one conscious and proud perception of the consideration which the country possessed, and of the respect and honor which belonged to it, pervaded all bosoms.  Possibly the public enthusiasm went too far; it certainly did go far.  But, Sir, the sentiment which this declaration inspired was not confined to ourselves.  Its force was felt everywhere, by all those who could understand its object and foresee its effect.  In that very House of Commons of which the gentleman from South Carolina has spoken with such commendation, how was it received?  Not only, Sir, with approbation, but, I may say, with no little enthusiasm.  While the leading minister[3] expressed his entire concurrence in the sentiments and opinions of the American President, his distinguished competitor[4] in that popular body, less restrained by official decorum, and more at liberty to give utterance to all the feeling of the occasion, declared that no event had ever created greater joy, exultation, and gratitude among all the free men in Europe; that he felt pride in being connected by blood and language with the people of the United States; that the policy disclosed by the message became a great, a free, and an independent nation; and that he hoped his own country would be prevented by no mean pride, or paltry jealousy, from following so noble and glorious an example.

It is doubtless true, as I took occasion to observe the other day, that this declaration must be considered as founded on our rights, and to spring mainly from a regard to their preservation.  It did not commit us, at all events, to take up arms on any indication of hostile feeling by the powers of Europe towards South America.  If, for example, all the states of Europe had refused to trade with South America until her states should return to their former allegiance, that would have furnished no cause of interference to us.  Or if an armament had been furnished by the Allies to act against provinces the most remote from us, as Chili or Buenos Ayres, the distance of the scene of action diminishing our apprehension of danger, and diminishing also our means of effectual interposition, might still have left us to content ourselves with remonstrance.  But a very different case would have arisen, if an army, equipped and maintained by these powers, had been landed on the shores of the Gulf of Mexico, and commenced the war in our own immediate neighborhood.  Such an event might justly be regarded as dangerous to ourselves, and, on that ground, call for decided and immediate interference by us.  The sentiments and the policy announced by the declaration, thus understood, were, therefore, in strict conformity to our duties and our interest.

Sir, I look on the message of December, 1823, as forming a bright page in our history.  I will help neither to erase it nor tear it out; nor shall it be, by any act of mine, blurred or blotted.  It did honor to the sagacity of the government, and I will not diminish that honor.  It elevated the hopes, and gratified the patriotism, of the people.  Over those hopes I will not bring a mildew; nor will I put that gratified patriotism to shame.