The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-01-12

would he glad 10 trace the progress ofths government
10 the Fast lndes but not having time for that, he
wo Id say that from beginning 10 end il was
stamped with inlamy. lie called the attention Of
the committee to these facts, in order TO show that
unless we gave the notice the Hudson Bay Com.
pany, which was formed upon principles akin TO
that in the east, would by gradual entertainments DE
come possessed ofa the strong positions in Oregon,
and be more difficult 10 dislodge. We might, as
he said again. find parallel in their progress to the
corporation that has 80 long oppressed and devas-
! tated the East. BY what waters were the Hudson
Bay Company originally bounded BY those waters
that emptied into Hudson's bay. But still that
company had, by virtue of u cOnneXion with The
! Northwestern Company, stretched across TO the Pa
cifc. Il the policy Of Great Britain To plant
anl maintain colonies, and one of the modes Of do
! ing II was TO operate through chartered companies.
This policy she was now applying to the territory
of Oregon, and il would succeed there we'll as il
had done elsewhere unless should interfere In be-
half Of our settlers TO protect them, and give the
tice of the termination Of the joint convention.
No longer ago than the year 1880, the British gov
eminent claimed the right to make settlements the
Pacific coast north Of the Spanish settlements
! Delay had taken place Oh the other side, and the
encr Oachments Of Great Britain were not observed
At length Great Britain had not only made settle
ments above the Oldest Spanish settlements but also
far below them, and had now come down to the Co
lumbls river. Originally, her territorial pretensions
were only to points beyond the old Spanish settle
|
seven.
! IA member here said she is nearly there now
Yes, sir, (said Mr.. ii. y she will soon be there,
even il she is not there ow What, then can be
gained by delaying the notice, which is the only
means by which we can arrest her progress'
While gentlemen talked Of war, which only ex-
listed In tie visions Of old men, or the dreams Of
young ones-whie this bugbear was held up, we
were losing the opportunity TO secure for our
selves and children this most important
/ II 4 -. L A
only an inference on the part of these gentle
men. They had not shown how il would arise
They had not shown the mOdls operarh. But we
well know that the British pretsnsi ions would be
strengthened 10y our eternal delay The longer
we delayed the notice, the more arrogant would the
| British pretensons become. One point more. OuTold
men, the gentleman from Virginia says, see visions
our young men dream dreams He was not old
and he could visions; aud the dreams he left
to the gentleman from Virginia. Let those who
dreamed imagine that war will arise from
seTtIon Of our rights; he did not believe II. But
the vision he saw was that Of populous and enter
prIsing State on the slope Of the Pacific, with
factures, and commerce, and navigation. The
waters rushing down to the Pacific would turn
thousands Of wheels aud spindes Our people would
move 10 that region, and carry with them all their
and skill In all the various branches Of
features which we have established in this region
In due time they will supply large portion Of
America, as well as Asia, with their fabrics.
Il would not be long before settlements would
| extend down to the Mexican boundary. He appeal
ed To gentlemen from the South to come up to the
rescue, ard avail themselves of this fair oppoTtuni.
! ty 10 obtain Oregon. He asked their attention to
! the position we occupied before the American peo-
pie and the world, IN regard to this subject, and
sured them them that for there retreat from
the responsibility of this act, without mourning the
jus: reproach Of the people Of the United States and
indeed, Of the whole world The Executive had
presented his views to Congress, and had recon-
mended TO us the passage of the measure now be-
! fore He had asked for our early action upon
it. The stale cry of war ought not to prevent us
from dscharging this duty; and If we should ialter
in performing II, should be branded unfaitll-
full to our trust. The Executive had laid before
US statement Of our just claims, showing that
they had a solid and stable basis. The whole
world would be convinced Of their truth and Justice
and would an American Congress be found slow
to defend and assert them? He (Mr. Fl. would
appeal again TO the South, and To the spirit OF
their fathers-of Sumter, Marion and Pinckney-
and call upon them TO come up 10 this duty OF de-
Tending soil. Should fear of consequences pre-
vent us from indicating rights from foreign
aggression Should the horrors Of war deter them
from pursuing their line of duty? viii they not
up to the struggle, fneedb be- and like "reapers
descend to the harvest Of DEATH" True, the South
has peculiar interests that would be hazarded in a
war; but has not the whole Atlantic border deep
stake in the continuance of peace? We, sir, in the
mort beast have extensive commerce. Our ships
are found in every sea, and we have cities on the
seaboard ex posed to the assaults of All enemy. But
sir, we are willing to hazard everything in the de-
fence of our country, and to lay all our wealth as
an offering on the altar of the public safety But
who can believe, sir, that England will go TO war,
because we do al act that We entitled to do by
treaty stiruationf' This was too absurd idea to
! be for moment entertained by any
| But there was another view Of the subject. He
did not pretend to be a wizard, nor TO foretcl f-
| future events; but coming events sometimes cast
their shadows before them. Judging of the future
by the past, he would say that the moral force Of
our institutions would spread themselves every
portion Of this continent. Their progress was as
certain as destiny. He could not be mistaken in
the idea that flag destined to shed its
lustre every hill and plain on the Pacific
slope, and every stream that mingles with the
Pacific. What would monarchical institutions do
what would tyrants do-n this age Of improve
ment--his age Of steam and Of lightningi The
still small voice in Legislative halls and semi
nares of learning would soon be re.cchoed in dis.
tant lands Should we fold our hands and refuse,
under all these circumstances, to discharge du-
,y; No; let us march steadily up TO this duty,
and discharge it like men:
And the gun of our nations natal day,
! At the rise and set of
Shall boom from the far northeast away
TO the wales Of Oregon;
And ships the sra.shorc huff and tack
Aud send the peal Of triumph back"
Mr.. KENNEDY from the Committee on En-
|
ACT which abolished the Office of one of the nspec-
tors general Of the army and to revive and estab-
lish said office.
MIR. WHEATON, from the same committee, re-
ported correct the act "to continue the office of the
i Commissioner of Pensons;" and the act for the re-
lief of James Bogardus.
message was received from the Senate, by A.
Dckins, esq, secretary, informing the House that
the Senate had passed bill entitled ian for the
relief of David L. Williamson, Of Pope county
State of Arkansas"
AMERICAN SETTLERS IN OREGON.
| Mr.. DOUGLASS rose and said that he wished
to submit motion which he supposed would meet
with unanimous concurrence nasmuch it would
remove the obstacles which would otherwise pre-
sent themselves tomorrow TO the continuation Of the
debate which had been going for some days
on the resolution of notice.
The House would recoIIoct that the bill which he
had some time since reported from the Committee
on the Territories, "to protect the rights of Ameri
! 10 ,hn Of ,l.,o