The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1859-01-18
WHERE ARE THE OPPOSITION f-HAULnG OFF

opened brisk fire on our whole northern line, and
threatened the democracy with absolute extermina'
ton few deserfers deceived them with reports
of dismay and disorgahization in our ranks, and
promised them an early capitulation. We had pro
posed in order to get rid ola troublesome Territory
to confer upon ID sovereign powers--to make il q
State equal in political rank and rights TO the State
of New York. The illogical and absurd answer to
this liberal proposition was that to make the peo-
pie Of Kansas free and independent would be act
of oppression. They had applied, on two or three
occasions for admission into the Union and had thus
signiied their wish TO take on tho forms Of a soy
ereign State, but they did not like the constitution
under which they were to be received They were
told that they might alter or abolish it, and ordain
new one, without hindrance restraint-that the
great controlling fact of the whole matter to be
found in the actual achievement of their indepeud
ence-that the latter question once determined in
their favor all the rest was in their hands. In
other words it concusively argued that if they
were suffering under grievances in order to correct
the evils they complained of, the power to apply
remedies should be placed in their own hands. The
proposition to admit them into the Union was moth
power. If they were imprisoned the doors Of the
Jail were thus to be thrown upon. This the repub
licans, purely for political effect and, as subsequent
observation has proven, with marked discredit to
their cause, denounced as a great wrongan act Of
oppression, fraud, and violation of popular
rights
We next come to the rebellion in Utah. II was
formal and complete. 1t proposed the dsmember-
ment of the repubc--to lop off large portion of
its territory and that portion, too, which commands
our great interior highways TO the Pacific, We DO
not sit down to urge that the United States ought to
put down rebelon--to insist that they should al
WAYS enforce tho laws their own territory.
That is not the question, There was no dispute
about what should be done but how could it be
done most effectively economically, and SO as best
to vindicate the national integrity and honor.
powerful military expedition was fitted ont by the
executive government, which had to await the tardy
action Of Congress for appropriations to sustain it
it was despatched to Utah, supplied with provisions
transported more than thousand miles overland,
nearly one.quarter of which were destroyed by the
Mormon enemy But the force so effective and
overwhelming that the rebels at once grounded
their arms. The purposes of the Mormon people
despatched a large body of we-mounted troops to
harass our army in Its march the plains and If
possible, to destroy their provision trains so as to
starve them into subsection. We need only to refer
to the result-the restoration of order in Utah and
the full recognition of federal authority over that
rebel country
During the past year--we speak generally--the
War Department has engaged and conquered four Of
the principal Indian tribes. The range aud efficient
operations of the Army have been greater than ever
before known in our domestic annals, and its
achievements during the period referred to far
transcend those Of any other corresponding time in
its history. Aud be It remembered that this great
work has been performed, very much Of it suddenly
precipitated upon the War Department, without in
voving that branch of the service in any deficiency
The long-sanding and perplexng subject OF vista
ton and search by Great Britain of American mer-
chant SHIPS which for than half a century had
been maintained by tie latter government has been
settled during the past year by the absolute and
conditional abandonment of the alleged right upon
which it was based thus enforcing upon the high
seas the great principle Of maritime equality and
national independence.
The authorities of the United States had been
grossly insuised and their citizens injured by the
ton of the government of Paraguay A strong naval
force was promptly aided to that already on the
Brazil station, and the whole commanded to ascend
the river to Paraguay, and to demand Of and enforce
from President Lopez adequate satisfaction and in
demnity.
Having thus by unparalleled energy, activity and
economy, achieved the settlement of impending do
mestic difficulties, and adjusted chronic but irri-
Eating controversy with Great Britain the subject
of search and visitation, the administration Of Mr..
buchanan next TUNED its attention to foreign affairs
and announced boldly its programme in the last an
nual message to Congress The recommendations Of
that message characterized by great fpnlSness,
olearness, Justice AID propriety They bear Che
impress Of resolution and thorough comprehension
of the objects sought to be accomplished There is
not complaint in tire message about foreign
State which is not well founded. There is not a
remedy suggested which careful examination will
not sustain timely, appropriate, and fair. The
President proposed to purchase Cuba; and there are
silly men and presses by hundreds who denounce
him 60, saying whathe did on this subject coveting
their neigEbors property. There is in this
kind of pre- ar, apged Remuneration. No honest man
can object to such proposition. II Spain holds