Sentinel of the valley. [volume] (Woodstock, Va) 1841-1848, 1843-11-30
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WOODSTOCK:
THURSDAY, NOV. 80, ls45.


portant subjects which will be brought
forward for the deliberate action of the
representative wisdom and talent of the
nation, and their fiua disposition by that
body, begin to elicit public attention,
and are discussed in becoming spirit by
the newspaper press generally, without
distinction of parties. This we like to
see. The American people cannot be too
thoroughly conversant with the grand
interests of the nation.
The first business for congress to do,
will be TO choose its officers-Speaker,
Clerk, and the rest. Several gentlemen
have been named by their respective
friends, to fill them; and among those
whose names have been mentioned, are
Hon. j. w. Jones, of this state, for the
Office ofspeaker, and Hon. w. A. Har-
rls, late representative from this district,
for the clerkship. We should have no
objection to the appointment of these
gentlemen. They are good democrats.
and possess ample qualifications to per-
form the responsible duties which will
devolve upon them respectively.
The state of our relations with the
British government will no doubt be
matter of serious deliberation with con-
gress. The people, indignant at the
course pursued by the British authorities
IN occupying and monopolising the trade
of Oregon Territory, and feeling the vast
Importance of the subject to the whole
nation, now demand at the hands of their
representatives frank and manly vindi-
cation of the nations rights speedy and
decisive action, that shall secure efficient
protection to those who have recently
emlgrated to the beautiful and fertile
Columbia Valley,-protection to AMER
IcAN citizens, on AMERICAN soil. As
such, it is the imperitive duty of con-
sress to interpose in their behalf; and
soon the now comparatively insignificant
tide will swell into mighty phalanx of
adventures, who, if assisted by their
government, will ere long be able to
maintain formidable position. Now.
1T is absolutely certain, that we have or
have not right to the Oregon Territory;
II we have claim to it, why not assert
it at once, IN positive and unequivocal
terms why defer the final settlement
OF the question f? By delaying it, we
not only give the British occupants ad
dltlonal opportunities to fortify them
selves and invent new claims. but the
adjustment is rendered more difficult
with each delay, until finally we shall
either have to relinqush our right alto
gether, or assert it at the lannon's mouth.
Should this mode of vindcating our
right there ever be resorted to, the result
will be justly shargeable to our culpable
apathy and neglect on the subject. 1t
is recollected that the British govern
ment uncompromisingly asserted the
right of boarding and searching our yes
sells upon the high seas; and that they
relinquished the right, when, after con-
siderable controversy and the prompt
and manly conduct of our minister, they
could no longer maintain their position.
So 1t will be upon the Oregon question:
they will hold on with death-like strue-
gle, until we shall act declsively and re-
soluteIy.
The recent developments that have
been constituted the subject of official
communication to our government, in
relation to affairs in Texas, will demand
the action of congress. Ifit be fact,
as letter writer's have represented, that
scheme is maturing to surrender the
destlnies of Texas into the hands of the
English government, the welfare of Tex
as, and interests of great Importance to
the American people, require that the
question of admitting Texas as a men,
Der of our union, shall be acted upon in
time. The avowed, though not real de-
sign of the English government, in seek
ing to lay her iron grasp upon the young
republic, is to rid her of negro slavery.
Hence, they have the sympathy of the
aboiitionlsts of our own country. But
we feel assured that that government
acts from different spirit; and as evil
Nence, the reader is cited to her recent
conduct toward the Hawaiian Islands,
where slavery did not exist. No: de.
sire 70 secure to herself all possible COM
merc'al advantages, and thereby extend
her power and influence, these are the
motives that acluated that government
Other matters of national interest will