The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1848-02-19

sir Whilst disappearing of the whole affair, confess
that have not discrimination enough have not sut
Gent skill In splitting halrs-to enable me, without I'M
easlness to denounce the war as OF robbery, as
unconstitutional and unjust, begun by the President
and at the same time thank the agents who have been
gagged IN carrying out this unjust and unconstitutional
war. My fanaicism does not enable TO make such
subtle distinctions as that and all that said, when
addressed the Senate for few moments on that day,
was, that | proposed to vndlcae the propriey of my
conduct by reference to history showing that
similar occasion precedent had been furnished which
thought | might safely follow That precedent
presented in the conduct of those who stood upon the side
OF justice, truth, liberty and humanity in the British Par
Lament, when the gigantic power OF that empire was
exeed to crush the spirit of liberty here then struggling
for existence. Chatham, Fox, Wilkes, Barry and host
OF learned dead then stood up, and with manly and truth
full eloquence, denounced the arbitrary acts of power d.
reced against the friends of freedom this country And
what would we have thought of their sincerity and hon
esty-what sentence would the moral sense OF the world
have pronounced upon them if after they had thus de-
nounced the administration and the they had gone TO
the footsoo of power and bowed down and thanked the
agents that had been the tools Of this tyranny and oppres
sion Had those lustrous friends OF liberty thus acted at
that day. think, sir, their fame would have appeared in
very different light upon the pages OF history But the
honorable senator has said, that in the course which
have taken there IS neither patriotism nor morality
beg leave to tell him il is difference OF opinion, merely.
Morality pretty general term, and may great
many transactions about which there is difference of
opinions on that there certainly be issue, as is
a mere question of opinion
ask, if the doctrines promulgated by the honorable
aor from Kentucky are not those which should receive
and the American people What are they They amount
simply to this: that your army is great machine tool
without heart without head. without Notwithstanding
but great piece of animal mechansm-tha the Pres
iden standing the head of the administration, has
but TO give the word and it operates as he chooses and
that the thanks of the American people are due to
with the character of the duty which is assigned to
! it to perform. Suppose your President sends the army
to this Senate to enact the scenes which occurred
in England, when Cromwell dissolved the Parliament
telling them that the kingdom OF Christ had come
and he had no need of such assembly would II then
be your duty to give thanks TO the army because had
orabe senator that my reading OF history has taught me
there great danger be appehended to republic
from the overshadowng influence of this military fame
which this Senate is about bolster up by this vote of
thanks. Has he forgotten the history of that period OF
the Roman republic when they elected their Emperor IN
the camp, and then 10 the Senate for its ratification
What are the American people about to do? The camp
has already elected your Emperor-you next President
The decree has not yet been registered but the thing
Iue many asprants for public favor, but the camp has
already made the selection. The powers of the constu
ton may be preserved this time, but man knows how
much longer they will be retained. But whether that
day may be more less remote than many of us may
imagine when the camp here to ask the American
Senate to ahfy its deed they shall have my thanks
Tor any agency IN transactions which my Judgment con
dennis do not say word, because it is foreign to
my purpose IN regard to the character of those officers;
40 not question their SKILL their bravery their Judgment
have not word to say against them; have not SIM
gle hostile feeling to them in my heart Regarding them,
however, as the agents in transactions OF which wholly
dsapprove, cannot thank them, because separ
ate their lnstrumenalty from the work in which they
have been engaged.
Mr.. FOOTE. | was not in my place, the other day,
when the discussion of these resolutions progress
but il had been, should have regarded it unpardon-
able had not said something in reference to the sentiments
which have formed the subject of the indignant comments
OF the honorable senator from Kentucky am not
prlsed at the pursued by the senator from New
Hampshire, nor can any one who heard his language to-
day be surprised The whole secret of his opposition to
q has t ct He is
afraid that the army may elect President He is afraid
that the military excitement of the time may be potent
to thrust individual into The presidency who has
acquired glory IN this war; and in consequence OF which
certain distinguished senator from New Hampshire,
nominated for that very office and who has accepted the
nomination, might be excluded 1t would be quite i'm
proper then, to blame the senator from New Hampshire
for the course which he has adopted this occasion
The senator Is quite right He is acting upon the prn;,
do Justice to his motives, and he will descend TO posery
as the most magnanimous statesman of modern times!
am happy indeed to hear the frank and manly decara
ton which escaped the lips of the senator from Ken
tucky-l will not say escaped by accidents for it
evident that the language of his feelings and his
understanding-the language which is employed by
the intelligence and patriotism Of the people in ali parts
OF the Union, whatever faction may have said in all the
accursed forms in which faction has arrayed itself before
the country The senator from Kentucky has taken the
ground boldly, that this is national Wharf.-The war of
the couny-a war made by Congress, and sanctioned in
all the forms known to the constitution; and that there
fore every patriot In the land IS bound to sustain it,
especially such as are employed in arms for the
national defence 1t is no presidential war, then,
as some have asserted. 1t is no war gotten up
| Tor unhoy and corrupt purposes. 1t is
stitutiona war, as some have argued But it is
declared by Congress- having every SANCTION that national
legislation can givea which every patriot must
tain in its vigorous prosecution up TO glorious termna-
ton, and which but traitors anywhere can oppose
speak OF course, within due bounds. allude not to
the of any senator speak but the language of
history when say that in age since civilization be-
gam has there been any for any who opposed
his country either in thought, word deed, when in
arms Tor her defence except That is the
by which the would be known if he dared
TO act out the sentiments of his heart manifested in the
language which he has uttered to-day The punishment
OF treason, in all countries, is death and he who would
act out these sentiments would incur that his due
ward doubt whether, in some parts of the country.
the process of law would be waited for and even in
that coat of tar and feathers perhaps the severer
infection OF Lynch law, would be administered. | am
tired and sick of this have been sufficiently weariel
with il at home, when reading newspaper accounts
have been nauseated with here. The whole country is
indignant; there Is but voice the subject except
the small voice that is uttered by unpncpled faction
! in New England say sunprlncipled faction" be-
cause it is party gotten up for the purpose of bloodshed
deuson, and nustlce-a party that ''peace peace"
when the naonakhonor is involved, and the country is
armed in its detencea party that cries out Let not
shed the blood of the poor Mcxcanshey have suffered
enough injustice at hands; let make indemnity for
the wrongs which we have perpetraed upon them T"
should have been very much astonished if different
course had been adopted by the senator from New Hamp
SHIRE am not very digent reader of abolition news.
papers but, looking two lately perceived
that person named Garrison had been nduging in de-
nuncatons of the from New Hampshire because