The Sun.
London, England, 1845-12-23 00:00:00

rapidly increasing in that teritory. They have made no
appeal to arms, but have peaceably fortified themselves in
their new homes, by the adoption of republican institu-
tions for themselves ; forming another example of the
truth that self-government is inherent in the American
breast, and must prevail. It is due to them that they
should be embraced and protected by our laws.
It is deemed important that our laws regulating trade
and intercourse with the Indian tribes east of the Rocky
Mountains should be extended to such tribes as dwell
bey and them.
The increasing emigration to Oregon, and the care and
protection which is due from the Government to its
citiz;:ns in that distant region, make it our duty, as it is
our interest, to cultivate amicable relations with the In-
dian tribes of that territory. For this purpose, I recom-
mend that provision be made for establishing an Indian
agency and such sub-agencies as may be deemed neces-
sary beyond the Rocky Mountains.
For the protection of emigrants whilst on their way
to Oregon, against the attacks of the Indian tribes occu-
pying the country through whi'_•ll they pass, I recom-
mend that a suitable number of stockades and block-
house forts be erected along the usual route between our
frontier settlements on the Missouri and the Rocky
Mountains, and that an adequate force of mounted rifle-
men le! rair,ed to guard and protect them on the journey.
The immediate adoption of tio.se recommendations by
Congress will not violate tin_ provisions of the existing
treaty. It will 136 doing nothing more for American
c:tizens than British laws have long since done for Bri-
tish subjects in the same territory.
It requires several months to perform the voyage by
sea from the Atlantic States to Oregon ; and although
we have a large number of whale ships in the Pacific,
but few if them arvOrd an opportunity of interchanging
in , . h!•!• •• F• it n v

Lti tsc g zuet,

I ;Ilona!, is submitted to—the favourable consideration or
Congress.
It is submitted to the wisdom of Congress to deter-
mine whether, at their present session, and until after
the expiration of the year's notice, any other measures
may be adopted, consistently with the convention of
1827, for the security of our rights, and the government
and protection of our citizens in Oregon. That it will
ultimately be wise and proper to make liberal grants of
land to the patriotic pioneers, who, amidst privations
and dangers, lead the way through savage tribes inha-
biting the vast wilderness intervening between our fron-
tier a ttlements and Oregon, and who cultivate, and are
ever ready to defend the soil, lam fully satisfied. To
doubt whether they will obtain such grants as soon as
the convention between the United States and Great
Britain shall have ceased to exist would be to doubt the
justice of Congress ; but, pending the year's notice, it
is worthy of consideration whether a stipulation to this
effect may be mi.de, consistently with the spirit of that
convention.

The recommendations which I have made as to the
best manner of securing our rights in Oregon are sub-
mitted to Congress with great deference. Should they,
in their wisdom, devise any other mode better calculated
to accomplish the same object, it shall meet with my
hearty concurrence.
At the end of the year's notice, should Congress think
it proper to make provision for giving that notice, we
shall have reached a period when the national rights of
Oregon must either be abandoned or firmly maintained.
That they cannot be abandoned without a sacrifice of
both national honour and interest is too clear to admit
of doubt.

Oregon is a part of the North American continent, to
which it is confidently affirmed the title of the United
States is the best now in existence. For the grounds on
which that title rests, I refer you to the correspondence
of the late and present Secretary of State with the. Bri-
tish Plenipotentiary during the negotiation. The British
proposition of compromise, which would make the Colum-
bia the line south of 49 degrees, with a trifling addition
of detached territory to the United States north of that
river, and would leave-on the British side two-thirds of
the whole Oregon territory, including the .free navigation
of the Columbia and all the valuable harbours on the .
Pacific, can never, for a moment, be entertained by the
United States, withoutan abandonment of their just and
clear territorial rights, their own self.respect, and the
national honour. For the information of Congress, I
communicate herewith the correspondence which took
place between the Governments during the late nego-
tiation.

The rapid extension of our settlements over our terri-
tories heretofore unoccupied, the addition of new States
to our confederacy, the expansion of free principles, and
our rising greatness as a nation, are attracting the at-
tention of the Powers of Europe ; and lately the doc-
trine has been broached in some of them of a " balance
of power" on this continent, to check our advancement.
The United States, sincerely desirous of preserving rela-
tions of good understanding with all nations, cannot in
silence permit any European interference on the North
American continent ; and should any such interference
be attempted, will be ready to resist it at any and all
hazards.

It is well known to the American people and to all
nations that this Government has never interfered with
the relations subsisting between other Governments.
We have never made ourselves parties to their wars or
their alliances ; we have not sought their territories by
conquest ; we have not mingled with parties in their do-
mestic struggles; and, believing our own form of govern-
ment to be the best, we have never attempted to propagate
it by intrigues, by diplomacy, or by force. We may claim
on this continent a like exemption from European inter-
ference. The nations of America are equally sovereign
and independent with those of Europe. They possess
the same rights, independent of all foreign interposition,
to make war, to conclude peace, and to regulate their in-
ternal affairs. The people of the United States cannot,
therefore, view with indifference attempts of European
powers to interfere with the independent action of the
nations on this continent. The American system of
Government is entirely different from that of Europe.
Jealousy amongst the different Sovereigns of Europe,
lest any one of them might become too powerful for the
rest, has caused them anxiously to desire the establish-
ment of what they term the " balance of power." It
cannot be permitted to have any application on the
North American continent, and especially to the United
States. We must ever maintain the principle that the
people of this continent alone have the right to decide
their own destiny. Should any portion of them, consti-
tuting an independent state, propose to unite themselves
with our confederacy, this will be a question for them
and us to determine, without any foreign interposition.
We can never consent that European powers shall inter-
fere to prevent such a union, because it might disturb
the " balance of power" which they may desire to main-
tain upon this continent. . . .

Near a quarter of a century ago the principle was dis-
tinctly announced to the world, in the annual message of
one of my predecessors, that" the American continents,
by the free and independent condition which they have
assumed and maintain, are henceforth not to be con-
sidered as subjects for future colonisation by any Euro-
pean power." This principle will apply with greatly
increased force, should any European power attempt to
establish any new colony in North America. In the ex-
isting circumstances of the world, the present is deemed
a proper occasion to reiterate and re-affirm the principle
affirmed by Mr. Monroe, and to state my cordial con-
currence in its wisdom and sound policy. The re -asser-
tion of this principle, especially in reference to North
America, is at this day but the promulgation of a policy
which no European power should cherish the disposi-
tion to resist. Existing rights of every European nation
should be respected ; but it is due alike to our safety and
our interests, that the efficient protection of our laws
should be extended over our whole territorial limits,
and that it should be distinctly announced to the
world as our settled policy, that no future European
colony or dominion shall, with our consent, be planted
or established on any part of the North American con-
tinent.