The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1853-03-31
MR.. DOUGLAS AND MR. BUTLER

Inc almost DEAD calm OF the extra sass,o
in the Senate was enlivened by a little no..
sage at arms between Senators Douolos al
Butler, on the 10th instant. The rosolr,;o-
submitted by Mr.. Clayton, calling upon The
President for certain papers connected Will
the Clayton and Bulwer treaty, were urdo,
consideration. Mr.. Douglas made a speech !,
reply to that of Mr.. Clayton, in the course os
which he remarked:
ale Mr.. Clayton had arraigned him e.,
having attempted TO arouse unkind feelnsa
between the United States and England Ia
denied that this was just. He had never At
tempted to foster jealousies and unkindness
between the two countries. He had only Al.
tempted to plant our relations on friendlv
terms by speaking the truth as we and thew
understand and know 1t TO exist. The remark
he made about friendly relations was drawn
out by the sentiment that England is known
to be friendly to us. He, in reply said that
he did not believe her friendly relations con.
stituted a claim to our gratitude. He had said
frankly, he did not think England loves Us
and that it was useless to pretend that we love
her. The history and the daily actions of the
two countries prove this England is spending
along our coasts, including barren rocks and
waste places Why keep them there Does
she make money out of them? Ii is known
that they are sources of unbounded expend.
ture. Do they extend commerce? Not at all
She keeps her guns to point at America. If
she is 80 friendly to us, and thus exhibits her
love, we should reciprocate, and point our guns
at her. We feel that these attempts to fetter
and surround us are evidences of hostility.
which it is our duty to see, and our ability to
resist The way that friendly relations are to
be maintained, is to let her understand our pol.
ICY and not be 80 pusillanimous as to submit
to her aggressions. Let her understand what
we say. and that we will carry out what
we profess and she will be careful not to az.
gress II is a want OF candor and frankness
that creates unfriendly relations. Ours is an
honorable course; hers is Liberal, unkind, and
unjust, and we ought to tell her so. He did
not desire to annex any more territory but he
frankly avowed we will see the day when we
will be compelled to do So We cannot help,
nor can treaties prevent it,"
Mr.. Butler dissented from the opinion Of Mr.
Douglas, that it was the duty of the President
TO have sent down to the Senate the "Hiso
treaty"
"The President, in his Judgment, dared not
send that treaty to the Senate, because there
were in it provisions repugnant to the Consti-
tuition. The President ought to perfect the
treaty before he sends it here. IL should be
communicated as an entirety, and to ask the
Senate to mould it would change the whole
policy of this Government. When he was
told that the United States a civilized confed-
eracy of republics, is not to conduct its inter
course with the world by treaties, and is not to
be restrained by them, and is to know no law
but that of selfinterest, he had to say we may
grow fast, but not live long Nations must
meet with penalties for transgressions, as indi-
viduals and if the principle shall be estab-
lished that might makes right, and that trea-
ties oan bee violated with impunity, then the
historian will write one Of the elements of our
decay Are we to fulfil our destiny without
law and without restraint? Cannot treaties,
constitutions and laws restrain us from run
ming with an acceleratiOn which must result
in ruin? He wanted the bride of restraint
to control, and not the spurs to drive us on.
We must rely on treaties. When the time ar
rves for modfcst% III .iH IN i must Ts be h
fable cause for which it is for every nation to
Judge But there is higher tribunal than
ours.
"He heard, with SURPRISE the Senator speak
of England as a mere nation which existed in
the past When we despise England, we must
despise the soil of the tree from the fruits OF
which We have been fed We must despse
Hampden, Sidney, Chatham, Shakespeare, and
Burke. He did not say that he had special
love for any nation than his own. There is
none on God Almighty's earth that no loved
as much. But he loved England, because she
was his mother, and hadpOured her tributary
and refreshing streams out upon America. The
very common law itself made US We have
English law and literature, and tell me that |
must despise her! This debate was calculated
to SOW the seeds of bitterness and delicacy 10
our relations.
Mr.. Douglas wished to state that President
Polk sent treaty to theSenate-the Mexican
treaty-which he said contained obnoxious
provisions. The Senator and they who acted
with him modo6ed it and ratified it, and it be-
came law.
"Mr. Butler thought the treaty was sent
down as an entirety, the President saying that
| Trist had no authority for making it.
"Mr. Douglas. The President said that
| certain provisions must be stricken out before
it could be sanctioned by him. He wished to
state what his position was: We should never
make treaty which we cannot faithfully ex-
ecute. Good faith requires this. His argu-
ment was in favor of the sanctity Of treaties,
and not in favor of violating them. The Sen
ator referred to remarks Of his, and said that
we ought to love England with respect, be-
cause she is our mother 1t would be hard to
tell who our mother was Laughterl we
have great many mothers We have Eng
lish, Irish, Scotch, French, Norman, Spanish,
and every kind of descent. You cannot tell
exactly who our mother was, if we 90 back 70
nations to find our mother. All we have found
valuable in England We have adopted, and re,
jected what was injurious; so of the rest Oh
the world A wise people will avail themselves
of wise principles, not regarding their origin;
He did not speak in terms of unkndness OF
England, but spoke Of her monuments. Inc
point he made was, that we should not smut
our eyes to the fact that England is pursuing
| a policy which has its origin in hostility TO
| us, and to enhance her own interests And he
had 70 remark to the Senator, that when he
heard him speaking Of England pouring in
her streams Of refreshing intelligence, he
| thought the broad streams OF abolition, trea-
son. and instructions, had been poured plenti-
| fully enough into South Carolina and other
| slaveholding States Of this Union, at least to
excuse him from endorsing the streams Of lite
nature under the name of Uncle Toms CABIN
and other such works. Applause in the gal
leries, and cries Of " Good ~ "good!"
Tho Chair called 10 order
"Mr. Douglas. They are constantly send
ing works and addresses here, lbeling our IN,
situations, and holding us up to the hate and
prejudice Of the world. While they are thus
engaged, he was the last to compliment Eng
land for her refreshing streams Of literature
Laughter and renewed applause. -,
"The Chair said that uuless order should De
preserved the galleries would be cleared
"Mr. Adams hoped the galleries would DC
/ cleared