The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1853-04-09
CONGR RESSlONAL.
SPEECH OF HON, S. A. DOUGLAS,


10Th OF April 1850
Mr. DOUGLAS said Mr. President had night to
expect that the senator from Delaware, IN his reply.
would have ventufei upon an argument against the po-
sions which had assumed in my former speech, and
which he had assaed Il will be observed upon cose
examination that he has eyaded IIearly every point 10
controversy between uader The cover OF tree lndul
yense i'm coarse personalities. do not complain OF this
fie had rig At choose his own course OF discussion
Perhaps it prudent IN him 10 pursue the course
which he adopted shalt not follow his example, how
ever ! may not have the same Inducements lha, may
have prompted him II had been driven from nearly
every position bad assu ned in debae il nearly every
material fact lad Asserted had been negatiyed and dis
proved by official documents bearing my signatures;
il had been convicted OF giving one explanation OF my
conduct at one time, and al other times different and con-
Trajectory reasons, might be promped to seek refuge
under personalities from The exposure that might be
made. Sir, pass that all by
The senator. last resort, attempted TO get up
kind feelings between nay political friends and myself in
regard 10 this debate. he endeavoed TO show that my
speech was an assault upon every senator who took
dleren course. He went further, and charged that J.
as presidential candidate pursuing this course in
order destroy and break down rivals my paity
Sir, these nsious aud dsrepulable assaults do not dis
urb my equanimy. The object is 10 enlist. from pre-,
udce and unworthy motives, sympathy IN the course
ofdiscusson which he has attempted TO maintain. But
appeal 10 the Senate assailed any senator upon this
floor either in regard 10 the Hse treaty the Clayton
and Bulwer treaty. appeal to the Senate II mentioned
the of any stated how any man had
voted did mol disclose even how the vote stood. No
citizen in America would have known the vote OF
participation in The recent discussion; and have yet 10
learn that vindcaon OF my own course involves an
assault upon those who chose TO differ with me. have
not understood the speeches OF the senator from Mchl-
gan Mr. CAssl and OF The senator from Virginia Mr.
MAsoNl and Of other senator's who have spoken this
question: in opposition 10 some of my views, as an at
tack on myself II was Their duty 10 vindcaie their
course, and give the reasons which prompted them
and my right and my duty TO give the reasons
which induced ana compelled me TO pursue the course
that did
do moi choose to occupy the time OF the Senate in
matter that paTlakes so much Of personal character
Bat the senator canno. avail himself of tha, argument
in vlndicaton oil his course in suppTessng the Hise
treaty. He is not supported by that array oil names
which he has produced that No OF the SEN
s,ors did sustain him. so far as know in suppress
sing the Hise treaty. That treaty was never submitted
to the Senate for Iatihe alton. The Senate
permitted 10 examine H. The treaty this day has been
withheld from The Senate You will have 10 go else
where than 10 The flies OF this body 10 find that lreaty
How can II be said that senators have sustained him in
his rejection OF the Hse treaty, when he had deprived
the Senate OF an opportunity OF showing whether they
for against Sir, he cannot have the benefit
OF those names which he has quoted TO shelter him upon
that point Hes t +. .at#.a.sE
Again. sir, he has quoted all the eminen, names IRON
General Jackson down 10 the present lime. support
him in his refusal 10 accept OF The exclusive control OF
the canal ior his country. Sir, he has authority
thus 10 quote them; he has authority or say ing that
any one Of those eminent opposed 10 such
privilege the Hise treaty showed that could have
acquired Ii is lrue ,ha, when Central America granted
privilege 10 company III The Netherlands to make this
canal the administration OF General Jacks son. under
stae OF facis were content with asserting right 10
equal participation II also true that when French
man had procured charter for railroad across The sh
mus OF Panama, and thus had gone into the hands of
foreigners, the administration oil President Polk were
content 10 assert our CLAIM 10 equal right. But it is
not true that either OF them refused accept
elusive privilege Tor this country when voluntarily ten
dered 10 them.
am not going to occupy the attention of The Senate
with an array OF names Tor or against this proposition
| quoted no names in my first Argument addressed
myself 10 The merits Of the question, and chose decide
by arguments upon lis merits and not by The authority
OF great names would rather see the senator sustain
hs position now by arguments upon the merits OF his own
official action. and not by appeal 10 the action OF great
men who lived al different perod and whose acts
dependen, upon entirely different circumstances
One word more, and proceed TO the main point at is
sue. The senator has accused me OF having attempted
TO make this PARTY question How did attempt III In
my speech OF February last, 10 which he replied be
not nod The term wing democrat, or political allu-
Mon, or partisan argument | explained my prn-
eipe OF action az evnced IN my votes; and expressly
stated that they were not sanctioned by either wing OF
democratic administrations upon some of the points,
did not invoke the aid OF the sympathy OF party was
willing 10 stand upon the truth and the soundness OF my
record. and leave tie iuiufe determine whether
was right or wong on the question Sir partisan politics
have been introduced by lhe senator and by The
senaof an his speech % reply 10 endeayofed 10 show
that democratic administrations have done this and dem
oeraiic administrations have done that and appealed
partisan authority 10 sustain himself admit his right
to introduce party questions and TO appeal TO party
as authority bad not done IL, and deny his right to
charge il upon Sir, invoked the aid OF no partisan
feeling or party orgaszauon for the support Of the posi-
lion maintained. But when the senator showed that
majority OF my own party the ratification OF the Clay
ton and Buwer treaty. had recorded their In op-
position 10 mine, he ought to have been content without
charging that was making II party question. II was
not very agreeable thing 10 be compelled TO differ
with three foufhs OF the Senate including majority of
my own political friends and nothing bui a o duty
10 my own character would have compelled me TO take
the responsibility Of such a coarse.
Now, let "a 20 back 10 the real point. Why all these
attempts 10 AVOID tie main issue In the fs place TIE
senator denied thai he responsible for not sending
The Hse treaty 10 The Senate, nasmuch II bad been
rejected BY Central America Then, when showed that
the rejection oi that treaty procured by bis
agent In obedience TO hs instructions he denied the
istence OF the instructions When produced the in
suctens, and showed that the agent acted in obedience
10 what he believed 10 be their meaning the senator
acknowledged his opposition TO the treaty, and ustps
upon the ground that guaranteed The ndepe endtnce OF
Nicaragua When showed that he could not have OBJ
leeted 10 II that ground ior the that very
nne he proposed guarantee in conneXion with Great
britain, OF the iadepsnteDce OF Nicaragua he abaduns
lha posion, and is driven TO the extremity oi seeking
refuge under what he chooses consider obnoxious
,, when showed that bis objections 10 The details
,i,o NO, avail HIN, because II tor with
,hs he ueay according TO The usages Of the Senate,
be .nen Comes TO The point that il was beaf to have
~ ~ " pSiitge than exclusive one That brings
"a - :, ra's 1 question. Why could we not have
,o,..n 49,. y he was tight in his preference for Eu
coun,,x over an exclusive privilege to his
ma conduel, instead Of gasIing ,ha ~, - 49, 60 ~
requiring me 10 prove facts which ,,ah h, IL i 49, hn
,,.a. - = ,en M nave been proven by hrs own wrtt,en
teshmony' 10 opposition TO his own dsny,al -"
IN ms last speech The senator ebose - ,,..oro !;
p W - tne advocate oi a canal to be mad.
lhro"gn central America, with funds from ~ ,a. ~ 49,.
OF the Unted States. need not remind r. wy ueasuy
he had no authority, from ANYTHING baye ~, u' tus