The New era. [volume] ([Portsmouth, Va.]) 1845-1847, 1846-01-10
From the Baltimore Sun.
SPEECH OF THE HON. JOHN O.
ADAMS

ADAMS.
1t is said Of Byron, that " he woke IN one
morning and found himself famous" Mr.. Adams
has already worn the honors of the most diUnifed
station in the world, and therefore it was hardly
TO be supposed that any inferior event could do
anything more than add to his fame Yet il
would seem, if we take the gratutous decara-
lions of papers and writers not few, from all
points OF the compass, that the % old man elo-
qnent has really stepped from the former zenith
ol his fame, into entirely new armament of
which he Is the sun. 1t is set forth and with all
the authority of The boldest assertion, that the
greatest minds of the country had failed hereto.
tore to perceive the nice distinction unfnlded to
The discerning eye of the venerable ex President
and first declared by him. member is said to
(! have exclaimed that the " old man will die in
| blaze of giory;" and in this wise Mr. Adams is
Suddenly set forth the very genius and source
OF American sentiment, patriotism and glory with
especial reference TO Oregon Bat how is tho
facl2
Now while we do really honor and respect the
sentiments expressed by Mr.. Adams and venera,e
his patriotism with degree of sincerity that we
are not disposed should be brought into com plrson
with the mushroom enthusiasm uf the day. we are
by no means prepared to sit silently and see the
faithful laborerS OF an earlier period ever jealous
and patriotic upon this interesting and critical
question of national right, suddenly thrown into
the obScurIty of an eclipse, and left to Gropo in
The tram OF new though great and distinguished
apostle in the cause. In The face of all that has
been said To the contrary. we contend that the
speech of Mr. Adams develops no new feature
whaisOever we do not find in ii, one single idea
that has not existed IN relation TO the subject and
been promulged before. The only novelty in il.
Is an illustration Of the duty of the United States
IN the premises, and that is most felcitously done
by reference 10 the action Of Frederick the
| 8 Great" in taking possession of Silesia There
/ SullaDIiltV md
and patriotism in the spirit which suggested it.
which commands our warm esteem and is worthy
OF all commendaton as bright eXemplar for the
nation and this epoch Of her history.
But surely II is not at this late day that we
shall be told, Mr. Adams is the first to recon-
mend notice TO Great Britain that the 50 Joint
occupancy shall cease nor that he is the first
to recommend the taking possession of the terrific
! ry al the expiration OF the year. No. The spirit
J OF American patriotism has with resislless eo-
quence long since declared these things to be the
| Imperative duty of the United States The ardor
OF The people has promptly responded 10 these
sentiments, and the nation, almost as with one
voice, has trumpet tongued declared its assent
thereto, even long before Mr.. Adams stood forth
a champion for L" the Oregon" But, saw the
! audalOns Of the ex President, his great mind
was the first to Distinguish FROM the terms of the
conventional treaty OF 1918. tie difference be-
tween The +" joint occupancy" of the two nations,
and the joint commercial privileges which alone
were entered into according TO the stipuIaions of
that treaty the former having in fact no exist
ence therein, and there being nothing of the kind
| 10 be derived or understood from its conditions or
! phraseoIogy. Instead of this being The case the
whole question has from the beginning been dis
cussed with precisely this view of The matter,
and could not be otherwise. "The committee ON
| Military Affairs to which was referred SO much
of the Presidents message as related TO the es-
I Enlistment q of mil Fr,-
/ Council Bluff to the Pacific Ocean" in 1913 re-
| ported at length upon the Oregon title and at the
conclusion of their report after quoting the princi
pal articles of the treaty Of 1918 and those of the
subsequent convention of 1927, make use of the
following language, in which it will be seen that
! precisely the same view is taken as that enter
lained by Mr. Adams, and also as sustained by
Mr.. Buchanan in his diplomatic correspondence
| with Mr.. Packenham
1.-The first remark we have to make upon
/ these articles is, that they contain no reference
Whatever to the possession, when, by the treaty
/ OF Gheni and subsequent acts under it, was ac-
| knowledgcd 10 be in the United States, in the
! most formal manner, and which could not be
Invested except in a manner equally formal. or by
/ the consent OF The United States, under the lmi-
/ taiiOus Of that acknowledgment. Ii is hardly
necessary to observe that in neither manner is il
Invested by The stpulatiOns Of these conventions.
/ or either OF them.
What rights, then, were granted or acquired
by these convenuons2 Clearly none inconsistent
with orr previously admitted possession. We
have seen, from the highest authority. that tic
/ right to govern is incident to tie pos session
/ The right Of the citizens Of The United States.
under lhis passossou, and with the permission If
/ this government, TO cultivate The soil, navrate
tho rivers, fish. hunt, etc, is also clear. I mis-
right Of cor citizens existed with the poss, ssor,
before tie war Of 1879, ard was restored Whit
restoration Of tie settlement Of Fort George
on the oh day of October, 1918, prior to either +
these conventions, and Of course independent +,
10th u this be true, we acquired no new rigl
u"der The convention Of 1918; all these arco.
panied ouf prior possessions. That cupverU.r.
ibeD. was concession 10 English subjects o..
participation IN iHdjcidVai rights, which, bu, fr