Kanawha Valley star. [volume] (Charleston, Va. [W. Va.]) 1856-1861, 1859-02-01
SPEECH OF
HON. ALBERT a. JENKrNs
a3ITlEF " VIHG4NIA,f 8ss~. &
ON FOREIGN RELATIONS,
Delivered in the House Of Representa-.
f tiycs, January I2, 1855. 81

Delivered in the House Of Representa-
It'll hyes, january ~, 1850.
IA fk iii 3s59 e i'll jS4 8sSt yV35Fs b.
n The House being iin Committee Of thu
FIJI as Whole on the state of the Union s.
Ill III Mr. JENKINS said I'M.
Mr.. Chairman !; had hoped, sfter ,ths
recess which both Houses have takendu
ingths holy days, and iii consideration 81
the short intervening period from this
date % the adjournment Of Congress, thai
debate would be confined to subjects al.
fecting the realintefests Of thu Republic Il
home, and herreputstion abroad. Econ.
fesas sir. that 4 have been disappointed ia
this respect BY the speech of The gentle-
man from Maine. MI, WAsHBuRS, i Who
was last upon the floor. 1t was, forsthe
most part, the same old thing of slavery
\ and anti slavery !; Lecompton and anti Le-
compton. ] can see 20 excuse for. the
CONSTANT harangues upon this topic to the
utter neglect Of the vital interests Of the
Goafedsraey, both domestic and foreign.
Bus Viii, 50 it is.-trIfst he tariff is Is b.
raised these gentlemeno Of the Republican
party think the only way to enlighten
! themselves and the country. preparatory
10. % doing. is BY reading long ESSAYS
against the institutions Of their brethren
b of the South. IL matters affecting our
4 foreign interests are To be acted On, they
seem " think the only Legitimate manner
/ of approaching the subject lis through a
n speech denouncing the slave oligarchy.s'
h Like Pr. Sangrade, whoFpersisted 10 his
+ specific Of bleeding and warm water, =
Il for all ailments. however different, So our
political doctors Of the Republican party
y dose Ius with antilslayery speeches for all
| tbs Iills that affiict the, body polite. Al
remarkable point BIZ similitade in the two
cases u the pertinacity which each has
II displayed'in adhesing 70 their practice. e
III Would lit be hazarding too much, sir, to
u surmise that it fofFthe same reason
in each case The former, YOU recol.
lect, mot only made himself great and "a
NOUS byit but also found his bread, and
butter in il, " which, says the historian,
/" was Of much more Importance IL him
than the health ofhis patients. !, think,
Sir. il would not be uneharitable to CON
clude that siInilar considerations have
their weight with our anti-slavery agita-
torssh shall not consume the time which
j have allotted myself for the discussion
1 pf other topics. BY any further notice ol
. the speech of The gentleman from Maine,
II dMr. WAsHBuRa: | merely want the
Country 10 know, in case We adjourn
\ leaving any matters Of necessary lsgisla-
\ tion unattended to- whore the blame
" rests
h III And now, sir, IfavertI with pleasure TO
/ The subject of our foreign relations, upon
which my distinguished friend from Mis-
souri, Mr. ANDEksoN was 50 felioitous
lin His remarks On yesterday. That the
/ foreign policy of i country like ours
should constantly attract the stteution Of
\ its citizsns, is necessarily consequentups
on the character Gifts free Institutions.
u Commencing with the origin Of our Gov
eminent, and coming down 70 the present
time. mol other questions have mere aften
excited i deep interest in the public mind
more frequently drawn the liHesof de-
!. narkation between political parties, or
| he'd 1 more direct and permanent effect
upon the growth and prosperity of the
county than those appertaining 10 our
foreign relations. In subordination TO
this idea, the Democracy of the Union,
when assembled in their last presidential
conyentiSn. promulgated, among others,
the following propositions
u ResotreI, That there are questions CON
nected with the foreign pole of tins country
interior to no domestic question whatever.-++
TheItiu1e has come for tile people or the United
States Hte declare themselves in favor of free
9seasand progressive free trade throughoutthe
world, and, BY solemn manifestations, to place
Etheit moral influence st the side di their sue
;cessfnlI example. I f
H seq p. 4 X ssoIsed. That our geographical and
u political position-svith reference n the other
States otfths continent no less hanthe IN
terests Of our commerce and the deye lonlnent
oF OR growing power. require that We shol ID
noltl "a sacred the principles involved iii the
Monroe doctrine their bearfAg and import
admit of no misconstructipn they should be
Applied with nnbending rgidity. III
.t3. Resotred,e That the great highway,
which nature, as weli as the assent Of the
1Staaes most Immediately interested in its
aS1aintenance, has markedoRt TOT asfree COM
nlfnlcation between The Atlantic aud the Pa
etcifis oceans. constftrtes1oRe of the most I'M
pbrtant achievements realized by the spirit OF
7n3dern times and the unconquerabIe energy
fofsour people. That result shouid pc secured
~ the timely and efficient exertlon the con.
ttotEwlrich We have the right 70 claim over ~ ;
and no power on .eaft1should be suffered "
4 impede bt clog its progress, BY any interIsr-
ence with the relations ii may suit our pollcy
4 10 establish between our Government and the
Governments Of the States within whose Do
MON it lies. We can, under no circnin-
sta noes surrender our pfepouderance in the
adjustment. OF all questions arising out Of ~
Yet, Notwithstanding this, we have
seen the time of the last session Of Con Z
gress frittered away in , useless contfS-
versy, during the pendency Of which each
party, by his solemn and recorded vote,
conceded, solar as practical results were
coucerned much for which the other
coutendsd controversy which, from
indications thrown out during the present
session, some Of the combatauts propose
III renew :lwhile questionsof foreign pol.
icF Of immediate and pressing interest,"
dsmand loar attention while. sif, the
vsry state 81 things contemplated inIthose
resolutions exist You. sir, and this
House will bear me witness that TIVE cor
sumed the whole Of yesterday Ii discuss.
ind dead issues IN relation to Central
Aiherica, while living issues, springing
on4 ef our interests IN that quarter, aFs