The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1850-05-03


accomplished lady. She says further:
must here In gratitude, adduce the example OF i'm
peral Russian government which as am led 10 hope ey
forwarded memorial on the subject will send expor
ing parties this summer from the Asiac side Of Behring's
strait norlhward In search OF the lost vessels.
Here is the plan Of operation distinctly proposed,
and we shall presently how the Secretary responded
TO H.
Ii would (she says) bs noble spectacle hs world il
three great nations o. s ,S %dss on ans
Christian work OF saving their pc nshng feow-men from
destruction.
The idea here is clearly presented that the task to be
executed not be that OF private citizen Of the United
States or OF this government simply cooperating with
private Individual but OF the government ITSELF carrying
II on in a real national spirit
Now. how runs the letter in reply to this will mere
y read an extract eucdaie the point under
consideration In Mr. Caytons letter, dated April 25ih,
1919, to Lady Franklin, il is said
The appeal made in the letter with which you have hon
ored him is such would strongly enlist the sYmpahie
the rulers and the people Of any portion of the civilized
world.
The word rulers" in this letter. well recoect was
at the time OF it, first appearance objected TO by OF
the democratic presses OF the country II was supposed
that our government was becoming lille too national,
not even monachica its tendencies though confess
did not myself any great improperly IN such use OF
the word rulers but all will recoect that the peculiar
phaseoogy Of the letter was such as to attract parcnial
attention at the time, and to convey the impression OF
nationality in manner most emphatic indeed Now, i
seems 10 me that il there was letter which could
national spirit il is this letter OF the Secretary of
State From il read asfollows:
To the citizens OF the United States who share so large
y in the emotions which agltae the pubic mind Of your
deaed by his heroic virtues and the suengs and sacr
fees which he has ene'anered Tor the benefit q mankind
been borne the waters. asking the assistance Of
people 70 the b,ase w q u%ed m
watched with the deepest interest that hazardous
enterprise will now respond appeal BY the express
sion Of their united wishes every proper effort may be
made by this for the OF yonr husband
and his companions.
have just read that every effort may be made by this
government for the OF your husband and his
panions" The question is them what in the estimation
of the government at that period, would have amounted
"proper efforts" to attain that interesting object
Why, the honorable senator from Maryland himself has
admitted everything for which have contended this
point He says that the government c0nemp at the
time that proper efforts would be such he has himself
described having at first been resolved upon by the
President Why was proposed to fl out ships belonging
TO navy for the purpose of proceeding
plonng expedition OF Sir John franklin We know
that this actually thought Of, independent OF what
the senator from Maryland has confessed This the
avowed policy OF the Executive and his cabinet original
ly, and in furtherance OF which they acted for short
period Of time and hold in my hand statement just
supplied to me OF the actual decision OF the board Of ma
val officers whose attention had been specially called to
this matter The naval board decided, first, that no
ships reodyfo expedition Of such character;
psady, you'd be too late for he Enterprise thirdly yhs
ships ready they had constitutional poer TO send
them out for such purpose.
In the reply 10 the letter OF Lady Franklin, in which
the promise was given that all suitable efforts would be
made in behalf OF the American people TO secure par
ticipancy in this splendid scheme OF humanity,
stituonal difficulty suggested and presume that
when the attempt was made 10 get together the proper
ships for the execution OF what had been clearly pro-
nounced, constitutional dficue had suggested them
selves TO the minds OF the President and his advisers
Months elapsed before the naval officers convened;
months elapsed after the appearance of the Secreary let
ter before they discovered the constitutional difficulty al
luded To- after which The President and his cabinet iariy
yielded up the whole scheme And now we are invoked
.sHstae fbh "bIaase snghsases4noi 10 re-
cognise the power to send out the government ships
originally intended TO be done, but simply to act in
aid OF private individual who has planned this and
MIR. PEARCE / ask the senator whether the mes
sage OF the President, submitted the 4h OF January
did not invite the action and cooperation OF Congress in
this matter Was It not then in the power OF this body
to have authorized him to take the steps which init
mated in the letter Ia Lady Franklin'
Mr.. F0OTE. | am perfectly aware OF these facts II
still appears however that the original executive scheme
executed that il held in for months;
and that constitutional difficulty discovered until
suggested by the Naval Board II still appears too
that the original scheme for some has not been
executed up to the present time and now repeat what
have already asserted that be apparent TO every
one that the government has reraced s steps, and has
more less dsreputaby receded from the scheme OF It's
own planning did not say il disgracefu TO any
one, but that II was disrepuabe, in national point Of
view, thus TO abandon scheme deliberately projected,
and 10 decline the performance OF work the immediate
ful6lment Of which had been So distinctly promised
But let ask, such abandonment OF the orgi
nal plan oil the administration has occurred how does
happen that though the President has specially rec
ommeded this subject 10 the consideration OF Congress
his particular friends in this and the other House have not
followed up his recommendations. Did anybody under.
stand to be more than mere brutum fuinen, mere
formal suggestion. not expected TO lead 10 any decided
action IL il was regarded a serious recommendation
or intended TO attain any purpose beyond saving APP
pearances, and avoiding the charge of ridiculous incon
sistency, why IL that friend oil the ADMINISTRATION has
urged upon us the proprIey OF carrying out the original
scheme aver again that have not used language dis
respectful to the President OF the United States yet insist
that is most apparent that the administration has been
inconsistent with itself in regard TO this matter and that
floor truly represent the wishes and sentiments OF the
Executive OF the nation, as presume they do, they
are now urging project wholly AT war with the one
which the President originally recommended Either
the senators from Mary and New Jersey acting in
conformity with the ascsTioied sentiments OF the Pres.
dent and the cabinet they not II they are, then
II most clear that the formal suggestion OF the
President ~ his Message TO which the senator from Mary
land has alluded expected 10 be carried out and
II rs equally clear and true, aso that the President and
his cabine, advisers havenot disgraceiully, but inu
diciousy or otherwse-abandoned the ground they nj
first occupied II the two honorable senators referred 10
are not now acting in conformity with the views and
wishes of the administration then they are acting in on.
position to their views and wishes in which case beg
leave 10 admonish them that they in the predcament
of other senator's this ioo and OF several members OF
ridcue, and denuncaiion for not standing
up good whig in support OF the whole policy OF the
Ia il not fact that there are eertan nan.rs ,hlshad