Independent Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1842-1844, 1844-07-27

inal qHdfteIs Ills - our 'utl2WutNHs
and you may SO announce it. We ca
consent 10 no other line more favorable
Great Britain"
Mr.. Hardin inquired whether Mr.. Ca
houn had not expressed the same wiling
ness the other day2
MIR. Douglass said he knew not wha
proposition Mr.. Calhoun had made; FOL
whatever correspondence had occure
helween Mr.. Calhoun and the British min
ister, If any, was a Stale secret, and @
course no one, except the parties 10 i
knew IFS terms.
Mr.. Hardin inquired of his collcgu,
(Mr. d. did not know that Mr.. Clay
made this proposition by way OF compro
mise?
Mr.. Douglass. have already stated
that Mr.. Clay offered it as compromise
that is TO say, he was willing to give, t
donate to Great Britain, one half OF al
territory west of the Rocky noun
tains, upon condition that she would con.
descend 10 allow us to retain the Other
half use the words gire and donate
because 1t was mere gratuity en- the
part of Mr.. Clay. We have aperfect and
Indisputable title to the whole country;
whilst have the authority of Mr.. Clay
himself for saying that Grent Britain had
not event the shadow of title to any por-
ton Of it. In the same letter of instruc-
lions TO Mr. Gallatin, from which have
just quoted, Mr.. Clay uses this emphatic
llnDlAD4s
sNor is it conceived that Great Britain
has, o: can make out, eren a colorado ii.
tie to any portion ofhe northwest COAST"
No, not even colorado title! Mark the
force of the expression. Not that Great
Britain has bad title, or that it is imper-
feet or defective, but that she had not even
The color Of title. What honest pretext,
then, could the British government make
for claiming any part OF the territory; and
what excuse can Henry Clay render to
the American people for having offered to
surrender to foreign power the jurisdic-
ton 10 two hundred thousand square miles
of territory, and the title to one hundred
and twenty.eight millions of acres ofland?
repeat, what excuse can be given for
this monstrous-I had almost said trea-
sonable--proposilion? Will it be said that
Great Britain was great and powerful
she had mighty army and
lavy-that she was aiming at universal
she had almost encom.
passed the globe with her possessions. and
lad surrounded sour country with her for
until vessel could not sail
rom our ports without passing under Bri.
ish guns? Are these valid reasons why {
epublican America should quail before I
er should appease her wrath, b
nd purchase her mercy, with the fairest Il
nd richest portion of our beloved country? II
} tho proud and patriotic America-the p"
md of Washington, Jefferson, and jack a.
from her high estate, and d.
ink SO low in the rank Of nations, that c.
e is under the humiiating necessity of l
lrchasing her rights by the sacrifice of o.
II honor? And are these degrading con. p'
ssion to be made to an enemy whom she te
S twice met and vanquished upon the p
I'D of battle? Let US rather act upon eI
e maxim Of Old Hickory-"Ask nothing h
II what is right, and submit 10 nothing e
at is wrong;"r and then, ifneed be, put q
ar trust in the God of battle. Z"
This proposition forms part of the his. d
NY OF the country-it has been spread t
eiore the American people-the Oregon a
uestion remains unsettled, and Mr. Clay c
candidate for the presidency, appeal o
ng to his former acts as e guaranty of his c
ulure course. If he should be elected un. t
Ter these circumstances, his consistency
md PRIDE OF character will induce him to (
lain that election as an endorsement, by b
he American people, Of his former action, /
md consequently an instruction for the j
government Of his administration IN re. l.
lard 10 this great national question. i
The great importance of the Oregon Il
Territory, in a commercial aud military S
'olnt OF view, for the protection of our C
asst commerce in the Pacific ocean, and II
or opening and facilitating direct trade b
With China and the East Indies, as we'll as i
Is lneXhausible natural resources, and n
is adaptation 10 agricultural pursuits, its v
critic soil and genial climate, have P
'ecn SO fully discussed and eloquently a
portrayed, that will not weary the com. v
nittee with repetition. If any gentle o
nm desires further information upon this d
ubject, / will refer him to the report Of v
lieutenant Wilkes, commander of the ex- h
edition, from which | will read single P
entence: Il
"ln comparison with our own country, Il
would say that the labor necessary in
lis territory 10 acquire wealth, or subsis b
nee, is the proportion of one to three; Il
+ in other words, man must wOrk three C
ne as much in the United States to gain Il
e like competency" r.
This is the country, the occupation of P