Weekly national intelligencer., 1848-06-03


fairs, when they will eagerly embrace u.s. and desire to belong
family OF States where such principles find root and grow
to maturity My word for il, sir this is the way to conquer
naons and vastly more effective than the bayonet What
has England done in the six hundred years she has held pos
session of Ireland to hamonze and reconcile the people Has
she conquered and ubdued their free spirit Has she recon-
ced them their condition Is Ireland not hostile and
beous TO her authority at this day Does she not renem-
be that she subugaed by conquest and feel the dega-
daon Will Poland forget even il her condition is or
should be improved to feel that she is the victim of ambition
No. sir the sword is the dangerous Of all ties Of union
the disgrace belonging to defeat and subugaton is seldom
efaced.
Mr. President the Senator from Michigan endeavong
harmonze the ambitious love Of conquest with the gentle
spirit of free Government which aspres not to the glory OF
arms but TO the elevation and improvement Of our No
thing be incompatible with the genius OF fee insti
tuons than the nerposon of military force. 1t has at all
times been the deadly enemy popular liberty say there
FORE that every proposal to extend territory principles
by force greatly to be deprecated Whoever does abos
under great mistake, it, the friend Of public liberty, he
attempts to engra upon the feuda notion. the ancient
idea, that power is to be obtained and principles propagaed
by force of arms by the shedding of blood That idea sir
does not belong to institutions it does not belong to
generous, but selfish spirit does not belong TO free
dom of conscience, to philanthropy which aims TO elevate
and improve mankind, and ought repudiate ii. Give
peace, Mr. President that men may pause, reflect and
examine into their rights and consider the means by which
they to be maintained, and the methods by which the
gevous burdens which have been loaded upon them by
unnatural social De
totally removed. has already been demonstrated that
all youneed do is to let hehuman mind become acquan
ed with its condition and high destiny What has al
ready taken place in many parts of Europe will be repeated
elsewhere We behed there but recently the arms fall from
the hands of the soldier the sword from the hands of the Off
GER because the people have been wise enough where
their prosperity lies and that the by which TO
to be found in the shedding of each
others blood. Never there greater mistake made than
when this coantry took that attitude Gentlemen congra
on The
result Of the bravery of citizens Who, sir, doubted
the valor and courage of citizens in which de-
mands patrlec sacrifice In such ii is not too much
that they nvncb They always strong when
they from convictions of right but whatever may
attend prosecuting of conquest the result will
certainly ruin il did Rome.
Sir, there is another difficulty which trouble the
minds OF many gentlemen. England, say they, ambitious;
England strong and poweriu England for clustering
together nations and establishing in them her power and her
principles shall do than justice my feel
ings when say that am often panied in rejecting upon
these considerations when call to mind Engands history
am not unmndfu Of her aggressons and of the petexts
by which she has often possessed herself Of the territory of
Others Of the which she has demonstrated her
power when she has obtained possession All this is too OBJ
vous 20 admit OF any doubt mistake When she is about
to commit an aggression what does she do She sets up
some plausible petext claims she has been wronged
way or ohe and thus she jufes only the nHcton of
punishment but conquess which she makes perpetual She
begins just as we are preparing TO begin with Yucatan, by
helping the weaker party. Rome did that, sir, and
iavote policy by which she Asia, Africa, and Eu-
rope Who does not know that very large portion of the
Roman Empire annexed by this process' party
iacon incapable of protecting ITSELF her for assist
rance Offering perhaps the sovereignty consideration for
her aid Of course the aid given, and the sovereignty
claimed as the reward, whether offered not and thus
kingdom after kingdom brought into subjecon to her
power England has spread her empire in the by pre-
cisey the process The Senator from Michigan peril
neny inquired when England puts her foot down in any
chn "a .laL
dem if ever yielded territory which she thought be useful
to herself When Rome nterered aid weaker faction,
did she subsequently find state of things existing which
induced her to renquish her msnamed protection Never
II remonstrance made what the answer II was
that the condition Of the people improved and Roman
better than their own and
OF no avail And what is the Of England when
m'nsance IS made concerning such aggressons Her
ply Is Of the same tenor We give you better Government
you nave greater security larger liberty than
before what have you complain Off That the
OF reasoning adopted and although il implies violation
OF every principle Of liberty and utter disregard Of the
opinions and happiness of others yet in ambitious minds
Il Is justification Of bloodshed. Are falling
gradually into this same process and bringing odium both
upon our name and principles When wish TO ad-
vance our frontier little, do not find plausible pre-
text which we set up argument wherewh TO satisfy the
world Bat does it satisfy own judgment If we were
to be placed IN the condition Of those undertake
TO US, whether they will not, would be satisfied with
the same course-wh declaration that condition would
be improved. OF this prefer to be our own judges
We do not desire to have happiness thrust upon
against our will do admit that others have the right 10
decide questions for and to compel acquiescence Sir
the great principle Of safety every where is nonnervenon
great and fundamental principle which lies the very
root Of public liberty, is the right OF people Judge for
themselves and maintain such institutions they please and
IN the way they please provided they do not interfere wrong
luy with others They may appear absurd to but if they
ma happiness IN maintaining them, Of violence
employed to demonstrate such be justified II is
privilege OF the free from conviction, but to force
opinions or views of policy upon others violation Of the
first principles Of freedom. II is said, Mr. President that
there danger il do take possession Of Yucatan that
another country will Who is 10 do it' England il is
Engand-and 10 for fear she
VIII Jake possession Mr. President, LET proceed in such
matter with deliberations and upon evidence England
might have done long ago she had desired it. There are
IN the documents which upon this table, however, some
statements which is affirmed should be considered as con-
elusive proofs of purpose the part Of Great Britain to
indulge IN this scheme Of aggardizement find in these
papers no proof whatever that the English Government by any
act movement or claim have se up any peension Yu
caan These dispatches such conclusion. Her
citizens al the Belize trade with all the case and parties OF
ucaan when they there for that purpose The whole
proof Of such interference in any form, upon analysis din
dies into suggestions nsinuaons which furnish no suitable
evidence TO influence minds Is worth whiie TO stop
and consider our past history, before proceeding further in our
aggressive career upon idle Iumor What did the Sem
aor from Texas tell you standing his place the other ay
what was said TO Us year sgo BY gentlemen on the other
side Of the chamber this tha, although il was boldly
asserted in messages sent this body and published officially
through the country that England would take Of
Texas we omitted 10 do IL although was 80 often reite
atcd, by authority and without authority that the people be-
gan to believe IT. yet the Senator who from his official station