The Arkansas banner., 1844-04-17

at
 ;sb onseFnnlent that t k the desire oi the
 ,5,;.o2a43ent of he United States to aunul and sbrooate the provisions of inc third article ot tAa convention coreInded between the gov er,,oe,lf of the Uuited States of America and bis Brifannc Majesty inc King of ihe United Eindlo9 of Great Bliian and ireland aa inc 29f6 October. ISIS, and indefinitely con finucd between tAa same parties, signed al London tho 9th August, 1897.
 Mr SEVER addressed the Senate as fol- lows:
 Mr.PRrs1pfzr: l have taken some trouble toinyrsjgate the tille of lhe United States tc the Territory of Oregon. Al this session, and al the last. l considered it a duty which I owed to the senate by whose direction l had been placed nP6n committee having charge of that subject, 10 look into the title Of the United States to that territory. 1 con- sidefed t a duty which also owed 10 my constituents, whose interest, now or hereat- ter, in some form or other, might De effected hv this Oregon controversy, to look infe the tile of the United States 10 that eountry.- That duty I have performed. have also examined with care, aud l hope win perfect impartialiiv. every claim, so far as have been enatIed to understand them, of Great Britain to that country; and the result of these investigations has been settled conviction on my part, that the file of the United States 10 that country, upon every principle recog- nised by civilized nations, and upon every principle of national law, cannot be contro- verted by any one.
 It had been my intention, 3Ir. President, at some time during the progress of this debate, to give to the s.ffaie, and through the Senate to the country, brief analysis of this title; but that purpose shall now forego, and for two reasons: the first is, that labor has been taken off my hands. and has been better per- formed by others who have preceded me in this debate; the second Is, that l found the opposition to the passage of ihe resolution now under consideration, s not based upon the ground of doubtful tide. Every senator admits that the title of the United States 10 that country Is clear and indispotabe. All agree that, on that point at least, there IS no room for cavil or controversy.
 The title of the United States to Oregon being admitted to be clear and indisputable, do we, Mr. President, desire the possession of that countfy3 Upon this point, at the very threshold, there seems to be q difference of opinion among Us.
 On this side of the chamber, we desire the possession of that country, and have pro- posed several measures to effect it. The first is to annul and abroeate the convention of 1927, by the terms of which the subjects of Great Britain are permitted to occupy the country jointly with citizens of the United States Ne propose to make suitable Proyl- sieas. tempting and liberal, for the settlement Of that country. We propose to project the citizens of the United States who may 20 into it, by military force if necessary. And lastly, we propose to extend 10 those citizens the benefits of the laws of the United States in the form of an organizesi territorial govern ment, or of attaching it. for judicial and iegis- latiYe purposes, 10 a Territory of the Uaitcd States already organized. These are the lead- ing measures which we deem essential for the accomplishment of the object we have ill view
 Ne consider.the existence of the conyen- ton for the joint occupation of Oregon an impeachment 10 successful negotiation We think that, so long as that convention Is in force, Great Britain can have no motive for settling our controversy She has exclusive possession, at this time. of the whole conn try; she has extended her laws, civil and criminal, over the whole of 1t, by granting loans, and by appropriating il as she pleaseS. What more does she want3 What more can she desire3 What has she to gain by ncgo- tiaton; Nothing What has she to lose by pegotiation Something certainly; and if justice is had of her, everything.
 We consider lhatthe convention is not only an impeachment in the way of negotiation, but is also an nsuperable obstacle to the settle ment of the country. No citizen of the United States will go there, fl he believes that he is to become a subject of Great Britain, and amenable to her laws. We believe that, while this convention exists, we cannot safely follow the example set Us by Great Britain, in attach ing ii to the Territory of Iowa, as she has attached 1t to her province of Upper Canada. We believe that double system of laws, and double set of lunctionaries, over the same country, emanating from different powers, would produce conflict oi laws and inrs- dictions, and end in conflicts among the peo- pie of that region, and ultimately, in an open rupture between the two governments of Great Britain and the United States For these reasons, we desire the exercise of that right which, at the time, was contemplated and expressly provided for in the convention, which Is 10 anHul and abrooatc it.
 These views are opposed with great zeal and energy on the other side, and for reasons which will now proceed to consider. These objections are of two classes. The first oi these is, that the passage of the resolution which we are now considering is discourteous to ilie British goyernment disrespectfHi to the President Of the United States, unneces- sary and inexpedient; and tho other is, that the passage of the resolution is not only dis courteous, disrespectfnl. unnecessary, and in- expedlcnt, but that t is, on other accounts, highly objectionable, because it points to the settlement of Oregon. These various obiec- tlons, whether partaking of foreign or do- nestle character, l now propose very briefly 4n considar