Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1845-12-04

- aqoPoon ~ these feecmmenoauon1 "
Congress viii moi violate the provisions Of the
existing treaty, Il viii be dong nothing more
for American citizens than British laws have
long since done for British subjects in the
same territory.
itrequires several months % perform the
voyage bY seq frog the Atlantic States 10 Ore
gon and although we have = large number Of
whale ships in the Pacific, but few Of them af-
ford an opportunity Of interchanging intelli-
gence, without great delay, between our settle
ments in that distant region and the United
States, An overland mail Is believed 70 be en-
tirely practicable and che Importance OF Is.
tablishing such mail, at least once month,
Is submitted 10 the favorable consideration q
Congress.
Il is submitted to the wisdom Of Congress
70 determine whether, at their present session,
and until afier the expiration OF the years no-
tice, any other measures may Be adopted con-
sistently with the convention Of 1897, for the
security of our rights, and the govern
ment and protection Of our citizens IN Oregon.
That il will ultimately be wise and proper 70
make liberal grants Of land to the patriotic
pioneers who. amidst priyations and dangers,
lead the way through savage tribes inbabiting
the vast wilderness intervening between our
frontier settlements and Oregon. and who cub
tiyate, and are ever ready, TO Iesend the, soil,
am fully satifed. To doubt whetherthey will
obtain such grants as soon as the convention
between the United States and Great Britain
shall have ceased to exist, would Be to doubt
the justice Of Congress; but, pending the year :
notice, it is worthy OF consideration whether q
stipulation to this effect may be made, consist
emily with the spirit Of that conventions. (
The recommendations which have made,
as &c the best manner Of securing our rights
in Oregon, are submitted to Congress with
great Difference. Should they, in their wis
dom, devise any other mode better calculated
TO accomplish the same object, it shall meet
with my hearty concurrence.
At tie end OF the years notice, should Con-
gress think it proper to make provision for
giving that notice, we shall have reached a
period when the national rights in Oregon
must either be abandoned or firmly maintained.
That they cannot be abandoned without Sal
crifce Of both national honor and interest, is
too clear to admit OF doubt,
Oregonsis apart OF the North American con-
tinant, 10 which il is confidently affirmed, the
title OF the United States is the best now In ex-
istence. For the grounds on which, that title
rests, refer YOU 10 the correspondence Of the
late and present Secretary OF State with the
British plenipoten,iary during the negotiation.
The British proposition Of compromise, which
would make the Columbia the line south Of for
! ty-nine degrees, with trihing addition Of de-
tached territory TO the United States, north Of
that river, and would leave ont tile British side
two thirds Of the whole Oregon territory. in
GLIDING the free navigation of the Columbia and
all the valuable harbors on the Pacific. can
| never, Tor . moment, be entertained by the
United States, without an abandonment Of their
just and clear territorial rights, their own self
! respect, and the national honor. For the in.
/ formation Of Congress, ] communicate here
with the correspondence which took place be-
tween the two governments during the late ne
go,iation.
| The rapid extension Of our settlements ovel
our territories heretofore unoccupied ;the add
/ tion Of new States to our, confederacy; the ex
pension Of free principles, and orr rising great
ness as nation, are attracting the attention o
the Powers Of Europe and lately the doctrine
has been broached in some Of them, ofa cha
lance OF power" on this continent, 10 checkou
1 advancement. The United States, sincerely de
sirous of preserving relations Of good under
standing with all nations, cannot in silence per
nit any European inlerlerepce on the Nortl
i American continent; and should any such in
it at any and all hazards. -
It is well known TO the American people an.
to all nations, that this government has neve
interfered with the relations subsisting between
other governments. Wehaye never made our
j selves parties to their wars or their alliances
we have not sought their territories by conquest
we have not mingled with parties in their do
nestle struggles and believing our own form
4 Of government TO be the best, we have neye
attempted TO propagate it by intrigues, by diplo
macy, or by force. We may claim on this con
tinent like exemption from European interior
ence. The nations of America are equally SO
vereign and independent with those ofEurope
!, They possess the same rights, independent oil al
/ foreign interposition, to make war, to conclud,
peace, and TO regulate their internal affairs
The people oil the United States cannot, there
| fore, view with indifferehce attempts of Europe
an. powers to interfere with the independen
action Of the nations on this continent Tht
| American system of government is entirel,
| different from that Of Europe. Jealousy among
the different sovereignso f Europe, lest any ont
| Of them might become too powerful for the rest
has caused them anxiotsly to desire the estab
lishment Of what they term the .balance o
power" It cannot be permitted to have any ap
| plication onthe North American continent an.
| especiallyto the United States. We must eve
maintain the principle, that the people Of thi
continent alone have the right to decide thei
own destiny. SHOULD any portion of them, con
shutting an independent state, propose to unit
themselves with our cenfederacY. tits will b
a question for them andus to determine, with
out any foreign interposition. We can neve
| consent that European Powers shall interfer
| toprevent such a union, because it might dis
| turb the 'fbalance Of power which they maj
| desire to maintain upon this continent. Nea
quarter of a century ago., the principle wa
| distinctly announced to the world inthe annua
message Of one Of my predecessors, that 18th,
American continents, by the free and indepen
dent condition which they have assumed AM
| mainfa ain, are henceforth not to be considered a
|. subjects Tor future colonization by anyEuropeal
Power This principle will apply with great
y increased force, should any European powc
attempt % establish any new colony in NORTH
America. In the existing circumstances ofihe
world, the present is deemed. u proper occasion
= reiterate and reaffirm tae7 principle avowec
BY Mr.. Monroe, and to state my cordial con,
currence in lis wisdom and sound policy. The
reasserton Of this principle, especially IL refer
encc 10 s.oFth America, is at this i,ay but the
PRONUNCIATION Of policy which no European
power should cherish, the disposition TO resist.
Existing rights ofepery European nation should
be respected; hut it is due alike to onr5 safety
and our interests, that the efficient profec ton
ofour laws should be extended over our whole
territorial limits, and that it should be distinct
II