Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1859-02-24

drop Of blood. | would rather see somebody
who would lie willing to shed the first drop
Laughter. If We get into this war We
must 90 through with it at all hazards, at
every expense, and at every loss. Our COM
mcrce, our progress, everything would be
loss and ruin to us. We with our insufh-
! cient navy would be utterly unable to cope
with these two Powers. They do not seem
! inclined to fight us: they do not want to
fight us; they are willing to share fairly
with us, as | suppose the talk about fight
ing Just means this, and no more; men know
that there is in this country a deep-rooted
popular sentiment of dislike, an inveterate
feeling of hatred. towards England; mean
with the lower orders. 1t comes down ira
ditionally from our revolutionary war. 1t
was revived BY the last war we had with her.
1t is a safe thing in any ignorant crowd to
curse England, and you will not find any
body or any party who does not back you.
| suppose it is a popular theme for declama-
ton: but | think it is time we had quit IT.
| believe that is the prevailing dominant
feeling with the ignorant portion of our pop
ulation. Whether it is just or MUST will
not pretend to say but it is an element IN
.
their ignoring the rights Of Mexican or Il
Spaniard 1t is feeling they have. They
hate red-coat and MIR. Dallas and Lord
Napier may have as many suppers and
feasts as you please: they may talk about
the same language, and reading the same
Milton and the same Shakespeare and about
a common blood and fraternity and all
that. Very well that is just rs nice as
two ladies who hate each other like the
Devil, gossippmg very pleasantly over tea
table Laug liter.
THE PRESIDENT AND PLATFORM.
Mr.. President have spoken nearly to the
extent of my strength and power to-day
THE honorable gentleman, from physical
debility, had been compelled to be seated
while he spoke. | will not ask for contln-
uance to any other day, because | know that
the time of the Senate is precious. | CAN
ONLY say in relation to this whole project,
that it will reagitate the country with the
slavery question; that it is, think. contrary
to the spirit of our institutions to put money
in the Presidents pocket, | suppose TO be
sent to Madrid, for Mr. Preston to use in an
emergency. think it would be improper,
unjust, and ungenerous to our successors,
who are to ratify the treaty, to take this adj
vantage of them. | think it is an unfair
way of negotiation. think it would injure
Louisiana above all the States in the Union.
| think that at this time we ought to
compact and bind together and build up
and strengthen what we have. We are
Young. Let the gristlc grow into the bone;
let us get our muscles developed. Let us
feel strong before we enter into such con-
test: let us cultivate the arts of peace, for
peace hath its victories. no less renowned
than war" That would be my policy, and
hope it will be the policy enforced upon
the President by Congress. l am going to
look for some sensible man for the next
Prcsidsncy-a sound man. would rather
he had no platform; do not want to run
him in blinds | confess to you that. in my
opinion. my colleague (Mr. Crittendenl
would. Of all men on the face Of the earth.
suit me the best. If you will give him a
chance, / will risk him upon my personal
confidence, without LAYING down creed of
faith Tor him to O. by. do not want to stand
Il man upon platform, or run him in blinds.
Besides. these platforms are all nonsense.
I Let me say to my friend. the Senator from
New York. if he should ever get to be Pres
ident, want him to recollect that this plat
form business is all humbug; and when he
gets in power to kick down the ladder by
which he got there. The two OF three last
platform Presidents we have had. when they
got on the car of the State and safely seated
all around every where. YOU could see, "do
not stand on the platform when the cars are
in notion" Laughter. That is the way
they manage it, There is always some emer-
gency. or something to justify departure
! from it. Well, sir. | shall be forgiven. have
been to four or five conventions myself. on
account of Mr. Clay, chiefly. and once be-
lieve, on account Of my colleague, to keep
him out of scrape of some sort. | know q
good deal about them. In the time | was in
politics, and we were dominant, | always
! knew long time before the convention came
on who would be Governor. 1t used to be
said that you never could know who was
Governor until the election was over; but it
was all fixed up; all done in advance. wish
the country to get on prosperously and peace
fully and gloriously, without any slavery az
itation. | want man of sound heart and
sound head, who will administer the govern
ment with that view. can say for myself,
As was said by the immortal Webster, that !
trust it will be one and undiyisible, now and
forever; and that the God who Oyerrules US
now, as heretofore, and as hope for ages to
come, will so shape our ends that all will re-
suit in good.