The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1852-02-24

oppressed ~ other men. As an individual, I
think it quite possible that would peril life and
limb In such cause, readily Az the noisiest
advocates OF intervention; but in this chamber
| endeavor to separate the man from the legislx-
tor, looking only to the good of the country,
seeking to perpetuate its institutions, and pre-
serve unimpsred the high privileges We enjoy;
can permit neither symPathes nor enmities TO
govern my conduct, nor sway me from the path
way pointed out by reason and reflection. Feel
ing, PRIDE passion, prejudice, are all out of place
here. The interests Of this great nation, and its
continued existence free republic, must not
be subjected to caprcious legislation, dictated
by sympathies which may be msplaced--wh CHI
are always unrehecting. The heart is bad
counsellor at best. An individual may lie par
doned for yielding to its prompiings when the
risk is all his own but no code of morals, no
precept OF religion can excuse or extenuate the
guilt Of him who idly perils nations welfare, a
peoples happiness.
IL was an inlleAible rule of the Roman Sen
ate, neser to make peace with victorious enc
my, lest amid the suiferings and humiIiations of
defeat they might be tempted to sacrifice the
interests of the republic No wonder that a
people governed by such rules became the mas
tiers Of the world. Over them the passions had
no sway-reason ruled supreme. Cold as The
them into proftless adventures, no vain dreams
of universal philanthropy taught them to forget
the higher duties they vowed to Rome.
The present project of Intervention does not
come recommended to me by the company in
which it proposes to place US. We are asked
to act in conjunction with England, who may
well find it for her own interest and her own
safety, but who will offer us nothing in ex-
change for our share in the common danger and
the common expense. The policy of England
is known to the world ard all history is false il
she ever formed an alliance without Il selfish
end in view. Whatever nation subserves her
purposes, is her ally for the time being, but not
moment longer. A league with England, out
Of which any good could arise to America, is
an Utopan dream, Of which school-boy should
be ashamed
Ia her cas- ,also, even feeling prompts us to
reject the profered fellowship There are
many wounds inflicted in the past whose "poor
dumb mouths" plead eoquently against such
an alliance. The ferco Tarlton and the merci-
less Rawdon are not yet forgotten The house
burnings of Cockburn and the savage massacres
OF Proctor still backen the page Of history.
Time has not abated the deep Indignation ex-
cited by the brutal warcry which rang over the
plains of New Orleans; and none of us remem-
Der, without feeling OF resentment, the Van
dial nread to which this capital was subjected
That large class of our population who are of
Irish birth or Irish extraction have darker
memories to cherish and deeper wrongs to
venge. Many of them have had their infant
slumbers broken by the rattle of musketry and
the fierce yell of an Infatuated soldiery, and
none of them have forgotten that there was
time when the frightened peasant who fled to
the mountain or the morass for safety, was
limit hv tho A,p, brr a..
thereof of his cottage; when the dungeon was
filled with the noblest in the land and the seat
fold groaned with the weight of its victims
when terror walked side by side with the paid
nformer, and desolalion made its home in Ire
land.
These are the souvenirs connected with the
name of England; and will not 80 libel gal
liant people as to suppose for moment that
they have any great anxiety to clasp in friend
ship, hands red with the best blood of their ma
tive land. Let me not be misunderstood.
seek no quarrel with England, but do not for
get what she has done, and want no alliance
with her So long as she attends to her own
business, and does no presume to NEEDLE with
ours, | anu willing that our present relations
should continue. Bnt let her beware how she
arouses the animosities now slumbering in tho
American bosom. The bones and sinews of
into mature manhood, and the next time we
meet in hostile conflict, the proud boast that
the roll of the English drum may be heard
from the rising to the setting sum- will be
nothing but tale of the past. Them too, may
the Irish heart leap with aproud joy, for the
time will have come when the epitaph of EN-
nett may at last be written
Mr.. President, we have all read recently, and
none Of us, trust, without deep feeling, the
opinions of the venerable statesman whose
bodily infrmity now keeps him from among us.
Who is there with higher wisdom than his ?
Who is there with wider experience! Who
is there with so few motives to deceive himself
or others to the true interests of his countryy
His voice comes to us clothed with all the
sanctty the grave can give, with the added
knowledge of existing things, which the grave
must take away. Standing upon the verge of
two worlds, and looking back upon that which
he is about to leave, his heart swelling with
patriotism little less than holy, his vision clear
and unclouded by the passions and prejudices
which dim our sight, he tells us that ours is
mission of peace not mission of blood; that
to avoid all interference in the affairs of other
| nations, to preserve our own Independence, to
live for America, to labor for America, and if
need be to die for America, is a sacred duty, the
performance Of which will best serve the cause
of human liberty in every land beneath the SUM-
Sir, shall follow his advice. If my own udg-
ment differed from his, should distrust ii, and
feel inclined rather to be governed by the sng-
gestions Of him whom all men of every party
have agreed to name patriot, statesman, sage.
Mr. President, have nearly done. 1t is my
habit to compress what have to say into az
small space rs possible, and have not de-
parted from it on the present occasion. &c I
have ever studied words at all, it has only been
to ascertain how few could be made to answer
my purpose. There is one great rule of con-
duct, applicable alike to individuals and to ma
tons, stern and rigid adherence to which leads
inevitably to power, prosperity, and happiness.
That rule has been so well imbodied by Eng
lands greatest poet, that give it in his own
words:
"And this above all, to thine ownser be true,
And it will follow, rs the night the day,
Thou canst not then be false TO any man -
sas The road to judicial prefermcnt in the