Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1825-03-25
UNITED STATES sENATE-M,ncv1

United STATES SENATE-M.Rca1
Inc Senate having resumed the considera-
tlou OF the bill 10 establish Post at the mouth
of the Columbia River
MIR. bENTON,in reply to Mr. DrcKERsoN.
SAID, that he had not intended TO speak 10 this
OH. Always unwilling to trcspass upon the
thc and patience of the Senate he was parti-
quarry So at tins moment, when the session was
drawing to close, and all hundred bills upon
inc table were each demanding attention. The
occupation OF the Columbia River was a subject
winch had engaged the deliberations of congress
ior TOUR years past, and the minds of gentlemen
might be supposed 20 be made up upon it.
Resting upon tins belief Mr.. B. as reportcr Of
The bill, had limited himself TO the duty of watch
ing It's progress, and of holding himself in readi-
ness 10 answer any inquiries which might be
put. inquiries he certainly expected; but a
general assault, at this late stage of the session.
upon the principle, the policy and the details of
the Oil, had not been anticipated. Such an as
sault had, however, been made by the Senator
from New Jersey, MIR. D. and Mr.. b. would
be unfaithful to his duty if he did not repel it,
In dlschargng this duty, he would lose no time
In going over the gentleman's calculations about
the expense OF getting member of Congress
from the Oregon to the Potomac; nor would he
solve his difficulties about the shortest and best
route; whether Cape Horn should be doubled,
new route explored under the north pole or
mountains Climbed, whose aspiring SUBMITS
present twelve feet of def, ing snow to the burn
ing rays OF July sun. Mr.. ID. looked upon
these calculations and problems as SO many
dashes OF the gentleman's wit, and admitted
-that wit was an excellent article in debate
equally convenient for emblellishing an argu-
ment and concealing the want of one For
when oI these purposes, the Senator from New
Jerse, had amused the Senate with the wit in
question, II was not for Mr.. b. TO saw. nor
should he undertake To disturb him ia the
quiet enjoyment of the honor which he had won
thereby. Leaving all that out of view, he
would proceed directly to expose and confu {
nose parts OF the gentlemans argument in
which he had favored the pretensions of Great
Britain at Inc expense OF the rights and interests
o; his own country. These parts are
lst. Ills admission of title, on the part OF
Great Britain, 10 the right bank of the Coln.n-
bia River.
I'd. his declarations that the United States
were precinded from occupying the country ON
the Columbia River by the Sd article OF the
London convention of 1915
3d. His menace of a conflict with Great
BRIAN II we PRESUMED 10 occupy il.
1t is now, Mr.. President Continued MIR. Il.
precisely two and twenty years since a contest
the United States and Great Britain. The
contest originated with the discovery of the Ri.
yer itself. The moment that we discovered il.
she claimed 1t; and without color of title in
her hand, she has labOrcd ever since To over
reach US IN die arts of negotiations or to bully
US out of our discovery by menaces of war
In the year 1890, citizen Of the United
States, Capt. Gray, of Boston, discovered the
columbia at Its entrance into the sea; and in
1903, Lewis and Clark were sent by the Go
vernment OF the United States, To complete the
discovery OF Tie whole river fronts source down
wards, and to take formal possession III the name
OF their government. In 1898, Sir Alexander
Mckenzie had been sent from Canada by the
British Government 10 effect the same object:
but he missed the sources of the river fell upon
the IucOulcae Jesse, and struck the Pacific
about five hundred miles TO the north of the
mouth of the Columbia.
In 1908, the United States acquired Louis-
sIana, and with II an open question of bounda-
rles Tor that vast province. On the side of Mex
Ico and Florida, this question was to be settled
with the King of Spain; on the north and north
west, with the King of Great Britain. 1t han
pcned i'll the very tune that we were sipning a
treaty in Paris for the acquisition of Louisiana,
that we were signing another m London for the
adjustment of the boundary line between the
northwest possessions of the United States and
OF the King OF Great Britain. The negotiators
OF each were ignorant Of what the others had
done and on renting the two treaties to tho.
Senate OF the United States, for ratification.
that for the purchase of Louisiana was ratified
without restrictions the other with the excep.
ton of the fifth article. 1t was this article
which adjusted he boundary line between the
United States and G'sat Butan from the Lake
OF the Woods to the head OF the AIjssissippi.
and the Senate refused TO ratify it, because biz
possibility 1T nigh Jeopardise the northern bound
airy of Louisiana. The treaty was sent back to
London, the fifth article eSpunged; and the
| British Government, acting then as upon a late
! occasion, rejected the whole treaty, when She
failed in securing the precise advantage OF
which she was in search.
In the year 1907, another treaty was necOti-
atcd between the United States and Great
Britain. The negoliatOrs on both sides were
| then possessed of the fact. that Louisiana be-
longed to the United States, and that her boun-
daIies 20 the north and west were underlined
The settlement of this boundary was point in
the negotiation, and continued efforts were
made By the British Plenipotentiaries TO OYER
reach the Americans, with respect to the cOun-
try west of the Rocky Mountains Without
presenting any claim, they eudoavored 'sto leare
Il nest-cSS for. future Pr'etensiOns IN TINT q,tur-
ter" lState Papeys, 1929 Finally, an arti-
Gle was agreed to- The 49th degree of north
latitude was TO be followed west, a. far as the
territories ofthe two countries EXTENDED i'm that
direction, with proviso against its application
to the country west of the Rocky Mountains.
This treaty shared the fate of that of 1903. II
was never ratified. For causes unconnccted
with the questions of boundary, it was rejected
by Mr.. Jefferson without reference to the
Senate
At Client, in 1914, tie attempts Of SOB and
1907 were renewed. The British Plenipofen-