New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1848-03-22
NEW-NORk TRIBUNE.
sse,sess ct TIC gbr,leib GOuOress....No. II
losar, r mpiNos.-Iooa,'od'll


II IA. been seen from these pages with how
us,h determination. in defence OF Pnneiple' Mr.
GinptNes encountered danger. Not only risking
lc,. ef popularity influence aud reputation. and all
,Ast mea ho'd most dear in life but even life ITSELF
THERE'S not in the sunsls Of our day more strik
i,,.ns Truthful illustration than his career OF the
Assutfal sentiment
JsSru, q! isGdosE PrepoSti rrHD''
N,s ctriaa ard y prGra tabeahhm
W. raif4s issaatt fyraEEi
NcssS gsa'9 S'itdd
Neither the ungoverned rage Of crowds nor the &C
,asl presence Of violence has over inundated him.
II REQUIRES at this time but a very slight exer
,i,s of moral courage for the enuncistion IN the
u,nss Of Auti.slsyery doctrines. The great danger
=, be spprehcnded is the listlessness or total ind
f.,,.cs Of an audience. A man is not branded as a
ispstc. denounced as a miscreant, nor attacked
tt.,uid beast. who now brings forward resolu
,s. in regard to Slavery, or insists on the hoor OF
the House upon the rights Of Freemen. The times
rave changed aud men with them.
When the battle has been fought and victory
achieved. there are always many who In no man
sr encountered the dangers of the former that rush
n 70 claim the spoils Of the latter Still 1t VIII be
hard 70 convince the people Of the free North that
JoHS QUINCY ADAMS and JOSHUA r. GIDDINGs are
entitled to no greater gratitude for long days and
yesrs of ardent and perious service In their cause
thsn they who, with phrase delicately turned
.peeches beautifully arranged or pamphlets studl-
ousy devised, safely, easily and gracefully tread
the primrose path of dallisnce" and Patrontse the
freedom Of petition.
When Congress met in December, lsii, many
Of the Wings were sauguine that the scheme for
the Annexation Of Texas could and would be de
tested. The most ssgaciOus thought Otherwise
They supposed that, as on similar occasions be
fore. toe question Of Slavery with the Wings OF the
South would override all national considerations
And they were right. Not only Southern Wings
voted for Annexation bat the bill that finally passed
eonsumma,iss the measure was drawn up, intro
duced aud advocated by a Southern Wing
SIR. GDDINss was one of those who, while they
deprecated and strenuousy opposed, feared no
less the success of the measure. HIS objections 10
i. he put forth 10 the country in speech which he
delivered in the House some time in the month OF
January II was speech remarkable Tor sa
gacity. he foresaw and predicted the immediate
dangers that were sure to accompany the Annex
alton OF Texas,-dangers inseparable from the
measure But his was the fate OF Csssandra-to
foreteu the truth and be disbeeved
However great may be the ultimate advantage
10 this couhtry by the annexation OF Texas, 1T must
be conceded that the manner In which the measure
was consummated has been productive OF immense
present evil
II WAS during the earlier part OF the session oil
1916 that the controversy respecting the Oregon
Boundary was agitated. MIR Pols' in his first mes
sage 10 Congress, had declared to the country and
70 the world that "our title to the whole oil oregon
was clear and unqaestionable BY those who
were supposed to know Nj. Polk best his deter
nination TO maintain every inch OF the territory
was pronounced as irrevocabe as it had been en-
phstically expressed--one Of his chief support
ers in the Senate Of the United States declaring
with characteristic emphasis, that if Mr.. Polk bad
st,smpted to deceive by such declaration, or
should recede from its terms, he would sink SC
low lin certain place. that the angel OF resurrec
ton would not be able to reach him 1t is impos
sible to say what may be the fate of MIR. Polk IN
the next world-in this, however, 1t is generally
understood he has been either most unfortunate II
hi. language, or most insincere in his intentions
The Wings unconscious that Message may be
made 10 express no more truth than Bulletin, be
came seriously alarmed at the seemingly hostile al
ttude of Mr. Polk toward England; and the public
mind was Intensely agitsted upon the subject
Visions of an armed steamer fleet from England
riding on our coast some pleasant Spring morning
visited the more timid and disturbed their daily
life while others of stronger nerves and of create
experience in public affairs, seemed unwilling o
unable 10 predict to what length a warhke ardo
MIGHT carry a person who from Colonel OF militi'
had become President OF the United States. The!
feared perhaps the thirst for military glory rcpresse
in the militia Of Tennessee had become inordinat
noy that its victim had been suddenly promoted t
the command of the Army and Navy OF the Unte'
States.
Tbere were some, however, who smiled an
.book their heads when Mr. Polk belicose lnten
tons were mentioned: they knew enough oil hu
man nature and has nature to be sure That ne WI
threatens most performs least-and tha' tne 'iso
and success or declaration even OF war 10 not a
ways follow from the lofty and sounding phrase
the manifesto.
M this number was Mr. GIDBISas. He saw
,housht he saw, that there was other cause oesld
the general insiacerty OF Mr.. Folks character,
,brov suspicion upon the declaration he had made
The southern States from the nature of their pro
dnc,. and character of their institutions he had
long time before become satisfied would be nece'
sary opposed to war with England slavery
hi. mind would be no better supported by such
war and the abettors Of that institution
thought would look elsewhere for lucrative on
TWAS under this conviction aud with the Ano"
edge he had obtained Of Mr. Cslhouns views an
intentions, tina, he bad made the speech OF the y
Of January, ls46. in which he predicted 'he coud
tons Of peace, and made the emphatic decsrauo
that " Mr. Polk could not be kicked into war -
He assured the SO 40 men that they had been d.
oeived that Mr. Polk had never entertained th
intention Of insisting upon rights to Oregon, al
would abandon them the FIRST of,r Of an al
rangement. He told them that to save from eve
the suspicion Of danger the peculiar institution,
Mr. Polk would gladly give up the whole
Oregon.
After the conclusion Of MIR GIDDIsGss remarks