Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1845-12-31


force. 1t is she who invades, and must
assume all the hazards of invasion. -
Will she do this? do not believe it.
Sir Robert Peel may talk largely on the
subject, for the purpose Of carrying
through Parliament some critical domes-
tic measure, or the vain hope to intimi-
date the United States. But England is
too dependent on America for cotton and
corn to declare war against US lightly;
and she cannot fail to remember now in
two wars with US already, at a time
when we were much less powerful than
now, she gained nothing but defeat and
dishenor; for thrice only, in the history
OF modera times, has it happened to
Britain, among so many brilliant achieve
ments of hers in every region Of the hab-
table globe-thrice only in modern hiss
tory, has it happened to Britain, to see
her armies capltulate and lay down their
arms ON the field of battle; and each of
these times it was to the stars of the
United States that the cross of st. George
was lowered in humiliation and sorrow;
whilst our ships of war, in like manner,
dissolved the charm of British invinci>
bility on the ocean.
reiterate the declaration, then, that l
think the existing panic on the subject
as idle as it is incomprehensible, and
that | have not the faintest apprehension
of the imminence Of war with Great
Britain-conftdent, meanwhile, that
when Of every it does come, it will cease
only with the utter expulsion Of her power
from America.
In conclusion permit me to say few
words concerning the value and import
ance of Oregon to the United States.
That region Of the earth thrice as
large as the British Islands, as large as
the thirteen original United States
washed by the sea, with four great rivers
flowing into the sea, with many valuable
harbors in its more northerly parts, and
unsurpassed fisheries-a region possess
ed of mild and temperate climate, ca.
pable of pasturing cattle the whole wins
ter, we'll wooded, and with much fertile
and productive soil. that such region
has vGlue, it is idle to controyert. and
ridiculous to deny. To be sure, there
are large tracts of It which are compare
lively arid, or filled with precipitous
mountains, which mountains, however,
it is quite possible possesses the same
kind Of mineral riches which fill the
southerly ranges in Mexico; and, if it
should prove otherwise, there does not
the less remain vast amount Of habita-
BILE and fertile territory, capable Of sus-
tanning in comfort and happiness mil
lions Of men. And it is region of coun-
try naturally destined to supply the ma
tions on the coasts Of the Pacific and its
islands with lumber, fish, bread-stuffs,
beef; and thus to possess Immediately a
lucrative commerce on that ocean.
And its ultimate commercial value is,
indeed, that which causes England to
cove the possession of it, and to desire
any disposition of it rather than .its set
tlement by the United States. For, in
the region of Oregon, is to grow up. ere
many years pass away, race of men,
who will stand in the same relation to the
Pacific, that we ofthe eastern States do
the Atlantic; and in the same relation to
Asia that we do to Europe. And the
stake, therefore, is worthy Of all possible
,olicltude to our whole country, and to
Us of the East especially, who have
wenty millions of property afloat in the
South Sea, without harbor in which we
nave the permanent right Of refuge,
without an acre Of land on which the
mariner can set his foot
and feel himself resting at length under
he protecting folds Of the banner Of the
Union.
Finally, it is not to be tolerated any
longer that England should consider this
continent the field for indulgence of her
Unsuitable thirst Of conquest and coloni-
zation. Is British Intervention in the af-
airs ofAmerica to be dreadede How
much more then, British occupancy!-
enough for her and more than enough
or US, that she overh angs us already in
he East and in the North, without doing
10 likewise in the West.