Juliet signal. [volume] (Juliet [i.e. Joliet], Ill.) 1844-1???, 1846-05-05
Cass and Hannegan in reply to Benton.

We have not room TO prepare such a
condensed account of the speech of Gen.
Cass, on the I'd April, in reply to Col.
Benton, as its Importance demands. We
give first the entire remarks of Mr.. Han
negan, as they come first in order, as fol-
| lows:
Mr.. HANNEGAN said:-Mr. President,
have few words to say. would not
have made single observation on this
occasion had it not been for particular
expression, accompanied by very signif-
icant look towards this quarter which fell
| from the Senator from Missouri. Ger
tainly he was the last man here from
whom expected an unkind look or an un-
kind allusion. As | said before, upon a
certain occasion here, he has been
to greata extent my political teacher; sir, |
learned from him on this Oregon question
moro than learned from any other liv-
ing man. Learned from his speech on
the Ashburton treaty, which from that
hour has been to him the constant theme
of deadly andunmitigated hostility against
the negotiator who made that treaty and
Senators who voted for it. learned main
ly from that speech my principles and re.
lation to the Oregon question. From that
speech of the Senator from Missouri,
learned that the American title to Ore
gon up to latitude 55 degrees was good,
not only against Great Britain, but the
whole world. That speech was made
here only four or five years ago, and in
it the Senator taught me those principles
which, powerful as he is, he never will be
able to eradicate from my mind. He
planted them there, but he cannot now
pluck them up at his will. | learned al
the feet of Gamaliel; | have passed from
thence; have proclaimed the principles
which [ found there. He may do as he
lists. He may, before his country and
the world, abandon those principles.
will not. / make the same pledge made
by the distinguished, and patriotic, and
honest American who occupied that seat
yesterday, Mr.. Cass, that whenever it is
shown that the line of 40 degrees was ex.
tended to the Pacific ocean, will not on.
ly close my mouth and seal my lips a.
gainst the utterance of any claim to the
country north of 40 degrees, but to any
part of Oregon. But selfconfdent as the
Senator is that he holds 'sthe AgamemnoE
of our little band'' prisoner, he may fine
himself mistaken. Notone single docu.
ment to which be referred not one para.
] graph which he read has references TO a
| foot of land, wifirthe exception Of hts ais
sion to Lewis and Clarke, west Of the
Rocky mountains. What right had Eng
land and the United States to settle line
dividing country belonging. to SPain2--
The Senator from Missouri is aware thai
such was never the intention-such was
never in thecontemplation of England and
the United States. But this was the
pledge made by the Senator from Michi
gan. By this he is bound; and by this af
ter all that he has said / express myself
also bound. Whenever il can be shown
that the treaty of Utrecht contemplate
the establishment ofthe parallel of 40 de.
grees west of the Rocky mountains,
close my mouth as to Oregon. Spain was
a party to that treaty, but she did mol
come in, if recollect right, tillsome time
afterwards. / speak from recollection.
and do not make the statement with per.
feet confidence fits accuracy, but suchis
my Impression. Spain came into it af
forwards; protesting that she did notyield
any rights on the northwest coast, and on.
ly when that protest was concurred IN did
she become party. As to. France, prior
to Tia, she never asserted a titleto feot
of territory, from the isthnus of Darien tc
the Arctic circle, on the Pacific coast
And yet England and France according
to the version which he Mr.. Benton,
gives, and with the impression which he
would produce upon the Senate and upor
the country, parceled out what ne now
call Oregon. Yet upsto that moment.--
up to the signing ofthe treaty Of Utrecht
and long afterwards, and down to ths
signing 0f the Nootka Sound convention
before all Europe with the assent Of al