The Evansville journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1834-184?, 1844-02-29

| 'hSA1NO oO"h tue 1iifutIC III lIidl IlRSf 10 the
Pacific, into which the Columbia falls about
:. latitude iorty-six.
Mr.. HOLMES. In foriy-fye and a
half
Mr.. OWEN. My impression is, that it is
little north of forty-six; but if it be forty
1--WE and half, the proposition of Great Bri-
tain was but the more unfavorable to us.
This proposal from which Great Britain
declared the u. States must not expect her
to depart, was at once rejected, and the ne
gotlations were broken Off
Two years afterwards they were re-
newed-Mr. CLAY being then Secretary OF
State.
The official papers connected with this
second negotiation, should be read by every
American statesman who believes we have
1any thing o.gain by promised negotiations
for Oregon, or any thing to lose by passing
this resolution, and thus indicating to Great
Britain determination to assert our
rights. Allow me in proof of this opinion,to
give you 4 few extracts from the documents
themselves.
Heresis the first letter of instruction from
Henry Clay TO Albert Galatin, under date
June 10, 1926. After abiding to the in
structons formerly sent TO Mr. Rush Mr.. Clay
adds:
''Nor is it conceived that Great Britain
has, or can make out, eren colorado title
to any portion of the northwest coast.''
pray you, sir, TO observe this expression
of Mr.. Clay. Is it not, that Great Britain's
title is weak, is imperfect, is questionable?
1t is, that she has not color of title. 1t is
not that her title is defective 10 the southern
lporilon ofthls territory, but good, or at least
plausible, north of the latitude of forty-nine
No, sir, nothing of that sort. But it is, that
from north to south, from east to west, over
the entire territory, Great Britain has not a
pretence, not shadow of title. It ist that
in every part AM parcel of Oregon, from the
Spanish line on the south, to the Russian
boundary on the north; from the summit of
the Rocky Mountains across TO the waters of
the Pacific, the United States are the true,
rightlul, legitimate owners.
That is the broad, unqualified assertion,
and i IS true. lpledge moselfto this house
if the matter be called in question, before
We have done with the subject, to prove by
the tenor of these very treaties to which
England appeals, by the admission of der
own statesmen and historians. that to the
OF century, we have been tamely negotiat-
ing, our title is as clear, distinct, indisputable,
as that of any gentleman on this floor to the
farm he owns, or the plantation that is his,
and was his fathers before him.
Such is the truth; and such was Henry
Clay's assertion. And yet, ere ever the
ink was dry on that honest statement of our
rights, before the letter was closed in which
an American Secretary of State declares to
TO an Ameticanninister, that Oregon is, and
oflright ought TO be, ours, that same Secre-
taIy empowers that same minister TO trade off
I-toh no, sir, that is not diplomatic language
Ito NEGOTIATE AWAY nearly one half the
territory; meekly TO cede to Great Britain
that TO which she has not even color of IL
tle-nearly four hundred miles on the Pac-
fiC coast, with all the country thence TO the
Rocky Mountains. Here is a paragraph
from the same letter:
| "You are authorised 10 propose the annul-
ment of the third article of the convention of
1918, and the extension of the line on the
parallel of forty-nine degrees from the east
ern side of the Rocky Mountains, where it
now terminates, 10 the Pacific Ocean, as the
permanent boundary between the territories
of the two powers in that quarter. That is
our uItimatum, and you may SO announce it.
We can consent TO no other line more favor
able 10 Great Britain
This offer is made ESQ MIR. Clay writes in
the same letter to Mr.. Gallatin) sin spirit
Iof concession and compromise, which
(traa4 Rri4oio ehouII hos to
cate"
Concession is good thing in its place ;and
if right be of doubtful validity, prudence
sometimes bids us compromise, for the sake,
of peace. But thus to cede, at the first OF
fers, to nation that has avowedly, not CO.
lor of title to it, district ofcountry one half
as large as were the thirteen United States
at the date of the revolution-ths strikes
me as pushing somewhat further than Justice
demands or national honor warrants, the
principles of charity and good neighborship.
may treat neighbor kindly and courteous
ly, without being called upon to give him
up half my grazing farm, merely because he
/ happened to take fancy 10 it know we
are told, that If a man smite us on one cheek,
: we should turn the other; ifhe take our coat,
} we are to give him our cloak Also Interpret
ed in its spirit, not in its letter, this is an
admirable Injunction. Kin6aess wins its
way where harsh violence fails, and we can
best overcome evil by doing good. Yet,as-
/ suredly we should have strange time oft,
in this world, if in literal obedience to the
precept, we were TO resent no injury, and
resist no encroachment. The spirit of con-
cession and compromise, especially towards
: the powerful and imperious, may be carried