Boon's Lick times. [volume] (Fayette, Mo.) 1840-1848, 1843-02-25


out license, and an additional fine OF ONE
THOUSAND dollars for every such offence.
CONGRESS AND THE OREGON
TERRITORY.
Congress seems TO be at last awakening
to the vast Importance OF the Oregon Ter
ri,orl and of the necessity Of the United
States bringing it into state Of occupancy
by her own subjects, to prevent much Of it
from falling into other hands. Imagination
cannot wander over the immense territory
lying between the coast OF the Pacific and
the banks OF the Mississippi, without pic
turing an expansc "i unbroken soli,udes of
the utmost Importance To us as nation,
and to which the enterprsing adventurer
may resort with certainty OF gain and dg-
grandizement. II Congress passes the bill
now before them, 10 establish line OF mill
tary posts TO the mouth Of the Columbia
river, survey the territory, and give boun-
ties to settlers, they will at once originate a
spirit Of enterprise and emigration that will
lead to an exploration Of the whole terrific
ry, and permanent establishment of Anne.
rican interests there. Let the star span
gled banner be once reared on the shores
of the Pacific under national patronage,
and the splendid project OF John Jacob AS
tor will be revived, and such expeditions
as tina, OF General Ashley be set on loot be-
yond the Rocky Mountains.
1t is time that Congress took the matter
Of surveying and occupying the Oregon
Territory seriously in hand. 1t is mat
ter of surprise that it was not done long
ago. The attention of that body was off
cially directed to it nearly forty years age
by the president of the United States, in g
confidential message, and sometime suhse
quently to this, Merriweather Lewis and
William Clarke were appointed Commits
sioners to explore the river Missouri and
its principal branches to their sources; and
then to seek and trace to its termination in
the Pacific, some stream, whether the Co,
lumbia, the Oregon, the Colorado, or any
other which might offer the most direct anc
practicable water communication acros:
the continent for the purposes Of commerce
Between the month of May and the end o
the following October they had reached t
about sixteen hundred miles from the mouth
of the river, and in the following summer
they arrived at its head waters, which tool
their rise among the Rocky Mountains
From this point they descended to plain o
country wholly unknown to the world, ant
whose luxuriant wilderness was now, 70
the first time, gazed upon by civilized man
In autumn OF the same year, 1905, they a
gam launched their trail barks upon a tribu
tary o. the Columbia river, and were born
on ward into the broad bosom of the Pacifi
Ocean.
Congress has certainly been amiss in no
following up this commencement by the es
adjustment Of a series of military post
from the mouth of the Missouri river to th
mouth of the Columbia, on the shores c
the Pacific. 1t is we'll known that the Br
! fish fur companies have been for man
years enrichng themselves from a regula
!. trade, carried on by their agents scattere
: over this territory. Their army Of hunter
!, and trappers have been in virtual posses
!, sion of considerable portion of it, and
y is also matter Of notoriety that these con
. panies have repeatedly urged the BIRTHS
g Government to establish outposts in Til
. territory for the encouragement and pre-
= lection of their trade.
These facts should urge Congress to er
y courage the emigration of American cit
!" zens whether native or naturalised, to thu
! quarter, and TO take measures for speed
occupancy of it under the protection OF I'll
), flag OF the States.-Aler. Messenger.
,e REDUCTION OF PosTAGE.-The Postma
u. ter General recently sent to the Senate
= repor, on the subject OF Postage on letter
" II recommends a new rate OF postage
Of follows: Upon a.. single letters sent by i
m mail. any distance, not over 80 miles, Sc
be Over 80 to 100 miles, 10
Or Over 100 TO 900 I" is
OF Over go To 400 20
IN Over 400 miles, 25
he THE MAIDEN'S CONFESSION.