Papers Relating to the Foreign Relations of the United States, Transmitted to Congress with the Annual Message of the President, December 2, 1872, Part II, Volume V

[Untitled]

Extract from the speech of Mr. Webster, of Massachusetts, in the Senate, March 30, 1846.

* * * I was not very far out when I took the precaution of reducing what I intended to say to writing. What I said was, (and I presumed not to dictate, or to speak as ex cathedra,) that in my judgment public opinion in both countries tended to a union on the general basis of the proposal made by this Government to that of England in 1826. * * *Great Britain cannot expect anything south of 49°.

* * * *What I meant, and what I said, was, that if 49° should be agreed on as a general basis, I was satisfied to negotiate about all the rest. But the gentleman from Ohio and the Senate will do me the justice to allow that I said, as plainly as I could speak or put down words in writing, that England must not expect anything south of forty-nine degrees. I said so in so many words. * *[40]