The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-10-03

over Clay in 1914" He realized, however,
that the immediate cause Of Clay's defeat, the
loss Of the State OF New York, was chiohy duo
to the e~xertions OF the so-called Liberty party,
the members Of which thus became, In MS judE-
ment, the indirect promoters OF the annexation
Of Texas anu the Mexican war. In n loot note
the compiler Of this memoir reminds us that j.
Q. Adams said in his diary. touching the same
subject: "Tho oloctioneering of the Liberty
party from Birney, their head. down. Is moro
knavish than that of either Of the Others"
On Feb. Q, 1s45. Mr.. Winthrop made a sec
ond speech on tho Oregon bill in which, after
pointing out that the position taken by
the Democratic party would lead inevita-
bly, to war with England, he proceeded as
follows: We quote the words the moro
willingly because they constitute the most
effective statement Of n view In which we do
not ourselves concur. II intend no direspect
to any gentleman who hears me; but, as 1 have
listened to tho heroic strains which have re-
sounded through this hall for some d Us past. in
reference to tho facility with which We could
muster our fleets in the Pacific, and march our
armies over the Rocky Mountains. and whip
Great Britain into q willingness to abandon her
pretcnsions, / have wished that some Philip
FaulconbridRe were here to reply, as he does in
Shakespeare's King john to some swaggerinR
citizen Of Anglers:
Heres q large mouth indeed,
That spits forth death and mountains rocks. and seas,
Talks as ~familiarly OF roaring lions.
As maids of thirteen do OF puppy.dogs.
Hespeaks plain cannon. IRE. and smoke. and bouncel'
And against whom are all these easconading
bravados indulgedi What nation has been
thus bethumpt and bastinadoed with brave
wordsi ! have no compliments to bestow on
Great Britain. and Am not here as her apologist
or defender. But this. at least, l can say with
out fear of imputation or impugnment, that, OF
all the nations In the world, she is that nation
which is able to do us tho most good In peace
and the most harm in war. She 10 that nation
with whom the best interests Of our country
imperatively demand of us to 60 along har-
moniously so long as We can do so with I'M
questioned right and honor. She is that nation
q belligerent conflict with whom would put back
the cause Of human civilization and i'm
p%rovement moro than 1t has advanced in
. half century past, or would recover
in q half century to come. Peace be-
tween Great Britain and the United States 10
not a mere interest of the two countries. 1t is
an interest of tho world, Of civilization, OF hui
mainly. and q fearful reckoning will be theirs
who shall wantonly disturb it" Replying in
the course of tho Same speech to the charge
that Great Britain had manifested a spirit Of
impatient and ~insatiate self.aggrandizement on
Inc Nortn American continent, MT. winthrop
asks: "How does the record stand as already
made upi II Great Britain has been thinking
of Texas. We have acquired Louisiana; IL Great
Britain has been looking after Cuba, we have
established ourselves in Florida; IL Great
Britain las set her heart on California, we have
put our hand on Texas. Reproach Great
Britain. II you please. with the policy she has
pursued in extending her dominions elsewhere.
Reprobate. il you please. her course of agrees
sion upon the East Indian tribes. and do not for.
get to include your own Indian policy in the
same continuation. But lot US hear no more Of
her encroaching spirit in this quarter. 1t is
upon ourselves and not upon her that such a
spirit may be moro fairly charged. say to the
gentleman from Illinois, the peculiar champion
of annexing Texas and occupying the whole Of
Oregon. mutdto nomine, do te Jdbuld ndrrdtur."
Finding that Indian slavery then existed in
Oregon. as shown by public documents. and that
there was nothing in the bill 10 prevent tho
Equalization Of domestic slavery there. Mr..
| Winthrop moved that there shall be neither
slavery nor involuntary servitude in this Terri
tory, except for crime, whereof the party shall
| have been duly convicted" This amendment
was carried by . vote of 131 to SO. and differed
only from the famous proviso subsequently
brought forward by David wilmot, in that it
applied to territory already belonging to the
United States. and not to any that might be
acquired thereafter. An extract reproduced by
the biographer from a sketch printed at this
time in q Pennsylvania newspaper gives some
idea OF tho reputation which Mr.. Winthrop
had now gained away from home: Robert
G. Winthrop is. by common consent.
one Of tho ablest mon in tho House.
and. in q Wing Congress. would not i'm
probably DO Speaker. Candid, honorable, and
hieh-minded. he is above the tricks of intrigue;
,nd nvarv pro1raaoiya atap ~ hia nnhlir RE haa
been marked by increased evidences of intel.
lectual power. As q speaker he 10 clear. con
else. and, occasionally, very eloquent. He speaks
but rarely. but Is always listened to with atten'
ton. He has an exceptionally fine voice. an
impassioned manner. and a warm and brilliant
Imagination. which frequently lights up his
speeches with CLEANS Of bold and brilliant
fancy. He Is tall in stature. with the face of a
scholar and serious thinker. With those who
know him we'll. on both sides of the House, he IL
q great ~favorite. but the criticism has been made
that he is a little too refined and digni6ed fol
some of his surroundings. A man Of roughel
temperament, even II less intellectual. is otter
better suited for a party captain"
We have seen that Mr.. Winthrop was Cd
posed to the annexation of Texas; in this posi-
ton no was sustained by the preponderant
opinion of Massachusetts. Nevertheless. wheI
war with Mexico resulted from tho annexation
and tho little army Of Gen. Taylor
was in great danger, he voted for
bill authorizing tho employment Of volun
teers. This vote, which seemed to give
qualified assent to war with Mexico. createt
q great outcry in the Old Bay State. We ar,
told that Mr.. Winthrop himself regarded thu
question as one on which 1t was impossible u
give an altogether satisfactory vote. and con
corning which conscientious men might wei
arrive at opposite opinions. II have" said b.
at the time, nothing but respect TO
tho motives, and sympathy for the gen
eral views of those Of my colleague
There were ive Of theml who differed witt
mo on this OCCASION" SOME of bis critics di,
not show equal respect for his motives. and tn
incident is worth recalling. because 1t involve,
Mr.. Winthrop in a quarrel with Charles Sum
ner. which was destined to have far-reachinI
consequences. Only a few weeks before tn
passage OF the war bill, Mr.. Winthrop had re
ceived a friendly letter from Mr.. Sumner. H
was. therefore. unprepared for the virulent ton
Of certain anonymous newspaper attacks. and
copceiyinR that both his words and acts ha,