The Yazoo City Whig. [volume] (Yazoo, Miss.) 1844-1851, 1845-12-19

81 any 81 cur rivers through TIE heart 81
our country VA one which Was nDi will.
ling % concede. c also embraced pEoVis.
lon @ make free d G3eal Britain any port
Iog pOgts 90 the cape Of 9nadla and Vancouys
les'o Island, south % this parallel. Had this
been q new question, coming under discus.
sion fog the dTst time, this proposition would
not have been made. The extraordinary
and wholly iDadmissible demands Of The
British government, and the rejection or The
proposlllon made IN Difference alone 10 what
bud been done By my pledecessora and the
Implied obligation which their acts seemed
70 impose, afford satisfactory evidence that
no compromise which the United States
fought 70 accept can be effected. With this
conyictlon, the proposition Of compromise
which had been made and rejected, was,
By my direction, subsequently Withdrawn
land our title to the whole Oregon terriIcry
asserted, and, as Il ID believed, maintained
by irrefragible facts and arguments.
The civilized world will sec IL these pro.
Iceedings spirit 81 libeial concession on the
part OF the United States; and this governs
ment will be relieved from all responsibility
which may follow The failure 70 settle The
controversy.
All attempts &C ccmpFcmise having failed,
Ii becomes the duty Of Congress 10 consider
what measures il. mar besplopeg TO adopt for
the security and protection Of citizens now
lnhabiting, 81 who mag hereafter inhabit
Oregon, and for the maintenance Of our Just
right to thai territory. Ia adopting measures
for this purpose, care should be taken thief
nothing be done 10 Violate the stipulati0ns
Of the convention Of 1927, which is still 10
force. The faith Of treaties, in their letter
and spirit. has ever been, and, ] trust. will
ever be scrupulously observed By the United
States. Under that convention, years no.
tice is required to be given by either party
TO the other, before the joint occupancy shall
terminate, and before either can rightfully
assert or exercise exclusive Jurisdiction over
any portion Of the territory. This notice
il would, in my Judgment be proper to give;
and recommend that provision 10 be made
by law for giving il accordingly, and termi-
mating in this manner the convention of the
the 9th August, 1927.
! II will become proper for Congress TO de.
termine what Legislation they can, in the
meantime, adopt without violating this con-
venlion. Beyond all question. the protec.
ton Of our Jurisdiction, civil and criminal,
ought to be Immediately extended over our
citizens in Oregon. They have had just
cause 10 complain Of our long neglect 10
2 this particular and have, in conse quence,
been compelled for their own security and
protection, to es ablish provisional govern.
ment for themselves. Strong in their allie.
i
United States, they have been thus cast up.
!. on their own resources. They are anxious
: that our laws should be extended over them
Z and recommend that this Be done by Con
gress with as little delay as possible, in the
full extent 70 which The British PARLIAMENT
have proceeded in regard to British subject,
) 10 that territory, by their act Of July q, 1881
: 'faT regulating the fnr-trade, and establish.
: ing criminal and civil jurisdiction within
certain parts Of North America By thi.
act Great Britain extended her laws and
-iurisdiction, civil and criminal, over her
subjects, engaged in The fur.trade in thai
s Territory. By Il, the courts of the province
Of Upper Canada were empowered to take
cognizance of causes civil and criminal
Justices Of the Peace and other judicial Of,
hceTs were authorized 10 be appointed II
s sf5on with power TO execute ell process
issuing from the courts Of that province. and
2 to ''ss and hold courts OF record for the trial
Of criminal offences and misdemeanors,
, not made the subject Of capital punishment,
and also Of civil cases, where the cause OF
action shall not exceed in value the a.
mount Of two hundred pounds.
Subsequently TO the date Of this act Of
Parliament a grant vas made from the
British crown TO the lludson's Bay Cons
! pany, Of the exc usive trade with the Indian
! tribes IN the Oregon terlilnry. subject 10 q
reservation that il shall not operate TO the
exrlusion s'of the subjects Of the United
States who. under OF BY force Of any con-
yention for the time being. between US and
such foreign States respectively, may be en-
. titled 10, and shall be engaged in. the said
trade,
L Is much 70 be regretted, that while
under. this act British subjects have enjoyed
the protection British laws ard British
judicial tribunals ihloughout The whole Of
Oregon, American citizens, ii The same
Territory, have enjoyed no such protection
from their government. At the same time,
the result illustrates the character or oul
people and heir Institutions. In spite nf
this neglect, they have multiplied, and their
number Is fapidly increasing in TINT teFri-
Tory They have made 40 appeal to arms,
! but have peacefully fortified themselves il
their new homes By the adoption Of Fepube
lican institutions iol Themselves, furnishing
another example sc tie truth that sell. gov>
/, eminent Is inherent ii the American breast
and must prevail & j. due o them that
they should Be embraced and protected By
our laws