The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1850-02-14
[eoNrINUED FROM FOURTH PACE

interior lakes OF our country.
Our Territory now extends from the north
ern provinces Of Great Britain to the Rio
Grande and the Gulf of Mexico; from the Attain
tic ocean on the one side to the Pacific on the
other-the largest extent of territory under one
Government existing upon earth, with only two
solitary exceptions Our tonnage, from being
nothing, has arisen to a magnitude and amount to
rival that Of the nation which has been proudly
called the mistress Of the ocean. We have gone
through many wars; one with that very nation
from whom, in 1915, we broke OF, as weak and
feeble colonies, when we asserted our indepen-
dence as member of the family Of nations And
sir, we came out of that truggle-unequal as il
was, armed as she was at all points in consequence
OF the long struggles Of Europe, and unarmed as
We are at all points, in consequence of the
habits and nature of our country and its insti-
tutions we came out Of that war without the
loss OF any honor whatever; We emerged from il
gloriously. la every Indian war-we have been
engaged In many OF them-our arms have been
triumphant Aud without speaking at all rs to
the causes Of the recent war with Mexico, wheth-
er they were right or wrong, aud abstaining
from the expression Of any opinion as to the
justice or propriety Of the war when il CON-
menced, all must unite in respect to the gal
lantry Of our arms and the glory Of our trl-
umpbs There is no page-jhere no pages OF
history which record more brilliant successes
With respect TO the one In command of an impor-
tant portion Of our army, ! betd say nothing in
praise OF him who has been borne by the voice OF
his country to the highest station in il, mainly on
account Of his glorious military career. But OF
another military commander less fortunate in other
respects, | must take the opportunity Of saying
that for skill-for science-foT strategy-fOr bold
and daring fghting-for cbivalry OF individuals
and masses, that portion of the Mexican war which
was ucjed by the gallant Scott, as chief com
mander, stands unrivalled either by the deeds OF
Cortes himself or by those Of any other command
er In ancient or modern times
Now, SIR let me 20 a little into detail as to the
sway in the cOuusels Of The nation whether Of the
North or the South, during the sixty years Of
unparalleled prosperity that We enjoy. During
the first twelve years Of the administration Of The
Government, Northern cOunsels rather prevail
ed and out Of that sprung the Bank Of the Uni
ted States the assumption Of the State debts
bouDues 10 the fisheries protection TO the DO
nestle manufactured allude 10 the set Of 1888 ;
neutrality in the wars with Europe jays treaty;
alien and Seditiou laws; theqa0Si war with France
do not say, sir, that those leading and prominent
measures which We're adopted during the admin
istration Of Washington and the elder Adams
were C Irried exclusively by Northern counses.
They could not have been, but were carried main
Is By The sway which .g"Si herr c9unseS TX CO
tanned in the Affairs of the country.
years do not mean 10 say that Southern cOun-
sells alone nave carried the measures which | am
about 10 enumerate | know they could not
clusivsly nave carried them but say they have
been carried by their prepondeTating influence,
with cooperatiQn it is true, and large cooperation
in some instances, from the Northern section OF
the Union. And what are those measures during
the fifty years that Southern counsels have pre-
ponderatcdl Tue embargo and other commercial
Etr If nf L n
ton; war with Great Britain the Bank Of the
United States overthrow; protection TO domestic
manufacture enlarged and extended Il aude to
the passage Of the act Of 1915 OF 1850 the Bank
Of the United States reestabshed the same Bank
put down; (reestablised by Southern cOunsels and
put down by southern counsels9 Louisiana &c.
quired Florida bought Texas annexed war
with Mexico; California aud other Territories
acquired frOm Mexico by conquest and purchase
protection superseded aud free trade established :;
Indians removed west of the Missouri fifteen
new States admitted into the Union. may very
possibly have omitted some of the important meas
ures which have been adopted during the latter
period or time TO VIII CHI have referred-the last
fifty years bat these believe are the most prom
inent.
Now, sir, DO not deduce from the enumeration
of the acts OF the one side or the other any just
cause of repro8ch TO the one side or the ether al
though one side or the other has predOminated in
, the two parties 10 which have referred. 1t has
been at last the work Of both, and neither need
justly reproach the other; but | must say in all
candOr and sincerity that last of all ought the
South to reproach the North, when we look at the
long list of measures We have had under our sway
in the councils of the nation and which have been
adopted as the policy ofthe Government when we
reflect that even opposite doctrines have BEEN
prominently advanced by the South and carried
A Bank Of the United States was established UNI
der the Administration OF Mr.. Madison, with the
cooperation of the South. do not, when | speak
of the South or North, speak of the tmue South
or North speak Of the prominent and larger
proportions Of the South or North. 1t was dur
ing Mr. Madison's Administration that the Bank
of the Unit States was established My friend
IMr Calhoun whose sickness again deplore, rs
IL prevents us from having his attendance here
upon this occasion, was he chairman Of the COM
mittee of the House of Representatives and car
ried the measure through Congress | voted for
Il with all my heart, although had been instru
mental in putting down the old Bank Of the Uni
ted States. had ch ,nged my mind and | co.
operated in the establishment Of the Bank Of 1916
That same Bank was again put down by Southern
couusels with General Jackson at their head. at
a later period Then, with respect 10 the policy
of protection; the South, in lol5-l mean the
prominent and leading men of the South, LOwndes,
Calhoun, and others-unitcd in extending GER
tain measure Of protection TO the domestic manu-
FIXTURES of the South, as well as of the North.
You find, few years after wards, that the South
opposes the most serious objection TO this policy,
and at least ore member of the Union stalking
upon that objection the dissolution Of the Union.
Now, sir let us take another view and of these
several views no is brought forward in any
spirit of reproach but in spirit of conciliation-
not TO provoke or exasperate, but TO quiet and
produce harmony and repose, if possible. What
have been the territorial acquisitions made by
this country and 10 what interests have they con-
duced1 Florida where slavery exists has been
introduced All the most valuable parts of Lou
isiana have also added to the extent and consd
Grafton of the slaveholdiDg portion Of the Union
for although there is lrge extent of that terri
tory north of 800 30', yet, in point of intrinsic
value aud importance, would not give the single
State Of Louisiana for the whole of It, All Lou
isiana with the exception Of what lies north of
$50 go, including Oregon, TO which we have OBJ
tanned title mainly upon the ground of it's being
part OF the acquisition OF Louisiana-all i xas,
ali the Territories which have been acquired by
the Government Of the United States during six
ty years OF the operation Of that Government
have been slave Observation-Disclosures of slavery
with the exception have mentioned y ing north
Of the line Of 800 30 But bow WAS it in the case
Of a war made essentially by the South growing
out of the annexation Of Texas which was meas
ure pressed by the South upon the councils Of the
country and which led 10 the war with Mexico
i do not say fthe whole South; but major por-
ton of the South pressed the annexation of Texas
upon the country, and that led TO war with
Mexico, AMI TO The ultimate acquisition Of these
Territories, which now constitute the bone Of
contention between the members OF the Confede-
racy. Aui now, when for the first time, any free
territory-atJer these great acquisitions, in Flor
ida, Louisiana, and Texas, had been made and re-
bounded to the benefit Of the SOuth-now when,