Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1843-02-09
~, ENTY-sEyESTit coXaREss--;sa Session.
Mr. McDUFrlE'S SPEECH.
b. .Senn,e. in. =. l-i.i.
TIE OREGON TERRITORY.

I 10 -SsS AN tONSsiS t.>SH-.>d Ht>Satit.
Mr. MeDUFrIEs SPEECH.
h, Stna.e, Jan. -, 1913
TIE OREGON TERRITORY
Tho bii. t0c The occupation anu settlement OF the
Oregon Territory then W. lis passage, rs tae
unfinished business o! Yesterday.
Mr.. MoDufflE rose and addressed the Senate.
wise and pruden; man, (saic Mr.. McD in any Of the
various departments OF human affairs, would be very
reluctant 10 engage in any enterprise, however tho
roughly satisfied of hrs right To do So until lie should
have we'll considered first, the appropriate time for s
ncsuont; secondly The means by which II was
10 hs accomplished and is probable COST and, finally,
benefits gh.c!i ultimately to result from lis
pilsh.asnt. And IN us. be permitted TO gay, II
the worthy Senator FROM Missouri, who had, with so
much zeal and aiy, presented his bill to the consi
deIation o. .a senate, had violated any OF The max!ms
Of sound policy, az .e hun5ly conceived he iac) il,
Lad arisen from The circumstance totally overlooking
tho consideration to winch he had just alluded. All
those Senators wiia had engaged this discussion,
eecmed 10 have limited their Investigations TO what hc
compelled 10 regard the most unimpor,ant OF
all the questions which the measure Involves They
had confined themselves Ia The ;aere abstract question
of the right OF title. fhey had argued The question
# the Senate III the i. ) the tribunal winch
to al u, aud determine the question OF the validity Of
the English or the Amercaa title; end as II tins The
only question 20 be determined. lie believed Sc
na0r, vino had taken part in this discussion, had ex.
pressed the slightest doubt to the validity o the
title Of the u. ). 10 the Territory of Oregon He had
investigated the subject IS fully and thoroughly :
the documentary evidence 10 which he had been able
TO obtain had enabled han 10 do; and, with these
lights before him. se free declare tina; he regard
ed the title OF The Il. :, at least far North the
forty ninth parallel ot latitude OF the clearcst
titles that the sutec; Of National controversy
But, al the same time that lac nac iia declaration, he
would be very sorry The responsibility of pre-
cpItai.ng the nation INTO any measure, upon his
judgment, the udgmen, Of the Senate, upon qaes-
tons which II did not belong either 10 determine.
Gentlemen seemed 10 have forgotten that there
two parties interested III this question; aa ;hnt, how
clear c ;Gtgt appear US, theirs mr. GIT APP
pear equally clear To the other party Here u
oil jon occupancy, and existing question to t:ie
The Senate had seemed, tlrouahon; the Whole discus
SION, to assume that the true title, an!
proceeding upon that assumption; although the Bf!
tish, al the ,,c, clam That theirs The true
title. BY whom these conflicting claims II be
settled by One Of The parties interested Certainly
not
few words the subject Of The Convention of ISIS
WHICH, had been indin,tey prolonged ny that OF lSG7
lie concurrcd perfectly with those Senators who had
maintained that the provision OF THIS act which granted,
stpnlato 10 grant, aUdia titles, titles IN Zee
pie, L. all those citizens o. THIS country who might ems
crate 10 that territory paipable violation OF ,e
ventron Ii vain To Disguise the fact y9ha:ever
might be determined IN regard 10 this matter. They
about 10 take possession OF the territory, 10 cstah
lish line OF American forts and by all the and
appliances OF war, def nd that poss,sson They were
about TO inve the citizens of hs country e. there
not for the purpose OF carrying the fur trade
L. do that winch "as consistent with lon! occupancy
by the two parties 10 the Convention out establish
permanent settlement. The British Government and
the British naon, however uicht diSrulse the fact
IN arguments here, could no; be blind to
percese the alpab!. object Of THIS He begged
to inquire Of the worthy Senators who took so deep IN
interest IN the fate Of this bill what was the existing
emergency which called upom the United States 10 take
this step The question, for the last twenty four years
had been allowed L. sumbcr, While the midst
ol the greatest national prosperity, VIII. Treasury
abundany supplied, that the wi; and ingenuity of man
could not ind out legitimate mode OF dscncumberng
II OF It's superintendent treasure lie called Upon Sc
nators To- state what the existing emergency, which
demanded, now, that o! THIS Kind -ioud toe
adopted. Way II that they invoked al this
momcnt-and, he must hc permitted 10 say, this laaa
spicious monlent-to enter into of this kind
Why had II not been done twenty years ago, at
subsequent period PRIOR 10 he present. He vas
decidedly aYerse 10 embark in il now What was the
condition OF affairs III relation 20 tnglani? fad
they already forgotten that only The othrr day no
Ynen,ous treaty had been conclude, wh England con.
cerning .! the most embarrassing difficulties tia,
had arisen SINCE the termination OF tie late War lie
would AK, how, and nj whose instance, that
adjustment made 1t made at the instance of
that nation, concerning whose graspng ambition 5
much had been said by gentlemen this floor Was
1t her AMBITION her love OF conquest and desire Of The
acquisition of territory, tina; induced England 10 send
80 US the olive branch OF peace, in the form OF
IN this matter, and rendered 10 tie olive branch Of
peace and lie thanked God that Government ac.
ceped It in the spirit IN which Il extended IL us
lie not disposed TO find fault with the result o;
those negotiations, even If they had conceded much
more territory than was conceded, had il been done
with the consent CT the State Immediately interested
and consistently with the honor OF the country He
would rather tat peace should he made almost any
terms, than 60 The matter had been aduscd
and he must be permitted 10 say, that 10, the adjust;
men OF TINS question, # FOR nothing else, the people
of the United States owed debt of lasting gratitude
10 the Administration BY whom this adjustment had
been effected; ana ne would 90 further, and say, thai
every patriot in England and every patriot in the u
States, would shake hands, and declare tim. the Co
vernment of each indebted 10 the neCociators-
fIe thanked God that The treaty had been brought to
successful termination. Well, SIR, (sad Mr. Med y
while cong,atulang ourselves on the termination of
these great difficulties, NJ such moment this what
about 20 ao2 While part OF our territorial
boundary renamed still 10 ae adjusted Tie ques
ton was still subject Of pending negotiation between
the two countries the Senate of The United States
branch of the Legislature intimately connected " III
the treaty making power, 10 about adopt m:iiiay
movement IN order To ia~e military possession vi The
territory. Now, however, we may view tins act, what
ever Interpretation may place upon it-l vii! ash
gentlemen 10 assume "a themselves for moment IN.
position OF the British Ministry and nlarine what
would be the natural effect upon their minds Of mca
Of this kind SIR, they US the olive branch
of peace 10 dust The most mporan, difficulty In |
stead OF reciprocatng the amiabp spirit manifested y
them, about 10 send forth the flaming sw ord of
dehanceyes, at the very moment Minister is III.
strncted to negotiate for settlement, of the question
snatch from their hands the olive branch Of peace
and place the sword oi defiance III lis stead THIS may
be strong language hut strong II - It is no; stronger
than the natural Interpretation which will be placed
on our conduct, If THIS bill be passed, By Great Bri
tain
have asked, wha; IS the emergency which demands
the p's-ags Of Tins h I-'.re any probability that