The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1853-02-11
CONGRESSIONAL.
SPEECH OF HON j. CLEMENS,

or ALABAMA
Delivered in the Senate February y 1853 on the Joint
resolution declafaofy oil the views Of the United States
respecting colonization the North American
inea, by European powers, and respecting the Island
OF Cuba.
Mr.. CLEMENS said a.# .a
Mr.; PREs,DKsr When the senator from Virginia
Mr.. MAsok Introduced has resolution IN relation 10 The
tnpaTtie convention proposed by England and France
was confined 10 bed OF sickness bat gathered from
the reported debates that be had consulted with no one
but the senator from Michigan Mr. CAss and the Sec
retsIy OF State. Now, cir, do not deny The ndivd-
ua right oi those senator's under ordinary
10 exclude whom they please IRON Their consultations
but this is not ordinary occasioD nor are they odi
nary men, One Mr MAsoNl is chairman OF the Com
mllee on Foreign Relations. the other Mr. CAss has
had bestowed upon him The title Of Pater Ssnatus
Whatever they do commits the party 10 which they
attached, and think Il but tar that those OF us who
expected TO be bound by their action should have had
notice in advance OF what that action TO be-
Think moreover, thai the wishes OF The President elect
should have been ascerained--lhat prominent members
OF his party should have hesilaied before placing
him in position so embarrassing as that in which he
now finds himself Ii II should turn out, as sincerely
hope may, that he does not accord with many OF tine
opinions which have been advanced upon this foor he
placed in the very outset OF his direct oppos
ton TO leading meinbers OF his party. If. on ibs other
hand. be shossa concur with them Il would have been
more respectful TO lei HIM take the first steps, and
have snaiched, with such impatient hands, the wreath
good or bad) which his were already extended to grasp
On this and on other accounts the resolution OF the
senator from Virginia seemed to me impoc, and those
of the senator from Michigan which are based upon it.
equally indefensible.
Mr. President, there are periods in the history of
tons, OF individuals, when false move must be
followed by years OF sueriDg when the neglect or i'm
proper use OF the right moment or the right occasion IN
fuses poison into the body polite no remedy can reach
We approaching such period, II 1t is not already
upon U.S. From the line OF conduct now 10 be adopted
much that good, much that is evil will surely
sue To render ali have to Say perfectly ineligible,
twill be necessary TO enter upon bret review OF the
past
Heretofore the advice of Washington has been respect
ed. and have succeeded in steering clear of the tan
ged web OF European politics. Besides, the growth of
the American Union has been rapid DEFY the cal
culalons OF European statesmanshp The merchant
when he found rival taking away his most profit
able traffic. the MANUFACTURED, year by year the de-
mand for his productions diminished, the fisherman
when he saw Yankee sails invading the hauns of the
great monsters OF the deep, all these understood that
power had sprung into existence, and fe that they
engaged in rivalry in which European energy ard
European intelligence were destined to be oveshadowed
But kings and cabinet ministers could comprehend
that few scattered colonies, short time since fee
BILE dependency on the Crown OF Britain, had indeed
become powerful nation. The monarch who looked
back upon line OF hundred siIcs could comprehend
stable form OF government save that which was en-
deaed 10 him alike by interest and by educational preu-
dice. IT. In his imperial dreams, the vision of America
ever rose before his eyes, was only people whose
unbridled passions would drive them into anarchy
whose turbulence and dssensons would furnish another
reason 10 the world for committing all government 10
s;eplered hands
la the time, the neglected and despsed republic
moving steadily and rapidly along the road to wealth,
opower and to honor; but Its strength unmarked
and its vigor unknown abroad. The war with Mexico
followed. little handful of citizen soldiers ovenun
nation OF seven mlons of inhabitants, and dictated the
terms OF peace from her national capital Here was
lesson which even kngly tuness could not msunder-
stand ministerial serviliiy misnlerpei Suddenly
the whole tone OF the public journals of Europe
changed Pnor to that time they had derided our pro-
gress and laughed al the feebeness OF military force
IL was assumed 10 be impossible Tor government like
ours to carry OF foreign conquest Foolish edit.
writing al the dicaiion OF still foolish masters
argued themselves and their readers into the conviction
that the first summons OF the drum TO gressve
would be the signal OF ruin and destruction the Union
That summons came; powerful nation vanq quish-
ed and so little were the energies OF people taxed at
home II would scarcely have been known that
going for the reports OF battles and victories
which foated upon every gale from the south.
Thus vanished one deluson. and with it the old sys.
TEN OF political tactics II no longer weakness,
but strength. which became the subject of comment
The aggressive spirit and the graspng ambition of Amer
ca were portrayed in the darkest coors and Europe
called upon TO intepose check the territorial ag
grandzement OF the great republic. Wrong in their
apathy they reused from only to involve them.
selves shl more deeply IN error by their action From
and now, have been informed by the President,
France and England have made formal proposition to
the United States that the three powers should unite n
assuring TO the Crown OF Spain undsubed possession Of
the island OF Cuba through all coming time
Now, Mr. President, am willing TO go with the
tor from Michigan, and to say that this proposition
sometDing am willing 10 say That II did not what
II nported on It's face that IL known IL must be re.
eced and the idle form OF making the offer would have
besn dispensed with but for nleror objects Let be
conceded that IL WAS intended to inmidale the United
Staies, 10 give us notice that France and England were
watching Cuba and determined TO resist any efforts
upon our part to acquire its possession But SIR while
concedlng all thus do not agree with that senator as
10 The mode In which II is TO be met | do not think
II 10 the part of wisdom, sound policy, 10 permit
ourselves 10 be hurried into inemperale action because
France and England have made foolish parade OF
their future purposes To redeem threat from con-
tempt il 10 necessary that the party making it should
possess the power OF carrying II into effect As long
az EnglIsh statesmen keep their senses, thousand
C0bas could net induce them declare against the
United States. Withhold the exports of cotton for
year, and her starving millions will be in open
beion. We have heard not long since, in a time
OF profosnd peace, of banners borne by her peasany
with the fearful inscription, "biood bread" Who
doubts that cry would be reawakened, and who doubts
that blood would furnish the FIRST the second and The
third OF the banquet TO which she would be in
yited al home Add TO this the certainty OF seeing
sunlight OF Canada, and thousand American vessels
cntng up her commerce on every sea- and you have an
amount OF danger and suffering nation will willingly
brave. A member o this body not long ago declared
that England had gwen boaa and security 10 keep the
peace towards the United Salcs Yes sir and that Sc
cuny is her LIES blood, her very exsience not merely
her provinces and dependencies though fancy che would
consder il poor exchange to secure Cuba Spain, and
lose Canada herself; but she has something more at
stake and regard any threats from that quarter The