The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1845-11-17
COL. BENToN,s SPEECH.

COL. BENToN'S SPEECH.
In the course of the last week, the National In
telgencer attempted to quote upon us the speech o.
Colonel Benton, delivered in l84S, on the Oregon
question. The National Intelligencer did not, w
humby conceived do justice to the general position.
of the speech, and we turned the tables upon oul
contemporary, by giving other and more relevant
extracts from it. But, as Col. Benton had thus
been summoned before the public tribunal, we gave
notice that we should publish the whole Of the
specialist that the public might judge between the
editors Of the National ntcligcncer and ourselves
10 which has done COL Benton the most justice;
and, end, to show who were right in the contest
who had the best title to Oregon, Great Britain or
the United States. We now redeem our promise,
and lay before our readers this mastery speech on
the Oregon question. II commends itselfto the cou-
try by its truly American spirit by the great var-
ETY. Of Information which il brings to bear upon the
subject There two three points in the speech
in which we may not entirely concur. For instance;
as to the 49h parallel, which the Senator from Mis-
souri, seems to treat as having been run under the
treaty of Utrecht. But have already devoted sui.
fcent notice to this point in the course of the last
week. End. We not sure that Col. Benton
considers the Nootka Sound convention as positive.
ly cancelled by The subsequent war. We are dis
posed to believe, however, that such was his
meaning, when he makes the suggestion, elf
not abrogated by war" Our impression is, decided
ly, that under the nvariable British Interpretation
Of treaties and of International law, ii is dead let
ter, when the British availing themselves
81 Al l. 4
instructions to Mr. Rush invoked the aid Of thai,
convention to sustain their claims. Col. Benton
has, however, clearly shown that they could derive
no efficient aid from its provisions.
The policy which the speech recommends to the
United States, as growing out of the circumstances
of the times when it was delivered, will speak for
itself. We shall have the opportunity of testing il
by the recent lights which will be developed in
a few days.
In presenting this speech to the public, we ask for
judgment between ourselves and the lntelligencer,
how far any material positions of our articles are
at variance, as the Integencer alleges with the
views of COL Benton.
The National Intelligencer of this morning is at
tempting shield itself behind the "Charlcs,on Mer
Sufy vi tHc YuoouVh VI OTeROn. WIN tn1S
view, it devotes more than two columns to
a learned dissertation from the Mercury, in on
position to our claims upon Oregon The Ma
tonal Intelligenccr cries up the Mercury as ga
purely democratic;" and the Mercury, in its
turn, cries down our title to Oregon as ga perfect
humbug." Between these two organs of the anti
American doctrine, our claims to Oregon would
certainly GO to the wall. For one, we protest
against the Mercury being considered as the
pure exponent of the democratic party upon
this subject. II clearly is not the exponent of
Mr.. Calhoun in regard to ttle as we shall prove
from his speech of January, ls43, in which he de-
clares, tive all believe (iD TO be good title on our
part" Not SO the Charleston Mercury, however,
which pronounces it to be ga perfect humbug." But
we have no room this evening for our animadvcr-
sons this redoubtabe ally Of the National Intelli-
gcncer. They are crowded out by other matters.
The following members of the next Congress
have arrived in Washington, viz
Senae.-Mr. Allen, Of Ohio.
House Of Representative, Dayia md Pet