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Boston Daily Times Extra, . . . [No. I. 
 
 %it,t)a^/^ 
 
 SKETCH 
 
 OF THE 
 
 LIFE AND PUBLIC SERVICES 
 
 OF 
 
 Gew. lewis CASS. 
 
 For sale at the Boston Daily Times office, at S 1 ,00 per 100 copies, ^ 7,00 
 per 1000 copies, and TWO cents per single copy. 
 
 •^, 
 
\ 
 
 * . ... 
 
 3-4-0 
 
^ 
 
 Gek. lewis CASS. 
 
 Lewis Cass was born at Exeter, in New 
 Hampshire, on the 9th Hay of October, 
 1782. His father, Major Jonathan Cass, 
 was a soldier of the Revolution, who en- 
 listed as a private the day after the bat- 
 tle of Lexiiigion. He served in the ar- 
 my till the close of the war, and was in 
 all the important battles in the Eastern 
 and Middle States, where he was distin- 
 guished lor his valor and good conduct, 
 and attained the rank of captain. He 
 was afterwards a major in Wayne's ar- 
 my, and died at an advanced age, after 
 a life of usefulness and honor, at his res- 
 idence, near Dresden, in Muskingum 
 county, Otiio. His son Lewis Cass, the 
 subject of this biography, emigrated, at 
 the^ge of seventeen, to the then North- 
 western Territory, and settled first at Mar- 
 riet a; ia the county of V\ a!*hingtoii. He 
 was thus, as he was recently called by 
 the convention ol Ohio, one of the 'early 
 pioneers' of that immense western re- 
 gion, which has already risen to such a 
 magnitu;;e in our own days, and is des- 
 tined to attaiu orieso much greater here- 
 after. The country north of the Oliio 
 then contained one Territory and about 
 twenty thousand people. 
 
 Mr Cass bore his full shares in the toils 
 privations, and dangers to which the de- 
 fence of a new country, and its conver- 
 sion from a primitive forest to the happy 
 abodes of civilized man, are necessarily 
 exposed. He read law at Marietta, and 
 was admitted to the bar before the close 
 of the Territorial Government. He com- 
 menced the practice, and, as was the 
 custom then, visited the courts in a large 
 district of the country, travelling on 
 horseback, and encountering many dif- 
 
 ficulties unknown to the members of the 
 bar at the present day. 
 
 In 1806, he was elected a member of 
 the Legislature of Ohio, and during the 
 session he took his part m the bus-iness of 
 the day. He drafted the law which ar- 
 rested the traitorous designs of Burr, and 
 introduced an address to Mr Jefferson, 
 which was unanimously adopted, ex- 
 pressing the attachment of the people 
 of Ohio to the Constitution of the United 
 States, asd their confidence in that illus- 
 trious man. In March, 1807, he was 
 appointed, by Mr Jefferson, marshal oi 
 Ohio. In execution of the duties of that 
 office, in the business of his profession, 
 and in the occupation of a farm in 
 Muskingum county, wheie he resided, 
 he passed his time until 1812. Then 
 our difficulties with England assumed a 
 portentous aspect. Her multiplied ag- 
 gressions left us no recourse but war; and 
 the statesmen of the day prepared for it 
 with firmness. As one of the preparato- 
 ry arrangements, it was determined to 
 march a considerable force to the north- 
 western frontier, to be ready for ofTei.- 
 sive or defensive measures, as circum- 
 stances might render it necessary. The 
 command was given lo General Hull; 
 and a regiment of regular troops, which 
 had fought with credit at Tippecanoe, 
 was assigned to him. To this were to 
 be added three regiments ol Ohio volun- 
 teers. As soon as this demand upon 
 their patriotism was known, the citizens 
 of that State hastened to the call of their 
 country, and the force was raised without 
 delay or difficulty. Mr Cass wasrmong 
 the volunteers, and was elected to the 
 command of the third regiment. He 
 
proceeded immediately with hi? resi- 
 raetit to Di) ton, where the army was 
 coiicentraied, arid whence ii Cd.innenc.- 
 ed its march fir Detroit. The country 
 was a trackless forest, and mnch of it 
 was low and wet Great difficulties 
 were ifi'erposed to ttie advance ol the 
 tronps by the streains and marches, and 
 by the necessity of cutting a road. But 
 these were overcome with the usual 
 good will and perseverance of the AmHp- 
 ican soMiers. The army reached De- 
 troit on the 4th of July, 1812. 
 
 OfR'ial information that war would be 
 declared, overtook them in the wilder- 
 ness; but the declaraiion itselfwas not 
 received uniil they reachdl Detroit. 
 Colonel Cass was perhap-; more uisent 
 for an invasion of Canada than any officer 
 in Hull's army. He was decidedly in 
 favor of making aa early and decisive 
 movement, bef()re the British should be 
 prepared for the invasion. We conceive 
 it to be no disparagement to any one to 
 say thai he was th« master S|)iiit of that 
 army until the affair at the Canaids , af- 
 ter which, it )s known, he [)isa()proved 
 of every step taken by the commanding 
 general. There can now be no doubt 
 that Hull's ar.ny never would have en- 
 tered Canada but for the persuasions of 
 Colonel Cass. So anxious was he to push 
 forward and do something to meet the 
 just expectations of the Administration 
 and the country, that he commanded the 
 advanced detachment, and was the first 
 man to land in the enemy's country. 
 
 On the 15ih of July he was ordered 
 to attack a British detachment stationed 
 at the river A ax Canards, about rtfieen 
 miles from Detroit, and five miles from 
 Fort Maiden then the British heail-quar- 
 ters. He crossed the river .some distance 
 above the enemy's post, and briskly at- 
 tacked them ; when after some loss, 
 they fled. Here was spilt the first blood 
 durins the last war. Colonel Cass took 
 possession of the abamloiied position, 
 and immediately despatched a messen- 
 ger to General Hull, informina him of 
 his success, and advi^ing him to march 
 imme'diately to Fort Maiden — the road 
 to which was opened. Had this been 
 done, success must have crowned the 
 operation, and the war, in that quarter, 
 would have been over. He was Howev- 
 
 er, sadly disappointed by the indecision 
 of Hull, who ordered him to return and 
 join the army. Fiom this moment bad 
 councils prevailed, the army lost all 
 confidence in Hull, and he proceeded in 
 his owd Course, regardless of the advice 
 or reriionsirance of his officers. About 
 three weeks after the affair at the Ca- 
 nards, the whole army was ouleied 
 across the river to Detroit; in which time 
 hH<f Coioof'l Cass's advice been taken. 
 Maiden miaht fiave been reduced, and 
 a secure lod*'ment made in Upper Cana- 
 da. The Older of Hull to reiurn was 
 not less '■nexpe<!tej to the aimy than 
 was the disizraceful surrender at Detioit. 
 without a ^hot being fiied, civerv'helm- 
 ing to the country. 
 
 On enleiiiig Canada, General Hull 
 distributed a proclamation among the in- 
 h'lbiiants, which, for the eloquence and 
 hiiih spiiit that t contained, caniiot be 
 surpassed ; but it was sadly in coiitiast 
 with the fulfillment of its professions. 
 Unfortunately lor the country, tfie author 
 of the pM)clamaiion, Coloiiei Cass, was 
 not tlie commander of the army. Had 
 he been so, the country would have 
 been saved the mortification of behold- 
 ins the descent fiom the promise to the 
 fulfillment. As it was, he usod every 
 exertion to arouse in the commamf^ng 
 general that spirit of patriotism which 
 breathes in every line of the admirable 
 paper, but in vain. A spirit of iidatua- 
 tioii, or something worse, seized upon 
 Hull, and led hmi on, from one false 
 step to another, until the crowning act, 
 the surrender of Detroit, without riting a 
 gun, completed his own ruin, and 
 brought disiirace upon the arms of his 
 country, it is well known to the coun- 
 try that both Colonel Cas* and Colonel 
 Mt; Arthur were detached from Detroit 
 previous to the surrender, ostensibly for 
 provisions, but, in fa.'it, because they 
 were unwelcome counsellors at head, 
 quarters. Siung with nioitification on 
 hearing of the surrender. Colonel Cass, 
 when ordered to deliver up his sword, 
 indignantly shivered it in piece*, and 
 threw it to the earth, refusing to surrend- 
 er it to the enemy. 
 
 After the surrender of Detroit^ Colo- 
 nel Cass repaired to Washinaton, to re- 
 port to the Goverameut the whole cir-. 
 
cum^tances attemliiig the expedition. 
 He was exchaniied iluriiii; the winter, 
 aii'i ill ihe --^i^riiig was ap^joimed a brig- 
 adier ijeiieral. Shoilly alier this, he 
 joiaeil General Harrison at Seneca, 
 wheie the army was collecting, desiin- 
 eu to recover the lerritory of Aiichigan, 
 and to take possession of the wesiem 
 district of Upper Canada. The piepa'- 
 aiory arrangenienls being completed, 
 and the lake being open to ttie tianspor- 
 taiioii ot oar iroiip> by the victory of 
 Perry General Hanison conimenced his 
 movement in September^ 1813 and em- 
 barkeil his troops at the inou'h of Pur- 
 taue river, utience 'hey moved, and 
 were concentrated at Put in Bay. Fiom 
 here they s iled to the Wei'iern Sisier, 
 a small island off the coast of Canada, 
 where being all coileciied, the final ar- 
 raiiHeineiits were made, the debarka- 
 tio 1 was superinteniled and direcied by 
 General Ca-s, of the army, and Capiaiu 
 Elliott, of the navy ; and the troops 
 laniled in perfect order, expecting to 
 meet a formidal)le resistance. But the 
 eiierny had fled, atier destrojing the 
 public buildiniisat Amher.-tburg and De- 
 troi , and were in tull relieat tor Lake 
 itario. The American at my immedi- 
 ately commenced t^e pursuit, and alter 
 capiaiing two small detaclimenls, wfiich 
 otlerod siorrie lesist-ince in tavoiable po- 
 sitions, over ook the enem> at the Mor- 
 avian towns on the river Thames about 
 eighty miles from Detro t. The Bnii.-h 
 geneial Proctor, prcjved him^ell une- 
 qual to his command. Having some 
 days the t-tart, it tie designed to e,-cape, 
 he shouki have pushed his retreat as 
 rapidly as pos-ihle. But he moved 
 slovly, eiicunibi^red wiih mucdi unne- 
 cessary baiTiiaire, and finding the Amer 
 ican aim\ closing upon hiMi, he piepnr- 
 ed tor battle. The giuund he ch'ise was 
 heavily covered wiiti tiees, and his left 
 reeled upon the river Thames, whde his 
 riiht extended into the woods, lerminat- 
 in^i in a maish. Fhis liank was <jconpi- 
 ed by ih-! Indians, who ii was inieuied 
 should turn the Ameiican left wvah and 
 attain the rear. Ihe airny moved i-o 
 rapidly that many ot the tioo()s were 
 lelt t)ehinil, and a small noit.on only of 
 Gene al Cass's comma id was in the bat- 
 tle j they weie slalioned immediately in 
 
 front of the enemy's artillery, which 
 commanded the road, wiih diiections to 
 charge upon it as soon as Ihe action com- 
 menceii. Gener.il Cass volunteered his 
 services, toijether with Commodore Per- 
 ry, to assist General Harrison; and at the 
 momem of the cliarue of Colonel John- 
 son s rejiiment, which decided the fate 
 of the day, General C; ss took a position 
 with the liiiht wing of it, commanded by 
 Lieutenant Colonel Johnson, and ac- 
 companied it in its charge upon the 
 British line. It was a danneious exper- 
 iment to charge a line of 'disciplined 
 Bri i>h soldieis by undisciplined mount- 
 ed Anieiicaiis ; but valor supplied the 
 place ol l1i^cipline, and, notwithstanding 
 the resistance, that brave legimeni broke 
 through the line, and instantly the ene- 
 my was thrown into conlusion, and threw 
 down their aims, happy lo escape with 
 their lives. The British geneial, Pioc- 
 tor, fled almost at the commencement of 
 the aciion, and was pursued by General 
 C't^s, with a dt'tachmeiit, torsome miles 
 but could not be overtaken. 
 
 It is well known, that in this impor- 
 tant battle. General Cass bore a piomi- 
 nent paii, fully sharing in the exposure 
 and dangeis of the conflict. An eye- 
 witness, writing some twelve yeais since 
 fea)s : 
 
 "ill the aiUninn of 1813, I well recollect Geii- 
 errtl Ciiss, i)| ilie Noilii w(-.--(erH aniiy,coiiiiimn(i- 
 ed bv Hrtiiisnii ;-»kI tfiitlby. He was con.spic- 
 UiMis-Hl tlie laiidlMfr "t die troop-* upon the iyail- 
 ail<t>hore lielow iVlnl<lc-ii,oii tlie27lii dI Seplfiu- 
 tier, and (•oiispiciiuu.-.at the halUeoi ilie Tnaiiies, 
 a» liie voliiiilr-tr aid ot" llieoiiiiiiiaiidins geiierai. 
 I saw liiiii ill the iiild.st of Itie bailie, iii ine deep 
 wiinds upon llie bunks ut the riiaiue.*, during 
 the roai- aiitl clangor of fire-aniis, and savage 
 ye'ls lit Uie eiieiMV. Then I was a >. reen ynuitl 
 of seventeen, and a volunteer lioiu Kentucky." 
 
 Geneial H irrison, in his repoit of ihe 
 battle ol the Thames, dated October 9, 
 1813, says : 
 
 " 1 have already .«1ated, that General Cass 
 and CiiriiiiiDiiore Peny a.»>i.-.lrd me in foriniiig 
 tne irnnps Inr llie ai;lu>n I'lie f 'nner i.« an iit- 
 ti -er lit Ihe intfii-st priiiiii.»e, and llie appearance 
 of itie tJirtVr lytiiuiiiuduie Cheered and animaled 
 every breast." 
 
 The battle of the Thames teiminated 
 the Noiihwefterii campaign, and nut an 
 end to ihe war in that quaitei. but not lo 
 the difiiiiuliies or impoitante of the com- 
 mand. The United States beinii once 
 
6 
 
 more in ihe posse?sion of the Territory 
 of Michi^^an, and of ilie Pioviiice of Up- 
 per Canada, General Cass was assigned, 
 temporarily, the command of the dis- 
 trict, and Goneral Harrison withdrew 
 with his army. On the 9ih of Oct. 1813 
 he was appuiiited by President Madison 
 Governor of Michigan, at that time one 
 of the most important civil offices witjiin 
 the gift of the Execntive. He was 
 the civil as w. 11 as military Governor o 
 a large Territory, having many hundred 
 miles of exposed frontier, filled and al- 
 most surrendered with numerous tribes 
 of hostile Indians, in the pay of the Brit- 
 ish Government, and constantly excited 
 to acts of hostility by British agents. 
 
 As a proof of the defenceless state of 
 the country, it may be mentioned, that 
 incursions were made by the Indians, 
 and some persons made prisoners and 
 others krlletf within sight of the town of 
 Detroit, and three expeditions of mount 
 ed miliiia h;istily collected, were led by 
 Governor Cass in pursuit of the Indians, 
 and some of them were killed within 
 hearing of the town. 
 
 A single incident will show the na- 
 ture of these excursions in the forests in 
 pursuit of the Indians. General Cass's 
 servant, who rode immediately in his 
 rear, had a personal rencontre with an 
 Indian who started from behind a tree, 
 and having discharged his rifle, attacked 
 him with the bntt-end, and was killed 
 after a short conflict. * 
 
 But peace came to put an end to this 
 state of ihiniis. The executive power 
 of the Territory was almost unlimited, 
 and the legislative power was m the 
 hands of the Governor and judges until 
 1819. That Governor Cass performed 
 ■well his highly important and delicate 
 duties, the whule body of the people of 
 Michigan will bear us witness ; and the 
 fact of his having been seven times nom- 
 inated by four successive Presidents, 
 and seven times conlirmed by the Sen- 
 ate, without a single vote against him in 
 that body, or a smgle representation 
 against him from the people over whom 
 he presided — a slate of things unexam- 
 pled in the history of our Territorial 
 Governments — is a .-ufFicient proof of the 
 wisdom of his administration. 
 
 In the discharge of his duties as Su- 
 
 perintendent of Indian Affairs, Gover- 
 nor Cass was called upon to enter into 
 many negotiations with the Indian tribes, 
 and often under circumstances of great 
 peril and responsibility. He formed 
 twenty-one treaties with them, and ex- 
 tinguished their title le nearly one hun- 
 dred millions of acres of land ; a vast 
 domain acquired for the United S'ates, 
 but upon terms so just and satisfactory 
 to the Indians, that no complaint was 
 ever made by them upon the subject. 
 
 There are two incidents connected 
 with the formation of these treaties, 
 which strong-ly illustrate Governor Cass's 
 judgment and decision of character. In 
 the expedition of 1820, it became liis du- 
 ty to inform the Indians at Sault de St. 
 Marie, of the intention of our Govern- 
 ment to establish a military post there, 
 and to fix upon the site for the same. 
 The chief of the tribe was openly oppos- 
 ed to the United Stales, and in the pay 
 of the British Government. In conse- 
 quence of this, they heard the intention 
 of Governor Cass, with apparent ill-will, 
 and broke upthe councils, with the most 
 hostile feeling. On returning to their 
 encampment, they removed their wo- 
 men and children into Canada, and 
 having prepared themselves for battle' 
 raised the British flag, as a token of de- 
 fiance. Governor Cass had but a small 
 detachment of soldiers with him, while 
 the Indians numbered eight hundred 
 warriors. Unaccompanied, except by 
 his interpreter, he advanced directly in- 
 to their midst, and, with his own hands, 
 pulled down the flag, trampled it under 
 his feet, and afterwards burned it, order- 
 ing the interpreter to inform the Indians 
 that 'they were within the jurisdiction of 
 the United States, and that no other flag 
 than theirs could be permitted to wave 
 over It.' Tfie moial iniluence of 'his 
 bold act had the desired eflect ; the In- 
 dians returned the next day to the coun- 
 cil, and the treaty was concluded, with- 
 out any further threats or insults. On 
 arriving at Green, Bay, in 1827, for the 
 purpose of forming a treaty. Governor 
 Cass found that the Winnebago Indians 
 kad not yet come in ; and as the object 
 of the treaty was to settle difficulties 
 among some of the tribes, the non-ap- 
 pearance ofihe Winnebagoes was an 
 
evidence of their desire for war rather 
 than peace. He immediately reembark- 
 ed on board n's birch canoe, lor their 
 canfiping groiim to prevent any hostili- 
 ties, and to bring them to the treaty 
 ground. He rapidly pursued his voyage 
 up to the Fox river, across the portage, 
 and down the Wisconsin, to the place of 
 encampment. Taking with him only 
 his interpreter, he went up to the en- 
 campment, where he found them in war- 
 like mood, and determined not to treat. 
 Threats and entreaties were alike una- 
 vailing with this exasperated tribe. He 
 left them, and returned to his canoe. 
 As he turned to go to the river, a young 
 warrior raised his gun, and taking delib- 
 erate aim at him, pulled the trigger; but 
 providentially, the gun missed fire. 
 This is the only instance of violence 
 ever offered to him during the long pe- 
 riod ot his intercourse wiih the Indians. 
 He proceeded immediately to Piairie du 
 Chien, where he recognized the inhabi- 
 tants, and placed them in a condition of 
 defence, and returned to the treaty 
 ground. By his prompt and energetic 
 movements he prevented extensive hos- 
 tilities, the end of which no man could 
 know. 
 
 In 1831, Gen. Cass was called by &en. 
 Jackson to take charge of the War De- 
 paitment, and his removal from Michi- 
 gan Territory was marked by a univer- 
 sal expression of regret. His colleagues 
 in the Cabinet were — Mr Livingston, 
 Mr McLane, Mr Woodbury, and Mr 
 Taney — men who possessed the confi- 
 dence of the Pre>ident, and soon acquir- 
 ed that of the country. The character- 
 istic traits of General Jackson's admin- 
 istration have now passed into history. 
 It was bold, prompt, honest, and nation- 
 al. It sought no dangerous constructive 
 powers, and it endeavored carefully to 
 exercise those of which it was the trus- 
 tee, for the American Confederation. 
 The great questions of the bank, of the 
 removal of the deposits, of nullification, 
 of the French indemnity, and of the 
 Creek and Cherokee difliculties — three 
 of which involved delicate points con- 
 nected with State rights — occupied its 
 attention^ and were all tiappily disposed 
 of. Few if any, now call in question 
 the wisdom of General Jackson's course 
 
 upon these important subjects, though it 
 is difficult now to realize the intense 
 anxiety they excited, and the momen- 
 tous consequences which hung upon 
 their decision. 
 
 So far as the War Department neces- 
 sarily took any immediate course in 
 these questions, it was prompt and ener- 
 getic, and met with the approbation of 
 the country. At the portentous period 
 of nullification, the military orders were 
 firm, but discreet, and it appeared by a 
 message from the President, in answer 
 to a call upon that subject, that no or- 
 der had been at any time given to "re- 
 sist the constituted authorities of the 
 State of South Carolina, within the char- 
 tered Lm''? of said Slate." The orders 
 to Gen. Scott informed him, that "should, 
 unfortunately, a crisis arise, when the 
 ordinary power in the hands of the civil 
 officers should not be sufficient for the 
 execution of the laws, the President 
 would determine the course to be tak- 
 en, and the measures to be adopted ; till 
 then he was prohibited from acting." 
 
 The same caution marked the order to 
 the troops when there teemed to be 
 danger of a collision with the authorities 
 of Alabama, arising out of occurrences 
 upon the lands of the United States in 
 that State. In proof of this, we quote 
 the following extract of a letter from the 
 War Department, written by Governor 
 Cass to Major Mcintosh, and dated Oc- 
 ober 29, 1833 : 
 
 "Sir: Your letter of the21.st instant to Major 
 General Macomb has- been laid before me; and, 
 in answer, I have to inform you that you will 
 interpose no obstacle to the service of legal pro- 
 cess upon any officer or s ildier under your com- 
 mand, whether issuing from the couris of the 
 State of Alabama, or of the United States. Oa 
 the contrary, you will give all neceesarv facili- 
 ties to the execution of such process. It is not 
 the intention of the President that any part af 
 the military force of the United States should 
 be brought in'o collision with the civil authori- 
 ty. In all questions of jurisdiction, it is the duty 
 of the former to submit to the latter, and no 
 considerations must interfere with that duty. 
 If, therefore, an ollicer of the State, or of the 
 United Slates, come with legal process against 
 yourself, or an officer or soldier of your garri- 
 son, you will freely admit him within your post, 
 and allow him to execute his writ undisturbed." 
 
 In 1836, General Cass was appointed 
 minister to France, and immediately re- 
 signed his post as Secretary of War. 
 
8 
 
 Oa returning from the (department, he 
 receiv»*d a letter from General Jackson 
 expressing warm personal feelings lo- 
 warii him, and commending his whole 
 oihiMal conduct. He sailed from New 
 York in the month of October. As de- 
 plomatic relations had not been fully re- 
 established with France, he was direct- 
 ed to proceed to England, and there as- 
 certain the views of the French Gov- 
 erimient. He found that a French min- 
 ister had been appointed to this country, 
 and he imtnedialely repaired to Paris 
 and took up his residence there. Afl»ir 
 his recognition, his tirst official duty was 
 to procure the interest due upon the 
 twenty-rive millions of frarjcs intlemnity, 
 whicb had been retaiued when the prin- 
 cipal was paid. After some hesitation 
 this was effected ; and thus this great 
 controversy, which at one time threaten- 
 ed such grave consequences, was hap- 
 pily closed. 
 
 In 1837, General Cass made a tour to 
 the East. He vi-ited Italy, Sicily, IN.'.al- 
 ta, Greece, the Islands of the Archipel- 
 ago, Constantinople and the Black Sea, 
 E^ypt, Palestine and Syria. He was at 
 Florence, Rome, Palermo, Athens, 
 Corinth. Eleusis, Salamis^ and the battle 
 fields of Plaiaea, Leiictra, Chrontea, and 
 Maraihon — at the plains of f roy, at Al- 
 exandria, Cairo and the PyramiJs. at 
 Jatla, Jerusalem, Bethlehem, the Dead 
 Sea, Nazareth, the Sea of Tiberias, Tyre, 
 Sidon, Bialbec, and Damascus. Me- 
 morable places the^e, and calculated to 
 excite strong emotions in the mind of an 
 American who hail passed a large por- 
 tion of his life amid the toils and priva- 
 tions ol a new country. 
 
 Alter his return to Paris, General Cass 
 resumed the duties ol his mission, and 
 continued in their regular execution till 
 its termination. He was proverbial for 
 his kindness and hospitality to his 
 countrymen, none of whom were de- 
 nied his attentions, and few of whom 
 vi>ited Paris without being invited 
 to his house. His observations uooii 
 the Government and people ot France 
 weie uiven to the public in the pages 
 of the Democratic Review, in an article 
 entitled 'France, its King, Court, and 
 Gi)vernrnent,' which most of our reatl- 
 era will probably recollect. Among 
 
 other literary papers he published in 
 this country, was one upon the Fieiicn 
 tribunals of justice, which contained 
 much information interesting to an 
 American, and in which the author ex- 
 pressed his decided condemnation ol the 
 system ef the Engli-sh common law, 
 looking upon it as a code orginaiiig in 
 feudal and almost semi-barbaious times, 
 and utterly unsuiied to our condition 
 and institutions. This opinion is fast 
 gaining ground, and we trust the time 
 is rapidly approaching when this lelic 
 of feudal tyranny — this peifection of 
 sense as it is called, but this pei lection 
 of nonsense as it in many cases is — v\ill 
 give way to reason and ju.-tice. 
 
 In 1841 arose the \veJl-kiiOv\n question 
 of the quintuple treaty, in which Gener- 
 al Cass acted a prominent and an effic- 
 ient part. The British Government, in 
 its scheme of maritime superiority, 
 which it never abandons, any moie than 
 its plans of tentorial a^jgrandizement, 
 projected a plan, by which, under the 
 pretence of abolishing the slave trade, 
 her ships of war would have been ena- 
 bled to search and examine, and ulti- 
 mately to seize, the vessels of other na- 
 tions at their pleasure. This plan was 
 to form a treaty, to which the five great 
 Powers of Europe should be parlies, by 
 which means a new principle in the law 
 of nations would be established, and our 
 flag, among others, prostrated at the 
 feet of England. This treaty was nego- 
 tiated and actually signed by the minis- 
 ters of the five Powers — those ot Eng- 
 land, France, Russia, and Austiia — bc-^ 
 fore the nature of the transaction was 
 fully understood by the woild. It be- 
 came di>closed before the ratificalioi.s 
 were exchaniied with the Fiencfi Gov- 
 ernment. General Gass published a 
 pamphlet which entered deeply into 
 the whole mailer, ami which was trans- 
 lated into Fre.ich and German, and e.x- 
 tensively circulated upon the continent. 
 It awakened the public attenlion, and 
 ciealed a great sensation even in Eng- 
 land. The London Times, in announc- 
 ing it, said : 
 
 "It is a shrewd perfurmamw, written with 
 some spirit, much bi>ltl a^^.'^eitiiMi of i'nco, and a 
 Very diul<iiii)u> uiilairnes^ ol arfiumenl, whiuh 
 is rallier an using, vvtieii coiilrasird Willi a ccr- 
 
9 
 
 tain tone of a:entlemanly candor which is occa- 
 sitnialli/ adiipted even in the very act of per- 
 foiiuuig some of his most gidring perversions." 
 
 Fa atlditioa also to the pamphlet, he 
 presented a protest to ihe Frencii Gov- 
 enmietit against ihe raiifiicatioii of ihe 
 treaty. In doin"; ihis, he stated that he 
 had no instructions to parsue such a 
 course, and adds — 
 
 "I hHve presumed, in the views I have sub- 
 Dii ird lo y^ii, I \1. Giii/.oi, the Freiieh Minister 
 et F<ireit:ii A(i'.tir> J Uml 1 express the fei lings 
 of the '^iner CHii Giiveriiuieiil and people l( 
 in thi> I huve deceived myself, ihe responsibility 
 Will he mine. As soim iis I e.in receive de- 
 spatches from the United Siates, in answer to 
 my communicaiions, I .>hall Ije enabled lo de- 
 clrt re to you either thai my conduct has been 
 approved by the President, or that my mission 
 is lermmalcd." 
 
 But he did not deceive himself. His 
 course was v, armly a[)plaudeJ by the 
 American people, who are ever alive to 
 national interest and honor, and coldly 
 approved by the Government. 
 
 rhe (ulloivinu; short extract will exhibt 
 the S()irit which pervaded this memora- 
 ble paper : 
 
 "But ttie subject assumes another aspect, 
 when they (the American people) are told by 
 one of ihe panics that their vessels are to be 
 forcittly entered and examined, in order to car- 
 ry inio erieci these slipnialiaiis. Certainly the 
 American G 'Veinment does nol believe that 
 tlie hi;t;h Powt-rs, contraciing parlies to this 
 treaty, have any wish to compel the United 
 States, t>v force, to adapt llieir measures to iis 
 provisions, or to ad"pt its s'ipulations. They 
 have to«) much conlidr-nce in ihr-ir sense of jus- 
 tice to tear any snch result ; and they will see 
 wiih pleasure the prompt disavowal made by 
 yoursf-lf, sir, n the name of your couniry, at 
 the tribune of the Ciiamber of Deputies, of any 
 intentions of this nalure. But were il other- 
 wise, and >vere il po.^silile that ihey might be 
 deceived in this conhdf-nt expectation, that 
 Would not alter in one utile their course of ac- 
 tion. Their duty Would he the same, and the 
 same would be Iheir deter. ninalion lo fulril it. 
 They would prepare Ihemselvt-s. with appre- 
 heii.sion indfed, but wiihoni d.isinay — wiih re- 
 gret. Inn wnh tiriime.s.s — tor one of those des- 
 ecrate sirusf^iles which have jometiiues occurred 
 the hisiory of the wodd, l>ul where a just 
 u»c and ine favor of Piovidence have given 
 sirena'h lo comparative weakne:-s, and enabled 
 il to hreak d'lwii the pride ot' power." 
 
 The success of this scheme, so long 
 cheii.-heil, 1. 1 i so lonf> projecteii on the 
 part III Euoiand, turned ujxin the ralihca- 
 tioii (if France. With it .>-he could hope 
 to establish this new principle in mari- 
 
 time law, and with that attain her dar- 
 ling object of maritime supremacy. But 
 tiie opposition of two such commercial 
 naiions as the United Sates and Fiance 
 to this interpolation would have rendered 
 hopeless its general recoenition. Hence 
 her efforts to accomplish this measure ; 
 and as, for more than half a century, she 
 had nol tailed in any great object of her 
 policy, her pride and interest were equal- 
 ly united in this. Her journals, there- 
 fore, were lille>l with the subject. It oc- 
 cupied the attention of her government, 
 hi?r people, and her press; and her diplo- 
 matic agents through Europe were ac- 
 tive and persevering. While the sub- 
 ject was under discussion in the French 
 Chamber of Deputies, the eyes of Europe 
 were directed to Paris, anxiously watch- 
 ing tiie result. That result was soon 
 manifested. The public opinion of 
 Fiance spoke too loudly to be resisted. 
 The Government gave way, and refused 
 to ratify a treaty, negotiated under its 
 own directions, and signed by its own. 
 Minister. The part which General Cass 
 bore in this transaction is well understood 
 and appreciated by his countrymen ; 
 and, it any doubt existed on the subject, 
 it would have been removed by the 
 abuse heaped upon him in the English 
 journals, and by the declaration of Lord. 
 Palmerston, in the House of Commons, 
 that his efforts contributed in a great de- 
 gree to the rejection of the measure. 
 
 An American writing from Europe, 
 in Niles's Register, March, 1842, says : 
 
 "General Cass has hastily prepared a pam- 
 phlet setting forth the true niipoii and dangers 
 of this treaty. It Will be read by every states- 
 man in Europe; and, added to the General's 
 per.-onal inllneiice here, will efiectually turn 
 the tables on England. The country owes the 
 General much for liis eflectual inlluence with 
 this Governmenl." 
 
 The London Times, of January 5, 
 1842, says : 
 
 "The five Powers, whieh signed the late trea- 
 ty, for the suppression of the slave trade, will 
 not allow themselves to be thwarted in the ex- 
 ecution of this arrangement by the capricious 
 resistance of the cabinet at Washington." 
 
 It is not a little curious, in reading 
 over the papers relaling to this transac- 
 tion, to see how some of the party jour- 
 nals of the day in the United Siales cen- 
 sured the minister for his interfereacs 
 
10 
 
 in foreifrn concerns ; and foretold, very 
 ooiifiJenily, that he would be rebuked 
 by the French Government. And the 
 London Times, of May 16, 1842, states, 
 with apparent exultation, that the vener- 
 able patriot, who has just been called 
 from amons; us, {Mr Adams,) said in 
 Congress, that he regretted General Cass 
 "Shoukl have so completely torgotten the 
 wholesome rules of the founders of his country, 
 as lo iiuerfere, wrul.out instructions from his 
 Government, in a delicate negolialion between 
 the great Powers of Europe " 
 
 This 'delicate negotiation' directly in- 
 volved one of the most precious rights of 
 the United States— that of sailing the 
 ocean undistuibed and in peace. To 
 prevent the consummation of such a 
 project, was not to interfere with other 
 nations, but to prevent other nations from 
 interfering with us. As to the French 
 Government, it took no such view of the 
 matter. The answer of M. Guizot to 
 General Cass, was in a very good spirit, 
 and exhibited the best feeling to the 
 United States. He stated that the treaty 
 had not been ratified, and disavowed all 
 designs o( doiner anything whatever un- 
 irien°Jiy to the United States. 
 
 On the 17ih of September following 
 this transaction, the news of the ratifica- 
 tion of the Ashburton treaty reached 
 Paris, and Governor Cass immediately 
 resigned. His reasons for so doing we 
 gather from the following extracts ot let- 
 ters to Mr Webster : 
 
 "It is unnecessary to push these considera- 
 tions further ; and in carrymg them thus far, I 
 have found the ia?k an unpleasant one. Noth- 
 ing but justice to myself could have induced 
 me to do it. I could not clearly explniu my po- 
 sition here without recapitulation. My protest 
 of 13th February, distinctly asserted that the 
 United Slates would resist the pretension of 
 England to search our vessels. I avowed, at 
 the same time, that this was but my personal 
 declaration, liable to be conlirmed or disavowed 
 by my Govern mt-nt [ now find a treaty has 
 been concluded between Great Br tain and the 
 United States, which provides for the co-opera- 
 tion of the latter in eliorts to aliolish tlie slave 
 trade, but which cintains no renunciation liy 
 the former, of the extraordinary pretension, re- 
 sulting, as she said, from the exigenciesof these 
 very eflbrts, and which pretension I feh it my 
 duty to denounce to the French Governnient. 
 Li all this, I presume to ofler no further judg- 
 ment than as lam personally allected by the 
 course of the proceedings, and I feel they have 
 placed me in a fal-e p<»iiion, whence I can es 
 cape but by returning home with the least pos- 
 
 sible delay. I tru.'^t, llereff re. that the Presi- 
 dent will have felt no he.-niaiion m granting me 
 the permission which 1 asked for." 
 
 n December, 1842, General Cass re- 
 turned to the United Slates. He was 
 received by the citizens of Boston and 
 New York with every demonstiation of 
 respect. His bold stand on the quinth- 
 ple treaty had excited the feelings of the 
 people in his favor, and he was every 
 where hailed as the champion of the 
 freedom of the seas and the righ s of 
 American citizens. At New York ue 
 was addressed upon political subjects, to 
 which he furnished a brief reply, stating 
 hts unshaken attachment to the princi- 
 ples of the Democratic party, and his 
 hostility to a national bank. On his 
 route to the west, he was received at 
 Harrisburs, Pennsylvania, and Coluin- 
 bus, Ohio^by the Governors and Legis- 
 latures of those Slates, who came out to 
 meet him, and escorted him to their 
 towns. At Detroit, the Governor, Leis- 
 latare, city authorities, and peoplecame 
 out to welcome him home, as children 
 welcome the return of a long absent 
 father. On the 8th of January he was 
 addressed by a committee of the Dem- 
 ocratic State Convention of Indiana, up- 
 on political questions, asainst a national 
 bank, opposed to the distribution of the 
 proceeds of the public lands, oppose! to 
 a tariff for protection, "that the revenue 
 should be kept to the lowest point com- 
 patible with the performance of its con- 
 stitutional functions," at'd oppa-ed to al- 
 tering the Constitution by abolishing the 
 Executive veto; that he should not be a 
 candidate for the Piesidency unless nom- 
 inated by the Baltimore Convention, and 
 that he would support the nominee of 
 that Convention. 
 
 On the 4tli of July, 1843, General Cass 
 delivered an oration at Foil Wayne, In- 
 diana, on the completion of the Wabash 
 and Erie canal. In this oration, while 
 contrasting the condition and prospects 
 of this country with the nations of the 
 Old World, he says :— 
 
 "I have stood upon the plain of Marathon, 
 the battle-field <if liberty, li is silent and deso- 
 late. Neither Greek nor Persian is there to 
 give life and animation to the s<;enc. It H 
 bounded by sterile hil^s on one side, and lashed 
 by ihe eternal waves of the Egean sea on the 
 other. Bui Greek and Pcroiau were once 
 
11 
 
 there, and that decayed spot was alive with 
 bo.-tile armies, who fought the great fight which 
 rescued Greece from the yoke of Persia And 
 I have stood upmi (lie hill of Zion, the ciu of 
 Jerusdiein, the scene of our Redeemer's siitl'cr- 
 ings and crui ifixion and ascension. But tlie 
 sceptre has departed from Judah, aud i's glory 
 from the capit')l of Solomon. The Assyriiin, 
 the Eyvplian, tie Greek, the Roman, the Arab, 
 the Turk, and the (Crusaders have passed over 
 this chief place of Israel and have reft it of its 
 pciwer and beauty. In those regions of the 
 East where society passed its infancy, jt seems 
 to have reached decrepitude. If the a.»socia- 
 tions which the memory ot their pa.*t glorv ex- 
 cites are powerful, they are melancholy. They 
 are without graiidcation tor the present, and 
 ■without hope lor the future. But here we are 
 in the freshness of youth, and can look forward 
 with rational confidence to ages of progress i a 
 all that gives power and pride to man, and dig- 
 nity to human nature. It is better to look for- 
 ward to prosperity than back to glory." 
 
 In the summer of 1843, General Cass 
 received the following letter from Gen. 
 Jackson : — 
 
 Hermitage, July, 1843. 
 
 My Dear Sir: I have the pleasure to ac- 
 knowledge your very friendly letter of the 25th 
 of Mav h'St. It reached me in due course of 
 mail ; bur such were my debility and afflictions, 
 that I have be^n prevented fronn repUing to it 
 until now; and even now it is with great diifi- 
 culiy that I write. In return for your kind ex- 
 pressioBs with regard to myself, I have to re- 
 mark, that I shall ever recollect, my dear Gen- 
 eral, wjih iireat satisfaction, the relations, both 
 private and oHicial, which subsisted betwt-en 
 us, during the greater part of my Administra- 
 tion. Haviiia full confidence in your abilities 
 and republican priuciples, I invited you to my 
 Cabinet ; and I can never forget with what dis- 
 cretion and talents you met those great and del- 
 icate questions which were broueht before you 
 •whilst you presided over the Department of 
 War, which entitled you to my thanks, and will 
 be ever recollected with the most lively leelings 
 of friendship by me. 
 
 But what has endeared you to every true 
 American, was the noble stand which you took, 
 as our miiii.>.ier at Paris, against ihe quintu- 
 ple treaty, and which, by your talents, enersy, 
 and fearless responsibility, deteated its raiihca- 
 tion by France — a treaty intended by Great 
 Britain to change our international laws, nuike 
 her mistress of the seas, and destroy the nation- 
 al independence, not only ot <«ur country, but 
 of all Europe, and enable her to be<-oiiie the 
 . tyrant on every ocean. Had Great Britain ob- 
 tained the sani'.tion of France to tliis_ treaty, 
 {■with tlif latKiliiigrac^ful treaty of Washington, 
 — .so disreputahlr to our national character and 
 iajuriou* to our national safety,) then indeed 
 we might have hung our harps iipoa the wil- 
 lows, and resigned our national independence 
 to Great Bntaiii. But, I repeat, to your talents, 
 
 energy, and fearless responsibility, we are in- 
 debted for the shield thrown over us from the 
 impending danger which the ratiti( aticjn of the 
 quintuple treaty by France would have brought 
 Upon us. For this act, the thanks of every true 
 American, and tf.'e applause of every true re- 
 publican, are yours; and for this uoble act I 
 tender you my thanks. 
 
 I ad uired the course of Dr. Linn in the Sen- 
 ate in urging his Oregon bill ; and I hope his 
 energy will carry it into a law at the next ses- 
 sion of Congress. This will speak to England 
 a language which she will understand — That 
 we ■tcill not submit to be negotiated out oj our 
 territorial rights h^-rtafter. 
 
 Receive assurancis of mv respect and es- 
 teem. ANDKEW JACKSON. 
 
 To the Hon. Lewis Cass. 
 
 In the spring of 1844, General Cass, 
 in reply to interrogatories upon that sub- 
 ject, wrote a letter, declaring himself in 
 favor of the annexation of Texas. 
 
 In the month of May, lollowing, the 
 Democratic National Convention met at 
 Baltimore, to nominate candidates for 
 President and Vice President. On the 
 the first balloting. General (lass received 
 eighty-three votes, and continued to rise 
 till, on the seventh, he received 123 
 votest Had another ballot been taken 
 that day, General Cass would, without 
 doubt, have been nominated. Before 
 the assembling of the Convention on the 
 following day^ Mr Polk was brought 
 forward as a compromise candidate, and, 
 after two balloting|, received the nomi- 
 nation. 
 
 On the day that the news of the nom- 
 ination of Mr Polk reached Detroit, a 
 meeting of the democracy was held, at 
 which General Casfe, in an able and. 
 eloquent speech, gave his warmest sup- 
 port to the nomination, and declared his 
 readiness to enter the contest to secure 
 its success. In pursuance of this, he 
 accepted the invitation of the Nashville 
 Committee, and was present at the great 
 Nashville Convention in August. His 
 arrival was announced by the firing of 
 cannon, and he was received with every 
 demonstration of popular enthusiasm. — 
 Oi his speech theie, a leading paper 
 says : — ■ 
 
 "We did not attempt a sketch of the eloquent 
 and powerful speech that was made by Gen- 
 eral Ca-ss, lor we felt that nothing short of its 
 publication entire, word for word and sentence 
 for sentence, as he uttered it to admiring thou- 
 sands, would do him a full measure of justice. 
 It waii the master ell'ort of a great ttiaiesmau ; 
 
12 
 
 and the popular thunders of applause with 
 \vhii-li it was receivt-d hy the tifly atTes o\ I'lfn- 
 men ill Hl'eudHni-e riillif thnamti the vallfys 
 aiil reveihtTait-d Ir Mil liill to lull, t- xi'.eeded any 
 thlii:< tlial we had ever heard hfl.ire." 
 
 General Cass spent some time with 
 Gniieial Jai-ksoii at llie Hermita<;e — 
 When iliey parieil, the scene was most 
 impressive and affecting. An eye-wit- 
 ness reriiHiks, ' The tears of the veterans 
 were minsjled tu!j;ether aa they bade 
 each other a last laiewell.' 
 
 In compliance with the popular de- 
 mand, General Cass took the toni of the 
 Stales of O.'iio, 1 ml ana, and Mifhi:zan. 
 He everywhere met wiih the most en- 
 thu-^ia^tic reception irom the people. — 
 He was hailed as the Fathkr of the 
 West. But a areat change liad been 
 eflecied ^ince first he came among them. 
 "] he lofty toresin which he then iraversed 
 were wow fruitful fields; the lonely cab- 
 ins which he proleeted fiom the tire- 
 brand ot the savage, were translormed 
 into popuhujs cities; the Indian war- 
 path was converted into the railroad; 
 the haibois upon vhe lakes and rivers 
 which he lirst surveyed, weie novy the 
 seats of commerce and of wealth; and 
 the scat ered I'opulaiion which he gov- 
 erned were now a areat people. The 
 ciowds which attended his progress 
 through those Slates seemed rather the 
 triumphal procession of a conqueror, 
 than ihe peaceful altetidants of a piivate 
 citizjn 
 
 The fol'owing incidents at the public 
 meeiinir at Nor^alk, Ohio, on the 17ih 
 of St^piember, are taken trom the Dem- 
 ocratic new^paper published at that 
 place : — 
 
 While a Bumher of rev.)lntionary soldiers 
 were lieiiia iiiirndiictd to Gfiit-rai (lavs, one of 
 our iMOzenK approached the General, and asked 
 if he reaieinbt-red hmi (Jpon n-plying that he 
 did not, he tiave the I'oIIoa'Iiis ai ocmiiiI oI their 
 l^^^t ineetinj<: "In the sprinff ot' 1SI3, F>irt 
 Mei«s was best-ii^ed hy the Bniish and Indi- 
 ans, and ihe iniima ol Ohio were cnlled out lo 
 march to the relief of ihe foit. CViieial Oass 
 wa-* appoiaied to the (U)ininand Six thou- 
 sand as^enihltd at Upper S induskv, of whom 
 two thousand were scli-cted lo proceed on lo 
 the tori I'lie marshes and woods were hllrd 
 with water, makintf tne road alniosi inip.is«a- 
 ble Tne coinuiandlns yeiirral had ntil \et ar- 
 rivrd, hut Was d Illy expected O., the second 
 da" of the inarcn, a younjf soldier, from expo- 
 Mure lo ine weaiher, was takm sick Unahle 
 lo march lu the ranks he loiluwed along in 
 
 the rear. When at a distance behind, attempt- 
 ini; with d llicnliy to keep pace wnli his com- 
 rades, i vo olficers rode along, one a siranser, 
 anil the other the colonel ol tiis regiment. Oa 
 passing him, the (;o!onel remarked, 'General, 
 that poor fellow there is sick ; he is a g<»od lel- 
 low ihouiih, for he refuses to go bii k ; hui I 
 fear that ttie Indians will scalp hiiii, or the 
 crows pic-k him. hefiTe we get to Fori Meigs.' 
 
 The olii' er halted, and di^iii ted from tiis 
 
 horse When the young soldier came up, he 
 addressed hiin: 'My brave l)oy, you are sick 
 and tired,! am well and strontf; mount my 
 hor-e and ride.' The soldier hesitaied. 'Uo 
 not wait,' said the ollieer; and, liitniif him upi'Q 
 his horse, with dirfclions lo ride at niplit lo the 
 GeneraCs tent, he proceeded on foot t.) j.aii the 
 army. At night, the young soldier rude to the 
 tent, where he was met hy Ih-* General with a 
 cheerful welcome, which lie rep.ud with tears 
 of ifralilude. That otiicer was General Ca.s.<, 
 and the young .soldier was the per>on ad- 
 dres.-ing iiim, our worthy fellow-cilizen, John 
 Laylin,' Tfie General, rememheriiig ihe cir- 
 cumstance, immediately recognized him. Mr. 
 Laylin remarked, "General, iliat acl was not 
 dtjiie for the world to kiok upon ; it was done ia 
 the wiiods, with but three lo witness it '' 
 
 Anoiher: Our old friend Major Fades, on be- 
 ing introduced lo General t;ass, exclaimed, with 
 much au'iuation, 'General, I ihank (lod that I 
 am able to .see you! I f.aishl by the side of 
 \oiir father, Jonathan (;a.ss, and \oiir uncle, 
 Daniel Cass, at the baitle of Bunker's Hill. 
 Yonr father was sergeant of the company, and 
 I wasva corporal. We were brothers lugelher 
 during the war. God ble.ss you, General, f.ir 
 his sake." The General was deeply aliected 
 in meeling the (ricnd and luimpanion of his la- 
 ther; while the old veteran, wi'h eyes spark- 
 ling, recounted the s<!enes through whic-h they 
 pi.ssed loaether in days of danger and strife — 
 the times I hat "tiled men's souls '" 
 
 Another anecdote of General Cass, 
 while on his tour through Ohio, was re- 
 lated, vrith much spirit, by the late gal- 
 lant and lamented General Hamer. — 
 I he carriage containing General Cass 
 was one day slopped by a man w:,o. ad- 
 dressing the General, said : ' I can't let 
 you pass withimt speaking to you. 'S ou 
 doirt know me, General.' General C. 
 replied that he did not. 'Well, sir, (said 
 he.) I was the fi st man in your lesii- 
 ment to jump out of the boat on the Ca- 
 n idian shore.' 'No, you weie iioi, (,-aid 
 Gen. Cass;) I was the first man myself 
 on shore.' 'True, (said the other;) I 
 jumfied out into the river, to get ahead 
 of you; bnt y u held me back, and get 
 on shore ahead of me.' 
 
 The result of the contest in 1844 is 
 well known. Tue vote of every West- 
 ern Siate^ save one, and that by a Iriea- 
 
13 
 
 gre majorilj'', was siven for Mr Polk. — 
 To the ellorts of General Cass, aiui his 
 great personal popularity exerted in fa- 
 vor of Mr Polk, much of this is to be 
 attribu'eil. In the following winter, 
 Gen Cass was elected to the Senate of 
 the United States, and took his seat on 
 the 4ih of March, 1845. In the forma- 
 tion of the committees of the Senate, 
 Gen. Cass was unanimously tendered 
 the nost of Chairman of the Committee 
 on Fo eign Affairs, which, however, he 
 declined. On two subsequent occasions, 
 the same po-ition has been ofi'^i>ed him, 
 but he has uniformlv declined it. 
 
 In December, 1845, General Cass in- 
 troduced resolutions in the Senate rela- 
 tive to the national defences, wiih par- 
 ticular reference to the condition of our 
 affiirs with Great Britain, giowing out 
 of the Oregon question. These resolu- 
 tions he supported in a speech, of which 
 the following is an extract, referring to 
 the course which should be pursued in 
 rriHintaining our rights to the territory in 
 question : — 
 
 "As to receHin?, it is neither to be discussed 
 nor thought of. I refer lo it but to denounce 
 it — a (lenunciatiim which will tiiid a response 
 in evrry American busom. Nothing' is ever 
 gaine<l by ndtiunal pusillanimity. And the 
 couci'ry whii-h seeks to purchase temporary se- 
 curity by yitldliig to unjust '[jreiensions, buys 
 present ease at tne expense of permanent honor 
 and .«afety. It sows the wind to reap the 
 whirlwind. I have .-aid elsewhere, what I will 
 repeal ht-re, that it i< hetler U> fight fur ihe first 
 inch ot nanonal terriiory than fur the last. It 
 is belter lo defend the door-sill than the hearth- 
 stone — ihe porch than the altar. National char- 
 acter is a richer treasure than gold or silver, 
 and exerci.-ies a moral inliuence in the hour of 
 danaer which, if not power itself", is its surest 
 ally. Thus f.ir, ours is untarnislied ; and let us 
 all join, however separated by party or by 
 space, so to preserve it." 
 
 In the month of March following, Gen. 
 Cass deliveied his celebrated speech on 
 the Oregon question. As his sneech 
 has been circulated and read very gen- 
 erally, a mere allusion to it heie is all 
 that would appear iiecessaty; but the 
 following extract expresses so fully the 
 sentiiuent of every patriotic American, 
 that it is worthy of record: — 
 
 "It pain.'" me, sir, to bear allusion.'! to the de- 
 strui.-iioii of ihis GiVcrnaient, Httd to the disso 
 lution of lhi.< Confederacy. It pains me, not 
 because they inspire me with any fear, but be- 
 caase we ought to have one unpronounceable 
 
 -word, as the .Tews had of old, and that word is 
 Di^sululion. We .-hould reject Ihe leelint; I'roin 
 our hearts an<l its name troni our ton;^ues. 
 This cry i>f ' Wu^ tro, to Jeru>aleiii,' grates 
 h.irshly upon my ears. Our Jerusalem is nei- 
 ther lieleHfjneied nor in (Linger, li is vet ihe 
 city upon a liill, glorious in what it is, still more 
 glorious, bv the l>lessing nt God. in what it is 
 to be — a landmark, inviting the nations of the 
 world, slrngglina upon the stormy ocean of 
 political 1 ppres.'iuii, to tollow us to a haven of 
 sale.y and of rational liberty No E ghsh Ti- 
 tus will enter our temple of iVeedom through a 
 breach in the baitlenients, to bear thence the 
 ark of mir Constitution and the book of our 
 law, to take their stations in a triumphal pro- 
 cession in the streets of a modern Koine, as 
 tro()hies of conijuest and proofs n I submission. 
 
 " JVl<)ny a raven has t-ro.ked in niv day, but 
 the augury has failed, and the reput>hc has 
 marched onward. Many a crisis ha» presented 
 il.self lo Ihe iinaginalion of our political C^s.-an- 
 dras, but we have still increased in political 
 prosperty as wm have increa.>^ed in years, and 
 that, too, with an accelerated pi ogres.- unknown 
 to the history of the world. We have a class 
 of men whose eyes are alwnys upon the fu- 
 ture, overlooking the blessings around us, and 
 forever apprehensive of soma great poliiical 
 evil, which is to arrest our course .somewhere' 
 on this side of the millenium. To them we are 
 the image of gold, and silver, and brass, and 
 clay, contrariety in unity, whicn the tirst rude 
 blow of misfortune is lo strike from its pedestal. 
 
 "For my own part, I consider this the strong- 
 est Government on the face ot the earth tor 
 good, and the weakest for evil. Strong, be- 
 cause supported by the public opinion of a peo- 
 ple inferior to none of the communities of the 
 earth in all ih«l c^nsiimtes moral worth and 
 useful knowledge, and wlio hare breathed into 
 their political i-ys'em the breath of life; and 
 wh») would destroy it, as they created it, if it 
 Were unworthy ot them, or failed lo fulfill their 
 just expectations. 
 
 "And weak for evil, from this very consider- 
 ation, which would make its follies and its faults 
 the signal of its overihrow. Ii is the only Gov- 
 ernment ill existence wliich no revolution caa 
 subvert. It may be changed, hut it provides 
 for its own change, when the public will re- 
 quires. Plots and in-urrections, and the vari- 
 ous struggles, by which an oppres.sed popula- 
 tion manitesis its sutlerings and seeks the re- 
 covery of its rights, have no plnce here. We 
 have nothing to fear but ourselves." 
 
 The part taken by General Cass in the 
 subsequent exciting controveisy on this 
 question, and his vote in opposition to 
 the treaty, are too well known to lequire 
 further notice. Having been trained in 
 the school which taught him, in our in- 
 tercourse with foreign nations, lo ask for 
 nothiiiir but what is right and to submit 
 to nothing that is wrong, he had the 
 
14 
 
 moral courage to stand up for the right, 
 whatever might be the consequences. 
 
 During this f-ession of Coniiress, hos 
 tiliiies coinmenceJ between the United 
 States and itie Republic of Mexico. — 
 General Cass advocated the most ener- 
 getic measures for the vigorous prosecu- 
 tion of the var, and for carrying it into 
 the heart of the enemy's country. 
 
 In the winter of 1847, the ' Wilmot 
 Proviso' was introduced into the Senate, 
 as an amendment to the three-million 
 bill, by a Federal Senator from New 
 England. The design of the mover was 
 evidently to defeat the passage of the 
 bill, to which it was to be attached, and 
 to embarrass the Administration in the 
 prosecution of the war. General Cass 
 voted against the proviso, for reasons 
 given ill his speech on the occasion. 
 
 It was during the sessions of this Con- 
 gress that the tariff of 1846, and the in- 
 dependent treasury, were established 
 It is not alone to the exclusivechampion 
 .of free trade, and the ultra advocate of a 
 hard money currency, that the oppo- 
 nents of protection and the enemies of a 
 paper cnireiicy are to look for the defeat 
 of those measures. Such men are usu- 
 ally in the pursuit of some theoretical 
 abstraction, which gives them but little 
 influence 'with practical men. But it is 
 to men of large and liberal views, whose 
 strength of character aid influence carry 
 conviction with their action, that the 
 country is indebted for radical and ben- 
 eficial reforms. General Cass gave to 
 these great measure^ t.ie weight of his 
 influence and his zealous and unflinch- 
 ing support. At the close of that Con- 
 gress, General Cass was invited, by the 
 Democratic members of the Legislature 
 of New York, to partake of a public din- 
 ner at Albany, as a mark of their appre- 
 ciation of his brilliant pub'ic services, 
 and their estimation of his character as 
 a man. This honor, however, he de- 
 clined. 
 
 In Ausfust, following, he deli''ered an 
 address before the literary societies of 
 Dartmouth College, New Hampshire, at 
 the annual commencement of that insti- 
 tution. • he societies afterward prepared 
 an eirtgant siold headed cane, with ap- 
 propriate devices, which was presented 
 to him in Washington, on the 4lh of 
 March, 1848. 
 
 On the meetings of the present Con- 
 gress, General Chss was elected chair- 
 man of the Committee on Military Af- 
 faiis — a post for which he was roost 
 eminently qualified, and which, as he 
 had been unanimously selected, he con- 
 sidered it his duty to accept. His course 
 as chairman of that committee, and his 
 views upon the war question, have beea 
 seen in the daily proceedings of the Sen- 
 ate. The following brief leply, to Mr 
 Mangum, is probably as good a sum- 
 mary of his opinion as can be given : 
 
 " Nww, with respect to the progress of the 
 war, it is said that General ScoU i? soiiig oa 
 from town to town, and from ci'y to city, eoa- 
 queriiig all befure liim. I am vrry glad to hear 
 it. I hope that th« commanding general will 
 continue to go on in this way. If he does so, I 
 have no doubt he will conquer Mexican obsti- 
 nacy, and thus conquer a peace. I have al- 
 ready expre.s>ed my t>piLiions with regard to the 
 war in Mexico, and have nothing io.«ay on the 
 subject now, except to tell the Senator from 
 Noiih Carolina, what I had the honor to say to 
 the Senator from South Carolina, that the 
 adoption of any resolutions in tbis Senate with 
 regard to any danger — if danger there he — in 
 the progress of this war, would be but as the 
 idle wind. You might as well stand by the cat- 
 aract ol Niagara, and say to its waters 'flow 
 not,' as to the American people 'annex not ter- 
 ritory,' if they choose to annex it. It is the re- 
 fusal ot the Mexican people to do us justice; 
 that prolongs this war. It is that which ope- 
 rates on th« public mind, and leads the Senator 
 from North Carolina to apprehend a state of 
 things which he fears, but winch, for myself, I 
 do not anticipate. Let me say, Mr President, 
 that it takes a great deal to kill this country. 
 We have had an alarming crisis almost every 
 year as long as I can recollect I caine on the 
 public stage as a spectator before Mr Jeflersoa 
 was elected. That was a crisis. Then came 
 the embargo crisis — the crisis of the non-inier- 
 couTfO— of the war — of the bank — of the tariff 
 — of the removal of the dep<x->ites — and a score 
 of others. But we have outlived them all, and 
 advanced in all the eleinenU* of power and 
 prosperity with a rapidity heretofore unknown 
 in the hi.«itory of nations. If we should swal- 
 low Mexico tomorrow, I do not believe it would 
 kill us. The Senator fiom North Carolina and 
 my.>*elt may not live to see it, hut I am bv no 
 nieans saiislied that the day will not come in 
 which the whole of the vast country around 
 us will tonn one of the most magnihceiu era- 
 pires thai the world has yet seen — glorious in 
 its pro,*pcrity, and still more glorious in the es- 
 tabli>hinent und perpetuaiion of the principles 
 of free government and tJie blessings wliich 
 tliey bring with them." 
 
 In Pecember, 1847, General Cass gave 
 his views at length upon the ' Wilmot 
 Proviso,' in a letter to Mr Nicholson, of 
 
15 
 
 Tennessee. In that letter, he avowed 
 himself opposed to the measure, and to 
 the exercise of any legislation by Con- 
 gress, over any of the territories of the 
 United Slates, respecting the domestic 
 relations of their inhabitants. He be- 
 lieved that all questions of that nature 
 should be settled by the people them- 
 selves, who ought to be allowed ' to 
 regulate their internal conceins in their 
 own way,' and that Congress has no 
 more power ;o abolish or establitih sla- 
 very in such territories, than it has to 
 regulate any oiher of the relative duties 
 of social life — that of husband and wi'e, 
 of parent and child, or of master and 
 servant. He said, in conclusion: — 
 
 "The 'Wiloiot Proviso' seeks to take from its 
 legitimate tribunal a questioH of domestic poli- 
 cy, having no relation to the Union, as such, 
 and to transfer it to another, created by the peo- 
 ple for a special purpose, and foreign to the 
 subject-mailer involved in this issue. By going- 
 back to our true principles, we go back to the 
 road of peace and satety. Leave to tt>e people, 
 who will be alleciecf by this question, to adjust 
 it upon their own responsibility and ia their own 
 manner, and we shall render another tribute 'o 
 the original principles of our Government, and 
 furnish another guaraHtee for its permeuience 
 and prosperity." 
 
 The Democratic State Convention of 
 Ohio, on the 8th of January, 1848, de- 
 clared in favor of General Cass for the 
 Presidency^ with a unanimity unequal- 
 led in the previous history of the State. 
 Although there was much difference of 
 opinion ia the selection ol a candidate 
 
 for Governor, yet the popular sentiment 
 ill favor of General Cass, and the con- 
 viction that with him as the candidate 
 their State could be placed among- the 
 foremost of the Democradc States of the 
 Union, induced an almost unanimous 
 e.vpression in his favor. (At the last 
 election in the State of Ohio, the popular 
 vole was democrolic by a majority of 
 1,563 ) The State Convention of Mich- 
 igan has also unanimously placed him 
 in nomination for the Piet-idency In 
 the Democratic Slate Convention, of 
 Pennsylvania, held at Harrisburg, on 
 the 4th of March, 1848, a resolution, in 
 the highest decree complimentary to 
 General Cass, was unanimously reported 
 by the committee, and adopted with ac- 
 clamation by the convention. 
 
 It is not necessary to refer to the nu- 
 merous public deminstrations and the 
 leuding journals which have given ex- 
 pressions in his favor in New England, 
 the Middle States, the West, and the 
 South. Public opinion, looking to his 
 brilliant services, sterling integrity, and 
 unflinching fidelity, has pointed to him 
 as THE MAK FOR THE TIMES, and the 
 proper exponent of the American De- 
 mocracy. Plain and unassuming in his 
 manners, kind and generous to a fault, 
 frank and social in his intercourse with 
 his fellow-men, he is, in every sense of 
 the wo.d, a Denjocrat. 
 
 Washingtoji, J^Iarch, 1848, 
 
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