The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1848-05-31

THtT' settlement Belize have semi
arms ana military force along the coast oil Yucaian
without stating any particulars do not fad any evil
dence OF that do not know whether il is fact
but If it be fact, it still remains to be shown whether
thai was intended to relieve the people of Yucaan for
the purpose OF sezing and occupying the territory The
chairman OF that committee took higher ground and,
without assigning his proof said boldly and distinctly
that England medtated occupation of the country and
that ought TO pass this in order to prevent it.
But the President himself does not put it upon this
ground. lie does not make this charge. He says if we
DO not grant aid England may and that after granting it,
she nuyhere is no stronger expression usedmdY ult-
maey assert her dominion and sovereignty over Yucaan
This is the utmost charge made by the President Now,
the question arises suppose this contingency should hap
pen would i bring the case within the declaration
Just quoted Not at all England does not nterpose as
hostile power. She does not come TO Cypress Yucaan
She comes at the request of Yucatn and only aid
rescue the people Of Yucaan from determination and
puslon by the Indians according to the statement of the
President himself Again, suppose England should as
ser her sovereignty, would that bring the within
the declaration Not at ALL for the declaration is direct
Cypress the country. But in this case, The tender of
sovereignty is voluntarily made the par, OF Yucatan
The acceptance OF be objected to, and it may be
commended that we ought not to allow it. | waive that
subject tor the present assert, however, without pos
sbily of contradiction that the case even then does not
come within the declaration. The President himself
gives strong indications that in his opinion does not
for, although he refers to this declaration in the body of
the message he does not say word in regard it when
ne comes to make his recommendation In that he calls
upon Congress to prevent Yucaan from becoming colo
ny to some foreign power. That shows on which of the
three declarations he rests his recommendation It's
upon the third and last which refers to an entirely diff
erent subject That declaration is, that the continents
OF America by the free and Independent condition which
they have assumed and maintained not henceforth
be considered subjects OF colonization by any Euro
Pean power 1t upon this the President bases his re-
commendaton Is the case of Yucaan, then, compre-
hendei IN this declaration expect to show that il is
lished that i does not come within the two former
The word colonization has specific meaning 1t
means the establishment of settlement by emiglants
valth phnht al
or from which the inhabitants have been partially or
wholly expelled This is not of that character
But here 1t may be proper in order to understand the
force OF my argument to go into history also of this
declaration OF Mr.. Monroe 1t grew out of crcum-
stances altogether different from the other two AT that
time there was question between Great Britain and the
United States on side and Russia on the other All
three claimed settlements on the northwest portion of this
continent Great Britain nd ourselves having common
former power applied to the United States for opera
uon and was IN reference to that matter that this adj
dona declaration was made II was said to be proper
opportunity to make it, 1t had reference specially to the
subject OF the northwestern settlement, and the other
portions OF the continent were thrown in because all the
rest OF it, with the exception of settlements in Surf.
man, Maracaibo, and thereabOut, had passed into indie
pendent hands
Now, having stated the history OF these transactions
the of Yucaan That the case of surrendered SOW
erelgny over people already there-a people who have
rendered It ard II accepted freely accepted on the other
so by any forced Interpretation No; by accepting it
Yucatan may become province, or, 10 use the appro
pirate term that she employs possession" OF Graf
When the chairman of the Committee on Foreign Re-
atons addressed the Senate few days SINCE he related
conversation which he had with Mr. Adams j, refer
ence to this decaration and according to his statement
if heard him Alright and he be correctly reported, Mr.
Adams, IN applying his observations to the whole OF
these declarations, stated that they all originated with
himself and unknown the other members of the
cabinet until they appeared IN Mr. Monroes message
There certainly must be mistake either the part of
Or tpff hair IF tho(, omm itfaap
Foreign Relations to the two first of these declaa-
tons The history OF the transaction, the Senator will
perceive if no examines the documents, shows distinctly
that they through Mr.. Rush, originating, not with
Mr. Adams but Mr. Canning, and were first presented
in the form OF proposition from England. recoect
distinctly as do any event of my life, that all the pa
pers IN with this subject submitted the
members before the cabinet met and duly consider
ed Mr. Adams then, in speaking of the whole one
must have reference to the declaration relative to colon-
zation AS respects that, his memory does differ
much from nine My impression is, that it never be-
came subject of deliberaon in the cabinet so stated
when the Oregon question was before the Senate. /
stated in order that Mr.. Adams might have oppor-
unity OF denying it, asserting the real state Of the
fact. He remained silent, and | presume that my state
ment corect that this declaration was inserted ter
the cabinet deliberation. Ii originated entirely with Mr.
Adams without being submitted to the cabinet and it is
in my opinion, owing to this fact that it made with
the precision and clearness with which the former
1t declares without qualification that these continents
have asserted and m antaned their freedom and inlepen
dence, and longer subject to colonization by any
European power. This is not strictly accurate. Taken
whole, these continents had not asserted and main.
tanned their freedom and independence. AT that period
Great Britain had larger portion of the continent in her
possession than the United States Russia had consde
rable portion of it, and other powers possessed some
portions the southern portion of this continent The
declaration broader than the fact and exhibits pre-
cipancy and want of due reflection Besides, there was
improperly it when viewed in conjunction with the
foregoing declarations. speak not in the language of
censure. We to them acting in concert with
England, on a proposition coming from herself-a propo-
sltion OF the utmost magnitude, and which felt the
time to be essentially connected with peace and safe
y and of il due TO propriey well as poll
cy that this declaration should be strictly in accordance
with British feeling Our power then not what is
now aud we had to rely upon her cooperation to sustain
the ground we had taken We had then only about six
or seven millions OF people, scattered and without such
means OF communication now possess to bring us
together in short period of time. The declaration &C
corngly with respect to colonization striking at Eng
land as well Russia gave offence to her. and that 10
settling the Russian question Now, | will venture to
say that that declaration had come before that cautious
cabnet-for Mr. Monroe among the wsest and
most cautious men have ever known--it would have
been modified and been expressed with far greater de-
gree OF precision and with much delicacy in refer
ence TO the feelings of the British government
In stating the precise character of these declarations
and the in which they originated, have dis
charged a double duty; a duty TO my country to
be correctly understood, and duty TO the cabinet OF
which was member, and am now the only survivor
remove false interpretation, which makes safe ant
proper declarations improper and dangerous.
But it is not only these respects that these famous
declarations misunderstood by the Chief Magistrate
of the country, as well as by others. They were bu
declarations nothing more declarations, announcing il