Juliet signal. [volume] (Juliet [i.e. Joliet], Ill.) 1844-1???, 1848-06-20

u
for the fret inch Of national territory, than
foT the last. Il is better to defend the
door sill than the hearth. stune-the porch
than the altar. National character is a
richer treasure than gold OF silver. and
exercises moral influence in the hour OF
danger, which, if not power ITSELF is its
surest ally. Thus far, ours 10 untarnish.
ed: and let Us all join, however separated
by party OF by space, so to preserve it,"
In the month Of March following, Mr..
Cass delivered bis celebrated speech on
the Oregon question. As this speech has
been circulated and read very extensively,
mere allusion to 1t here is all that would
appear necessary; but the following ex.
tract expresses so fully the sentiment Of
every patriotic American that it is worthy
of record: .ta
"li pains me, sir, to hear illusions 10
the destruction Of this Government, and to
the dissolution of this Confederacy. II
pains me. not because they inspire me
with any fear. but because We ought to
have ono unpronounceable word, as the
Jews had of old, and that word is DISCO
luton. We should reject the feeling from
our hearts. and it's name from our tongues.
This cry Of 'Wo, Wo, to jerusalem. ,
CRATES harshly upon my ears. Our Jeru.
salem is neither beleaguered nor in dan.
ger. II Is yet the city upon . hill, elori.
GUS in what il is, still more grorious. bv
the blessing of God, in what il is to be-
a landmark, inviting the nations Of the
world, struggling upon the stormy ocean
OF political OPPRESSION, to follow us TO ha.
ven Of safety and Of national liberty. No
English Titus will enter our temple of
freedom through breach in the battle.
ments, to bear thence the ark Of our Con.
siitution and the book of our law, to take
their stations in triumphant procession
in the streets of modern Rome, as tro.
phies of conquest and proofs ofsubmission.
'Many raven has croaked in my day,
but the augury has failed, and the repub
lilo has marched onward. Many a crisis
has presented itself to the Imagination Of
our political Cassandras. but we have still
increased in political prosperity as we
have increased In years, and that too, with
an accelerated progress unknown to
the history Of the world. We have q
class of men whose eyes are always upon
the future. overlooking the blessings a.
round US, and forever apprehensive of
some great political evil, which is to ar.
rest our course somewhere or other on
this side Of the millennium. To them we
are the image ofgold, aRd silver, and brass,
and clay. oontrariesy in unity. which the
first rude blow of misfortune is to strike
from its pedestal.
"For my part. consider this the strong.
est government on the face of the
earth for good, and the weakest for
evil. Strong, because supported by the
public opinion Of people inferior to none
of the communities ofthe earth, in all that
constitutes moral worth and useful knowl.
edge, and who have breathed into their
political system the breath of life; and
who would destroy il, as they created it.
if it were unworthy of them, OF failed to
fulfil their just expectations.
"And weak for evil, from this very cen.
sideraiion, which would make its folliss
and its faults the eignal of lie overthrow.
II is the only Government in existence
which no revolution can subvePt. It may
be changed, but il provides for iis own
change, when the public will requires
Plots and insurrections, and the various
struggles. by which an oppressed popuIa.
ton manitests its sufierings, and seeks
the recovery Of it's rights, have no place
here. We have nothing to fear but our
selves"
= The part taken by Gen. Cass in the
subsequent exciting controversy on this
question, and his vote in opposition to the
treaty, are too well known to require fur
Their notice. Having been trained in the
school which taught him, in our inter.
course with foreign nations, to ask for
nothing but what is right and to submi.
to nothing that is wrong, he had the NOR
al courage to stand up for the right, what.
ever might be the consequences.
During this session of Congress, hos.
tilities commenced between the United
States and the Republic of Mexico. Gen.
Cess advocated the most energetic meas
ures for vigorous prosecution ofthe war.
and for carrying ID into the heart of the
enemYs country. -
IL was during the sessions Of this Con.
gress that the sessions of ] SAG, and the
independent Treasury, were established.
Gen. Cass gave to these great measures
the weight Of his influence and his zeal.
Gus and unflinching support. Az the
close of that Congress, Gen. Cass was
invited by the democratic members ofthe
Legislature ofNew York, TO partake Of a
public dinner at Albany, as mark Of
their appreciation of the brilliant public
services and their estimation Of his char.
acter as man. This honor, however, he
declined. AS 'a' e
In August. following, he delivered 90
address before the literary societies o.
Dartmouth College, New Hampshire, a