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Or#lqjc Af J. R. O rton ’ s Boounro*c.'* W v / ' R A T E S O F A D V E R T ISIN G . “ three weeks, - - * w / ‘ . 1 je* r . . - - - ' Half column 1 year, - — _ -*• Whelecolumn 1 year* -• - - . Prpfemional Cards hot exceeding 10 lines, 4 V 'L c f'alaJrertigem e n tg at the rates a llow e d by law. S P E E C H D. S . D ICKINSON, » * *• O P N E W -Y O R K . in reply to H o n . D a n ie l, \W e b s te r , o n th e N o r t h e a s t e r n Boundary, the Right of Sedreh, and the destruction of th'e Caroline. [U. S. S enate , Thursday, April 9, 1846.] * M r. D IC K IN S O N said : On taking m y seat in th is distinguished body; M r. President, but little m o re tban one y ear since, I could n o t h a v e believ ed that I should so soon be-forced into a discussion so entirely personal as the one which h a s baen fas-, tened upon me by the Senator from M assachusetts, tM r . W e b ster.] I came here regarding this body a s one of the most elevated and dignified upon earth; as the great conservative b ranch o f our hap py Government, and this chamber as the last place Irhfcfr should be desecrated by the strife and contro- te r t t e s w h ich 'tqo o ften m ingle their poisonous in fluences .with, the \affairs; ot human life. I came prepared to extend to all, a n d to receive in return, Ihe courtesy and consideration which the station demands; and though it has not heretofore been iHegfed against me that I have transcended the pro prieties o f debate, 1 h ave been called to defend my- . self against an attack fro m th e S e n a t o r from . M as sachusetts, h aving no parallel in this or any other le g i s l a t i v e body fo r its u tte r w a n t o f e v e n tiie form 's ttf propriety, decency, and decorum; but charact erised th r o u g h o u t-b y a g r o s s n e s s o f m a n n e r , a deli- toce of tone, and a virulence of language, which, however befitting other places not now io be men-- tioned, should never find a place in the official in- tercouse of Senators, or in the vocabulary of gen tlemen. - M r. MANCrUM here called to order. T h e V I C E P R E S I D E N T . D o e s tn e S e n a t o r from North Carolina call the Senator from N e w Y o rk to order ? M r. M ANGUM waived his call to order. M r. D I C K I N S O N proceeded: I regret, M r . Presided', that those who arc now so s e n s i tive to the proprieties o f dcba.c, should not have thought proper to call to order at an earlier day, und e r t h e J truss and wanton violation of it by the Senator rom Massachusetts, - who, by the hour, not only denounced a member ol this body, but a member o f th e other House, (who was not*and could not be p r e s e n t to d e fend h i m s e l f ,) was c o v e r e d w ith e v e r y epithet which could be culled, from the appropriate catalogue; a course which every tvro k n o w s was in disregard and contempt- o f ths plainest and most salutary p rinciples of p arliam entary.law , discredi table *.o a n y one w h o sh o u l d i n d u lg e it. a n d a c a u s e o f reproach and disgrace lo this body and to.the A m e rican people. T h e consequential tone and invidious sneers' which have pervaded the effusion of that Senator} lhe “ I am S ir O racle” manner with which his re m arks have been put forth, would seem td indicate that he has counted largely npon what he sneering- ly terms the “ fearful odds;”\ and would leaver a t least i n his own - estimation, no encouragement :o the luckless one upon whom his displeasure shall descend, except, th a f .' --------------------- -— “ Latest time From blankoblivion shall ielrieve<his-name,. W h o dares to perish, in unequal fight, - W ith Gath’s triumphant champion.” How ever little in accordance with my taste, M r. President, may be discussions ol this character— however profitless, fruitless; a n d even improper I m a y regard them,-the coarse of the Senator Irom Massachusetts has. lefune no alternative; and while I will endeavor to avoid both ilie.language apd.the. te m p e r in which he has indulged, 1 shall, as\he w ill find, Met shrink from or'avoid the contest which he has;sought, but pursue it, I trust, even to his most abundant satisfaction, in doing this, I * hai 1 n e ither travel be; ond or fall short ol the issue he has presented, nor* shall 1 p e rm it him to cloak conduct of such a character under the pretence' of defending the -Ashburton negotiation, or to hide either the treaty,-the negotiation, or the negotiator, under or behind voluminous and cumbrous docm ments, which have no relation to the veal merits of-the question, ' On the 21th and 25th days of February last, in .the exerc se o ('official privilege and duty, I had ihe honor to address the Senate upun the Oregon ques tion;-and as it became a subject of inquiry whetfi- eir any portion of the terrrofy claimed by tiie. U n i ted States should be yielded to G reat Britain, for a compromise, 1 endeavored to show that in- inost o f uurnegqtiations with .hat Government she had a r rogantly asserted and maintained her pretensions; and that, in a'spirit of concession, we hacl yielded -for the sake oi peace; and that hitherto tiie conces sions had been, it not all, too much upon our side: In pursuing this train of argument j and urging it as a reason why this course should not be repeated, I alluded to the ‘treaty and negotiations fixing the northeastern boundary, and argued that it was a clear concession to the British Government, not only in yielding u p a portion ol the soil and j u ris diction of M aine, but in omitting to settle othet questions o f controversy then existing between the two Governments, whieh could a n d ought to have been disposed of, and mentioned the Oregon ques tion, the right oi s e a rch, and the case of M rL°od. But I spoke oi that negojiation as public history— as tbe action ofthe Government, and not o f the in dividuals who- adm inistered it—for the purpose ol borrowing the painful experience of the past for the benefit of ihe present and the -future, and with out employing a reproachful word, or\ m aking an unkind allusion, and I have nothing to retract or medify. The speech was delivered in the .prescn.ce and hearing of the S e n a t o r from M a s s a c h u s e t t s ; and a lull opportunity w a s afforded him at the tim e to correct anything T said, either ih l a n g u a g e or sen- tintent, and he now only takes exception to “state - aienAs” in my sp e e c h ; for he says, in relation to m y self: 5’--; *fAnd now, M r. President, I will take some no- tice o f what has been said by the Senator frotn New York, [M r. D ickinson ] I exceedingly ''regret— truly and unfeignedly regret—that the observations ol the gentleman, make i t my duty to take some no tice oftbem . O u r acquaintance is but short, but it has not b een u npleasant. I always thought hirii a m an of courteousm anners and kind feelings, but it iCannot be expected, that I shall s ith e re and listen - to statements .such .as the honorable Senator has m ade on this question, arid not answer them, repeat, tbat it gives me great pain to take notice ol the gentleman’s speech.” T h is , then,.M r. P resident, a c q u itsm e of discout- tenjr- elsewberej and I will now, with, the indulgence o f the Senate, show that the Senator had not even the shadow o f a provocation for his attack, by refi.- Sofl rtf a n y thing which this speech contains; fo r i ttfe r to it and\ to a ll I said upon the subject; and ♦be severest criticism to' point to an erroneous . statem e n t or a discourteous expression.. T h e following were my specifications: ‘ . 1st. I charged that the Ashburtbr tTeaty gave to G reat B ritain much\ more territory than a map in h e r F o reign Qffice showed she was, entitled to, and that, w e p a id to M a ine and M assachusetts for i t 9d. T h a t no'reparation was obtained forfh'e'de strhction of the C a roline and the m u rder of Durfee by British subjects, and that the Federal Govern- em m ept interfered w ith tbe ordinary course of jus tic e ia New Y o rk, a n d endeavored to p revent a trir a i of McLeod upon the ianents,' \though charged with, and Indicted for, tbe m u rder o f D u rlee, a cit- mjpb of that State. - 4 3 d .T h a t th e infamous r ig h t oi-search by B ritish cruisers—another name for impressment— elaimec M d Offensively asserted by Great Britain', and prac- ^ty **er,cised over o u r merchantmen, waswaiV- “ V S ^ ation, and passed over to the fa- 6 t * » i « « # ■ » V. >yyftkj V O L ; Y m . N O . 1 1 .] B I N G H A M T O N , N . Y . — W E D N E S D A Y , J U N E 3 , 1 8 1 6 . [ W H O k E N O . m question, which couldand eght to have-been settled with the aortheastern ft where it was found. • S^Ki™en,^ I :>sougbt ^establish/by ! ^ ^ J ^ « a i ? , a ll^ r e f e r t0 * * * * I theri s a id fo r a m o re extended notice; 'hirextM rirdinkry Vioktioi! 'of'decW u m Y fiis^dL eroua outbreak and personal invective, it moat rest before tbe Senate and the people upon the only foun dation i t haa—a ahee'r and ahallow pretence, destitute alike of justification or apology; designed to attract the pnblie attention from matters which will not bear the light o f day, or atand-the test o f examination.— But the Senator affects to complain that I incorpo rated into}, and made a part of, my speech, an extract from a speech of Mr. Ohaa. J . Ingeraoll, chairman of the committee on Foreign Affairs, in the House of Representatives. Sir, I have done no such thing, as that Senator well knows. Mr. Ingersol], in a public speech, delivered on the floor of the House, on the 9th of February last, made certain statements, touching the McLeod affair, and the action of the Federal Government concerning if, through tho then Secretary of State. This speech w a s reported a t length a tt h e time in the public pa- pors which circulate throughout the Union and-are sent to Europe. Mr. Ingersol!is a gentleman of em. inence and distinction, extensively known, and new occupying one of tho most commanding positions in the Representative Government. The Senator from Massachusetts in us t h a ve seen and read his remarks a tt h e time they were-reported'; and yet, .for reasons unexplained by-hini,.he interposed no denial whatso- ever, but suffered the statement to circulate from the 9th to the 24th of ‘February, unnoticed and uncon tradicted,' While speaking of the extraordinary sub mission of our Government to that of Great Britain, in the case of McLeod, the destruction of the Caro- line, and the niorder of Durfee, f alluded to the sta.temenl.of Mr. Ingersoll, .that the counsel of Mc Leod had been paid from the treasury ; the Senator denied such payment , but denied nothing further, although I offered to yield him the floor. MjTemairks were- published through the papers soon after, Con taining my allusion to tiie remark of Mr*- Ingersoll, and containing also tire-denial of the Senator from Massachusetts, as will appear, by reference to irty speech, but nol containing the extract from the speech of Mr. Ingersoll. I was then frequently called upon for copies of Mr. Ingersoll’s speech to whieh miine alluded, and some two or three weeks afterwards,, in publishing a pamphlet edition, I cut an extract from tiie reported speech of Mr. Ingersoll, and appehded it in a note to mine; not to make it a part of it, as tiic Senator has- erroneously asserted, and' erroneously repeated, for I expressly declared a t the time that I tncw nothing concerning the statement. I expressed my gratification at the denial, as far as it was denied, for-I felt that the country had been Sufficiently dis graced and-humbled in the transaction, without ad ding this itehi to her catalogue of 6liamc. But I appended the note aftcr-the speech 6f Mr. Ingersoll- liad been more than -a month in circulation,- for the Convenience of those who might desire to understand the allusion, neither adding to nor detracting fiom, the statement of Mr.-Ingersoll, hut leaving it to stand upon its -own high responsibility, accompanying it with the denial of the Senator from Massachusetts, as to the single point which he noticed. This, Mr. President, has been alleged by the Senator frotn Massachusetts as'-the cause for his assault'; and to show How lowly* even great minds and lofty preten sions are’capable of descending for ai pretext, when vfiey seek a controversy, ii is worthy o? remark, that the Se’nator ehar’ged'me with having inserted the word express*’ in that part«r Mr. Ingersoll’s remarks ap. pendcd td mine, so as tb make it road that the letter spoken of was sent by \express”—a word in no rfitn- ner material to any view I had taken of the subject, nor relating to anything L had said.. The extract from Me-- Ingersoll’s speech, appended to mine, was cuf by me from, the columns of the \Union” news paper, and not. c'hangcd in n word or a letter;, arid, besides, a copy of the \Congressional Globe,” which 1 now hold, contains another report cf the s^ime speech, with, the same word “ express,” which the Senator from Massachusetts, with great pretensions to dignity, aqd truth, and fairness, with both these papers before him Containing reports of the speech, including the same word in the note, charges were •expressly inserted by me.” • The pretences, Mr. President, which have beem al leged, by the Senator, to excuse this assault; I have, I trust, shown lb be what -they really are—empty and dcsig'ned-as an excuse for assailing one, for-no otlher reason than because he brought to the nolice of the country, and called in question the wisdom o f the Ashburton negotiations, in the hope, doubtless, that hereafter no one would venture to allude to this traf fic in American Honor, lest, perchance, he should in cur the weight of that fearful penalty—:the-displeas ure of the S e n a tor from Massachusetts. I now propose, Mr. President, to revieWbricfly the remarks of the1 Senator from Massachusetts, and lo notice, upon his invitation, more fully than I have heretofore done, tiie \settlement of (he northeastern boundary, and the general subject.of the Ashburton negotiation. - Before proceeding to my task, however, if permitted, I would invoke the Senator from Mass. acbuseits to accept a word* of advice from one who cannot boast of his great experience, and who is by many years his junior. If, in lookings back over the dark and desolate pathway of a long life, which with a high order of talent, has been devoted to the public employment, if n o t the public service, lie can find no pbjecls upon which the eye can rest with pleasure if, for himself, he can see no bow of promise arching itself up in the future, let him nut blast the fruition of the present by the indulgence of evrl passions } but hush the angry tempest wiiich chafes and agi tates his bosom, and. cultivate a spirit of peace. - I f it does not improve bis bearing towards his fellows, it will a t least restore, him .to better humor with him- self, which, froip the exhibition he has given, us, would seem to be desirable- The .virulent.display of the honorable Senator was no .hasty or inconsiderate outbreak, buf .the^fruit of careful and deliberate preparation. On Friday lasi the Senator, not having.,the floor upon the Oregon question, or upon .anything relating to it, and not knowing that he could obtain it, pompously announ ced that he would speak on Monday one hour-ra no -lice fo the wrirld, that on that day, the performance which had been ao long in rehearsal was to comeioff, and that the Sepator from Massachusetts, for. the en tertainment o f t h o s e w h o s h o u l d .assemble -on hie ad- vertdeinent, would annihilate a n a n t a g o n i s t of \fear- ful odds.” The hour within which the.Senator was to dispose of tbc question was elongated until .two en tiro days, were-exhausted, -commencing -earlier than usual, and during which time we, were terrified by his frowns, and overwhelmed and. astounded by bio matehltse rrdicule. So; exulting waa hia tone, and ao profuse wcre his anathemas upon the remark that “I wOuid endeavor to sppakoftho bistory oftbo paattf*. ly,” that I suppooed I had perehanee fallen upon a ertocmoas datfi.or some otherarrar of abbot equal im. portanoe, and waa waitiaf, ae wera tho Soaata and the audieneo, Ih bfaathlow' • xpdeUtumrfor tha as. toundieg dsvslopnieBt 1 arid the orronooua statoment 'to he -detected; when after sll tbe'-empty-Vnd vain glorious bokitfng in tvftidh he- had Iiffihlged, he wii‘ UfriiBfe’ to point dVtr4i ttriglo\misstateihWnt -anrfswh* com^lied-to fa'ffhatk upObTheretaefe-Ad^hrfoeirefii^ ted dehiil 'that:The 4 FwWhf- bWftrh'd With tbecourts of New York in the affair o f McLeod —an inference to bo deduced from certain, ascertain, ed facts,--which I have once fully established, and will again plaee' before the Senate and the country, beyond the reach of the most brazen falsifier or disin- genous caviller«. The honorable Senator is anxious that t should turn historian. H e has been pleased to remark that the American people will pay well for .whatever gives them a hearty laugh, no matter whether it be a car. icature from Puneb, or a volame of my researches after .truth-! . This is doubtless true ; though they have sometimes “paid well” for that which afforded them neither profit nor amusement* Although by no means ambitious, of becoming author^ I atu,desirous to oblige him, and advise him^ that, upon .invitation from him, I will so far become, one as,to give a.“irue history of the past';” but whether its revelations shall cause amusement to.the American, people, to any particular individual, or compel, thoae to hang thejr beads in sjiame wbo ha-ve bg^ome-iDScnaiblc to- such emotions, Lneed not attempt to determine. But Jhe Senator-seems to take a financial view of the .quest ion, and supposes\ a volume of .my researches would sell quic.kly, apd, .in the hands of the Harpers, would prove an abundant source, o f profit,.and bring a large amount of money. This, sir, I am gratified to hear; for,.in my intercourse wi|.h my fellow men, and especially,iny friends, I prefer they should make. rather than lose, a large amount p f money by the-con- nexioq. But, sir, out of pure sympathy for the human race, I rejoice that even this small mailer came to-relieve the dead level of Ibe Senator’s two days’ delivery of six^ weeks incubation. Something at least was .due to those who had so long and sq patiently endured to the end and wailed lhe promised repast, for certainly it could, on the whole, scarcely have been deemed the “ entertainment Id which they were invited.” Tiie Senator, however, passes on with his catalogue of grievances. On a day when the Seriate was not io session, he found the messengers sending a copy of the offending speeeh to every post-master in N. York. This weighty charge, Mr. President, I regret to say, admits of no denial; but my excuse is, \that a t the time it was supposed to be lawful, even without ob taining leave front the Senator'from Massachusetts. N o w , although no Senator except that honorable, learned, and dignified Senator thought it his duty, .or made it his business, to be prying into the folding, rooms and peering behind the tables lo spy out who were sending away speeches, or where or to wKbm.it cannot fie denied that the calling was en tirely res pectable and worthy of the Senator’s position, though if not among the least, .it can scarcely be ranked as amongst the most clovaled pursuits ap'perlaining to the Senatorial office. .* \f ■ * But, in'following, the honorable Senator from Mas sachusetts in this gigantic effort, which I contemplate with exceeding awe, I approach a charge of a graver character still. Hark! Let reverend Senators give ear! Let the hum of the galleries be suppressed 1 Let spectators listen, and the world cease respiration, while I shall for one brief moment, in subdued topes, read from the inimitable speech of the Senator one of ' I ‘ N * ■* . its choicest and chastest beauties 1 Let it be giv.en in his own refined language! In speaking of the further distribution of my Oregon speech, the Senator from Massachusetts opened his mouth and said as follows: \ / do not doubt that enough o f them were sent into Broome county (the county of my residence) to Jill a small barn, jund pretty hard fodder it would be.” . ‘ V ‘ \Now in the name pf all.lne gods at .once,” I con- jure every friend I have on earth to stand by me, and I crave; tbe sympathy of my most.evil-disposed enemies, while I attempt to live on under the inflic tion of soch;excj;u.ti%ling'£aFca8m 1 Thedenunciation I could have,borne, but such ridicule as this is too much for frail humanity. How sparkling, the wit ! how burning tlie salire! how elevated tho thought! how. profound the d ignity! how \god-like” the con- ceplion! [Grcallaughter.j ' L e st, however,. Mr, President, I should consume too.much time in tracing the brilliant passages of that graceful and masterly production, I will proceed to a brief review qf the treaty settling the northeastern boundary and the . Ashburton negotiations. And, first, the subject of the boundary. . * The Senator informs ua lhal when he was invested with the diplomatic insignia, he .-found this matter exceedingly embarrassed by the correspondence .of previous Administrations ;, and he quotes extensively from messages, documents, and official papers, to prove (what no one bas denied) that the .territory bad not before heen given up, nor the-question settled. Bui let us have the Senator’s own language. After citing portioos-of its history, lhe Senator proceeds: “ F rom this historical sketch of the diplomatic correspondence between the two Governments du ring the A d m inistra ion of M r. Van Baren,, he (M r. W.)» con tended that the whole question was brought into as p retty a little diplomatic entangle ment. as a n y one m ight choose to look npon of a summer’s day—one which would h ave taken Rich elieu,. T a lley rand, Nesselrode, and M eiternich, to have unravelled. Such, indeed, was the deplora bly confused and complicated state of the question, such the utter hopelessness of adjustment, that Lord Palmerston declared that he had mot the slight?- est expectation of a settlement till there would be a_ change in (ke Adniimstr'dtion 'of' tKc Government o f the’ United •States .” * - ■ - ' This, Mr. President, was the condition of the northeastern boundary, as related by our modest Se- ereUry negotiator; arid: although he haa assured’ m thatrsri* complex was Its entanglement, that its. don. tem'plation Would afford employment, for a summer’s- day,-he had not-designated'whatsummer, nor what month in th'e summer, uor what day in the montbhe had in view ; -leaving us entirely to conjecture wfielh. er he considered th'e 4th o f July, or, if so, \what-piir. tieular—4th of July} a Suitable pastime for . its disentanglement. But its intricacy .would have-baf fled the diplomatic -skill o f all the noled negotiators' o f modern tim es;—Richelieu, and Taljeyrand, and Nesselrode, and Mctternich, wouldin.the hnawttining judgment o f the great American negotiator, bars beeii unkblerto, thread the maxes oLthis diplomatic laby-t ryath, which he'dlspos'ed of by wholesale, with a •single'dash o f the psn. It was-said'of iHe h eroof the Hermitage, that fie was tfie.'conqueror o f the warlike ▼Oteran^of the Old World— Of those Who conquered \With Welifnglbn in the wari of the Feninsula. But hlrfxino in the field is suddenly eclipsed by * more resplendant genius in ihe cabinet, who achieves, as it were, in a tingle moment, a victory whiehJiad de fied the wisdom of thirteen successive Administra. tionS, arid from whTeh'the gray.beaded negotiators of earth would have thrunk in utter despair. The jMiqator enumerates the’ illustrlooa line of Presidents, Washitt|ton to Vanr Bunifri; aridabows thst each in hit torn had. vainly andeavarad tn pot at rest the quSatiem’oftha hortheaatenr boandary. YeiTM F . Prtmderit, ths lalmorial Washington -^ IhWFathW-'of ottr cooritry-^be who was ffrst in war, -first' iri pe*ce, atad firsf ln tba heartS o f hSs/'equntry Irt Who'foogtrt Un hatttas bf thO Itevrilotion, arid gmdeffa. ^beffie hbffd \Op rrifaWt coftrhieir trirthe YiWotfeat diewiiiy'of- natlohr,^\Tel ires-1rdtiri f ■ tfiC cwres 'df S i k t r tb* th r quiet sfiiflSsr of Motmt VerDrin', unable to-settle the vexed question—the northeastern boun dary!, The gigantic mind o f the elder Adams, with tha spirit o f the Revolution upon hiiu:—he who. had contributed-so abundantly to his country’s indepen.d* enee—he whoso patriotism and devotion were un doubted, despite of erroneous political sentiments,—- left thia question to be cared for by those who should succeed him. . Thomas Jefferson— the author of the Declaration of American Independence—who pro- claimed to.tho world the obvious, but mighty truth, that all rrien„are created equal,—though eight years administering the Government-,fcundfiis-great krioWl- edge urieifrial to the (ask, arid lived and died, and the question remained unsettled. It-withstood t-he exer tions o f Madison, ihe patriot and statesman, and-of the laborious and researching Monroe,' and of the younger Adams;-to whom was conceded-more diplo matic learning than any American atatesmanyof his tilrie. 'Jackson,- the sage and hero— who'left his mighty impreaa upon the institutions of bis country, and by his bold\ and' feSarless \patriotism commanded the respect and admiration of the woricU—who' now reposes at the Hermitage, far from the struggles arid agkatioris of time arid'sense,— passed over this con-' troversy, undisposed of,, t o ’his successor. -But the prudence arid-sagacity, the persevering purpose and quiet firmness of Van Bnren failed, and,-like those who had preceded him, he retired firom office with the northeastern boundary question unsettled, and Maine undivided. And, in short, so pertinaciously fiad all Administrations, up to this time, adhered to the in tercsis andjfionor of the couutry, that, as the Senator from Massachusetts informs us, Lord Palmerston, her M ajesti’s Prineipal Secretary of Foreign Affairs, declared, iij his official despatch, “ that the British ‘Government, as early as 1849, had perceived that ‘they never could come lo a settlement of this con. ‘troversy *wjth the Government of Mr. Van Buren, ‘and lhcy*J.hcrcfore wished and waited for a change ‘in the Government of the United Slates.” But this erjsnt, so earnestly desired by tbe British Government—rso necessary, in its estimation, to the adjustment of the question— had happened ; the Sen- ator from. Massachusetts had bceri invested with the power and dignity of Premier, and in the first year and fifth month h that auspicious reign, the question wai adjusted 1 And how, Mr. President, Was this transcendent feat'iri diplomacy accomplished? By that which all his 'predecessors had relused to do— giving up to Great Britain the whole territory in 9is. pute, and tOOjOOO acres info the bargain! W hal a sublime triumph over British diplomacy ! Yes, sir, the Senator,'on the firalday of his speech, called our attention to a single circumstance, which speaks volumes, and furnishes'the key to the events of this most extraordinary and indefensible transaction ; and although after a night’s1 reflection, and perhap3 upon the advice o f some sagacious friend,' he erideav*. ored to unsay it, or al least.to gloze it over, and to give a more convenient construction to the language, yet his instincts were stronger than his prudence— the fact was out, and his attempt to manufacture a meaning jor tlie occasion was unsuccessful. The iignificant expression to which I allude, was that of Lord Palmerston, in /his despatch, as given by the Senator jrolri Ma»sac;husetl 3 . that the ‘‘‘Briiish Government perceived' that they ‘could never come to a settlement of this coritro- ‘versy with the government of Mr. Van Buren, and they, therefore, wished and w a iled for a ‘change.’' • Yes, sir; the change desired and waited for by the Briiish Government came.-r- Our sagacious and haughty rival saw that the time for her aggraihdisementand our debasement had cdme with it. She knew her time; and she knew her men! and not orifv her own men, but she knew ours, with whom she was U> negotia- ate, better. Although she was then represented at our Government'!))' a Minister of g reat expe rience nnd conceded capacity-, she passed him over, and sent not as a special ' ambassador, to negotiate with the American Secretary, a gen tleman of high character, enlarged-experience in the matter of'“equivalents,” and Withal an eminent and wealthy\ banker; and he it was, who, closeted with the American Secretary, “solitary and alone,” proceeded to the negritiaion of this matter, which dismembered a sovereign State, without leaving a protocol or memorahd um to fell -what passed between- them; and all the public know concerning it is, that tho -busi ness proceeded, as the Secretary informs us; up on the principle of “equivalents.” ''*•.* But, sir, the Senator says tbat Maine consen ted to the arrangement, and seems to- suppose that no other.section bas the right to complain. It was, however, a question of national as well as State boundary ; one in which every memb er of the Confederacy had an interest, and would have been none the less a concession, if Maine had been silenced and had-consented. But how did she consent? With the declaration oT the Secretary that no more favorable terms could be obtained^-the oft repeated cry that she was about to involve two great Christian nations in a bioo dy war— with threats of future arbitration and tbe parade of a spurious map, ber consent-was finally rung from ber. Head, sir, the consent of the commissioners of Maine lo the dismemb ermfenl of their State, and- the indignant and el oquent-protest, it .contains, though borne down and. crushed, by surrounding, circumstances into acquiescence. Sir,, the consent pf Maine to part With-her soil-and- her.sovereignity was given with a-bleeding- heart-—it was like the consent of him who bares bis ovyn right arm to the .sur geon’s knife; when advised that hisli/e can only be preserved'by its amputation. She consented as one consents to .commit to kindred dust jhe child-en .of his body ; she consented as the. red man consents to be driven from bis happy hun ling grounds.The graves of his iatherSr-and the banks of, tbe streams where he sported in child hood ^ sh e , c o n s e n ted , a s w a s said b y .a n o t h e r , [Mr. Benton,] as llthe victim..consents to execu tioq, because he^walks and.is not dragged” to the scaffold which h a s been erected lo receive him. ^ r * I will now, Mr. President, proceed to exam ine itiij! treaty somewhat more m detail, and to c o n s id e r i t s co n c e s s io n s a n d e n u m e r a t e its eq u iv a le n ts, a n d le a v e it to.ao I m p a r t i a l p u p li c to j u d g e of both its wisdom und its integrity. By reference tp tbat part of roy Oregon speech already noticed, it will be.seen, tbatlas- serted that the Duch line, , (which took from us an extensive.territory,) was rejected; and that tbeAshburton treaty gave to GreaiBritain more territory than a map in her Foreign Office show ed she was entitled to; in fact, about seven hun- dred thousand acres more than the Dutch line gave h er ; and that we psiid for it to* Maine and Massachusetts 9800,000. ’ ‘ This I now repeat, and prove iny assertion by the autfiority of Lord Brougham, who in dis ciissing the AsMburton trerity in tlie BHtish Par- llatbentAaid4: ^ ^ / r ^ ** “ T h o D u tch ia,a.s Jar inferior te the lin e Lord AsHburtoa has g o t as th’e'Dutch line is better than the line we Add any title to ’ expect ;i and while it Treep^. open ihe . communication, i t re moves, the A - lnericans m u ch further irom the St, Lawrence than the D u tch line did, which-was the other Erreaf object.” - - ‘ >- ./ * * ° T In 'speakirigpf the map to which I ^alluded, he says: ; - *rf know that map—I know a map which I can trace to the custody ot George III., and upon, which there is the American, and not the English line, and upon whi^i there is a note, that, from the handwriting, as^it has been described to me makes me think it was the handwriting of George III.,- himself: ‘T h is Is the line of W illiam Oswald’s treaty cf 1783,’ written three or four times across the face ot it.” , . ■ _ , . ■ And after some further remarks, he a d d s :' \■ * . “ But some how or other,.that map, which entire ly destroys our, contention and gives all to the Amef i- Lord-Palmvfcstpn, to be sure, dissented frond the opinions of Lord Brougham, but .Lord Brougham ‘was sustained by the .House all.but unanimously, two .Peers ;only dissenting ; and besides/ Lord Palmerston had' been dismissed from office, and felt (he ifl-natured irritation^ which dismissed secretaries, in other, countries sometim es exhibit.-......................................... .............. By this it is conceded that tbe Dutch line gave to Great Bri’ain much more than she was entitled to ; in short, that she had no right to any portion of the disputed.territory;, and (yet tlifs treaty gives to her seven hundred ihousand acres m o re than the JDalch line.pi oposed to give. And we agree, with Great Britain too, (for it is provided in the treaty,), to .pay to Maine, and Massachusetts for the soil thus, surrendered, $300,000, and have pajd, and are to. pay, about $ 200,000 for the expenses of Maine in defend ing it. But, says the Senator from Massachu setts, the land was almost worthless, and is prob ably at Lhis,time covered with,five feet depth of sooav. Then why, if valueless for any purpose, did the late Secretary pprchase,jt.atan expense of $500,000 ? And wliy, pray tell, was Great Britain so anxious to obtain it and give for.it the pretended valuable and vast equivalents ? The Senator, does not deny the correctness of.rny assertion,,but complains that the funda mental principle of his treaty being , that of equivalents, I did not, in stating the concessions made by it to Great Britain, fairly enumerate, and estimate the equivalents, received ; and this, is one of his.principal grounds of accusation.— Foremost in rank and principal in . value in the catalogue .of equivalents, the Senator places Rouse’s Point. This, he informs us, as though none .knew its position but himself, is a valua ble military post, commanding the entrance to Lake Champlain, at a point near.the line,be tween the British, possessions jn Canada and the State of New York. This'large sum of money,-the Senator assures us, was not in effect paid for the-worthless seven hundred thousand acres ceded from the acknowledged territory and jurisdiction’of ^ a i n e to that of Great Bri- (ain,. but was p^aid to obiairi Rouse’s Point and its-vast military advantages. B u r if paid' for Rouse’s Point/why paid to Maine and: Massa chusetts ? They asserted no claim whatever to Rouse’s Point- and their- land the Senator pro nounces to be almost worthless. Now, lefus examine for a moment the argument ofthe Sen* ator, and notethri conclusions to which itjbfings us. The line awarded by the King of the. Netherlands, called the Dutch line, gave us. Rouse’s0Point and its miliiary advantages, and secured to Maine the seven hundred thousand acres of-land which this treaty gave to Great Britain. As a Senator from Massachusbtls du ring the Administration Of General Jackson, that Senator opposed the Dutch line, for the alleged' reason that-it was riot sufficiently favor able, and voted against every proposition which looked to its adoption ;* and he now boasts of his prowess in diplomacy, aud seeks to immolate every one vvho shall question bis profundity, because he'succeeded in- paying -$500,00(3 in cash for the seven hundred thousand acres of worthless land, and in giving the same for Rouse’s Point, when the award of' the-Dutch King; which he resisted, gave us both the land and the Point for nothing\; and'Great Btitain urged us to ■ accept them. And yet the Senator insists, and some will doubtless concede, lhat'be had, in the settlement of this Iino, astrict regard to the principle of equivalents. Now, sir, I have supposed that, “equivalent” meant some- thing of equal value, tbough. L haver not looked at Webster's Dictionary to see how lie defines the word:- Tbe practical construction given to it by the Senator from--Massachusetts in this case, at least between--Great-B-riiain and the United States, would seem to be as follows:-^ A line Was offered to o u r Government reserv ing to Maine the seven hundred thousand acres uf territory, a n d . also Rouse’s Point.— The Senator opposes that line, and procures its rejection. H e then proposes to give the seven hundred thousand acres-for the military point, priyS to Maine some $500,000-for \her seven hundred thousand acres, and then assures tis that her negotiated upon the basis of,:aiid with an-eye to; the “equivalents.”-\ 1 ' * v On the firstday of the-Senator’s speech, while he was dilating uponthe principle of equivalenis, and his patriotism expanding itself over- the acquisition of Route’s Point; by his inimitable diplomacy; I courteonsly asked him if this Point was not given us /by the Dutch King.— His answer unfortunately for him; was the reverse of the fact, and the manner in which it was given was/as will be recollected, still moTe objectionable. “No, indeed, it .did* hot,” was his peremptory and; lofty denial, but for reasons Which can be readily imagined, he partially retracted., and faintly admitted that the award of the Dutch King gave us Rouse’s Point; but seemed to justify his denial, upon the ground that it gave it by a circular line, whereas, by the treaty of equivalents , he obtained it by a direct Zone. And he gravely argued that it would be useless as a military position under the Dutch line, b ecause the line l h a t s e c u red it to u s w a s c ir cuitous —as if cannon shot and grape fidm the fort, in discharging their deadly errands, would describe tbe same circuit, rather than pass to their destination upon a right line. The inquiry was not w h e ther the D u tch line gave.us that Point by a right or a curved line; blit whether it gave it to u sor nob But, sir, to place beyond a doubt tho fact ihat this post was given us hy the award of the Dutch King, notwithstanding tbe emphatic “noyindecd,\ of the Senator from MaMaehusetis, J have procured from the W ar Department that part o f the award relating fo Rouse’s; Point, •which I will- now. reach / It is as follows*. . • .' -. >. “A n d tbat the Gwovernffient, of the UnitedlStates of Am erica has erected certain fortificationsvat the place called Rouse’sT o l s t , under impressioxf that tfiegrotffld jfomWd part 6 f tbeir preSridti suflieiently>nS(brtrifced ^ P ^ f k a t r h e d l n e had, unql thep, beeri.repqtcd to correspond w.itff.the _45tn dqcpcpe of niortb;latituie: .r %cW ear0 o f opinion T h a t it Will br stirlabte {»f conviendra) to proceeil to trtsh operat ions to in eas- ure the observed latitude, in. tfrder to mark optibe! boundary from the raver Connecticut Siong t h t parallel, b flhqifcth, d egree xifmorih latitudpjo j h d riy er St^LaWreiftte/ttamed J a f lle treaties IrboiiotM br'Cataf«|^jr,-f¥'ysc'b a HUdftwfc hb^rever ,-tfiai/ iff ali cases, at thfe place caUsdE^Uwe’s point, th&ter-> ritpxy -of .th^D n ited J 3 t * t e ^ t A m e r ic a shall ex-* tend, to the frirt erected at that , place,-and k h all Jit- cludej^id foH .afiff its kilotmetrical radius, (faythi kiloHiStrzqiiJe^, -- . -[Sighed). . # ^WILLIAM” ' S o rffuchj Mr. BresW ent, f®> th e denial offhff Senaior -froth 'M a t o h u i * # a i p f&r tfie jhyfif uable servitte OFrtfie l a t h ^ # i f a f y in g a in in g us R o u s e ’s Point. ' ' ■ ^ Butsthe Senator Roifitffivjth niuch triumjjfft, to a narrow trtr ip. bfs o if bn the borders o f N e w 1 York und-Yefrft&V* i W h , as Secretary, fee claim s to have secured States tfpoti thfe principle ©! equ vval e r i t f f e e closing bf tbiS negotiation . 1 'NoW. sir, hrt lis' exam ine tfie irtil history of this boastful fe^uisiliofi. Ry the treaty of peace of 1783;belween this Govern* ment and Great Britain; the 45th parallel of north latitude, aif ascertained >by G. Briittid herself, before the revolution Was fixed as thfe boundary line betWeen.‘the fjoited States ahd danadri; and the forfificat^ at Rouse’s Poifff®* was erected, just on the AmejrV can side. Subsequent examinations prbved that this line hAi^beenlerffeheously located by Great Britairi ; iveafV. thifl qrrdt^alY^euBed^SQp^B.e-. line niade to cOf1-. respond with the true parallel. Thia-gave, o f perhaps; would or may have given, though it is questionable, to Great/Britatn a harfow strip of land, from the northern boundaries bf the Slates before ennumerated,.of half a mile tit orife. end, and running lo^a point at\the other ; most of it in a Wild state, and the rest sparsety'settjed. The same remarks are applicabje- tp a portion of territory on. the. eastern boundary of ffew Hampshire; lying between two creeks; and it being doubtful which one was intended by 'the treaty. But the whole territory in all.fhesd cases had xemained in our possession, and lhe inhabitants subject to our jurisdiction. The value of tli is land for the mere purpose of terri tory was trifling, and Great Britain had.no wish to include American freemen within her bound aries. She readily'consented, to fix the lino where it was originally located ; to givfe bp what she scarcely claimed; that to which her right was doubtful; that of .vvhich she had never been possessed, and did not’want. And altho’ it was well to correct and fix definitely this, line, it was of itself the subject of no embarrassment' or controversy, and should rank sis a smal la flair, vvhether. paraded..as a British, equivalehjt,or a diplomatic exploit, of our Secretary, hegotiator. . But last though not least in value, in t'hitf treaty of equivalents, as urged by the Senator, is the/ree navigation of the St. John’s river; a limited and partial right, at best; and, as was shown by the honorable Senator frqift Maine ' m* . Fairfield] a few days since, has been jso / embrarassed by British constructions, taxes, duties, and oiher exactions,;as ,to curtail materi ally the benefits\ it even pretended to secure.— Besides, we .4 receive r»p. more in navigation -than we bestow upon this river,rind give a. right©! way over our soil which is not reciprocated by a right over theirs.- ^ But, sir, was this ceded territory valuable# :either Government, .for any, purpose? ... J/had never supposed that jt .would compare ip ferti- Iity. with the yalley of the Mississlppi.j 'and yet Lb ad supposed liable, for. I-. remembered that the same Secretary negotiator/who, stands high upon this, and deservedly higher upon the other side of (he water, in a public speech in the Senate a few years since,-proposed to .take forcible possession of it on the 4th-.day of some July, I now, believed that this day was selected, as a day devoted to patriotic deeds; but, since its description b y the Senator jfrpm Massachusetts, f conclude it must have been to avoid the vast beds of snow which rest upon it at most other seasons ' of the y earr And now; sirj permit me to inquire’, W h y was it that Great Britain desired this territory^ for she nevqr act* without a motive. Upon the Oregon discussiou, my honorable colleague [M-r. Dix] alluded-col laterally tb the sfettlehtenfof this boundary,'and spoke of the military communication, which, by this treaty, the Briiish Government had sec.uTea between New Brunswick and €tuebec, and of the country she\ had 4 thus' gained. For thus venturing,to question the-yvisdom pf the treaty, and its.\ negotiator in making it, my colleague, whose 'distinguished courtesy is' prpveibiaj, al: 'though he'triumphantly sustained his posTtion by refference to ..debates in the Briiish Parlia ment, came ’ in fora share of the ungenerous hafshiiess of the Senaior from Massachusetts thoujgh he\ escaped his violencfe and: denuqcia- tiori. 'B u t, sir, I prpposC to pursue the matter a single stepfurthei, and th inquire whether G. Britain had hot* Jongarid/unsuccessfully sought th obtain this Veiy territory which was So inglori. opsly yielded to her by the American Secretary; nor shall I be deterred from my,purpose by per sonal abuse or angry menace.' B y refference to a'History ot Foreign Relations, coniained iff American State Papers, vol. 3, page 709, it wftl be seen, that in negotiating the treaty at Gheht, the British commissioners, as stated by a com munication from ours of August the 19th, 1814, demanded— “ A direct' communication from Halifax and -th* Province of New Brunswick to (Quebec, to be/se- curedfo Great Britain, in answer to.our question, 'in what Manner fhts was to be efleCted j -we wfere told that if must be' done by a cession to iGreat Prf- triiri o f that portion oC’the -district of Maine, in the State of Massachusetts, Avhich intervenes betweeh New Brunswick ;arid Gtuebec, and prevents that di rect communication.” . > ; And, iri a note ofthe British Commissioner's, bearing th.e, same date, to be found on the next page.ofthe' same Volume, they; demand ^ t t t h ‘a^ariaiioq of the line of partition as msy^ j«- ‘cjure a direct line of communication between ‘Q,uebec and Halifax.” ’ , And now, Sir, let us lurn to the noble re sponse of the American commissioners— men who were governed in their Actions by the in terests and honor of their country, and not by equivalents. . T heir answer to tbjs arrogant de mand may be found: -page 712, of tfie volume before mentipned,Aqd is, that they have no au thority to c e d e a n y p a r lo f the territory ofthe United Statesy a n d to no stipulation to that ef fect will they subscribe.\ _ , Now, sir, let us contrast this truly American and patriotic septiment with the slavish tone aod language.ofthe S e c r e t a r y who negotiated-upoa the principle of. equivalents. Lord Ashbftrton announces himself to our government on'the I3tb of June, 1842. Formal notes are inter changed and an interview, is appointedfor the 4 gtb.- The first written communication from MrZ Webster, the Secretary, to Lord AshbartoiL of any* importance; is under the dato pf July 8 tb, 1842 , and farnishef, besides other interesting snd'curious developments, the following, whiefe i* worthy of «fpeeud attention i _ W I tmdifttatii, AfeA indaed, coBaet fram wsfer ‘fAxdskip's nqtef that -j r^ymhftipfr opinion of hfr •tt, .. . . ___ . ^ .. . . . ... . ..... . •soil heft acxustomeiliiie '<f icpifimiimc*l£p& •at' once, tfcitt'vfitk iuittime 'equivalents, a cdKvenko
