Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1847-02-27
SPEECH OF Mr.. coRwIN, aor ONO.

special appropriation Of three millions of dollars bring the
with Mexico to speedy conclusion, and the pending
amendments proposed by Messrs. BERRIES and CAss-
Mr.. CORWlN rose and addressed the body as follows:
Mr. President: am not now about to perform the use
less task OF surveying the whole field of debate occupied in
this discussion II has been carefully reaped, and by vgan
and strong hands, and yet, Mr. President there is part of
that field which promises reward careful cleaner with
valuable sheaf two, which deserve to be bound up before
the whole harvest is gaheed And still this tempting
prospect could not have aured this debate had that
motive not been strengthened by another somewhat personal
to myself, and still interesting to those represent
Anxious know all act rather than debate am
compelled for the reasons have assigned solicit the
tenon OF the Senate do this chiefly that may discharge
the humble duty of giving the Senate and through this
medium 10 my constituents the motives and reasons which
have impeled me to occupy position, always undesirable
but IN times like the present painfully embarrassing.
have been compelled from convictions of duty which
could not Disregard TO differ, not merely with those on the
other side Of the chamber with whom seldom agree but
also TO separate on one two important questions from
majority of my friends this sdethose who compose here
that wing party OF which suppose may yet call myself
member
Diversity Of opinnun most subjects affecting human af
fairs to be expected Unassisled mind its best estate
has not yet attained to uniformity much less TO absolute GER
tany in matters belonging the dominion of speculative
reason This Peculiarly and emphaticay true where we
endeavor to deduc from the present. results the accomplish
me OF which reach far into the future and will only clear
develop themselves in the progress of time From the
present state of the human mind this law of intellect
quite strong necessity And yet after every reasonable
allowance for the radical difference in intellectual structure
cuure habits of thought and the application Of thought to
things the sngulary opposite avowas made by the two Sc
majors on the other side of the chamber, Ct the
tor from South Carolina, Mr.. CALHouS and the Senator
from Michigan, Mr. CAss, have struck all who heard
them curious and mournul example of the truth of
which have spoken. The Senator fom Michigan (Mr |
CAss,) IN contemplating the present aspects and probable
ure course OF our public affairs decsted that he nothing
to alarm the fears depcss the hopes of the patriot To
al
sentinel might sleep securely his wachtower The ship
OF State seems to him to expand her sails under clear sky
and move on with prosperous gales upon smooth He
admonlshes all not TO anticipate evil come but fold their
hands and close their eyes in quietude mindful of the
consolatoy text sucent the day is the evil there
oil But the Senator from South Carolina Mr. CALHOUN
summonlng from the depths of his thoughtful and powerful
mind all its energies and looking abroad the present con-
dion OF the Republic, is panied with fearful apprehension
doubt dlstrus and dsmay 10 his VISION made strong by
long HE OF careful observation made keen by compre
hensve view of past history the sky overcast with i'm
pending storms and the dark future shrouded in impene
trabe gloom When two such minds thus differ those less
familiar with great subjects affecting the happiness of nations
may wen pause before they rush to conclusion this,
SUBJECT which, IN all It's bearings immediate and remote, az
iecs certainly the present prosperity and probably the ber
E OF two Republics embracing together nearly thirty millions
OF people Mr. President it is fearful responsibility we
have assumed engaged in fragrant desoang war with
neignbonng Republic, TO US thirty millions of Gods
lures look up Tor that moderated wisdom which, if possible
may stay the march Of misery and to Them If NAV
De So mutual feelings OF good WILL with all the best blessings
of peace
sincerely wish in my power to cherish those placid
convictions OF security which have settled upon the mind of
Inc Senator from Michigan So far from this have been,
IN common with the Senator from South Carolina oppressed
win melancholy forebodng of evils come and not unfre
quenly by conviction that each step take in this unjust
war may he the last In that each chapter write
IN Mexican blood may close the volume our history as
nee people. Sir am the less inclined 10 listen to the siren
song the Senator from Michigan sings his SOUL because
have heard It's notes before know the country is at this
moment suffering from the fatal apathy into which u
R ha hgT S & s e hi MIND
when that other question: the prelude this the
OF Texas agaed here We remember how attracted
the attention OF the whole Union remember at the
great leaders OF the two great parties agreeing in scarcely
other opinion agreed that They both predicted that
Texas were annexed with Mexico would be the proba
bic result We told then by Others by the Sc
naor from Michigan, that all WELL all was calm that
Mexico would not fight if she would she was too weak
TO the struggle with any effect upon The sentinel
was then told TO sleep upon his wach-ower "Sucisnt
unto the day the evil thereof sung them
as soft and sweet as Mr. President, the day" has
come, and with it has war, the most direul curse
wherewith il has pleased God to aic sinful world Such
have been the fatal effects Of lung into apathy the public
mind a subject which agiated it. as well might IN IL
profoundest depths.
repeat sir, the day has come then predicted and
the evil predicted has with it. We here SIR now
not as then, at with all the world now as then
with laws that brought Treasury every thing ae
Apprehension of debt and taxation necessary
But we are here with Treasury that is beggared-that lifts
up It's mploring hands to the monopoIss and capitalists OF
the county-that sends out its and promises
into every mart and every market in the world begging for
ptance from every hand to help swell the amount now ne
cessay 10 excate from war, inevitable, seems
was from that very act which adopted under such fiat
eIng promises two ago. Mr. President no pur
pose OF mine to arra the conduct of the United States upon
that occasion purpose Of mine treat this young
and adopted sister, the State of Texas as an alien or
stranger IN TINS family OF Republics aude this only TO
snow now nile reliance is to be placed upon those favorable
anucipauons IN which gentlemen indulge with regard con-
sequences which may flow from which they are
strongly welded, either by feeling party attachment
Is there nothing else in history Of the past year to
justify the senator from South Carolina in the pregnant dec
ration that IN the whole period Of his public m comprehend
ing The most evenu in the history OF the Republic there had
never been time when much danger threatened IL
the Interests, happiness and liberties the people Sir i'll
one could sit down. free from the excenents and base
which belong public aarscoud such an one betae hi ef
TO those sequesered soudes where thoughtful men extract
the philosophy of history from its facts am quite sure no
song Of swell would be heard from his retired cell M
looking at the events Of the twelve months and form
his Judgment Of these by the suggestions which history
teaches and which she alone teach he would record an
other OF those sad lessons which, though often taught are
fear forever to be disregarded He would speak Of Reu
lie Boosting that It's rights secured and the restricted
powers Of its unconaes bound up the chains Of written
constitution he would record his page also that such
people, in the wnntonness Of strength nced security
OF the moment had torn that written constitution pieces
a The -.