The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-04-08

| TO close, All must admit the Importance Of il
being terminated; i had tendency to disturb the
harmony OF the two countries. DO they look TO
time TO bring about an adjustment And how much
time will be required The negotiation has been
pending for nearly thirty years and we are no near
er a settlement than when il commenced. u IN
thirty years we have made no progress, how long
viii il lake to obtain recognition OF our nights
But, II has been asked, why shall we aorogate the
convention What shall we gain by ~ One object
might be gained; il might favor negotiation, and
conduce 10 a settlement This, we had reason 70
believe, was, in part, the motive OF the President In
asking for the authority TO annu the treaty. he be-
ieyed that il would favor negotiations and Is Il not
wise TO strengthen the arm ofthe Executive, and give
him every facility and advantage TO bring this dis
pute TO a close9 The President by the constitution,
Is entrusted with the power Of conducting negota-
tons, and Of adjusting disputes with foreign pow
ers, and he has asked for this authority, supposing
ID would be an advantage 10 the settlement of this
controversy; and this (ssid Mr., NJ Is sufficient
for giving il to him. unless there strong
objections doing IT, But there other and sound
reasons for terminating the conyention-reasous in.
dependent OF It's influence, favorable 70 settle
ment Of this dispute BY negotiation. The arrange
ment was beneficial one TO the United States;
and If IL ever was It has ceased 10 be so now. He
disagreed entirely with the senator from South Caro-
lima MIR. CALHouxl who said this convention had
been important TO us; thai il had established our
rights, and that without 1t, we should have had to
abandon them, or TO have sustained them by force.
he did not understand how this treaty has sustain
ed rights when profesedly it had nothing to do
with the rights Of the parties to H. it len those in
abeyancei It's only object was to provide for tenn
porary use OF the country, and 10 prevent disputes
among those engaged in the fur'Tade. And how
had Il effected this object Why, by driving our
traders entirely out OF that trade had been shown
nv he aenafor from Misaonri fMr. RfnroH 1 and
securing monopoly of it TO the Hudson Bay Com.
pany. But this treaty arrangement, had obstrueted
the settlement Of the country by citizens; il
inconsistent with the settlement Of the country, and
as this was our object II became important to re-
move the embarrassment which this treaty inter.
posed He regarded the act Of Parliament Of 1921,
extending British laws over the country, so far as
respects her subjects, violation OF the spirit OF
the convention. That act had contributed TO the
settlement Of the country by British Subjects, II IL
was not so intended. And the Puget Sound Com
pany, with large capital had been incorporated for
the express purpose Of encouraging the settlement
and cultivation OF the country. But our citizens
had been discouraged from settling there, because
our laws and jurisdiction, did not reach them for
their protection.
As matters now are, the British have every adyan-
tnge; they have monopoly of the fur-trade and in.
duoements for settlement. Let US, them put an end
TO this unequal state OF things. And let us what
condition shall be in, when the treaty obligations
are dissolved. We shall be restored to the condition
in before the treaty took effect, and put into
the exclusive possession Of part of the territory
and possess our rights TO the whole unfetered and
unembarrassed, and be atlIberty TO enforce them
may see ht. The senator from Georgia. mr.
BERREs, is mistaken, in supposing that the British
will be IN possession of tvo-hrds of the territory;
she will not have the exclusive possession of any
portion of it The right Of possession like the title
and jurisdiction, will be in dispute and that party
h. al al.
est facility for settling the country; and that will be
the United States. We have Settlements much
nearer TO ii; and our citizens hardy and adj
venturous IN effecting settlements in new country
in advance of civilization. The discovery of the
South Pass, has removed the mountain barrier, and
opened the country to the hardy enterprise of our
citizens, particularly in the great valley of the
Mississippi Should there be no adjustment,
the settlements by both parties will be attended by
some embarrassment, but greater on our part
than on that of Great Britain. They have extended
their laws over their subjects, and we extend
our laws over our citizens. This will be embar-
RAISING state of things-a double jurisdiction over
the same country, but not essentially different from
what is at present. except that the parties will be
on an equality in respect TO rights and protection,
and now the British have the advantage. ...'
There was, in his judgment, no weLfounded OBJ
jectons to abrogating the convention, and strong
reasons in its favor Blu, question has been raised
as to the fern Of the notice; and there several
forms proposed, in the shape of amendments. Some
had spoken of a qualified and absolute notices.
but there could be no qualified notice; the notice
must be such to terminate the treaty; it must do
that, or 1t amounts to nothing, and it can do no
more than that. But the notice may be accompa-
MED by a declaration respecting negotiation, and
there were several resolutions of that kind. He
considered a simple notce-and as nearly in the
words of the treaty possible-as the most proper
and dignifed; and there would be no propriety in
cnn cnnn Init darlo nf d.
scripton with it, it not that in the debate the
notice had been regarded by some as a hostile
measure, or the first in series of measures for
the forcble occupation of the territory. In view of
this, it might be proper, and certainly not OBJ
jectonable, to accompany the notice with declara-
ton that it not intended to foreclose or in any
way interfere with settlement of the controversy
by negotiation. The resolution from the House
amounted TO than this, and met his approba-
ton; and, with his present views, he should vote
for the House resolutions, and against all amend
ments. In regard to the amendment offered by the
senator from Georgia, Mr.. CoLoUIrr, he thought
that went too far, and was too Mppiicaiing. He
would not accompany the resolution for abrogating
the convention with another resolution, which
seemed to say that we afraid Of what we are
doing He would not say to Great Britain we think
we have right, and think it is for our interest to
annu the convention, but are almost afraid to do it,
we hope you will not be offended; we are ex-
tremely anxious to compromise the dispute on
almost any terms, to quiet the minds of our
people, who would be alarmed at the very
thought of war. There was little dignity in this
supplicaing tone, this begging for compro-
mise and he thought there could be nothing gained
by it. ......... .....-
But, said Mr.. NJ, the main question U.s. as all
must admit, what policy on our part is best calcula
ted to bring about satisfactory adjustment of this
long-standing controversy We wish it settled but
on terms containing reasonable recognition Of our
rights. We differ as to the extent Of our rights
but all must agree that it is important that the dis
pute be settled, is it can be, on terms reasonably
satisfactory, without disturbing the peace Of the
country. five abrogate the treaty, there will be
three ways in which this dispute may terminate
First, by negotiation and compromise; second, by
one of the parties taking forcibIe possession of the
disputed territory; and thirdly by leaving it to time
and the settlement the country. The first he re-
garded the most desirable and as long as there is
any prospect that our object could be attained in
that way, it would seem to be our true policy to
adapt our measures to this end, He believed that
this dispute could be settled by negotiation, and
therefore regarded it important that Congress and
the Executive should occupy position favorable to