The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1845-05-17

From ths Trenton IN. J.) Sheet Anchor, May a.
THE OREGON MEETING.


i THE OREGON MEETING.
The nesting at the court-house last evening TO
press the American views Of the Oregon question In
i it, present aspect, every way worthy, IN num-
! bers and spirit, of the momentous occasion. ne
democracy were on, in their strength, and manifest
ed their resolution stand by the Executive to the
uttcrmost in defence of national rights The enthu-
siasm with which the rally around President
4 Polk, is redupcaton of the ardent support ac-
corded to Old Hickory in his days of trial and tn
umph. The resemblance, in all respects holds
good so far between the firm spirit OF the veteran
and the present Executive; and last evening furnish
ed a warrant that the democracy will complete the
parallel by sustaining Mr. Polk with the same ardor
In his patriotic The allusion from one OF the
speakers to the points of resemblance between the Old
j and the Young Hickory, touched the assembly IKE
an electric spark and cheer Eurst from the lps OF
every auditor, making the spacious buidrlng ring
| again Il warmed the hearts of the old democracy
who waged the war of liberation from powerful
| moneyed power, and it gave to the younger portion
| a specimen of the generous warmth which was the
prelude, to many victory. Never despair Oh the
republic" is noble maxim to sustain under the
! heat and burden Of the day; and the American who
could despair after witnessing the array of stout
hearts and willing hands last evening, does not
know what it is to hope
TRENTON OREGON MEETING.
| Pursuant to notice, large meeting of the citizens
of Trenton and its vicinity assembled at the court
house on Tuesday evening, May 18th, ls45, to ex-
press their opinion in regard to the course OF the
President on the Oregon question.
The meeting being called to order, General Gar
ret d. Wall was called to the chair, Daniel Loder,
esq, appointed vice president, and Samuel g. Ar
| mold, esq.,, secretary.
The call of the meeting being read, the chairman
followed with some admirable remarks on the points
| Of the question. as,
| He remarked that every President had regarded
the American title to Oregon as clear and indisputa-
ble Every Secretary of State had taken the same
view; and il had not been doubted by any statesman
Of note up the present day. The British premier
also declares the tile of England clear MONDAY,
founding it upon the discoveries Of British naviga.
tors. On the other hand, the American title is
founded upon the rights accruing from the discov-
| cries of the Spaniards, the first adventures who
coased the Pacific shores; and their title was vested
in the United States by the transfer of the Spanish
territory and rights to the Union, under the treaties
which united Florida and Louisiana to the confed-
eracy. This title had been followed by actual set
tlement and had of course, not lapsed for want Of
occupancy. This was, in short, the issue; and in
this view Of the case, what ground did the people
wish Mr.. Polk to take' They told him at the last
election TO press and maintain their claim; and his
course having been dictated by his constituents,
these constituents must bear him out in that course.
There could be but one party on this matter-the
.american party, who, however they may differ on
minor points, will always be found united when the
ton comes to us in the form this has assumed, we
must say with Decatur, "My country-right or
wrong, my country!"
On motion, a committee of three was appointed to
draft suitable resolutions, consisting of Stacy G..
Potts, esq, DR.. A. Fl. Armour, and General Ham
iton.
In the absence of the committee, Joseph C. Potts,
esq, being loudly called for, came forward and adj
dressed the assembly in support OF the American
aspect of the question.
Mr.. Potts remarked that after the address from
the chair but little remained to be said upon the
points already touched. He would, however, tres
pass upon the attention Of the meeting for few mo-
ments, question of this magnitude always pre-
scented some new phase for consideration. The
speaker pointed out the position voluntarily taken
by Sir Robert Peel. In his place in Parliament, in
the most urmistakabe language, he had assumed
peremptory claim to Oregon, leaving, of course,
room or reason for doubt or discussion. This
avowal calls for decision by every American
Each must settle in his own mind the validity Of
the claim of his country, and if he regarded il as
clear, 1t became an imperious duty to support the
government in its maintenance of right Mr.. Potts
next reviewed the foundation of the British claim.
Sir Francis Drake, upon whose alleged discoveries
it is based, finds in the latitude, and tolerably
the longitude, of portion of Oregon, territory
whose coast had general direction to the north
west--a falsehood manifest TO the most casual OBJ
server of the present accurate maps. Sir Francis
further describes the region sterile low barren
coast, with hardly an elevation deserving the name
of hill, ice bound and bleak, mere paradise for
polar bears and Russian seal hunters. All this, as
applied to Oregon, is nonsense. country more
fertile than any on the globe in the same latitude,
with ine bold Shores clad with verdure to the very
waves, and crowned with evergreen forests to its
most northern bound, whilst in the south it bore in its
bosom the fruits and flowers of the topics; encirclng
in its embrace ample domain for eight or ten first
class Staes, diversified by every variety of CLINE
rs,I n. - H. g..
the eastern States Il region resembling his birth
place in healthful airs and temperate extremes,
yet SURPRISING it in its fertility; reproducing
the prairies and wide spread fields of the West
in her mid region; whilst the south could WOO
the planter from the shores of the Mexican
gulf by fairer display of the products which have
constituted his wealth and glory, than any waited
by the wings Of commerce TO the eastern world. If
this country can be the same described by Sir
Francis Drake, words have meaning Great Britain
POUNDS her right on the description of Drake. The
speaker said he sure America would not dispute
her title to that country--when they found it. The
truth WINS, the bold admiral was seeking fame, and
not new territory; and he purchased his name as a
dscoverer at cheaper rate than his reputation as
warrior. lr
But apart from the advantage of all the manifest
flaws in the British title, the Americans could point
to positive treaty stpulatons and upon these they
could sustain, and would maintain, their rights.
The committee on resolutions, by their chairman,
reported the following, which were unanimously
adopted by the meeting:
Rssvtd That in the declaration Of President Polk in
his inaugural address, that II is the duty Of the
by all constitutional to and right
that portion Of territory which lies beyond the
Rocky mountansand that TOUR title the country Of
Oregon 10 clear and unquestionable"-he has but pro.
nounced the Judgment and given the sentiment
of the people OF the United States whose he
that we approve Of every sentiment he uttered on
the subject and pledge ourselves to sustain him in his
course by every lawful and proper means.
Resoired That the grasping policy of Great Britain
which Chains as right what originally yielded
and seeks by the terror OF her preten
aons which have other foundation than boosted
power to back them however successful may have been
in nda and China will be met and resisted here and that
what will abide still by the Old Hickory:
we ask nothing but what Is rghsubmit nothing that
| Is wrong ua . IN
Rtsoived, That while deprecatc great nation.
al calamity and would every means consistent with
national honor to avert it yet that national dis
grace and degradation calamity greater sland
and his Creator to the ambton