The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1853-01-27

settled: the practlcal assertion OF that right
again by Great Britain would be the signal
for war.
He defended himself from various charges
Of demagoguism and commented upon some
articles recently published in the Buffalo Com
plcrcidi Adrsrfiser. He regretted the existence
in so many minds in this country of unpatr-
otio sentiments and opinions. He hoped the
Emperor Of China would lay no claim 70 Cali
fornia: for if he did, he had no doubt there
would be found many in this country who
would defend the claim as against our own.
He stated at length the position he desired
this nation to occupy with respect to it, foreign
relations, and hoped to see that desire accom-
plished
Mr.. Butler said that he desired SIMPLY IN
make an explanation, which perhaps was called
for by the remarks just made. He sympathized
with the Senator in many of his patriotic
declarations, and he did not know but what
he aSsented to many of his doctrines But he
intended to 20 into no examination of the whole
subject nor to follow the Senator in the whole
encyclopaedia of our foreign relations MIR
Monroe's Cabinet was composed of men Of
practical views they were not mere dialectc
politicians and that declaration, as he under
stood il from the explanation given of it Ivy
MIR. Calhoun, who was member of that Cabi-
presented-t0 meet what was considered Il
practical question touching our institutions and
rights. The allies of Europe after forming
what was called the Holy Alliance, feeling
themselves powerful were, in the arrogance of
their power, disposed to restore the Spanish
dominion in the American republics. They
telt that our institutions, in their rapid growth,
were I'M uriOus to them and they thought MT
to restore to their dominion legitimacy and
despotism in those States. Castereagh, who
represented England wrote TO Mr.. Canning
advising him of this determination aud that
statesman thinking such would not be alto
gether advantageous to Great Britain, and
tending 20 involve her in difhculties) and Can
ming proposed that if the United States would |
make strong declaration on the point, that it |
would not permit such an act Great Britain |
would decline the proposition. This declara-
ton was then made by Mr. Monroe
MIR Hale said his amendment applied this
doctrine 70 Canada He contended that the
local position Of Canada, either in peace or
war, was tenfold more important TO the United
States than Cuba During the election of lS4S,
the Democratic candidate never went 10 bed
without the possibility of having his dwelling
rent asunder 10y a shell from the British posses
sions.
Mr.. Cass. slept pretty sOundly, nOyerthe-
less Laughter
Mr.. Hale said the Senator slept sOundly per
haps under the double assurance of being free
from the danger either OF an election or of
wounds. The commerce Of the Lakes he was
told, was far greater than the whole foreign
commerce of the United States and he would
like gentlemen 10 examine whether Canada
was not, in Il military view, OF greater i'm
p0rtance than Cuba, a. the hole of this inte ,
81 20
Would it not be better then, to tell England ,
that she should not sell Canada Why select |
weak Spain in this matter Why not when |
we are notifying the world, select the Power
who is TO be our competitor Why confne
this to territory south 1t WAS time to look n
little north. The Senator from Michigan was
III favor of annexation and extension; so was
he He considered it little remarkable that ,
IN all treaties concerning territory, where it was
at the North we cut off, and at the South took
GA territory. This might have been accidental
In the case of Maine. we sold to Great Britain
that which she wanted for military road
In the case of Oregon, where our title was
clear and indisputable we gave Great Britain
three hundred and fifty Thousand square miles
Had Mexico done this according to the doc
trne now advanced it would have been cause
for war with Great Britain.
We gave her Vancouver's Island. command
ing the mouth of the Columbia river, also
While this notification was in hand it would
be ~ we'll to notify Great Britain that she was
not to sell the Bahama Islands nor Jamaica
He then pointed out the vast benefits to result
from the acquisition of Canada, equal if not
greater, than from Cuba and followed tho sub
ieot at considerable leugth He also contro-
verted the position that it was our mission to
spread our dominion over the world 1t was
rather to show to the world that free people.
powerful and mighty, enjoyed under free insti-
tutons peacc and prosperity, and could extend
the same TO- the oppressed OF all mankind and
kept always in view the great principles of
justice and right.
lie thought if it was desired to test the prac-
toability Of enforcing the Monroe doctrine.
the opportunity was afforded by Great Bril- III
in colonizing the Bay of Islands, in contraven.
ton Of treaty stpulations Let it be tried at
once. Why select Spain, our old ally, and
who had never violated any of her engage
ments
Mr.. Mason obtained the floor,
And the Senate adjourned.
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 10.
Mr.. Foot presented the credentials of Hon.
:. s. Phelps, Senator appointed from Vermont
TO fill the vacancy caused by the death of Mr..
Upham. Mr.. Phelps appeared and was sworn.
A message was received from the President
of the United States calling the attention of
Congress to the claim made by the Spanish
Government Oh behalf Of its subjects in the
Amistud case The President saws. in respeet
to the Spanish Governments demands that ts
urgent representations should be candidly and |
impartially weighed. If Congress should be of
opinion that the claim is just, every consdera- |
ton points to the propriety of its prompt rec. |
IGNITION and payment and if the two Houses
should come to the opposite conclusion. it is
equally desirable that the result should be AN
nOunced without unnecessary delay.
The subject was referred to the Committee
on Foreign Relations.
MIR. Casss joint resolution re-aIirmng the
Monroe doctrine, was taken up.
MIR. Mason said that it might become his
duty before this resolution came to vote, to
speak ut large upon the merits of the subject
but he now simply desirsd to speak upon one
point which he thought was misinterpreted by
the Senator from Michigan He desired to
speak OF Mr. Monroes message asserting n
principle intended to be applied to the affairs
of Spanish America alone. He desired TO show
that it was directed TO the affairs of Spanish
America, and being assorted for specific oh.
ject, did effect the object intended, and had
not laid idle in the archives Of the nation.
and that the principle asserted by Mr. Monroe
could not DO reSnscitated by the American
Government, unless the same contingencies
should arise.
Mr.. Cas- said that he never heard till yes
terday that it was doubted that Mr. Monroe
had protested against the recolonization of any
part of this continent by any European power.
The Monroe doctrine WAS not confined to the
contemplated Intervention by the Allied Pow
ers, because IT was to continue for all time
The reason given, that the peculiar interests
of this continent were distinct from those of