The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1843-02-28
SPEECH
MR.. CALHOUN, OF SOUTH CAROLINA,

ON THE OREGON HlLL

DeltpfTeu ~ me Senate 81 tnf tHtttu ctutrS
January "a, ls43.
MIR. CALHous said IL ought 10 be borne in mind
In the discussion Of this measure, that there Is COZ
aict between our claim and that Of Great Britain
the Oregon territory and That u extends to u
whole territory from the Rocky mountains 10 the Pa
cifc ocean, and from the northern limits Of Mexico
Ia latitude A. ~ the southern limits of tho Russia
possessions in latitude 81. Nor ought il 10 bo for
gotten that the two Governments have made IRE
queDt attempts tc adjust their conflicting claims oa
as yet without The first Of those was mad
in 1878. Ii proved abortive; but a convention wa
entered into which provided that the territory shou''
be left free and open TO citizens and the suolect
of Great Britain for ten years the Object OF wnc'
was to prevent collision aud preserve peace TIL the
respective claims could be adjusted by negotiation
The next was made in 1924, when We offered t
limit our claim to the territory by the 49th degree
latitude which would have left 10 Great Britain al
north OF that latitude TO The southern boundary o
Russia. Her negotiator objected, and proposed IN,
Columbia river as the boundary between the posses
sions of the two countries. II enters the oceaI
about the 46th degree Of latitude. II follows, tina
the portion Of the territory really in dispute between
the two countries about three degrees OF latitude
that is, about one fourth of tho whole. The attempt
to adjust boundaries again failed, and nothing was
effected. ! learn from our negotiator, "a dIstln
gushed citizen of Pennsy lvania, now in the city,
that the negotiation was conducted with much ear
nestness and not little feeling, on the part Of the
British ncgotiat0rs.
In 1927, lust before the termination Of the ten
years another attempt made ut an adjustment
The negotiation conducted ON our part by MIR
Gallatin. The whole subject was discussed fully
and with great ability and cearness on both sides
bat like the two preceding, failed to adjust the con-
Aicting claims. The same offers were made, respec-
lively, by The parties that were in 1924, and again
rejected All that could be done was to renew the
convention of 1918 but with the provision that each
party might at its pleasure, terminate the agreemen,
by giving years notice The object of the renew
al was in 1918 to preserve peace for the time, by
preventing either party from asserting its exclusive
claim to the territory and that Of the insertion Of the
provision to give either party the right Of doing SO
whenever it might think proper, by giving the stpu-
lated notice.
Nor ought il to be forgotten that during the long
interval from 1918 to this time continued efforts have
been made, in this and the other House, to induce
Congress to assert by some act, our exclusive right
to the territory; and that they have all heretofore
failed 1t now remains to be seen whether this bill
which covers the whole territory, well north a
south of the 49th and provides for granting land
commencing systematically the work Of colonization
and settlement, shall share the fate of its predeces
sors
To determine whether il ought or ought not, in
wolves the decision of two prelimnar, questions
The first is, whether The time has arrived wheT
il would be expedent part 10 attempt to asser
and maintain our exclusive claim to the territory
against the adverse claim Of Great Britain; and the
other, if it has, whether the mode proposed in THU
bill is the proper one.
In discussing them, | do not intend to involve th,
question of our right TO The territory, its value
nor whether Great Britain is actuated by that keen
Jealous and hostile spirit towards us, which has beef
attributed TO her in this discussion l shall, on tn,
contrary, assume title to be as valid as the warm
est advocate Of this bill asserts il to be the erritor,
10 IN so,l 10 nd 10
advantages all that the ardent Imagination Of the
thor Of the measure paints il to be; and Great Bri
tain TO be formidable and jealous she has beef
represented. l make issue on either Of thes,
points. | controvert none Of them. According Il
my view of the subject, it is not necessary On III,
contrary the clearer the title, the valuable thu
territory and the more powerful and hostile the BrI
fish Government, the stronger will be the ground o.
which rest my opposition to the bill
With these preliminary remarks, repeat the ques
tiou Has the time arrived, when il would be wise am
prudent for US to attempt TO assert aud maintain
exclusive right TO the territory, against the advers
and conflicting claim of Great Britain 1 answer
No. it has not and that for the decisive reason be
cause the attempt, II made, must prove unsuccessful
against the resistance Of Great Britain. We coul,
neither take nor hold II against her and that for
reason not less decisve-that she could in a mucl
shorter time and at far less expense, concentrate
far greater force than we could in the territory.
We seem to forget, In the discussion Of this subject
the great events which have occurred in the eastern
portion Of ASIA, during the last year. and which ha,
80 greatly extended the power Of Great Britain il
that quarter OF the gIooe. She has there m that pc
Rod. terminated successfully two wars by one o
which she has given increased quiet and stability 4
her possessions in India and by the other has firml
planted her power on the eastern coast Of China
where she will undoubtedly keep up, at least for
time. a strong military and naval force, for the pur
pose of intimidation and strengthening her newly &C
auired possession. The point she occupies there o
,he western shore of the Pacific, is almost direct
onpo,,te to the Oregon Territory, at the distance
ahau, FIVE thousand FIVE hundred miles from the mou
Of Columbia river, with tranquil ocean between
which NAV be passed in six weeks. In tina
short time she might place, at moderate expense,
strong naval and military force at the mouth Of tina
river where a formidable body OF men, as hardy an
energetic as any this continent, in the service
the Hudson Bay Company, and numerous tribes @
Iodan. under its control, could be prepared to sus
tain and co operate with H. Such is the facility witt
which she could concentrate a force there TO main
tain her claim TO the territory against ours, shou
they be brought into collision by this bill.
inow turn TO examine our means Of concentrating
an opposing force by land and water should !, be
come necessary to maintain our claim. We have n
military or val position IN the Pacific Gu
dact "a ould have TO sail from our own shores, an
xouA have TO cross the line and double Cape Hor
IN sc degrees. Of south latitude and turning north
recross the hnci anu ssc'"u 70 ''ot""e w hVi"i
order to reach the mouth of Columbia rivera dis
tame. from New York lover the straighest and shor
es linel of more than 10 900 miles, and which woul
rcou,re a run OF more than $4,000 Of actual sailing o.
the usual route. Instead Of six weeks, the voyag
would require SIX moths. SPEAK on the su,hort
Of one OF the mos, experienced officers attached I
the Navy Department
These facts are decisive. We could do nothing b
wafer A. far that element IS concerned. W
could not oppose 10 her a gun or a soldier IN III
territory.
Bot, as greatas are the impediments by water, the
are at present. not much less so by land. IL we as
.ume some central point in the State Of Missouri o
The place Of rendezvous, from which our militar
force would commence its march for the Territory
The distance TO the mouth Of the Columbia river vii
he found 10 be about two thousand miles Of whicl
much more than thousand miles would be over Al
unsettled country, consisting Of naked plains moun
,,inou. regions without provisions, except such gam