The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1851-12-14
OF WASHINGTON SUNDAY MORNING DECEMBER H. 1851

listened of course with great pleasure, as always do
TO whatever falls from that disng guished gentleman,
which occupied quitea considerable portion OF yesterdays
stting-a speech OF which will say it brought
topics before the American Senate upon this subject IL
urged no new argumeni II produced no new saiepsent;
and was made IN reply TO no new antagonist who had APP
peared here. But II was reiterstol for the fourth,
| NTH, or sixth time OF argumens-l will not say
which had been well expressed by others into
the arena OF such criticism as that | dare not ven.
| ture-but which were well and torcibly expressed by
others. Now, knowing as do that the honorable gen
leman when he speaks in this chamber, always speaks
10 the body before him. and seeks enlghien and guide
our opinions and has utero object purpose before
his mind have felt by the remarks Of his the strongest
possible conviction iasten upon my mind that the friends
oi this resolution have thought il necessity 10 assign
some reason Tor It's adoption. And must say that when
listened TO that honorable senator, and also when had
listened to other honorable senaors~rny riend from
Michigan lMr. CAssl in PARTICULAR have fell another
conviction fasten upon my mind, viz that while they
deeply impressed with the necessity for pro-
ducing reasons, they found it very difficult task to do
so.
Now, wish TO say in the commencement of what
have TO say to the Senate upon this subject that i dis
cusslon has been produced here upon this resolution il
to be charged 10 those OF us who are opposed to lis
adoption. When the senator from New York, [Mr SEW
ARD in the discharge of the high duty which he felt to
be imposed upon him, thought proper introduce his
resolution, he accompanied lis presentation to the Senate
with long, elaborate, and uslining appeal, which
was calculated TO rouse our feelings, excite passions
and Tor the lime, suspend the calm OF udg
ment And when, after this storm OF passion had subs
ded and we were al length allowed to exercise
terror, and glory with which his mpassoned eoquence had
surrounded the subect-when were able once more 10
resume the exercise OF calm understanding, and IN the
language of my friend from Wisconsin, lMr. WALKER
to take calm and dispassionale view Of this subject
was II to be expected that entertaining different opn
ions, we could IN justice to ourselves and to what
believed to be the true interests OF country fail to as
sign the reasons TO the Senate for that difference OF opn
ion Were not called upon by considerations Of high
respect for the honorable and distinguished senator from
whom this resolution proceeded for the honorable and
distinguished gentlemen who supported this resolution
by their eloquence and arsnmenswere we not bound,
independent Of all other Considerations out Of due
spect 10 them, to say why could not so with them,
when is always matter OF reluctance with us to de-
part from them
say therefore, that it is out of place 10 say that it is
fwas!e OF time TO subject this resolution free discussion
II is question which ought 10 be discussediis intrinsic
Importance demands 1.-THE circumstances ha, surround
il in this chamber, and also beyond these walls, enforce
the necessity and propre,y OF SO doing. And we may
drop from the high aud solemn topics which have been
gathered around the reception OF Louis Kossuh and his
associates in captyity-which have been brilliantly
spread before archng the heavens and spanging the
armament with their glory and brighInessii we could
turn away from these magnificent and starry visions, and
look al some OF the mundane operations which are 10
come before in political future, 10 become
hsorycould We consider certain disposals OF certain
eminent political offices which IN short time are 10 be
made by the American peope-we would Gnd additional
reasons why, If allow ourselves 10 subsde from
the torrent OF excited feelings into which we have been
plunged should present to the American people what
we think IS calm, dspassonate, deliberate common
sense view OF this matter agree IN what was said by
the honorable senator Iom Massachusetts, MIR sum
NER who addressed the Senate few days ago upon this
subject that this is which requires statement
rather than argument, And will add TO his proposition
that il is case which requires argument rather thar
defamation proof OF the propreiy OF the why
they adopt this course-l will not say OF uumeauing def
ance for nothing ha, is spoken upon this floor is ever
great and these large and extensive declarations by
selves OF American power and prowes and our capacity
TO contend with the world IN arms Let us look at thu
question it is presented to us-upon its intrinsic
merlts-and what is it AS have stated before, gentle
men have adml,ted-as is plain, whether admitted OF
nohat they 10 assign some reasons why this reso-
, luton should be adopted
The resolution proposes, in the name and on behalf o
the American people, to bid Louis Kossuth welcome to
our shores Several have been assigned why
should adopt this course and will proceed to offer some
remarks upon each Of them.
And first said that, by the joint resolution adopted
by The last Congress- we have taken an nitiaory steE
which requires us, in point OF consistency and honor tc
follow ii up with what's now proposed; Now, sir, ha
deny and know no better Oct M method by which we caI
Of what therefore, we may consider ourselves as properly
pledged consequence 10 do, than by looking at the
language OF the resolution.
NV honorable friend from Michigan [Mr. CAssl said
he secuted the idea OF applying philoogy to this nves
CATION Scout the idea OF applying philoogy, criticism
the rule by which ascertain the meaning OF language
10 question OF the Interpretation of language My hon
orable friend must have very singular idea OF the office
and purposes OF phology, and seems to have made
similar mistake, with reference to that science 10 one
which was once made by very respectable but tesy
old gentleman OF my acquaintance with regard to The
arithmetic and numbers, who became extreme
Iy offended when he casually told by friend, point
ing 10 plate containing three biscuit "Mr Ross, you
can't tell how many bscu, there in that plate without
counting them" "What !" said he, "do you mean TO say
that cant tell there three biscuit IN that plate with
out counting them 7" He rejected the idea that counting,
compnta,ion arithmetic necessary TO ascertain num-
|, bers know my friend did not mean that But why
did be that high term Why dd ne go in,o !his
angcised Greek word, OF which many OF our constitu-
enis know nothing and which will lead them to ina
CINE that those OF who opposed to this resolution,
have brought new, strange barbarous machinery
here which we had borrowed, perhaps, from some oil
those European despots, and which is totally unknown
to our country Why, SIR, we cannot ascertain he
meaning of anything that depends upon words with
out an application of the rules OF philology TO It,
Blu, did my friend mean to imply that there was any
disposition TO what is called hypercritclsm that
is 10 bring TO the consideration oil this resolution q
reluctant disposition TO understand lis meaning, and
a disposition TO cavil upon H. II he did, as was
Justly said by the senator from Florida, not now IN
foundation for the charge. And yet | may be per-
mtted to say that, although should not ee my
self justified IN applying TO any ordinary resolution OF
act OF Congress any particular suictness OIL inepea
lion-,hough not disposed to apply IT to this-ye'
there would be nothing very unreasonable IN such pro-
cess when we recoect from whom that JOINT resolution
proceeded II from my honorable friend from Mis-
sssippi [Mr FooTk,l known to us all Tor his extreme
exace in the OF language and therefore ~ may
well stand exception IRON the general leslsa
ton of this body, and may have right to treat y
with more closeness OF examination, with more severity
of investigation, than should bestow upon esoiuohs
proceeding from another person Sir, we al know tna
that honorable senator has place IN what he writes of
every word and he will excuse me Tor saying tha' we
know that he has also word for every place. Laugh.
teri
Mr.. FooTE, Tin his seat) A fair definition o
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