer PROVINCES and nations, and no doubt she
sometimes said as you say, 8" | will conquer a
peace" Aud where now is She the Mistress OF
the World?
Inc spider weaves his web in her palaces. the
OWL sings his watch-sOng in her towers Teulon-
&c power now lords 1t over the servilc remnant.
the miserable memento, of old and once omnipo.
tent Rome. Sad, very sad, are the lessons which
time mas written tor US. Through and in them
all see nothing but the inheXlbe execution of
mat OLD law which ordains as eternal that cardi-
nal RUE, lhou shalt not covet thy neighbours
goods, nor any thing which Is his" Since have
lately heard so much about the ACKNOWLEDGMENT
OF Mexico, have looked back TO see how, IN
the course of events, which some call "Prov-
dence, II has Jared with other nations who en-
gageG IN this work of ACKNOWLEDGMENT. | see
tiiat Ill liie latter halt OF the eighteenth century
thrice powerful nations, Russia, Austria, and
rrussIa united IN the dlsmemberment of Poland.
mhey said, too, as you say, it is our destiny
lhey wanted ROOM Doubtless each of these
thought, with his share of Poland, his power was
100 strong ever to fear invasion, or even insult.
One had his California, another his New Next
co, and the third his Vera Cruz. Did they re-
main untouched and incapable of harm? Alas
alas no-far, very tar, from it, Retributive
justice must fulfil It's destiny too. very few
years pass off, and we hear OF new man, a Cor
sican lieutenant, and self-numed EARNED soldier
OF Democracy" Napoleon.
lie ravages Austria, covers her land with blood,
drives the Northern Caesar from his capital, and
sleeps IN his palace. Austria may now remem-
Der how power trampled upon Poland. Did she
not pay dear, very dear, for her California? But
mas Prussia no atonement to make? You see
this same Napoleon The blind instrument Of
Providence, at work there. The thunders of his
cannon at Jena proclaim the work Of relributon
Tor Poland's wrongs; and the Successors OF the
Great Frederick, the drll-sergeant of Europe,
are seen flying across the sandy plain that sur
rounds their capital, right glad if they may es-
cape c,puvty or death. But how fares it with
the Autocrat Of Russia? Is he secure IN his
share OF the spois of Poland? No. Suddenly
we see, sir, SIX hundred thousand armed men
marching to Moscow. Does his Vera Cruz pro
tect him now? Far from it. Blood, Slaughter
desoalon spread abroad over the land, and IL
naly the contagration of the old commercial me
tropolS OF Russia closes the retributon she must
pay for her share in the ACKNOWLEDGMENT of hcl
weak and lmpotent neighbor
Mr. President, a mind more prone TO look io
the judgments OF Heaven in the dolngs of mer
than mine, cannot fail in this to see the proyi
dence Of God. When Moscow burned II SCENE,
as II the earth was lighted up that nations mgh
behold the scene. AS that mighty sea Of tirt
Salhereu ahu heaVed and rolled upwards, ant
yet higher, till It's flames licked the stars ant
fired the whole heavens, it did seem as thougl
the God OF the Nations was writing in charac
tiers oil Dame on the front of his throne that dool
that shall tall upon the strong nation which tram
pies IN scorn upon the weak And what fortune
awaits HIM, the appointed Executor Of this work
when 1t was all done? lie, too, conceived Tn
notion that his destiny pointed onward to unlver
sal dominion. France was too small Europe
he thought, should bow down before him. Blu
as soon as this idea took possession Of his sou
! he too became poweress His Terminus mu'
recede too. Right there, when and while he VII
messed the humiliation and doubtless mediate
the subJugatlon Of Russia. lie who holds til
winds III his fist gathered the SHOWS Of the norti
aud blew them upon his six thousand men, The
He'd, they lrozt, they persisted!
Aud now the mighty Napoleon, who had re
solved on universal dominion, he, 100, Is summon
ed TO answer for the violation OF that anclcI
law, "thou shalt not covet any thing which
thy neghbor's." How Is the mighty fallen III
beneath whose proud iootstep Europe trembe
he Is now an exile at Elba, and now finally
prisoner on the rock Of ST. Helena, and there U
barren island, IN an unirequented sea, in I'll
crater OF an eXtlngulshed volcano, there Is I'll
death-bed OF the mighty conqueror All his IN
mentions have cone to that! His last hour
come, and he, the man OF destiny; he who ha