ion and
arbitration. I hold this to be a question vital, permanent, elementary,
in the future prosperity of the country and the maintenance of the
Constitution; and I am willing to trust that question to the people. I
prefer that it should go to them, because, if what I take to be a great
constitutional principle, or what is essential to its maintenance, is to
be broken down, let it be the act of the people themselves; it shall
never be my act. I, therefore, do not distrust the people. I am willing
to take their sentiment, from the Gulf to the British Provinces, and
from the ocean to the Missouri: Will you continue the war for territory,
to be purchased, after all, at an enormous price, a price a thousand
times the value of all its purchases, or take peace, contenting
yourselves with the honor we have reaped by the military achievements of
the army? Will you take peace without territory, and preserve the
integrity of the Constitution of the country? I am entirely willing to
stand upon that question. I will therefore take the issue: _Peace, with
no new States, keeping our own money ourselves, or war till new States
shall be acquired, and vast sums paid._ That is the true issue. I am
willing to leave that before the people and to the people, because it is
a question for themselves. If they support me and think with me, very
well. If otherwise, if they will have territory and add new States to
the Union, let them do so; and let them be the artificers of their own
fortune, for good or for evil.

But, Sir, we tremble before executive power. The truth cannot be
concealed. We tremble before executive power! Mr. Polk will take no less
than this. If we do not take this, the king's anger may kindle, and he
will give us what is worse.

But now, Sir, who and what is Mr. Polk? I speak of him with no manner of
disrespect. I mean, thereby, only to ask who and what is the President
of the United States for the current moment. He is in the last year of
his administration. Formally, officially, it can only be drawn out till
the fourth of March, while really and substantially we know that two
short months will, or may, produce events that will render the duration
of that official term of very little importance. We are on the eve of a
Presidential election. That machinery which is employed to collect
public opinion or party opinion will be put in operation two months
hence. We shall see its result. It may be that the present incumbent of