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 LESTER BURRELL SHIPPEE

78

On the same day the "war" Message was received Allen began his efforts to have a day fixed for voting on the resolutions for giving notice. The day before, in an interview with Polk, he had mentioned Folk's statement about submitting a British offer to the senate, and had urged the President to send with a decided declaration of his theless, that if two-thirds of the

own he

believed, never-

Senate advised the President

to accept the offer he ought to do so. inkling of what sort of a message he

Polk would give no would send. He did,

however, again urge Allen strongly to get the resolutions voted on.

But the Senate was not yet willing to go on record in a vote, and the debate dragged on. While both factions were agreed that it was necessary to pass some sort of a resolution, the peace party were unwilling to vote until they were sure it would be in such a form as to preclude the possibility of war, and they were as yet not quite sure of their strength. On the first of April Senator Benton came out flatly for a compromise In spite of the fact that he had taken a at 49 to the sea.

Oregon discussions for twenty-five years time he had clearly stated his position32 His speech provoked a bitter reply from Hannegan, who, as he from Benton, his political said, had learned the lesson of 55 He congratulated the Senator from teacher in many ways. in

prominent part

was the

this

first

South Carolina on the convert he had made the antipodes had Replying to a jocular remark Benton had made about Cass as Agamemnon and Hannegan as Ajax he said:

met.

"I would rather be the private soldier, than with my haughty foot press the lowly earth as though it were too mean for my tread rather be the private soldier than in every look, and 'I am the ruler! attitude, and act, and expression, proclaim I will rule or I will ruin and it is indifferent to me whether the consequence be rule or ruin !' Sir, be he who he may, there is no man in this land so high as to have it in his power



to elevate or depress public sentiment in

Be he who he may who makes such an 32 Globe,

XV,

581 seq.

America

at his will.

attempt, he will speedily