Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1845-05-01

that gentleman asserts that "cur tile In
the Oregon is clear and indspu.able /"
and recommends the American people 10
carry out that right by possessing II
with their wives and children" e,c.
He felt himself Compelled to call at,en.
lion 10 the slate OF the question, and TO
/ inquire how FAR Mr.. Polk was justified.
under existing circumstances. ami while
negotiations were IN progress. in assert
ing the right of the United States to be
''clear and Indispensable" and IN declsr.
ing his intentions respecting the assertion
OF that right without reference to trea-
ties.
| He then enumerated the usual methods
If acquiring claim 10 territory: first. by
snc ent discovery; second. by treaty;
third, by recen. discovery and actual &C.
rupaIon; and inquired by which OF these
methods thu Unu.j States had acquired
a title 10 the territory row ia dispute.
HIS Lordship then proceeded 10 review
and compare the English and American
claims. which he did 10 very fair tone
and spirit. though, Of course, with an IN.
disguised persustion Of the justice Of
the English claim and the comparative
erourdiessness oil the American, and SUN.
med up thus: On the first ground OF Right
Ancient Discovery the English title
was me best OF the two: on the second
basis Of the title, Treaty the United States
had no ground to rest upon, excerpt for
the right Of int occupancy: and thirdly,
as to Modern Discovery and Settlement,
the English title. acquired by the discov-
cry Of Vancouver, and perfected by he
extensive settlements Of the Hudson's
| Bay Company, was far superior to any
similar title which the United States could
allege.
lie then referred TO the negotiations be.
tween M-ssrs. Rush and Huskisson. end
to the fact thai they never were brought
to any satisfactory result. The TWO coun.
tries mad never gone farther than 10 agree
upon JOINT occupancy without any rights
Of exclusive sovereignty.
| But now q new circumstance had oc.
cured; new and mos, important event
had been brought to bear upon the cues.
ton. President Polk had made peremp.
tory claim to the whole territory, and in
m unusual and an unwarranis bic manner
called upon the American people 10 20.
,ablish their clam, by occupying i, with
their families. After this event il was
impossible that the British Government
should lall to ask speedy solution Of the
whole question; impossible that this I'm.
settled state Of things should be allowed
to continue. TIE carrying Out OF Mr..
Polk's suggestions must produce hostile
collision between English and Americans
in the territory itself: and the consequen.
ces of such collision needed no prophetic
comment.
He was not prepared to say how much
the English Government should concede
for the sake Of peace. He was not pre-
pared 10 say that they ought TO yield any,
thing. (tie was here interrupted by W..
hement cheering.) He thinks no propo.
sal more favorable than The one made by
Mr.. Canning can possibly be made
Some persons think il does not much mat.
ter which way question rs decided, az
fectiog only certain extent of barren ter.
ritorv-but it does mstter--it was not to
be thought of, that territory to which
England conscientlously asserted claim
should be yielded to hat he must term a
mere clustering assertion of righi-(Lo
cheers)-not 10 be permitted that the tone
and character Of English diplomacy should
be lowered by unworthy concessions.
He repeated that he should have alb
stained from aIlusion to this question had
it oeen allowed to remain one OF diploma
cy; but after the removal Of il from that
sphere in the manner described, he felt it
to be his duty to bring il under consider.
alton. He tLord John RusseIl) could do
10 the matter, as an unofficial person,
what ministers could not, unless they de.
parted from the course prescribed by GUS
tom and courtesy, while the subject was
still under negotiate n. He could state
exactly what the rights Of England are,
and upon what thoss rights are based
But having done so, he should leave mat.
iefs in the hands OF Her Majesty's advi-
sers, with the most entire confidence that
they would protect fully the honor and in.
ierests OF The country.
Lord J. Russell sat down amid much
cheering from all parts of the house, and
SIR Ros TT P ell rose TO reply.
Sir Robert had Exp rlencsd neither sur
PRISE or regret at The speech Of the noble
lort. He eoncurred IN tho noble lords
views and statements. His lnrdship had
justly defined the limits of in'r ducips
matters Of negotiation into a popular as.
semby. While negotiations w,re pend
ing, IT was certainly duty 10 sbs,sin
from such conrse. Popular feeling was
81 EASILY excited, and III" matter OF nego-
ton 50 EASILY pre-jndgrd, that in all such
cas,s the negotiations should be allowed
To discharge their dun without intrrlrr.
ence. The position Of the noble lord was
widely different from his own. As an
unofficial person, lord john Russell was
not responsible Tor the consequences ofhis
spsech, but Ministers Of ths Crown must
ba guarded in their speeches on such
subject. He agreed with his lordship as
TO the virtual removal of this subject, by
Mr.. Presiden; Polk, from the sphere Of
negotiation, and its reference 10 other au-