The Woodstock age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1844-1845, 1845-01-09
TERRITORIAL OCCUPATION OF
OREGON.

ONGSNJON.
Our right to Oregon is admitted with
out distinction of party. All admit our
proprietary right TO tall say it is ours.
Why not extend the authority Of our gov
eminent over it lit be ours, why not
allow the protecting wings of government
to shield our people who are now res
dents OF Oregon, and those who are pre-
pared to emigrate from the States to
make Oregon their homc' What is the
argument of those who admit that Ore
gon is ours, yet oppose all action with a
view to its immediate occupation by the
United StateS' Why, it is simply this
"WaIt few years." say they, "and
the enterprise four people will fill Ore
gon with American citizens, and then our
rights there will be secured without any
governmental interference" Oregon is
to fall into our lap without any efforts of
our government, if we but wait few
years. How generous are these mcnl-
If our people wish to 90 to Oregon they
may go, and settle there and improve
our territory, but they must do so at their
own risk, and at their own cost And
and when they shall, by their own unaid-
ed efforts, have extinguised British power
and influence in our territory, when after
years of toll, suffering and prIyation, our
en'crprising emigrants shall have obtain
ed !oothold in Oregon, then We will pro-
'ect them! when they are able to protect
themselves, governmental aid will be ex-
tended to them! Such is the policy of
few statesmen, who cmphaticaly assert
that Oregon is ours. Oregon will get
into our possession by-and-by, like ripe
fruit will fall in boys hat or girls
apron when the tree is slightly agitated.
But suppose after our people have
settled Oregon, without any governmental
protection, and that they should annihlate
British power, and should then recolIect
the neglect of the parent country, and
should feel disposed to assume the attitude
ofan independent nationality what right
then should we have TO extend our gov
eminent and laws over the territory;-
the people of Oregon would be under no
obligations of gratitude for aid during
their territorial weakness. They might
apply to us the language of some of tho
distinguished friends Of American indie
pendence to the mother country-they
might say to US that VIC grew, not by
your neglect, but in spite of it.
We do not preceive that there can lie
the least objection to the passing of the
bill now before Congress, for the extern
sion Of our government authority and pro-
lection over Oregon. Oregon is ours,
and the passage Of the bill would not, in
our opinion, Interfere in any way with
any governmental negotiations now in
progress, nor until the terms Of any joint
occupancy with the British government.
1t is false to suppose that we cannot pro-
tect our own citizens in our own territory
within the acknowledged limits -four ma
tional jurisdiction, least England should
take offence 1t is the duty Of the gov
eminent of the United States, a great
commercial nation, t. secure the Pacific
coast of this continent. 1t is our duty as
citizens of the most free and liberal gov
crnmcnt in the world not to allow less
liberal governments to extend their pos
sessions and laws upon the continent of
North America. We owe i, to the patri-
OTIS who fought and bled that we might be
free, we owe ii to ourselves, we owe it to
our children, TO do all in our power not
TO allow any Entertainments upon tho
limits of free Amc lean territory; and to
embrace every equitable and humare OPP
portunlty to enlarge the bounds OF free
dom. 1t is strange that there is a single
Senator or Repre- sentative in Congress
who can Justify our cupable neglect and
oppose every effort to afford protective
action on the part OF our government; thus
playing intentionally, or under the blind
impulse of pariy prejudice into the hands
of the British government
The whole territory is at this moment in
the possession ofthe British The distribu-
ton of soldiery, arms, and munitions is
surprising; and the extent of this military
defence in the disputed territory is cons
stantly increasing. We ask the present
Congress TO pass the bill now before tor
some other bill that will have an effect to
settle the controversy. The people demand
forthwith territorial government, for Or
egon, and thus save that valuable region
to its rigtlu owner-.N Y PhJei0n.
er5sThc editor Of the Richmond Wing
has seen letter from Mr. Clay TO MIR
Bolts, in which Mr. c. regards his public
lie as ended, and in reply to the appIica-
ton of his friends to return to the Senate,
declares his purpose of passing The re-
nainder of his days in the tranquility of
his farm.
Windsor, Rutland, Windham and
Washington Counties have gone for tho
Liberals-Orangc for the Pinkeyes.