Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1852-01-31

the British Government should forget what is due to
itself and to 10 give rude answer not justified by
the circumstances, the manner Of the application
have no belief, sir that such gratutous folly would
be committed; and if it were should find some
means of not being left in doubt upon the occasion Ma
tonal dignity is good thing, but let not be eyeras
ingy afraid that is in danger As to the encourage
ment that this step would give to similar applications by
other Powers TO it does not occasion me the slightest
concern When such here and like interest
felt elsewhere, and from like circumstances and an IN
tercession is made for similar object and in unexcep
tonable language trust it will be received IN the best
feeng-aye, and granted too, unless there are lar
stronger objections to the measure than there appears TO
me TO be in the present instance Ii there could be any
fear which am satisfied there would not be- of the
lease of these banished sufferers lest they might again
become dangerous let them be sent TO this great asylum
Of the oppressed of all nations where we shall be ready
receive them and admit them to all the privileges OF
our political system the provisions of our con
sttuton will permit II England hail their departure,
we shall welcome their arrival
One word sir the subject Of precedents, whese APP
pearance anticipate this occasion an old enemy,
ALWAYS upon the alert enforce the GFdsW policy or
once let put foot down without first peerlng cre
fully about ascertain if foot placed IN that
precise spot before Let yield 10 the generous sym
pathes Of eur nature obey the inspirations of the
age and try where the trial is proper to set the prl-
soner free If the word must have precedents let us
make one; they have been made betore' and this VIII
be precedent fer peace and not for for mercy and
not vengeance oppression precedent for inter-
cession between Governments in favor of suffering hui
manitY Let set example, if there never was one
before There have been examples enongh OF folly and
cruelty in national Recommendations We shall lose
neither in position character, by endeayoripg to fur
nish of wisdom and mercy If follows
efforts it would form brighter page in our history than
is supplied by the bloodies and most renowned OF
battle fields
shall vote the original resolution fit modified
because though the President has declined into
diplomatic correspondence with the British Government
upon this subject application recently made to him,
do understand that he would have any objections to
such if Congress should take upon itself the
sponsibty Of inviting his action and feel assured that
the President would be grated TO the accomplish
ment Of the object by that might appear to him
proper he expressed upon that occasion the sympa
thies that American citizen and American Chief
Magistrate ought to feel under such circumstances But
sir there mode in which this expression of National
feeling may be obtained and this difficulty, and others
too that have been urged avoided and that is by mod
fyiRg the resolution that shall not require formal
municatcn the British Government but shall be made
the expression of the deep interest the American people
feel in the fate of these exes, and hope that they will
speedily be restored TO the condition of freemen This
course would require formal diplomatic correspondence
though would make part of legislative history tes
tfying the feelings of the people, and would become
known the British Government through their Minister
through own, in informal way, is often the
case and also by the public journals of the day, and
the moral effect would be great direct APP
pcaton believe that the British Cabinet would
hesitate to yield to wish of this country unexcepton
ably expressed.
whole American people is generally awakened by mis-
fortunes deplorabe these present and which
appeal powerfully to the best feelings of our nature
and in especial TO that large class of fell
low-citizens who their origin to Ireland? Wher
there political oppression in the world the heart
of Iishman is with the oppressed and his head and
his hand too when the suffering is within his reach Ire
land has furnished and yet furnishes great portion Of
inning grant population, whose worth and talent evil
IDENTIFY have added largely to the and Of
the country The victim of harsh and hard laws at home
the immigrant from that unfortunate land knows how
TO value liberty here and believe il would be phe-
nomenon to find Irshman who not ardently
attached to the Constitution and Union of these States
And this attachment they have sealed with their blood
upon every battlefield from Quebec to Mexico; defending
with unsurpassed vaor the standard of country from
Montgomery who fell almost under the arctic circle my
friend from Illinois, General SHIELDS who poured out
his blood like water beneath the northern tropc and
proof of regard rarely offered received by man,
by sending the expression of his kind recollection
when he and the friends around him thought the hand of
death was upon him, and from which condition his
covery was little less than miraculous. He who has
sympathy with such citizens part in their sympa-
thies, has few feelings in common with me.
AS the resolution already before move that these
proceedings lie upon the table and be printed.
Mr. HALE expressed his cordial appreciation of, and
assent TO- every eoqueny expressed by the Sena
tor from Michigan. 1t rarely that he inruded mat
tiers personal himself in that any other body
which he belonged and he hoped the Senate would par
don him for the statement Of fact which might excuse
somewhat the warmth which he felt the subject Sir
(said Mr. H. with evident feeling my mother, long since
dead the only child of an Irish exile, whose
was Brien and should feel in this place any place
whenever wherever word of sympathy is TO be
pressed for Irish exile and that exile OBren that
should be false every pulsaton Of my heart to every
drop of blood that flows in these veins and above all to
that to which no be false the memory of deceas
ed mother if did not express it. Sir let whatever
sequence personal POLITICAL stand in the way long
as the blood of my mother flows in my veins and long
as ! remember who and what am, whatever words of
sympathy, Of counsel Of encouragement Irish exile
can have that he shall have from | confess that if
have an impulse passion which is reckless and uncal
culang in its consequences il is when appeal is made
to my heart for Irish exile and particularly and
more emphaticaly when that exile is OBrien. He
went with the Senator from Michigan with all his heart
in this movement and he assented with all his soul to the
truth Of the declaration that the heart Of the rshman
was ever with the oppressed An old maxim of the
mon law said that corporations had souls and hence
il inferred that they have sympathes affections,
or hearts but he trusted that this great corporation Of
States might come forward and demonstrate that they
explode such an idea pertaining great corpora
ton Of municipalities and States and show that they had
hearts and souls that feel If the President, from
motives Of State policy should decline TO interfere il
would be the important that the American Senate
should speak, and echo and re-echo the sentiments the
wishes and the feelings Of the great American people,
and that would carry with it all the moral force that is TO
be attached to declaration by the American Senate.
Whether the British Government would lend responsive
TO the interposition not he thought il would still
have moral effect it would reach and cheer the hearts
Of these victims of oppression in their lonely and DESC
late place Of exile il would do that least and might
teach another by showing the oppressed Of all
cmes that the old maxim of the law that cor
poraons had no souls exploded, and that the men
of which they were composed had souls and hearts and
did forget the prompngs that sprung from them and
that they assume the responsibility which belongs to
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