The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1844-03-28
THE OREGON QUESTION.


THE OREGON QUESTION.
In the course Of The Speech Of Mr.
Miller. Of New Jersey. in The Senate, OF
the Oregon question. he said,
. Tie had heard. during the present de
bate. England called our ancienl enemy. :
tie regretted 10 listen 10 such language: /
ought never 10 be resorted 10 in lrgisla
1--WE body. As nation, we know OF nc
enemy but present enemy. The pas
belonged 10 history. That conficl be
tween mother and daughter. which had
once covered fields with blood. was past
and he trusted il had left on both sides !
feeling Of relationship rather Than OF ran.
corous hatred. He could not call Eng.
land an ancient enemy" because she
was before the world q present friend
We had had, and still had. mighty con.
tests with England, but not those OF war,
they were contests which called for ths
exerlion OF all our moral and physical en-.
ergy, but not Tor the shedding Of huaar
blood. They were contests for trade, fol
commerce, for the protection Of labor. fol
the advance ofciyil freedom, and religion.
liberty. In struggles like these we had
our part to play, and he trusted we should
play IL like men. We contended fnriher
for markets for our industry: in Brazil,
IN China, and the islands OF the Pacific
Our commercial navy was found in all
The waters Of the globe--our commerce
spread its white wings over every sea
con,cnding. but con,ending fairly, honor.
ably and peacefully, with the rival com.
merce Of England. And should we call
that commerce home! Should the haugh-
~ blast OF the war trumpet echo over the
deep, 10 warn all our vessels into porti
For what! contest for few acres OF
barren soil that we did not wanti for a
degree of latitude beyond the Rocky
Mountains! for the honor and profit oil
fighting the Camanche Indians; or the
Flatfoot Indiansi He trusted not. He
was not ready TO take one step toward.
such q consummaiion, provided always
that the national honor could be preserved
without IL.
Let gentlemen reflect on the attitude in
which the Two nations would stand before
the world; the two freest nations on earth,
united in unfolding the principles of free.
dom. united in spreading Christianity,
civilization, the arts and sciences through.
out the world--nations whose principles
Of liberty had penetrated wherever the
oppressed were found. and were ever at
work to assuage human oppression, and
shed light through the surrounding dark.
ness Of despotism. Our national course
was not alhwart that Of England, but pa
rallel with il: we were aiming substantial
ly at The same great and noble ends, and
why should We be brought into unneces.
sary anunpro6,able collision!-That firm
set little isle 8.
Fraill vessel, filled with precious things,
Surrounded BY a sea Of glass"-
seut forth those principles of truth which
were destined 10 revolutionize the world.
She had sent her sons into every cline.
Seventeen millions of that stock were
now on these shores. with room and sus-
tenance for hundred million more: let
these two cogna.e branches Of The Anglo.
Saxon race proceed side by side in the
harmonious but honorable strife Of glory,
and they would bless the residue of the
earth; but bring them into deadly conflict,
and the hopes Of the expectan. nations
mus. be postponed, If no. lost forever"