Independent Democrat., 1844-07-27
Number 4s.

DOSetoS &c" PdSes 1uItuef, Ho WOulu
have found the following:
" Mr.. Polk moved to discharge the Com
mittee of The Whole on the state of the
Union from the Oregon bill, and to com-
nit to the Committee on Territories, with
instructions to report an Amendments, hav-
ing for its object: lst, the extension OF
the civil and the criminaF jurisdiction of
the courts Of the Territory Of Michigan
over all citizens of the United States who
are or may be in the country west Of the
Rocky meuntaiiis, and between the laii-
tudes of AZ deg. and 81 deg. 40 minutes
North, west to the Pacific ocean; and ID,
an exploration and survey of the North
West coast Of America, between those
Ialitudes, its bays, inlets, and harbors, and
of the Columbia river and its tributaries.o
This proposition is probably the origin
of DIR. Linn's plan for the occupation Of
Oregon by the extension Of the laws of
Iowa over that country. If Col. Polk's
proposition had been adopted in 1928, If
the laws of the United States had beer
extended over that country sixteen years
ago, and its coast, bays, harbors, and rivers,
had been surveyed, the whole Territory
would now be peopled with American citi-
zens, enjoying the blessings Of equal laws
and republican institutions, instead Of be-
ing in the armed military possession Of
foreign power. Thus have | shown that
Col. Polk has always taken the American
side of the question, and Ifeel authorized
to say that he is now in favor Of the adop-
tion of the most efficient measures for the
immediate occupation of that territory.
In Col. Folks letter to committee Of
citizens of Cincinnati, dated April 90,
1874. he defines his position in regard to
Oregon, in language that leaves no ground
for caviI or dispute. He says:
"Let Texas be re.annexed, and the au-
thority and laws Of the United States be
established and maintained Within her
limits, as also in the Oregon Territory,
and let the fixed policy Of our government
be, not 10 permit Great Britain or any
other foreign power to plant colony, or
hold dominion over any portion of the
people or territory OF either. These are.
my opinions; and without deeming It ne.
cessary 10 extend this letter, by assigning
the many reasons which influence me in
the conclusions, TO which regret 10 be
compelled to differ SO widely from the
views expressed by yourselves, and the
meeting [abolition meetingl of citizens Of
Cincinnati, whom you represent"
These are the opinions. of COL Polk
They breathe the true patriotic doctrine.
The time has arrived for bold, immediate,
speedy action. We have slumbered in
false security for the last thirty years, in
the vain hope that the whole question
would be amicably settled by negotiations.
When negotiations first commenced,
Great Britain had not even a shadow OF a
title. She only claimed the privilege Of
hunting and fishing in the country, and
asked that rather as favor than matter
of right. After the close of the last war,
she formally restored that country to US,
in pursuance of the treaty Of Ghent, as a
part Of our territory which she had cap
tured during the war. After she had
gone through the ceremony of surrender
ing the country, in compliance with the
treaty of peace, she Immediately opened
negotiations for its joint occupancy, for
the purpose Of fishing and hunting, and
trad with the Indians. Unfortunately for
the peace and honor of the country, Mr..
Adams, as Secretary of State, granted her
that request, by an article in the treaty of
1918, under which she has sent her hun
ters, trappers, and traders, into the coun-
/ try, and then turned them into farmers,
merchants, and soldiers, with view to its
permanent settlement and occupation as
British colony. These settlements once
formed. and the country reduced TO actual
possessions, she grows bolder in her pre-
tensions and asserts her claim not only to
the possession, but to the title of the
country. Yes, the very country which she
acknowledged to be ours, and, in 1917, sur
rendered to US as such, in pursuance of the
treaty of Ghent, and which, in 1918, she
asked of us the permission to occupy JOINT
| " with US, she, in, 1896, claimed as her
own, and proposed negotiation about the
title. And regret to say. that an Amer
ican Secretary Of State SO far yielded his
assent TO this unfounded and preposterous
claim, as to offer Great Britain one.halfof
the whole territory for the privilege of be-
ing permitted to retain the other half
Yes, sir, Henry Clay, as Secretary of
State under MIR. Adams, in 1926, offered
to surrender to great Britain all that part
of the Oregon Territory lying north of the
forty-ninth degree of latitude. which in-
cludes about one-half of the whole terrific
ITy, or nearly all the good bays and har-
bors Upon the coast. Here is the para
graph in Mr.. Clat's instru tons TO Mr..
Gallaiin, our minister to England, in
which thai offer is made: