Newspapers / Highland Messenger (Asheville, N.C.) / April 17, 1846, edition 1 / Page 2
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, SPEECH OF v ! ; MIL CALHOUN, OF SOUTH CAUOUNA'.. j Ia l!.?U.' SrScinta (. i MonJjy, ill lC.'i i:t , t!.a rrsaluthms f.-virt xV.'r Ijwtr ILu:s i.i rV.-.:i,,;i ii Qrrg 1:1 Idr l iLn: cp ! , Mr. C-i"toti:i luir- rntiiU-J to t!.J flor ro.o an J c!J-vscJ l!oi Senate very i:crrljr at Tl J r;: r. i vL-r'urlor f j r disc uj , itlon it, uhihcr notice kha'.l. La given! lb "Ore r t Hritain ihit tho omvrrjtion of j'ntioej cvt y tut n cm us and l r uhtdl terminate ett'.ac:. if r..'j year. Tu thai question 1 i ill corfine my te nks, limiting them u and U the qtiou immediately cunnlccij rJ whh it. I fcUllsay, r. Tliin in regirii to the Pile to Oregon.' (-vicg been personally connected With" pre iiu ' lie gothitiona,! -ib which 1J1.it queatiou was concerned, it will ba in by all that ili proper that I should past by tfithoui notice. I htll abstain from everv thing of npersional character, and fromerer? caicuiauru to woupu me icx...ng ui an gentleman, our, at tuo sntne mn-, ; shall ex press myscu ireciy, iujiy ana canji iiy on ai ..... . . t i vuuii vuuaiHci .it . duty to touch.. With thec few prefatory 'marks, I shall! proceed at oacc to the que; mi uijt us mi which; 1 1 snaii consider it m re quest ioi oi notice. 4";-J f i f r U !itrJll ; There 1 rm fcubt oh which we must! all bo oreclf niiJ .'t ii, ihu a great change nit la ii c a pi uqe 1 1 nco I fie commencement u ibe tcijioo in tlio imtiortisncQ of this question 1 ol it bearing j?n peact-and war.' i At that time, IliU nifujure unica. wat of tha great .t onJ in-jt wcig'u y j mpt rtn ncc, lnvo!vin n it dil the q;it?tiiii Wlirth; , pcacaj yi;H Circat Hritain hnuM or Hhonld but Continue Now h -f hat becoir'!!ofw fPMty minor fmnnrfanceand miy Lc'ecWed w Jiei way withuut'eiTtin.g : any yery dt-cUiye cCfccj oo ihoia imuirtct icresi.; So grcai; injJ deed ii t)io ,ijngp;1tliat. iho very jrcabns waicn ore urj;t in mc utccuutu h. im suprt thj recommendation tba Dojicq auall o 45;ven, naye no longer tneir oppticx lion, I ho Lr;"!n"i bt&bt tl)Q measure ana XJ scfcrUi tiriir in iho Senate which havrtVrawn mil of ii. art i-ntlrelvi altered That the Etecutivw icroriimenJaliQO Jt Iter .minateihe notice u fuuri&fd on the conyicilion thai pc'uding Juch a nticr,. there' can be ho compromise of ' ouri(nulLics on the Oregon question, must bo, I 4hfiut, adnmied on a aidea'i indcid. thu i tnL'u:?e of khc mcstace m explicit' to tha clT'Ct. ; It,? txprcssos tha l resident convictton ihia tuo compromtsq could be t-flkCted which we oojrht to! accent - It announces to us that he made ta the British commissioner nn ofler of the parallel 949 nfg.t oui tuat, tuai ouer naming oeen rrjecicaj , k .ordered that iit-thcHild be ummpdiiteW jwitbdrawa. And en thit samo conviction he recommend lo(Congress the passagej bfl this netice. with a view, to the removal tl all im pediments to tHo assertion of our right to the whole of the Oregon j territory. Assumm tnat there woulJ be no compromise, tne lircsi dent tells us that, at ihejcxpiration of ivi-tlve roonthSj atpc,rjog pa.vo arrived when ou that any compromise is expected; J?pt'i p.n thd contrary, the enture document assume the. opposite. view. ; ir., .; . J;:;.) j L . j- Yet I admit that the:!grounds on whigh j lh6 President bases this, liii convictiqp, .are de rived from the. negotiation itself,. and rpjiin'y Jrpm the fuel that his otter of a cpmprbmise 4P deg. was rejected j VI adipit.thnl pro. .ceeding up .that, foundation, .it is avfairjpfer.: .IXiC0,ttat if England shMI repev on bet part, vthe prpposiuon which, xv;hcn made on ours,! she. rejected, there wouli bo no impediment in the way to its ncxrpiatfcc; at the tiame time iho President intimates no!t he slightcdj clxpecj Ution that suclV ao 'ptTcr will be made on her pari; or tlr.tany compromise will bc.ctTL'cted. .. Such is iho view whict I havc'bccn cont strained to ake;aftef thOmotjl carcfucxami; nationwhich 1 have beed Wq to givej t the message of the Presidcht undaf I may (raw an inference from th6 opinion of thoiencmi JbcMpf the.Senaro who Vhevo in thejCDyndi .jiess f aur tiiJo , to Vhe wliwle , i rr jtory J tlwy jroncjur.in thU viv'w. -Iiiid'od. lhdrouniIs on orhich they place themselves will not admit of their suppdrling tho notittundtr .apy jbithoe assumption They g. for tiiic whole of Oregon, becnuso th?y assert tlmr.tirtitla tathol jholi tcrritpy, .ijvcn ,up toi dj g4l) min. i clear ra3 vunaucstixnvji ana hiv ioiuk it iiwttcr ttwt we ,hHUiaasscrnn;'mie by arms nbindoa apv parFor nortum of it.! Hei thap 'is most manifest that it thefr. thought th n could p ssPIy' result in a compromise ,r UUCP ?'hey ,'And this, view vthivh I tko of the mCsspj and in wlpch these grnjlwenoricu'rj, jii; as I belie?, ihe view rntertaned by the 'Mulntryj at'Jarge, Certainly it if w are to draw vur conclusions irnn me itneraiionaioi iine . lihi re-;j..n wl iho mcjssaiw had the ost . " --- t.-'- V, n "J sooner was Us langur.grt. biftd thap insurance immediately ros; nnls .our.rwjsclir rctdrn- ed from their foreign voyages; instead rtl their be!ng sen out again to seo, they wcr6ljufter cd to remain inactive at the .wharves ' : Such, too, nk-as. the. view' lakca by another poftiori of tho Senate; among .hich c on ' sider myself as inehideU-and who wcru op., -j posed to llw giving f this notice 'Hiey o-' jiesed - it on .grtnd directly tfcft.rese1 rvr if; vthpse on which these gentlemen advocjitcil 'dThose who advocated tho notice did jeo bV .vcause.4hcy,b'lievrd ; there would he lio ccm proroie, nd ropld be none. Wo! were np. n-sea u ioe. otniee, oi ciuso we uivl not ngree wim tiK ni w itai omniuo.. , W b lure jpir . Uu cont mry, thai a cuomromise might be Kun., unu eommon ground nssupieu to which bolh oat urns would ngree1.,'::''!Vemd riot . think aha . American title to tha w hold of ..Oregon lobe s perfectly clear astute inM. . puub!e. We hrM that the tide of,neit&cr 4 ii'ition to the whole country 'wis jierfect j aid - therefore, we could. not, and did nou iLlidve -. that two powerful and. enlightened' natioas .such as Great Britain and the United Stalls) fcWqItgi to. war on such a question, so lokg ,,as war could by pnsaibility honorably, and nroppflyavjojdcd, 'riiis wds ,lh view ul all wlio oppjnsfd the giving cf notice at thu ihiU. e wished to gtvoto.both parties in tlis r iMatqjvesv a breathing- time -a season for calma nd tnaiu rfi reflectipo Kunde r the. i nflui t i-oce of which they might come lesotie just , nniit honorable, :."y.cl pacific, cpncusionf'otid b -cause wejhaught thiit jthB,imnediate gving id auch a notice as was'proposcd would, bring Qrcal Britain to one or Iwoi altcrnatiTCS-t- I title to mat country musii etinqr do upanagnca or firmly maintained. Throughout tlieyliole message there ltiot thd slightest! intSmfttioh 4ohlic .press; ! or if wa pruto I(ok at what is, ' firrhaps, .a.'.s:Ul (better i.Sde,x of .public jopipionj ' .-the cpursQor4uclatt;UfgeDVblisines3 raen? to! a: v. .i ! jUitc ; hi t vu-; of things a j t. ced.t:. .ir.-.i-essaoiUJlert.i jiy, by t'.j r .-I rtsuV. f coioinzati.in, cr to ci.it ilic culiStav. cast I lie 11- 1 making tt,irtrom!our shoulders urwrn her, u-melling her to tae & uttitRiJe tj iho og;re33oj-. There! were other i:c: :'.ct"eu ia this body whu acte ffim difTcretit vieta.' , nesp were in fivor i'f a cur: promise. Tliey, tub, thought thatluu title ,was qot perfect, but ret' were in favor of I ing litjiice, Lecause they believe, notwitlisV : -n the ionejnd larjruace of tl mrisioJ that ithe two measures were com. -ina wc migM give this notice to tcrmmato Hw convenLon; and yet etject aft nncai comnromise tf ll our difficulties. The ground on which they come to this curt elusion seem to imj inrcc. in j:e iirstpiace iHei thinTt that1 llie lancoajje of t2xc Executive shows t!4t he still entertains the hope of corri- prfijse. j rhey qooto ta lis his jCxpress Ian!. gunge, vhero he ays tut uc tJ.opet an ann cable arran?eiTient inav be made if Thi quest linn, in Uicmitii. rl am fu"7'aware- tnni me Presideil v'ukS vse this. language, ana ui iF airle ihit was .aid twice by the iecretary af State Jin the courso of the correspondence; kiitlit mrkmk io1roibrc to mo that, on the plaipeat ndjuest rmVs ofonst ruction lie message can" befconsidered as expressing that mpriniorf.L It is a rout solemn and vcetgnt Stain paileri addressed by the .tccjbre of Governmbnt. and in which he is bound H( hoi J tho jiaipctti and oaost explicit language- t. mimm knh the ctmast frankness ftss rea seiiirmcnra, and to give the reason on! which they are founded, '"hi is his duty, and this WatiU nnJf.irmed. And he savs. verv clcarlyl halibo rqco.pinnjendd this notice in orijer that wo may assert our uiieioiuc wnuio lermufn and if nicessah', support that title by armsi. r cannot I look beyond the message or ' the President! tt'motlvcs. To do so would in my jttdgmcntL ibe to disparage the character o the Presidcn . ' - ' r Another rrround taken bv these irenilcme is; that the President wants to employ thi mitiAn na n mrkrht ivnrnn nnt n nhvsical nn. - I r-j----- r But too such idea is expressed in the message The languago of the President is explicit t Ihe contrary, Mr look's not to a moral; but a pnytiicai lermipaiion oi mp uuucuny. - uui 6.dm)tting thaVhc 'wants to use it as a mora weapon Jwhal does that mean? It roust meat i that jhe wants to use it fur the purpo.se of in timidatidn. IINtiWj I-subrpit tp tho common sense off every cetlep c, whcther,!.if thii notice should1 to used In that liehhiwith a greaVanjd powerful nation like Grcat Britain its e frect, instead of leading to a compromise would nut be orecisely tho reverse; It would be ojdirect appeal to her fears, to induce her to'vfieldJ under such a motive, what she would iuld o:hcrwisb. u ' . . .. liird rea son is, that the jConycpvion o , and renewed in lo, was wrongirom icgintung: that as a measure of policy it was a krreat mistake: that its ctwcl; was to fetteT Jho assertion of our; rights; and that ri : i i 1 . . - ' . . i. . would have been better, so far as our rights in the ierrhoiry Wre concerned; if there had been nd such! convention at all. In that opin ion I cannot concur; I dissent from it wtiolly I hold Dreciselv the onnosite ooinion: I believe that,;but for ihat convenihm, the preservation oi our riguis cmu uuvs uueo cpec.qo oniy by an appeal jto arms. We must citjier have gonejtof war in lplS and 1B27 1 dr must have acquiesced in the hostile claims of urcat orit ain, (fr in that case,they would have. been uostue.a tii we.couu atjnat ume nave oo tained "Rhe lakitiide of 49:dei?. as a cornnro misebQUndaily, it wpuld have been wise in us io have done bo: but we atterrinted it in vain. That;, altempk fuifihg, what other alternative was kit usi biiher this convention or war The eohventioh vas a substitute for war; and wlitld It Dreventbd war. it at the same time p reset vkidfou if rrjrhts in Oregon inviolate so ong as the: fconvention shou'd continue. thi!nk tllat'thoso who' cntcrea into that treaty acted! wisely. It has become but too common at thi day fir tii to sit in jadgrnent on th acts bur prfedecessos, and pronounce them t!o hay been unjust, unwise, or unpatriotic wUUo w to na$s over trie circumstances oi, tnei da vi ar d udder whjcli they acted, iitjok at the men eonireriiud. Jook nt "Monroe at Ru'shi K.Ci4y; it would be hard indeed; t( pronounce man l;ke these to have beep either unpatriiicorlprtWise.t Or; if we look at thef gfea hime? df those who haye siheearui escc?u in the measure they adopted j-nt lck son , ancl at btiierjr since. ' It wqu! I be hard io say lujsuch an or range tne men dolilcratcl acquiesced in hi hostile tu the bus interests ot heir hvunt rv. ri do not name tho promi nent tpusviam concerned j (understood to rb fcr to!MK Adiim JSmk-)' because his course sinetf rarjecUed any previous credit t,W ir lUi.. r.rttu'lr.,1 Iitmtr :! I". that timq Ins whichl!hq i SodhM a. ..w S.UIIIIVU IIIIIIOI.II. I .J h he state of tilings whpn this resolution of I ui ion pi ao'.icc was hrsl introduced mlo tbo SJnnlo.. Sinec then, as I have said, there h-is ;becnWimihty change: public bnlnion h; tvelope4 ttsrlt, '. not only bnhisibuton ! : otheri side bf the Atlantic: aod tfiat f- AJiqbpln m has uttered itself most au- Jila"ana clcq rlyito favor of a compromise: lcrc, toi, the same change has beenj) mapi. ftjstcdj iifeomuch that 1 hazard nothing when i s;iy thdt a liilrge, a very large maj ihty of inis,J&0JJ i ai this moment in lavpr of a compreusc----lin jiooortIo compromise. Ami doc4 riot till tho language and Coulluct of thb' Brjiiali Go eroment itscf cleaaly. demon, strate.tlm! inavor of a comprpmilr; and snbstarjti- .(y on thb bnsis Wlttrpb w hai e our-seivesf1-ted? .Sure I and rrfltctmg man can read ibrv language of Sir lloben I eel in reply toLordJohn lussell, and ntt ju:c thai he is prepared to act on a prp'pMM which' jtfift suhVtaptially tlie same with that wis re jjcted "by Af r Jick'e: aha m.-f mis Brit ccaaraiion oi me t riemicr oi . urcat iniwa . -1 "s Qiadit;; iwiih very gj-eat effect; his lUiKJt.iurnaKiigji .jvas n3i io censure the able nntjMeVy T.jithful representative of Great tiriiain initiiis rpunirv. oui io give emphasis io the assu'r&ncts that he was jready to make & just 'and p:r dompropuse uis, the disputed question;, i i no jv$uicereiy itiai our goyerm menl Imsnot oiferlojjked that declaration: it has pt overlooked that tl direlci step towanfs'comp was1 a romise, and I irusl it has been met in Ihe same. spirit. 1 trust otel:iji-nce has, before this lime, gone abroVd ttiGreat Britain tu'tbat effect, i as to rrWve tthebnly didiculty which now lies inlhe ivay. j " - : Uaderj ihe views thnt T mt'irt;;t J?a tor&cr a miesiion Swhl? i.'.f r . T r: ;r . .yut.uitic9 mill be pacific .y arringtd or not! ni.'r U ii .v-n ft question ihe manner; it u simnFv a qoesilon of lime. But there oustht Ilk lw nn . delay, bee iuse ihe luiiinesr pf fc.ih' fiati ... : w a no oC ihe 'OllJ IOI1S requires hat iCshulJ bu liber not V Ihcfl ai, orJ df!i ro -ihs hih- en :e c iCaiions iiku thtuc. lucre eit pt'sc reasons why there tul J - delay. Uace 'tie tho qurslicn of Uregon, and wo hy thta scille the quesiiqn'cf f lexu ot; tut till then,- Mexico will calculais the charters of nmture- l"iwcca us ana ureal llritam. and it sSc slcs aoV cnauco oi war ...... . r- , --- -- -v. .... . r asmost us.'ftbo wilt g over io .a wliuh maVes war upon us. neroovej the53 - " .::'i ! I'll h-in anJ c nances, put aa cdu iw ot-v,t - .-- -- Mexico will speedily settle every penuing question oetwcoo her and the United States, and then, I trtisi, thatwo shall deal generous ly with her. Sho h weak feeble in th$ ex-tremc-and I trust that .we fhall adopt no harsh measures with her. 1 . vfMV; ; ;K I have now explained the change which has taken place in the bearingof this measure of notice oo, the questions of peace aud yf ar. i.k.R.i.nnKt!i in this: that wnen tn 'nriiicA was recommended there .existed no hone of a compromise, but now the highest say and most confident hope is felt by almo all. Now, therefore, there is no great interest connected with our deciding this question of notice, oo way or another Justin propor. tion'as the prospect of compromise wasisinaall, the importance of the notjee was grcajjbut, os toe prospect of compromise jnc?easesJ the measure of notice becdmcs of less arid "less importance Vo hate now reoche4 a point when we can decidr jhe 'question witioyt much feeling on either sidc ' . I . I now proceed io inquire worn is uio uai. nn i.fllilj rnonanrinn tHn nclSlLion of! th Executive, and what , oa the position of the. parties in this body. - - The conduct oi the bxccutivo must pow be greatly changed. Ha must act veryldif ferently now from what ho would ,bavo done when ho recommended the notice under the persuasion that there could be no compromise," bufthat we must assert our 'rights hy atms. That he cad advise the same . thng now which he advised then, is -impossible. Then! he . . .. t ' . .4 n T 1 had not ine remotest expeciatjon oi a com promise. If now he '.has a different view, tftf Jthipks hat Grqat Britain is ready to naeet us fwith HQ offer such a? we made, I here; say that; if he shall now decline that offer, I do not .envy nim ine cuusi'qucuccs iai suait . . ' ' l? 3 -Utl IOI1UW. ; J. IJU CllitUJIU IHtii lias iurcu inai-c PQt a chango in the President, It is chanse in the state of thines. r .So far from its being a'ny inconsistency, it is, on the contrary, jhe highest consistency to agree to a compromise when matters haye reached a point which was not contemplated when! he sent us his Message. There is prevalent among us a great terror in 1 regard to this matter of consistency. . Some persons think that consistency consists in a uniform l ad- nennceio one policy, ie tne circumstances; ot tno country cnange or not. viners inina that consistency (lie always .thinking! the saprie way, after a man has seen the most cogent reasons for changing his opinion. The consistency of these persons is much like tho couFseof a physician who, in j the treatment of a malignant fever, should gtsf,e emetic and I calomel at the. beginning, and then hold himself bound "lo cojntnuo to give emetics and culomel through every subsequent stage of tho disease. .Consistency liko this wciuld kill the patient; and there is no states man worthy 4f the name Vdto would be guilty of the political quackery of advocating always the same course of policy, .though the circumstapces of his country had completely' altered., . .; But. riot only 'has j the Lvxccutive." position changed, but the position bf the parties in the Senato has changed in - no less, degree; and my friends jhe re wjjo go for all of Qregon (friends l will call them, for I have no oihir than thd mpst friendjy feelings towards them) must and do fee! that there has been a change. Lon as they thought that notice Jvas wholly inconsistent with a iiycomp romise they were its warm ana enuiusiu-suc aavocates; dui row when theylbegih to discover that, notvvithst anding the! giving of the notice,1 a compromise may still be effected, they find themselves without jthe 1 samc-:reason for their-former zeal'; arid! I shall not be at all surprised if, before lhs question is finall put, these very gcntlemca shall ' vote against the notice altogether. , n V : " ; ! . 'r.i: - ' Buvl IrtrsfDic frXonds to whom I allud have unerguna still further change besides that of ihcirX position, I iiust they nbw begin to , see that there are some doubts in regard to our title o thu whole of Oregon That.il isunquestionablc then cannot "now say; for it has been questioned J with great ability in their presence on this floor. Iknoiv, indeed . 1 that their convictions have been 'sifting. 1 f3ut a'dmiying that our title srern ed to. ihcfrt lever so clear, is "not,-something due to thp'cliinges which haye taleii place?- is u iimngjue io me laci mai a majoray even of their own political friendstnink that our title is not-so clear but that a compromise niay be honorably effected? U nothing due to iheir liiTow And does nor the more fact of suich a division of opinion anions men perfectlyh'onest on both ,siJes, present the strongest reason why tho dispute v need not and ooght j not to bo decided by force? 1 1 .appeal lo'ihose Senators as p it riots, as .vis ana prudent-men, to say, when our. contest is with so greaT a Power, whether they, are willing to hazard all for a question on which the opinions of good and honest men all over their country are undeniably divided?;--! a eul to ihem even as party men, to say whe. her they will insist on pushing this question o such an extreme as todinide their DartvJ I !As to the oher! portion of the Senate, (in viich I' ctinsijJer mysefr as included,) it Js undeniable that a great change" h'ss taken place, fieelit myself. Nothing could once have induced meto consent to j tho notice recommended by the President; but now it is JL L -it I S I" '1 ' ! xery poisioie i may give my vote lor a moditi ea, notice in same form. i . 1 And this bri ngs me now, at length, to the direct . question? .Shall wo ive t Grini 4?ritain ihe notice pmpbsp-d, ir shall we nott aims quesuon is not Ireo trom donbu Ono reason im'iV fivor is. thaT it wi pjrevent the continued agitation ; tifihis OreJ gim question being kept before the country apd carried into Ihe next Presidential elcction.1 Tc measure of ntice4 i( prop'erlyqualifiedj jlltI trust, keep all quiet. until the"year ha expired, and ihat then thero will ba no room forany further difiicuhy. ' i ' Another reason in its.fyoc is,, that in all probability Great -.Britain .will not maltha were not for tho force of Ihis'jcohsideratioa I slio.uld.bo for ,vjstponing the -notice for the present. , .And diw ihe question, in what form thb scltlrd., O.i great, anJ uu final groove until Congress shall have acted ohPthe subject; so that wehduld, as soon as paW;b'e, do something in iho matter. Il it notice hll leirive:.r .lv lyolur.d.r no 1 to : 3.1-1 That i.t.irn ML: absolute UO' iii.um'-" w ; : , ! . r.i rm.- ivp ' rcai. A 4,v - . ' T f "been scnt' us from iho Honsd uf Represents lives: 1 have two ofrectibns to it. It iapquiv-. ocai in its meaning. If it mculsTo declare that iK Prfideni mar settle this diuicuUy by com. nromise it means nothing, fr tho President has that ngnt; our ii u is ""f0 him to negotiate fora comprJmue, then l an for speaking more Jpltinly.y jl am most deci dedly against all equryocaiiop ia nwue ISuto mean resa pretat r . . ine Guncuuy snouia om seiucu ov promise. So much 1 feel inclined to rote tor. Buti this wlk.Ie measure is subordiuale lo a higher end, viz: the preservation peace and the settlement of our dimcult ies without a re- sort to arms. :My rote in regard to thehbtice will rest on the' question wkher!the notice will ni1i7firi(o itiaf onrl ar nnt! " A nrl I shall, therefore, reserve myself until ! shall be sat. isCed U that point. ' Y ''- 1 ; ' I have thus stated why. 1 artilor acompro. mise.andhowAr Jarn ih fayorof giving notice, I voti on both subjecu under circumstances in which I find tny self placed L ond lor wnicn i I i I am doing the bek! I can! where I find myielf. and not what might have done undr diTttrent cjr cumstances. l.repeat ihat foir tliese circum " L I .1 v" ' fti 1 u '.i. :. i siuoce.9 i am uoicspoasioio. ji'wny rwsisicu that stale of; things which hasnow. come to pass. ;! In 1843 this ouestiorf If? 11 first time assumed afdangerou 3 aspect. tl cq sawor tnougut l saw, wnai was comtog, anu l ex omioca ne question unaer aii - us j aspects. - Alien, mo maturest.renuctton l came to tne conclusion which I then staled. 1 1 saw that there were two routes before us; one of them was toiadhere to the conven ion of 1827 to do nothing to "terminate it. and to ! adhere 8tricriyand rigidly to its provisions, j t saw that aliltough for a time that convention ope rated .beneficially for Great Britain, yet the period Was ai hand when our turn would come to derive its benefits. Its operation threw in to her liands the whole fur trader of that th- gton, arid we stood by while the. wpole of that rich harvest was reaped bv hersbhjects; but i saw mai we wouiu soon ucrive ine mosi im portant advantages from the provisions of the treaty, .jjlha resistless increase of our popu lation and ihe gradual progress of their rr.ter prists was pnogipg mem lasi ip uio 1001 oi tne; Rocky Alouniains. Ihe great South Pass had been discovered, &nd 1 saw that the set I tiement pi uregon by American citizens was rupiuiy upproacniag. . i Jf we should onlr adberejstrlctly ,to the con vention , ! the progress o( things would eyeutu. aJJx decide who should have the possession of mc territory, uur, power io populate the re- gion, and thus to obtain its actual possession, was iar greater than that ol Great Untain. Its distance from us was far less: the access to it was through art open, grassy .country , and, to men so active and hardy as our Wes tern pioneers, life journey presented cbrimar- atively but small difficulty; whereas to reach Oregon ifrom Great Br.tain k-equirerj a cir- cumnavigatign oi twenty thousand miles ai space but a little short of the ciVcumtercnce 'bf ttw gioL) U1 aw 'th? sppts n the face of tho earth, presenting to her the pcssibt'iiy ofcoU. onizatiob; 'pregon was the nosy remote. There were' hundreds .of col mics" that lay nearer and presented a betteck il and climate. Even NeZealand wasneansr to the shores of .Erigtapids All, therefore, thai 'we ! had to do was to stick to the convention; to observe all its proyUions with the rn)serupulous fi. dlity, and then let tho question of litre ho oui. etly and gradually settled by Ihe actual occu- pa,i ion anaossession it)! tne country, (Tgthis, cou?3e thcreNVaV-l?ut onb impc Jiinent: Gtuai Britain migUt give'lhb"notice; But;I' had no such fear; ifor I had read the discussions of this question on her side, anid I thought I clearly saw liat: she placed, v.o greatJalb.' upon pregoq,"as a permanent possessVabf ttw British cpwn, but rather seemed to con. elude that; from its geographi&d posiiionthe United States must ultimately get the whole of it. But, even if her calculation wasgtjhef. wise, therejlyere great , imped merits in the way of her giving notice to terrAinate the con vention. Sh'e could do so if sho pleased 8o could, weiijthi was an express provision of the treaty, dn cbuld not, in itself, Se considered as a hostile iovement pn eitnfer side. But there was adother convention which'Greai Britain coptehds to be still ib bxistencb, but which we jnsist has expired, aid ihat is the conyeniiori of Nootka. Thht trUatvlor n..,. a is in sthcj analogy with our convention of ao io; ana it sne should give ui nn not :t cou u not i; i a ''' . ! Liibeiset aside unless ' lits nrnvivJ, were vioiaveo We had bbsei r -d iK r our convepttoh, ancTMiii ! foreclosed iier from the po.Hsibijuyof such a movement, j 1, " ' , II eemedhen, to ma clear as the light r heaven thai it would not do for Uib make a movem-ntf Kny kind. Ve Ight indeed, give pur people some facnities ia reaching tho countrhurid when ihey' gVt there; Z miirht uTlan-l A.i.l.. ..... .1. 1 f 7 r w "Ter nem pcrsuhally but not lerritnt-mllv ' I . i . 3 -j uT V : '-Muoieuuueot and I -....r-M., iiw vjpeaiencr of goin far as that;!buti mst clearly we gnuM g so riot Bl',ul' xui ni'-re" lerritorfailv; because ioc iiiuiueu wo sikjuiuUo that, WfJ lish a custoai.house,and letfy apt must e8tab- pd collect do. ties: ana it th-rt is a n I .i j a ,ho .Becons of those pcc;1!o fro u,. i, will bo cotlecuon .,f high' .JmjesV- 6or netwle have rrun t ham r l. i wui r --- -rov- a uur lamers xiiaoiiu ucjiire iiie itevninti - high duties . on their infani trbdelihev will Knnn find n no . .U.;.. . "c ariU tend te them greater advanta -r, specfand iyhoie influence bi i- territory I. -onryou. Mydispo.s -...r.A V.rt urn nM in I ha S2n:3 Sl&lU thin-s which existed when tha Executive rncs-- lU a L. anally and uuh grc.t jn.cr.t and ia-e first came in; and tcannol.vote pnder Cai extend our laws oter.lKm, as it tha rematen in.pressua halkhrreiU.b w r'.ay w me necessary; for there it ihe most cj-imi- ' If my -emleman 'nco hoped d- h :?.U ni critical pornt in the whl afTMr. o and'ould liave pM for h ftoltc under Tho other courso thai Uy open to us as that hope, that motive ha, pqw assed away, that nouM out in the bill U 1313 whtch pro. Korean I role for tho resolution which baa tided for 4he pr.cttcal assertion of our nSht policy. Liet us say piainiy wnai we iwi v...-..-..,..,,. -r.r r -ilTt vi.viiHii'j w, - I to say. ; If we mean copmromiseTlet us f bring os eitler to negotiation or to ar.;i I Mexican population can be .rendered a- compromise; and not seal the'President a anticipated tho resut; wou;a ae negotiation, miamt cne-rdy.? See toat urtiain u is , ..L.i" i.f ..I. '; ..J. I A J Km ilinnf - Nfr,iiml t.m mutl rnd either 1 of l!i" fih? 1 ?0v.ni ovr.f Inti The ' ElCii ' lUtion on wnicn no may pai iui any nusr. i - - y . .- . .. - : t ion that suits htm.; , i inj. caiuprowiw v-......? i T-"t "J"." "'f r r"l I r ira rrlvn thi a nnlifn m nil I I Ihinu- it Kfinillu I 1(1 aur OlUCr. Cu. . ' " . 1 '"v j ill tv III lim Clica I1V . ., , be given substantially as has bletn proposed by compromised, it must be on lh 49l deg. Wiih good training and gmul pay j they msy g tha gcntreinan from Georgia. I IflconsenUo The past history of the whok matterdecided tendcred a very trmidalU force, bji thenoticB.lt willbe, as 1 haVo said, to keep that; and besides as 49 deg. was the bounds. W must have an6ther arm to guard tg ; this elation from running inlo the next Pres. ry oo thU sido of Uie- mountatas, roost pco. Southern frontwr aiidjMlKpptc, identwIclection, and finally ko tcrmbato the plo would think it reasonable aad naaturai it j)ur Northern frontierandnoiher to c-petra - question; and if we 'give it at ill, lei us give ii should be the boundary on the other side. , an oorrNerthwrsterr. boundary, and s'lll aa7 ;L precisely as wo intend, expressing the e pinion 7 But I would go neither lor notice nor for bthertacoyer our Indian frontier. At ih t !l..':'.l .'j-'"'!. ''".,.' i uV - T-.S jj-.. L m.mlc cilnnir n ' w f mold ner sever leasrestimats. wa ahnll rpnmrti- a force tl mew.ndatlha beginning ..pa 0 important cihey seek is the eiTjoymentTf iree trade. jTh'ey;lvill contend L'eTrneMry fthe frcpenjovrm of t!ie tradl of X Pa cific as theif ancestors did (n. A... - r . i canru . V V'i oi Illi l re a:, i for cl! t' , . .a.y. vhic'. they t ma.Ls th'-". U a , . ' j in .i t ' . mr 1 c-tj !. r- - id the territory, and the exerciso of c reignty mere io a certain f xient. oy i. j pas. if certain genial laws, thought this i not to boa til or nrpper one, l saw rery pfaiply what wwuld bin the Consequence; . ... j ' j :. a' i ... e. . r and; indeed; jt .required but fatfe reLection ( vvn.j..... t -ft .-- . . . in wnai i cohwiww " v,T Vq5i ! policy, nencc, i uu nu it.u p.. . to common with many auta pien in oom houses, ii passeo ,nere oy ww. iu. jority of one vote. (th Senator young under instructions in the aEirmative,) but it was lost in iho other House. Since then the pro. position for notice has been repeated, with' a Jeyr of taking possession of the whole coun. try. 4nuuu ",c.,rV " 1 position which ait oughmo wnere wo musi compromise or 8uu 1 . u i r . mrm ru.nnnuin IV wi mcm, v ' w r . 1 J. attached td the circumstances ja which I hnd mvae . 1" 1 stand arouureo irom any narueipn. myself, I stand arquitted Irom any pi lion in it. The resppRs binty'lies among my fripnd nn th riWht. '-Xiiouht not they aeted patrjolicUy, but impatientlyin ob;dtencr la the impa'tience of thei r peoplb. Tliey have suffered themselyes 16 bu . pushedinto their , nAAilinn wiiKaiiIii rflir-t Iin f" i -.1 Now, being brought to tho alternativef by circumstances over which J h?e ro control, I go for compromise and against war- Bu' in this course f am actuated by no . unmanly fear of consequences. J know that, under the existing state of the world, wars are some times necessary; the utmost regard for tus- ti'-e antf equity cannot always pu-vent them. And when war must be met, J shall be among the lasrto) flinch: may iippenl to my pasi history in support o this assertion, nut 1 am averse from going to war on tHH question for the reasons j huve-" given rJhBt not for inesoioniy: i nave sun nigner uriasons. ai though wars may at time be necessary, yet . . . . - . . i peace is a positive good and war is a positive evil; and I clipg to peace so long as it can be preserved consistently with lh natioonllsafe ty and honor; and J hm 'against war so long as it can be avoidtsu. without a sacrifice! of either I am opposebfto war in this case, because neither of these exigencies exist: ir iiitj.uw as i conceive, avowee wnnoui sacn ficing feliher the national honor or the nation al safyt. J3jJt'if these dangers did rxist to a uuiiuiti cAieni, war is sun pigmy inexpe dient; becausecur right in Oregon can be sustained with more than'aii f-qonlchanco ol success without war than with it. Thi . ... . is a greai onu weighty reason ;tgamst war. tie who goes stoutly to war for (f all of On g. n or none," maypossibly come out of it with none." " I concede to my countrymen thr possession of all, iho bravery, patriotism, and intelligence which "canlbecluiined for ' them, but we shall go into this contest with ereai disadvantages on our sidev As long as Great Britain has a large force in t the east, and is mistress of the sea, she can carry on tho war al a much less ctpense. ' " ' ' v yere is another reason why I am opposed toil: the war would soon cease to bo for Ore- gon; tho struggle would-be Tor empire, and it would be between the' greateVt Power in Europe on the ono side, and the greatest and most growing and spifitedpeople of ihe West on tho other.-It wouVl'bo pressed nn-upon both sides with alfthe force, vigor and ner gy, and perseveranceof two gre.pt and bravo nations; fcach wouldtrike thq other in the most vulnerablojpoint,4-and the blows ivouM be tremendous. ' -Amidst Hha up'Voar of sueli a contest, Oregob would soon be forgotten utterly forgntlrnVlo be recovered, if at ell, on th " rnntingrmcies ofuccess or the reverse. My next reason is, thathough it is ailed, god that we mut fight Jb rder to nmtfVt our citizens in Oregon, instead of their pro. tectioT,war would ensure their utter, destruc. tion. It is the most certain way toVacrifice "cin. l pis i win never, consent. to do. They are American citizens--our brethren and kindred.- . We hare encouraged them1 to t "e l " ua ni;VPr g a ?ote the re wuipn most be their ulter and aheedv destruction. But if we malcn . - . ... vviuuivujiac on latitude 49 deg.they wilful be safeVF.rif 1 api righlly informed, there is not aman of iv, uC IOuaa north or that HneJ This will carry all the points wo have in view, in. stead of sacrificing them all. , 1 1 am nWt.(waf, too, for reasons com mop ip the whole Uonion. I believe that IhV most successful and triumphaat war we could PBW ge-even if in ten years we should get all the niot extravagant adyocatd of war hid dared to hope for-l-il we couhJ.take the Uinadas, and Newi Brunswick, and Nova Sc"tlantd ery other Britfehpoesvon, ncr. uag train the whole conlincbt and prosecute our " ndvantTire lill accomplhd ..the ,dowpfa of I Ik, i British' llirnriA nnJ I i -.it i. . . 7 I,e should yield up spear and suieia ana trident at uf feet, it; would .w.imisi aisastrous event that could hapl pen.- I do not now - allude to tho 'ravages ar-d desolatiuns of warfare; to the oceans' of blood that must?fluw, and. the various miser. ies that ever accompany ihe contest of brais! becausq I have neyer obserVedthat the state ment -of these tning, ad any great effect upon a 6raye-peopltf, V.No -do'ubt the brils wouldUrerr grraf, becauso there' are T nothe .orld ho can co each , oiher so. raUch Carm in .war, or so much good In peace a, great Britian and the .Unjtetf States, Tlio. devastation wbuU c& trcmendotistonbnih sides. '-But f.'I thi. let ll.t -i . I in Oregon, in conformiijf with the provisioftji the Mexicans; hdT?ii.'tna snc . I . .. ..... ..f tkn innvpnt!nn TtY HL'tttit.t rr(ritw 1 ilmw. - '.sf Tfrh :eh fcfilCerS. . ' lwr wininff inr th mv 'l rj' 7 . re. "' o perseverance' cf ouf' widely -read -4 rtibnh,.,: , " wi v 7 M 4r,"uii,'nsr'3tion y V f .iu i " V.T?:, mean repairing vcr merely physical disaiters. war cia .ct. ul war nas iar ui.icuoci aich C3 lh:i would la of rast extent; , crerv nervoand jUiscU- a ruber suo avi.I bo slrti-, ctltotha utmost; cyery" --rrnac-al. a d:3f will I 3 put in ivqutsitiun; t ' portion cicu einire Ironticx lut vrm Mvi Jthi?;cena If cootcst.-1-Ii will be a" Meaic'an ;wai jgn edi side, and an India n war upon the ether. name's j will bb all "arimnd us ; it will be 4 war on the Pacific and a wat on tho 1 AtUnl tie; it wtlU'raee" W every eiae'and ;3.t land."" Suppose' Otc-oa, shall .bcondoacd' we r. ) raise ' aeVcn armies ipct tp paries S-a sneer at th4 tho" 'rui of British, otiicers, ot less than two hundred thousand men he field. J.Iiv addition to ihat 'ho' venerabU ! nd intelligent Albert Gelatin ha culcuUteQ . he cost ofjpuch'a war at sixty-five millions uf-. ollars; but thut amount is too. small. A huo. red thousand millions is not an overestimate', nd of .this sum fifty millions must be raised nnually; by loans of iaper, and to that allow. ng ihe war continue for ten" years, we htll have an amount bf five hundredinillions .f nub ic dtbt. Ani tothis losses whirh must ec. cruo on liwuyi.it will be ver difficult to get, Ji t i ,'- .- :- .-V' e::2 1uet jouu negoiiun o in Etiirop";. mr owing o iho unfortunate manner in uhich .'this af. . fair hut- been conducted.! the ft eling n E"ropt v i l be generally against us., Wo . c inr.ol ubtain iho rentivito sums uuuer an in. . erest' m thirl v br ft r y per cent. dd all these expenses; and our IoIjiI debt will n-i oi less han hcvcn hundred and fifty tnilt itthisis not nil? Wb should be plung, d i:itO the paper vvetem an" iV-ply us M o ere in ihe days of the R voli i ; and. what 'vill then le bur sruiiion al tht;c.m-lusion of ihe war? WeBhall be lelt vkiih a m'r'gftge of hvi n huntlred and fihy inilliooM f dollars ' on the lab r of ihe American ieop!c: for it al rtillsontl'ie labr of the cbuptry at Jat, ihils . much of the money will go ipto the pt"4le?s; of thos" who tru k' not a blow inr the jcon. : , lest. Wc shi'uld then ,hav: the task of rlt ir, ing a circulating medium r-f 'a: sounder ihfrp' sicter; and thai froni the dt epeit "degradlfibp of tho currency. This a hard j ib, as J I of -us knw who have gone 'through rlith ft. W sides, the influence of the war will n tfur- Uy be to obliterate Ihe line of distinct dA tween the State and Gene nV Govern ihci L" Ve shall hear n'vinore a boot Stale rightkbut the Govt, r hint i:l "will b corny, in t lKct, a onstiliJatcd republic. By our ywry siu'cess, it will give a military impu!s to tliv uatjionul mind which can never bo overcome. The iimbi ion of the naiio.n will seek conquest af. t lt coi. quest, and will soon b come p'os??Rsed ty nVpirit totally inconsistent wllhtho lirmi and genius of our (.yei njient; nn! thil -iy'ill l ?ad by a straight and i;asy r'iid, to ihat giHf oj: all n p ihlics a military f espotism r: In n we suuii nave to provide lor thne or 1 ct uccessful gene rain; who will soon be 4mrr i ig for the Preside ucy. Bei'are the g n? r -ti n w'Hch waged tf e war nhall have p: sed . way tney will km.:s !u contest betwecii' two hi-s- e gem rals. . Uo wlu couqiu red M x eo ah ' he whe conquered Canada, and tl ey will inn wx ir struggle oy the sword. rieidom bus lost, institutions thus unleimi. el and overturned, never can be r corerrd. Ihe iional rdin will be irretrievable. I appeaT, then, to the gentlemen near me -jto my friends, whose separa'tiop'Trorn us on is question 1 .im ply regret and J s.S th m, is it for you who nre pim'-nts"ir kclUi-iicu :or )ou wht are th"; eueum-s , of p&pf r money, nnr the sworh ih stcoyes of aii DaiiKsnnu a nrtiheia e isses in s'rktv his it for voii to v-ito for u' measure of I such verv epuivical succss? ; ' 1 irji op tiprove. i?u i nave sun ingiier reasons. A at ppeu io war as a inend to tiunuin im( in -tit, to human civilization, to humnu' pro- fgrbss nd advanccineht. Never in thelhisto. ry of the world hns there ecurt d o- period ro rtlmarkahle ns the peace hleh . follow bd ftfc bitJle of Waterloo for Ythv ' v.oaI'' advances ule in tlie coiiditimi .of Imma'n t-ucit'lj, upd it l. variou:r lormii. The cht mifbl nii'd rchan'cal powers lu bd oppliedUt a'dvaPre linre b n,. -invrt tigattd f rVfr: MMple; it wcrks a social ind pollu icard.ir.j9 in iho yople 'ihetr.salTcs, ec ia, tho character cf their'isstitution.- Km. v . . r - . .7 the con forts ol human i c in dg-cb far beyond a!l that was rvrf low nor honed lx fores. Civ.iizaiioii hila . bden spreading itsiiiflur tc s fur ana W, arid the general "progre .f fibniati iciey hJs outstripped all that hnd bi h Wrvh iIy witnessed. jThe invention oi man' has seizedr upjm and snhjngaird ,iwo : great ngenrif s. flf the natural worlilHv it h i v..r .. irt- wefo ' midc the servants ofrnan; I rrh r lo teanr" an i electricity, under ivhich of course, 1 in- f eli de magnetism, Jnall iu phenonicitn. . Steam hal bben controlled and availed of for ! all the puposes of human intercourse, and fly lis resistless energies has brpught nations to- gel her whom nature had seemed to scjeratp by Unsurmountabfe' laVrier It has sWteo. edjho passage across tho Atlantic rnore than nn a' ha IT'1 whiU tlio- u i Ii j.upiuiiy pi vravejung , Jadd has been three times greater1 than eve"r WB bnnwnhU V ..W7M.s Sl. 1 Jl.llA t " . tiuiii lite yaiuo ptnvp mah has chained thryery lightning of heavea ' and brought itdovnandmad it nf?.ntnisr 1 to me ti betolnuth that 'it may with' truth hi a?rl thnt r7ar idetis are not only transmitted with ihe rapid- -i'y bf lightning, but by lightning itself. .Magic . lri? are. stretchingMht msclves in all direc tions 6ver the globe, and when their myslfc meshes shallot Jen'gth have been perfeCttf, our jglobc itself will be endowed with n 'sens: tivepeas which will render it impossible W toucli it on any point , and the 4ouch not be felt from one end of thb tvnrtr) in th other All this progress,' all thisgrowth of human I hnrirM'nJVi.ll .t.; ",-. , . ..-j.ui.M, an imi Fpffa-oi Human snow ogvi(Jbe':arresld by war.. And:shhir we incur n result like that for Oregon? And this f orkis.ai yet but commenced; if is bW the- brcaking:67 ihb'cJa wn of the worlds jubilee, If promises adayof moro ' rcfiocme ni," mora . ..iviuui ui iL'iniicN.i. inn f-M mural ticmii"i. and cnscquohtfy ' of mpre human ' felicity, , than tha world has tver seen from its creation. f .Ui - ' --. j i - ' - i w " I .. . . v ; ...... . , . . ' ; i . .- - ' V " 1
Highland Messenger (Asheville, N.C.)
Standardized title groups preceding, succeeding, and alternate titles together.
April 17, 1846, edition 1
2
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