, 1841-02-06
OREGON.

oREGON.
Mr.. LINN. on presenting his resolution or
the subject of the occupation of the Oregon
territory. accompanied it with the following
brief, but interesting comment. 1t open:
a new view Of the grasping ambition of En-
gland. and presents a state of things which
may lead to Sosious difficulties between the
two countries. All who remember the able
speeches of Mr.. Linn, at the last session
upon this subject, will concede that it could
not be placed in more safe hands:
"Mr. Linn said, that when this bill was up
at the las: session for discussion. both his
political friends and opponents pressed him
TO forbear urging it during the negotiations
with the British Government for the adjust
ment of another question. from 4 fear of EN-.
barrassing IFS settlement. This was not at
the time convincing 10 him, but il was SUI.
ficient for him that il was the advice Of gen.
tlemen Of experience. and he had acted in
accordance with it. His opinion was that
it would be better to put the whole ri their
claims on Great Britain together. and see
what could be done with them; but he never
expected that they would be amicahIv ad-
justed. The history oft,e British Govern
ment afforded him satisfactory evidence mn
this subject. He believed that every one
there would be numbered with the dead be-
fore the British Government would amicabIy
settle a question of this nature. lfhiS memo
ry served him correctly, England, pending
the negotiations at Client. had been willing
TO purchase that territory; he did not mean
10 say there was any formal offer made. bu;
finding that no such arrangement could be-
entered into. she had, step by step. made
progress in territorial enc~roachment. until
she presented to the world a claim of great
importance where she had not even The shad-
ow of fright, and such would be the case al
every point ofthe contest with Great Britain.
The British had extended their possessions.
step by step, from the extreme branch Of
Columbia river 10 tile pacific ocean. By ii;
letter which lie had recently received, he
learned that the Hudson Bay Company was
introducing emigrants from Great Britain by
Cape Horn; they brought shepherds and
placed them on tarms; they had erected Bri-
tsh forts on the Territory Of Oregon, and
had pushed their establishments on the south
to California, and on the east to the Rocky
Mountains: and by an act of Parliament, a
portion Of the criminal law of Great Britain
was extended up to the very confines of the
States of Arkansas and Missouri. Now, if
we have a just right and claim to that proper
~. he was not the man to say it should be
abandoned TO any power on earth. He was
prepared and willing to 60 into a discussion
of the whole subject here involved. He had
been censured by many gentlemen from ali
parts Of the Union for not having pressed
this question before, when he delayed it be-
cause, on the suggestion of others, he was
not willing 10 introduce a new element pend.
ing The question relative to the Nor theastern
boundary. He would not occupy the time of
the body further on this occasion; but should
the Senate grant for the introduction of the
joint resolution, he would embrace the OPP
Portunity when it came up for consideration
to submit bis views more in DETAIL