The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1853-02-03
SPEECH OF HON JOHN P. HALE.

in the benefcence of their operations.
les.
SPEECH OF HON JOHN P HALE.
IN SENATE JANUARY IS.
Mr. Hale. Mr.. President, ~ [ introduce,
an amendment 10 this resolution, intended a
some fitting time, if it should be the pleasure O
| the Senate TO hear me, to address myself some
what at length to that amendment
Mr.. CAss Will the honorable Senator allo,
me to read passage from Mr. Rushs Resi-
dence ut the Court of London" to which
have alluded
Mr.. HALE have but little to say, and
shall soon be through.
Mr.. CAss will wait till you have finished
Mr.. HALE. ! would have waited until tina
fitting time had come, if direct allusion ha,
not been made to SO humble an individual O
myself both by the honorable Senator from
Michigan, and the honorable Senator from
South Carolina.
On tho 9th Of March, 1870, several citizen
! of Boston were shot down in State street by tn,
British soldiery. OF course, it sent thrill o.
horror end indignation throughout the entire
community, and the fact was announced to q
certain patriotic, warm FLOODED, and impulsiye
Did gentleman-indignation stirred his heart
and mantled his countenance, and the emphatic
expression which he uttered deserves to be re.
membered, and TO be painted in letters Of light
upon the walls of the Senate Chamber, that we
may remember it; because it seems to be les.
son that is 80 well practiced upon here Said
the old man These soldiers must be talked
to-" That was what he said That WAS the
hni Of bot tha ba,v r., 81; oh Ia
was worked up when American citizens were
slaughtered by British troops in the streets OF
Boston. He said these British soldiers must be
talked to. Well, sir, they were talked to but
it did not amount to anything think this is
lastingly taking. Sir, talking would do some
good if, when the occasion indicated by the
talking arrives we would 1.-Two up to our words
| have word or two to say upon this
Both the honorable Senator from Michigan
and the honorable Senator from South Carolina
alluded to remark which made the other
day that we should back out. Sir, trust I
have AZ high an appreciation of American pa
tr0tism Of American bravery and of Ameri-
can ability to defend her rights against Great
Britain OF against the world, us any man. Ii
was not in reference to any such contingency
that spoke and whoever will read the debates
which were entered into in the Senate upon the
OCCASION when made the remark will Zee that
it was not. Ii was in reference exactly to what
the Senator from South Carolina denominated
these long advertisements" And believe il
is universally found to be the case. that the
man who deals most in them, deals the leas.
in action. But, sir, have not doubt, and
never had, that on any question that affects the
interest and honor of the country, whore
American pride, and American feeling and
American patriotism are touched, this country
might bid proud defiance to the world and
that without the PREDATORY admonition to the
world of any resolutions about what we would
do
regret that SO distinguished Parliament
aran ~ the honorable Senator from Michigan
should have made the long and able speech
which he has made and to which listened
with 70 much pleasure, without coming to the
real question pending before the Senate. That
question, ~ announced by the Chair, under
stood to be upon an amendment which | had
the honor to propose. That amendment was
not that we should tell Spain that she should
not sell Cuba. Why, sir, Spain has told us
that she will not sell it, and what good will it
do for us TO say that she shall not Spain saws
she will not, and she has given the best evi.
dence in the world that she is sincere in the
determination that she will not sell il, because
she has refused a pretty liberal price which we
offered her for it and think in that she has
made her act vindieate her words She saws
she will not sell il. We offered her 500, 900 900
for 1t she says she will not take it. And now
you propose to tortify your position, by an
nouncing to the world that she shall not sell it
to anybody else, The honorable Senator thinks
that we ought to repeat these declarations, be-
cause the peculiar circumstances OF Cuba are
such that it commands the Gulf of Mexico and
the outlet of the Mississippi river that it is in
u commanding position to obstruct our COM
merce and navigation which goes into the Gulf
of Mexico, and seeks the mouth of the Missis-
sppi river. Well, sir, suppose that this ooun-
try is not 40 low, that its patriotism is not Of
that doubtful character, nor its bravery of that
spurious kind, that will take a position before
II weak nation which it will not assume before
a strong one. use the words weak" and
strong" comparatively, because look upon
Great Britain as much stronger nation than
Spain. ask if the local position of Canada,
in any aspect in which you may view it,
whether in relation to the interests Of peace or
war, is not thousand fold of more consequ ence
than Cuba,
During the exciting political canvass OF
.lS4S-l am speaking historically now--the
candidate of the groat Democratic party Of the
nation, which has now swept the country, did
not go to bod single night when he was not
within the reach Of British shells which might
have been fired into his dwelling from the Brit.
ish possessions across the river
Mr. CAss slept very comfortably, though
MIR HALE%Yes, sir; he slept very comfort.
ably; and suppose there were two consolins
reflections which led him to do No. One was
that he was sale in all contingencies
Mr. CAs OF the election and from the
other
Mr.. HALE. Yea sir, have no doubt Safe
from an election, and from the British bomb
With these convictions, do not wonder that
no slept well
Canada, or the British possessions in North
America, extend from the Atlantic to the Pa
ctic ocean. They border on our inland lakes
aud the commerce that finds its way 10 the At
lantc ocean over those lakes and through the
New York canals taking the whole OF it.
think would be found equal ut least 10 half Of
our foreign commerce
MIR. SEWARD and other Senators. More than
all OF it
Mr. Hale Tho commerce Of these lakes
the internal commerce that is carried on them
and through the canals side by side with Grea
Britain, and liable TO interruption, liable to BE-
destroyed at any moment exceeds ! am told
by several Senators around mo, 10 whose supe
rior wisdom | always bow with great defer