The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1852-02-23
No. pa.


the lowest calculation, can bring as many more
into the field. II we give them notice, IN advance,
that we intend to interfere in the affairs of Hunga-
ry, not only these troops, but all the disposhDie
forces of both empires will be collected at the most
convenient points and an attempted revolution
would be crushed before we heard II had begun. /
need not depict the uncnviabie attitude IN which
would then be placed. Involved in n war with
out object, our ally vanquished, the very cha rs
sought to loosen riveted with teniold strength,
the miserable victims OF their own and our folly
piiing curses upon us, with the snecring tauns OF
the viciors adding the last modification to the
Quixotism of America Sir, II i had but one prayer
20 offer for my country 1t would be, May God
avert this deep disgrsceh' Msiortnncs may come
upon US all; dshonor attaches only to the unworthy.
4 nation may be conquered, trodden down; her
living in chains her dead the prey OF vuiturcs,
and still leave bright example, glorious hlsio-
yy TO after times. But when folly and wickednes5
have ruled The hour; when disaster i5 the leeiti
mate child Of and weakness, the page that
records il is but record of iniamy, and pity for
misfortune becomes crime against justice
Sir, do not love that word 'desuny y''-"mani
fest" or not "manliest'' Men and nations make
their own destinies.
''Our acts our angels are, good or i'll
Our fatal shadows that walk by us still"
The future of this Republic is in our hands, and
it is for to determine whether we will launch
The ship of State upon a wild and stormy sea,
above whose blackened waters no sunshine beams
ster shines out, where not a ray IL seen but
what is caught from the lurid lightning as 1t treads
IT'D fiery path. This Senators, is the mighty ques
ton have to solve; and let me add, that il the
freedom of one continent and the hopes OF four
shall sink beneath that lnky Hood, ours Will be the
guilt, ours the deep damnation it deserves.
Shall be told these are idle fears: Ihat IN a
war with Russia, no matter Tor what cause wdged,
We must be the victorss That, in short, all Europe
combined could not blot this Union fruIn the map
Of nations? All, sir, that is not ali ! fear. fear
success even more than defeat The Senator from
Michigan (Mr. CAss) was right when he said that
our fears TO be found at nome. do fear our
selves. Commit cur people once to unnecessary
foreign wars, let victory encourage the military
spirit already too prevalent among them, and Ro-
man history will have no chapter bloody enough to
be transmitted TO posterity side by eide with ours
In u brief period We shai! have re-enacted, on n
grander scale, the same scenes which marked her
decline. The veteran soldier who has followed
victorious leader from cline 10 cline, will forget
his love of country in his love tor his commander,
and the bayonets you have sent abroad 10 conquer
kingdom will bU brought back TO destroy the
rights OF the citizen and prop the throne of an en-,
peror.
have thus, sir, briefly traced the prospective
effects of intervention Let refer az briefly to
,its present and immediate effects We must begin
with an outlay, at the lowest calculation, OF one
hundred millions Of dollars; and this be II remcn
borcd, is but beginning. Our nav must be quad
ruped, our army increased not less than an hun
dred thousand men. Every fort upon our long
line OF scacoast from Maine TO the Rio Grande,
and from Northern Oregon to Southern California,
expended must be dragged directly from the peck
etc Of the people All Of us know that in a war
with maritime power our revenues from lmports
must decrease below the wants Of the Government.
Bur, grievous would be this load Of debt. II Is
the lightest of the evils will he called upon to
bear. From direct invasion / admit that we have
nothing 10 fear; from battles upon the ocean, bc
tween national vessels, just as little. The danger
is Of another kind. There - not a sca which an
American vessel is not this moment trayersIng.
There is not CLINE unknown to our commerce.
Whenever is declared, the lust of gain and
the love of adventure will cover the ocean with
privaeers and the rich fruits gathered by the arts
OF peace will be sacrificed to the demon of folly.
The spindles of the New England manufacturer
will stand still; the door Of the New York neT-
chant will be closed; the pioughshare OF The north
western farmer will rust in the lurrow and the
noise Of the cotton gin Will no longer be heard.
Not pound OF bacon nor a barrel OF n ur, not
sack Of corn nor bag OF cotton, not hOgshCad VI
tobacco nor tierce Uf rice, can leave our ports
without danger Of capture. The hardy mariner,
who pursucs his pcrlous calling in the northern
seas, may hud himself captive, and the fruits ui
long years of toll swept away before he IS aware
that he hns enemy to avoid. The life blood
will stognntc ia every vein OF oor commerce, aud
every interest will wlther under it, hiighung iuiiu
cnce. j. this picture too highly colored, Grant
that IL is so. Grant that but Unc-tcnth part 81
what is here depicted will come 10 pass, and the
eve OF The patriot will still turn with shuddcr from
the dark prospect on which il rests. But Is II In
truth oyerdrawn? There arc Senators here WHO
remember the war Of 1872 IFS trials and its su0er-
incs; and ali of us have lragned from history or
tradition that "a. &c sutferings were sufficient 1,
cast veil even over the deiormitcs II treason and
20 Cause the formation Of party whose object Tas
10 make a separate peace with TIE commcn oucluy,
and leave the rect OF the Republic % take care OF
itselC Can IL be doubted that with greatly cx-
tended commerce thcse evi.s will be pfoi~rtpnatc-
ly increased, and moreover that they would Dc az
gravated by the reelection that they we're brought
upon ne against reason and without necessity, u
r.. I 1 4 2 >
tends to all wars as well ne To- tho particular case
under consideration. Undoubtedly 10 come cx-
tent II does 60. No war can be carried ON without
dotrimcnt 90 the prosperity ihc morality Of the
people; but there may be cascs which justly, there
may bc wrongs which demand, the crilec; and,
whenever such Casc arses, shall not tc ia las.
to draw the sword.
lam afraid, Mr. President that after tb" able
and judiciOus remark Of the Senator from Rhode
Island. (Mr CLARKg,) / shall but tax the patience
OF the Senate by referring 60 the opinions Of former
Presidents; but II i should be somewhat tedious To-
this body, u will not be uniustrUctyc 90 tic coUu-
try. There has been no Disagreement ui opinion
among them, no matter % what section Of tie
Union they belonged, no matter 10 what party
they owed their elevation 60 pJwcfi oli Of them
have urged nOn.iutCTicTtucc with tNc affairs ui
other nations the dictate alike Of interest and o
duty. All OF them, with sngular uuanimity, have
maint1incd and enforced the preccpts u the Fa her
Of bis Country. J am aware that u is brcomus
somewhat unfafriOuAblc Co argue from thc us1-Cs
and experience Of the past. ithas been again mud
again announced that rules whlth were vel cn0ugh
for the government Of an infant Republic, are val
uelCss now; that a change Of circumstances n"cts-
sariiy induces change Cf policy; and that what
was wisdom yesterday may b. iully 10 morrow.
Much ol this may be true. do not mean that wC
should hindly follow any policy without reference
to cifcumstaucN5 DO not mean TO cay that. hc
cause tae Spartans lived on black broth, and u4c3
nothing but iron money, therefore we ought 10
follow their example; but what do mean to sny is,
that there are certain great truths which no u'nc
can change, no circumstances affect, and chIcf
among thcsc reckon the duty Of every nation TO
provide Tor the substantial ppiress Of its o'cH
citizens. No matter whether in infancy, maturity,
or decline, this is policy no nation can ncg!cci
with saloty-uo opls can cIsre gard without sui
ferinr.
IL wac on this principle that Washington acted.
propose 90 read, cir, few short paragraphs from
hls Farewell Adtr5as:
'fbc great rule Of conduct for W, in regard 70
fIreigu nations, is, iu extending our commercial
relations, 90 have With them little political con.
uexion as possible s. far "a have already
formed engagements. let them be fulfilled with per-
feet good iaitu. Here ict us stop.
Europe has set of primary interests, which to
u have none, or n very remote relation. Hence
shc must be engaged u frequent controversies, the
causes Of which ar" cs-cntaliy foreign to our CON
Germs. Hence, thcr fore, il must be uuwise in us
TO impicote ourscee7, by artificial ucf, in the or.