Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1852-03-27


the Senator from Michigan in robes Of grandeur perform
the last solemn service and consgn to the flames for
sir, cannot fail down and worship this blind idol OF
manifest destiny came here unaccustomed to legis
aton and very young man, at least senatoriay and,
sir when called TO that desk [ponting TO the chair
Of the Presdent of the Senate there have the obga
tion imposed upon by which be governed,
remember right sir, you sustain the consti
tuition Of the country not 10 caxry e dictates Of the
blind divinity, manifest destiny do hot know how
much Of influence respect adiraton devotion,
or alteration if you please, is due this revelation
am certain that it in form to command
our admiration and devotion. do know what pot
cal Moses has been deputed to make this revelation
do not know whether upon tablets
not do not know that ii heralded with the in
sigma Of those glorious Developments which succeeded
the msAfestaon and the declaration of thatlaw by which
are to be governed morally; and, sir, before bow
down to this divinity must be permitted to look at the
credentials Of those gentlemen who here ambas
sadors from this imperial god Of manifest destiny
Before my conscience be made to bow down to it, in
disregard Of what conceive to be my duty to the
country and the constitution beg know and 10 the
Mohammed that Is to comeup and reveal TO us the mys
teries Of this political Koran Sir when men seek
to make Innovations upon usages and habits it is easy
very easy, to find pretexts If there attempt
to abridge the of liberty it not done in the
Of liberty? And If changes to be effected, If
wrongs to be pperated upon the usages and habits
Of the country II requires great stretch OF power OF
imagination, Of invention to devise plausible pretext
and fear that these things used for the purpose Of
justyng departure from the principles Of fathers
and innovations upon the established customs and usages
of the country For my part, Mr.. PRESIDENT may be
behind the spirit of the ageI would rather be guided in
my course here by the suggestions of manifest duty mani
fest experience manifest justice and manifest prudence
than by the suggestions Of blind devotion to manifest
destiny"
The resolutions Of the Senator from Rhode Island re-
affirm the doctrines of Washington and the fathers of the
Republic. Does any assa those doctrines? Why,
no one has been found bold enough, even under the
up and assa them directly While the resolutions affirm
nothing and nothing less than the doctrines Of
Washington, gentlemen not to be content with them,
but offer amendments One step is taken, and then
other step is to be taken 1t to that the
utions Of the Senator from Rhode Island the whole
ground unless gentlemen mean what very much appre
hend they do mean to make innovations upon the former
policy of this Government The friends of these resolu
tons who have preceded me have endeavored to show
that nonnterventon is the true policy; and they have
fortified that conviction by argument deduced from Wash
ington and the fathers of the Republic We do
thereby say that shall adhere strictly and undevia
ingy to every act which committed approved by
the fathers of the Republic under circumstances which
do not now exist. We that the doctrine laid
down by Washington in his Farewell Address de-
caraon Of policy and Of principle that twas true then
and is true now; that it just them and is just
that it was polite then and is polite We take the
broad ground and then quote Washington and others
to sustain the position. But gentlemen tell that we
mistaken; that Washington that but that
he simply meant to express an opinion which was to
govern the state Of things at the time being might
rely confidently the position Of the honorable Senator
from Rhode Island and the honorable Senator frem New
Jersey. Their arguments, in my Judgment are conclu
sve and unanswerable But If gentlemen choose to make
point there choose them and deny utterly
that Washington meant any thing less than
declare great vital principle essential the peace the
shall not quote from his Farewe Address his dying de-
claraonhis dying political declaration leas-to his
country But ask the attention Of the Senate while
read extract from letter written by General Wash
ngton to Mr. Hamilton, in 1896 At that time Lafayette
imprisoned in Austria, and an effort was made by
gallant American TO release him. Young Lafayette
/ Ln-n o..
Hamilton the subject very strong and remarka
bic language | commend it with the most profound
kindness to the distinguished and learned Senators from
Michigan and New York because know that they would
not Intentionally do injustice to the memory or to the
opinion of the Father Of his Country Upon that subject
General Washington uses this language:
The result of my reflections this subject and which
have communicated the two young Is that although
convinced in my mind that Mr. Lafayette win be held
in confinement by the combined Powers until peace
shed yet satisfy them friends of my disposition
facilitate their Wishes as far as it can be done with any pro-
priety part would private person, express in
letter to the Emperor my wish and what believe to be the
wishes OF this country towards that gentleman viz that the
liberation Of him, conditioned his repairing hhe would
be grateful measure"
General Washington, as We all know, must have had
more feeling upon this subject than could have found
existence in the bosom of any other living Lafay-
ette was his friend and companion in conflict for lib
erty and with all those generous and NOBLE and heaven
descended emotions that must have filed the breast Of
that great and good yet under of so
much feeling and sympathy, such was the regard of
Washington for his country that he refused inter
pose, in that case except private citizen Yet
now Senators stand up here and tell that may in
erpose as officers Of this Government We told
in this enlightened day Of progress" and manifest
destiny, that Washington declaring policy good
for that day but not for this when his mighty SOUL heav
ing with affection for his companion in arms could not
far forget his policy and what due to his
try as to write official letter in favor Of his release
Again, upon similar occasion in writing to Ham-
ton when Mr. Talleyrand de Pergord here, General
Washington said
My wish is, and is not less my duty officer Of the
Republic to avoid offence to Powers with whom in
friendship by conduct towards their prescribed citizens which
these cmgran If people good character ought to under
stand that they viii be protected in their persons proper
ty and win be entitled to all the For
rest they must depend upon their behavior the
ties Of citizens at large who less restrained by political
considerations than The officers of Government be-"
Here again, find General Washington declaring the
principle in language strong so clear and SO
plain, that misunderstood him. beg the Sem
ator from New York and the Senator from Michigan to
read these letters They will that this was not only
policy but Deep VITAL cardinal principle with the Father
of his Country tf 0N-l|sna se
should find very little difficulty in voting for the reso
iutions Of the Senator from Michigan amendment
additional TO the resolutions of the Senator from Rhode
Island but when they offered in lieuof them cannot
reconcile 1t to my Of duty and justice vote
Tor them. In the main, they unexceptionable There
Is one term, however, employed in them which strikes
me as being Of exceponabe character The Senator'S
resolutions that the American people have
and cannot again see these eutrages of Russia and
tria without deep He the term " deep
0fn fho~n r.