The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1845-12-19

have made, as to the best manner OF
securing our rights in Oregon, are
Submitted to congress with great
Difference. Should they, in their
wisdom, devise any other mode bet
ter calculated to accomplish the
same object, it shall meet with my
hearty concurrence.
At the end of the years notice,
should Congress think it proper to
make provision for giving that no
tice, we shall have reached period
when the national rights in Oregon
must either be abandoned or firmly
maintained. Taat they cannot be
abandoned without q sacrifice oil
both national honor and interest is
too clear to admit of doubt.
Oregon is part of the North
American continent, to which il is
confidently affirmed, the title of the
United States is the best now in ey-
istence. For the grounds on which
that title rests, refer you to the
correspondence Of the late and pre-
sent Secretary of State with the Bri-
tish plcnipotcntiary during the ne
gotiation. The British proposition
of compromise, which would make
the Columbia the line south of 40
degrees, with a triiling addition OF
detached territory to the United
States, north Of that river, and would
leave on the British side two-thirds
Of the whole Oregon territory, in
GLIDING the free navigation of the
Columbia and all the valuable har-
bors on the Pacific, can never for a
moment, be entertained by the Uni
ted States, without an abandonment
of their Just and clear territorial
rights, their own self respect, and
the national honor. For the infor-
nation of Congress, | communicate
herewith the correspondence which
took place between the two govern
ments during the late negotiation.
The rapid extension of our settle
ments over our territories heretofore
unoccupied; the addition of new
States to our conlederacy; the ex-
pansion Of free principles, and our
rising greatness as a nation, are at
tracing the attention of the Powers
of Europe; and lately the doctrine
has been preached in some of them
OF "balance of power" on this con-
tinent, to check our advancement.
The United States, sincerely desi-
rous of preserving relations Of good
understanding with all nations, can
not in silence permit any European
interference on the North American
continent; and should any such in
reference be attempted, will be rea-
dy to resist it at any and all hazards.
1t is well known to the American
people and to all nations, that this
government has never interlcred
with the relations subsistinsbctwcen
other governments. We have never
made ourselves parties 10 their wars
or their alliances; we have not min
gled with parties in their domestic
struggles; and believing our own
form Of government. to be the best,
we have never attempted to propa-
gate it by intrigucs, by diplomacy,
or by force. We may claim on this
continent a like exemption from Eu-
ropean interference. The nations
of America are equally sovereign
and Independent with those OF Eu-
rope. They possess the same rights,
independent of all foreign interposi-
ton, to make war, to conclude
peace, and to regulate their internal
affairs. The people of the United
States cannot, therefore, view with
attempts Of European
powers to interfere with the indie
pendent action Of the nations on this
continent. The American system
OF government is entirely different
from that of Europe. Jealousy among
the different sovereigrs of Europe,
lest any one of them might become
too powerful for the rest, has caused
them anxiously to desire the estab-
lishment of what they term the "bal-
ance of power" 1t canno, be per-
m'tted to have any application on
the North American continent, and
especially to the United States We
must ever maintain the principle
that the people of this continent alone
have the right to decide their own
destiny. Should any portion of them,
constituting an independent state,
propose to unite themselves with
our confederacy, this will be oues.
ton for them and US to determine, !
without any foreign interpretation.
We can never consent that Europe- /
an powers shall interfere to prevent
such a union, because it might dis
turb the "balance of power" which
they may desire to obtain on this !
continent.
!, Near quarter of a century ago,
The principle was announced to the