Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1845-05-02

mite period, Subject TO the rght OF either party TO
terminate it by giving years notice. This could
not be done without vote of Congress, and that
body would not assemble until December, 80 that
suihcent time still left to bring the matters in
dispute 10 satisfactory conclusion. The negotia-
ton mad commenced, and would continue, upon the
principle oil an ancabe adjustment by the mutual
concession OF extreme claims and although he
was daily accustomed to see himself described as
pusanimons, cowardy, and base" he was per-
fecty satisfied that those vituperatve terms might
be translated as applicable to conduct consistent
with JUSTICE reason, and common sense No one
was ever more ardenty DESTROYS OF peace, or dis
posed to make greater sacrifices TO preserve it;
but there were limits which could not be passed.
and although our character and position enabled US
to regard with Indifference matters respecting which
other countries might be justly more sensitive, our
honor must never be neglected, and re might owe
1t to ourselves and to our pOsterity to adopt
which was repugnant to all our incinatons. With
the most anxious desire OF peace, he still trusted
that this question might be amcably concluded;
but if not, we possessed rights clear and unques-
tonable, which, continued the noble earl, amidst
+ loud aud general cheering, by the blessing Of God
and the support of Parliament, the Government is
prepared to maintain
HOUSE OF Commons In the House of Com
mons, Lord Russell, Opposition memberl on reading
the order OF The day for going into committee OF
supply, called the attention Of the house to that
part OF the message of the President ofthe United
States which related to the territory of Oregon. 1t
was not his intention, he said, to enter at all into
the question Of the foreign policy of Her Majesty's
government or even of their policy on this very
subject OF the Oregon, neither was it his wish, by
any observations which he might then make, to
embarrass the proceedings. But the inaugural adj
dress of President Polk had taken this question out
of the ordinary course of diplomatic arrangement,
and required some notice on the part of members
of that house. That distinguished functonary had
adopted a course entirely new, which, if it were
not met with something unusual on their part would
let questions of great national importance be decl-
ded hereafter by popular addresses from the head
of the government and by the popular action re-
sulting therefrom The President in his message,
had alluded to the annexation ofTexas to the UNI
ted States, an alluson which he only noticed tor
the purpose of showing that the present policy OF
the executive government of the United States ten
ded to territorial aggrandizement. In his next sem
tence the President declared his intention to assert
and maintain, by all constitutional MEANS the right
of the United States that part of their territory
which was situate beyond the Rocky Mountains
Our title" said he, to the country of Oregon is
clear and unquestionable and already are our peo-
pie preparing to perfect that title by occupying it
with their wives and children" In consequence OF
this declaration he Lord J. Russell felt compelled
to call the attention of the House and the country
to this question, in order that they might see how
far the President was justified in saying that his IT,
tie to the country of the Oregon clear and I'M
questionable, and in declaring his intention to take
it into his possession without any regard to those
treaties, which were generally the bonds of peace
between independent nations. There were three
modes by which title might be acquired to a coun-
try like the Oregon; the first was by ancient dis
covery; the second by treaty; and the third, by
discovery, ancient or modern followed up by occu-
patton and settlement
He then entered into a statement, for the purpose
of showing that, if the title to the Oregon rested
on ancient discovery, England could put in claim
far superior to that Of the United States; that if it
rested on treaty, we had claim that was unde-
, niable, whilst that Of the United States had no
ground whatever to stand on and, that if it rested
on modern discovery, the discovery of the Column
, ba, made, carried and authorized by regular Of
: fcers of the British Government, and the subse-
quent settlement of the territory surrounding it by
British subjects, gave a title which the American
8 Government could not dispace Captain Vancou
= vre had discovered the river Columbia; his Lieu
. tenant had sailed ninety miles up its stream and
: British subjects, from Canada had erected 18 fort:
, on its banks, and had long been carrying on ia
vorable trade there. He then gave history OF the
negotiations between Great Britain and the United
y States respecting this country, and traced then
" from their commencement to the period when The
:! existing convention formed, in 1927, betwee:
,e Mr.. Rush on the one side, and Mr.. Huskissoi
y on the other. A circumstance had nov
" risen up. The President of the United States ha
" made a perenptory claim 10 all this territory, an
y had called upon the citizens Of the United State
y. to 60 forth, with their wives and children, to TAX
~ possession of il. Now, Columbia was become {
i more Importance each succeeding year. The Gov
eminent ought, therefore, to insist on speedy sc
I luton of this question; for there danger, les
e. the citizens of the United States should dstur
y British subjects in the enjoyment of their propert
VI on the Oregon, and should thus produce a cosio
% between the two Governments He was not pre-
n. IL. IL.
- her Just pretensons, nor where we should draw tn
~ line between the Americans and ourselves. II
Va thought however, that could not accede to
:, proposal less than that made by Mr.. Canning, /
~ 1927, with any regard TO own interests II
had heard it said that the value of this territory wa
matter Of Indifference to us; but it was not ma
'u ter of indifference to u.s. whether should yiel
., any portion of our territory to what he must b
III permitted to call clustering announcement.
u was not a matter Of indifference TO us, that III
~ means of communication between Columbia @
~ the one hand, and our possessions IN INDIA an
y China on the other, should be surrendered to TO
'u eign power. II was not Il matter OF indifference
u us, that the tone and character of England Shout
nc be lowered in any transaction which we carried Q
IN with the u s. He should have abstained from Ell
he tering into this question if it had been left as d
. pomatic transaction between the Earl OF Aberdee
III and Mr. Buchanan, as the agents the British an
at American Governments; but as it had been take
ed ont of their hands, he could do what the Minstt
'c- of the Crown precluded, by his position, fro
on dong-he could state to the people OF Englar
what were their rights. Having made that stut'
ment, he should leave the whole matter in the hant
IN of the Government, and he had no doubt that the
'rs would consult the interests Of the country, and u
an honor of the Crown.
Dr. Sir r. Peel Prime Miuster,) could not be stl
prised, and could not feel regret that the noble 9I
T. had taken the course which he had pursued II
re- was of opinion that, whilst these matters were pei
NJ ding in negotiations between the two Government
Use il was polite to abstain from exercising .ne rlgl
OF of discussion on subjects calculated TO excite POI
N. ular feeling unless there were cogent reasons
al the contrary. If the noble lord had thought rig
nd to depart from that course on this occasion,
Ter ought not TO be held responsible for the conseque
ri ces for it appeared that this question had bee
rse withdrawn from the cognizance of those 10 who
he il had been intrusted, and that popular appeal hi