The Ottawa free trader., 1844-02-23

We see that the house OF representatives ha
finally got at this subject; and we extract tn
following report of the debate upon it on the 2it
ut from the New York Herald:
Mr.. THoMAssoN, of KY, whig, said h,
should regret 10 see any premature actor
on the subject. 1t was very importan
: matter, and Minister from Great Britain
is shortly expected here; what will b,
the use Of our negotiating or trying to ne
gotlate with him when he arrives, if yo,
tell him that you are going TO take pos
session of it whether Great Britain like:
it or not. coincide with the gentleman
in all he says as to our clear right and IT,
tie to the territory; and give these pio.
neers that are now settling there but ten
years more, and they will have possess
ion of the country; they are bound to
have the country; and they will not ask
you to legislae for them unless il be TO
take them into the Union. Why, sir,
there are already over 10000 of our cit-
zens there, between California and the
north of Oregon. Blu, give Great Britain
notice TO terminate that treaty, and you
stand pledged before the world to take
possession Of it at the close Of year.
Is there any necessity for this ? And can
you keep it! Why 10 move all army
across the Rocky Mountains 10 protect
your 10000 citizens would cost more
than your whole annual expenditures for
five years. From the time YOU leave the
timber on the Mississippi, till YOU strike
the sea, you have TO travel $4,000 miles
and you must keep force equal to any
that Great Britain can bring against you.
We all remember at the time of the Ash
burton Treaty, her line of mail steamers
to the West Indies after ina, Treaty, we
heard nothing more of them; why, be-
cause they were war steamers in disguise.
And she would in six weeks send Il very
large disposable force from China and
the West !ndies to the Oregon coast.
Why should we provoke unnecessarily
the anger Of tliis most powerful nation
| am peace-living, lawloving, law-abi-
ding man, and not for heedlessly running
ourselves into difficulty that we may af-
forwards be sorry for.
Mr.. WENTWORTH then rose and said,
sir, | have been busy at my desk on the
business Of my constituents have heard
the gentleman from Indiana with great
pleasure, and when my friend from Ken
lucky arose, | supposed he, too would
take the side of Justice and humanity.
But ! was never more surprised in my
life, than have been, at the tenor of his
remarks, so entirely repugnant are they
to the feelings Of the whole western peo.
pie, and To the honor and dignity of our
nation! He acknowledged that Oregon
was ours by right that we had clear
and indisputabIe title, then why not de-
fend our rights! As the patriots Of &c
did unfortiiied as our nation then was, un-
prepared as they then were for war, poor
as they were, both as States and indvid-
uals Shall it be said that ere the last
revolutoner has gone down to the grave
this nation will condescend TO parlev, to
hesitate, when tract Of country embra-
cling one fourth more than the thirteen
original States is al stake. Because we
fear Great Britain because Lord Pack
enham is coming! because, as the gentle
man says was the case when the treaty
was made, Great Britain stood prepared
with terrific fleet Of West India mails,
with an osiensible fleet OF mail steamers
in the shape of cannon, canister and
grape, TO ,errify the American govern
menl! | always wondered at the late
treaty! and so have my western friends
generally wondered AT it. The gentle.
man from Kentucky has just let the ca,
ont Of the bag. Tha, Grea, Britain stood
ready to batter down our cities if the dis.
graceful treaty was not approved, Ny
blood boils with Indignation at the utter
ance of such sentiments, knowing, as !
do, that these remarks Of an American
Congressman will give hint to Grca,
Britain, how she car get another treaty
signed. The gentleman says Lord Pack.
enham is coming, and asks for delay on
that account. lie cautions us not TO be
precipiiate. lie would have us beware
how we provoke the anger of that great
man who may come, as he says, Ashbur.
ton did, with West India mails, load.
ed with his grape and canister to ,errify
us into q base surrender of American cili-
zens--Into sale of a valuable part of our
country. Sir, | hope, if he does come in
this shape, there will be no gentlemen as
in former times to burn blue lights for his
benefit. say, let Lord Packenham
come! And let him come to take Ore
ron, and the mouth of the Columbia ri.