Southport telegraph. [volume] (Southport, W.T. [i.e. Kenosha, Wis.]) 1840-1850, 1843-02-14


the termination Of the late war? He
would ask, How, and and at whose instance.
was that adjustment made? 1t was made
at the instance Of that nation, concerning
whose graspng ambition so much has been
said by gentlemen on this floor. Was it
her ambition, her love Of conquest, and
desire of the acquisition Of territory, that
induced England TO send TO us the olive
branch Of peace, in the form Of an extra
ordinary mission! Great Britain voun-
tarly moved in this matter, and rendered
to us the olive branch of peace; and he
thanked God that our Government accept
ed 1t In the spirit in which il was extended
to US. lie was not disposed to find fault
with the result Of those negotiations, even
II they had conceded much more territory
than was conceded, had it been done with
the consent Of the State Immediately nte-
rested, and consistently with the honor of
the country. He would rather that
peace should be made on almost any
terms, than to go 10 war. The mat
ter had been adjusted, and he must be per-
mtted TO say, that for the adjustment Of this
question, if for nothing else, the people OF
the United States owed debt Of lasting
gratitude TO he Administration by whom
this adjustment had been effected; and he
would go further, and say, that every
patriot IN England, and every patriot in
the United States, would shake hands, and
declare that the Government Of each was
indebted to the negotiations. He thanked
God that the treaty had been brought to
successful termination. Well, sir, (said
Mr.. McD., } while congratulating ourselves
on the termination of these great difficult
ties, at such moment as this, what are
we about TO do? While part Of our terri
torlal boundary remained still TO be adjust
ed--whlle the question was still subject
OF pending negotiation between the two
countrles--the Senate Of the United States,
a branch Of the Legislature, intimately con-
nected with the treaty-making pewer, is
about to adopt military movement, in Or
der to take military possession of the terri
tory. Now, however we may view this
act, whatever Interpretation we may place
upon i'll will ask gentlemen to assume
to themselves for a moment the position of
the British ministry, and imagine what
would be the national effect upon their
minds Of measure of this kind. Sir,they
sent us the olive branch of peace to adjust
the most important difficulty. Instead of
reciprocatlng the amicable spirit manifes-
ted by them,we are about to send forth the
flaming sword Of defance:-yes, at the
very moment our minister is lntruc:ed TO ne
gotiate for a settlement of the question, we
snatch from their hands the oblive branch
of peace, and place the sword Of defiance
in its stead. This may be strong Ian
guage; but strong rs it is, ii is not stronger
than the national Interpretation which will
be placed on our conduct, if this bill be
passed, by Great Britain.
have asked, what is the emergency which
demands the passage Of this bill? Is there
any probability that we shall fail in the adj
iustment of the question by negotiation?-
if gentlemen believe We shall fail, and
that we shall ultimatel y be under the ne
cessity of resorlng to force Of arms to es-
tabllsh our title and maintain our occupa-
ton, this is an additional reason why we
should adopt no measure which, in the es
iimatlon Of the civilized would, and in our
own, could possibly place us in the wrong.
Let US fairly and honorable try to ne
gotiate. Let US try to adjust this boundary,
as we have done the other. And, as l
think the title Of the United States is in
hnitely more clear than that upon which
the negotiation has just terminated,l think
the probability of an amicabIe adjustment
is so much tine greater. But gentlemen
say we must proceed in this wayne must
take possession, because the British arc do
ing the same. They are making Judgments,
establishing settlements, looking forward
to the exclusive possession at some future
period. Now, | totally dissent from this
opinion; and if there is any one conclu-
sion TO which the documents before the
Senate mus, irresistibly bring the minds Of
Senators, it is that Great Britain has not
the remotest idea-that she has not done
solitary act, nor uttered solitary word,
on the question, evinciDg the remotest
desire to make permanent exclu-
slve settlements in that territory. All that
she desired, all that they have ever claim
ed, is the right to prosecute the fur trade,
and to make such temporary settlements
as were necessary to accomplish that OBJ
ject. Have they done more, sira 1t is
true the worthy senator from kentucky
Mr.. Morehead made an array of charges
against England, in reference to acts
which she has already done. In the frs:
place, that she has made fort one hun
dred miles from the mouth Of the Column
bia river; and The gentleman, with that con-
dor which forbids him to suppress any part
Of the truth, read full account Of that fort,
concluding with statement that it was a
mere stockade fort, in its very character
intended for no other purpose than to repeI
the attacks of the Indians; and so it is with
all the other forts which they have estab-
lishcd.
This then, amounts to nothing; it furn-
lshes no evidence of an intention Of estab-
I,-hr