The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-01-29
{ Continuation fysi pags.l


wash to risk them by involving ourselves in a war
about them until we are prepared 10 maintain Them.
have thus shown, Mr. Chairman, that we are
not IN condition 10 secure Oregon by war with
Great Britain But ills said by giving the notice
you facilitate negotiation and a peaceable settlement
of the question. Is Il possible that this is sol This
was not my opinion at the commencement Of this
session of Congress- and il is still less so since the
violent and warlike debate which we have heard.
SIr, the two nations are not in a temper to make
It prudent to risk that an amicable adjustment
wlll take place IN twelve months. Our people
have been taught TO believe that our title
was perfectly clear of all difficulty; that
EngiaGd's claim originates in her comorant APP
prute for aggrandzement, in the qualification OF
which she has trampled upon every peop.e upon
earth upon whom she could trampe with imPunliyi
and the has been ikened TO that Of her making
preposterous claim to Rhode Island, for insancei
and we are asked, it, in such case, we woul ne
gOuaei | have shown that the analogy Is any 'hlnS
but strong And S. "vice ptTsd )" the English press
aud the English statesmen have made a similar or
even stronger impression upon the English people;
and they are told by them that our claim to Oregon
originates in the same thirst Tor territorial acqusi-
in which the annexation OF Texas had It's birth.
The public mind IN neither nation-and both OF them
are under the CONTROL although in different degrees,
of public oPinon-the public mind neither there nor
here s IN condition propltious 10 amcable set
Element OF this question; and would no more force
Two nations, within given time, while they are IN
than would two individuals similarly situated. la
the one cese, as in the Other would allow a cool
ing time. | would wait until consciousness Of
their mutual dependence upon each other for pros
perity, os is peculiarly the case with the United
States and Great Britain, had mutually inclined
them to peace. A most proPitious condition Of
things IL now occurring in the two countries The
prospect of more intimate commercial intercourse,
mutually beneficial, is dawning upon US.
In the time, the presses Of the two countries
faFt gh. and HtasaN
dlspasslonaley. Is TINS condition Of things to be
put an end to rudelyi think not Is the position
of our affairs in Oregon critical that we must fight
under the watchword "aH or nOns-aOu nspsr?"
maintain that they are not But as this Is an I'M
portant view of the subject, must be INDUCED an
some detail. will show that the present posture
Of affairs in Oregon is entirely favorable TO us We
can settle Oregon-l mean IN an agricultural sense;
the English cannot. In the first place, their Laws
and treaties place them in situation IN which they
cannot do it, TO say nothing about the physical i'm
possibility. | will establish this in a few words.
In 1921 the Northwest Company was merged in the
Hudson Bay Company by act of Parliament The
rights conferred upon that company east and west
Of the Rocky mountains are very different. East
of the mountains it is lord Of the soil, and may
make grants Of land in fee simple. West of them,
its charter only provides ''for the exclusive trading
with the Indians in all such parts of North America
10 the northward or to the westward Of the terrific
RES Of the United States shall not form part Of
any European power"
An English writer of high character, commenting
upon this charter, says:
IT will be observed that the charter contains clause
authorizing the company TO form settlements Not only
have they powerto lands but they have
eEento hold them he charter gives them, against all
right Of trading with the natives according regula
ons TO be approved by the and requires them to
tribunals This is the whole amount OF the privileges
which it grants and OF the duties which imposes They
cannot acquire for themselves the property for the
crown the sovereignty, over a single acre"
1t is true the charter reserves torthe crown the
right of establishing any colony within the terrific
IN question, or of annexing them TO any exist
ing colony. But il must be borne in mind that to
settler Oregon holds out few Inducements except
u hunting ground and mart for furs. Agricultural
produce is almost valueless, 10 shown by the
TACT that the settlers feed their stock upon the finest
wheat. The only means of making money there is
by furs. None other than the Hudson Bay Com
pany can trade in them, and they cannot hold or
grant lands. Ii is not probable that persons not
connected with it and enjoying its privileges, and
subject to the restrictions OF Its charter, will go
there. Besides, Great Britain contends that the
Nhotka Sound convention is still in force, and it,
cordng to its admitted construction, prohibits colo
nlzatIon Its provisions applicable to this question:
We have already seen. Commenting upon it, Mr.
buchanan says:
This convention of 1890 recognises right in Great
colonies on the northwest coast Of Am or to exercise
such exclusive jurisdiction any portion Of II as Is
sentis 10 sovereignty Great Britain obtained from Spain
all desired engagement that her subj
should not be disturbed moested' in landing the
Of Carrying on their Commerce with the native. Of
III ouny, making settlements there What kind of
Settlements This Is not specified; but surely their char
ncer and limited by the object which the
tracing parties had in view They have been only such
on with natives of the country these
settlements intended expand into ooones to expe the
natives 10 deprive Spain Of her sovereign rights and to
confer the exclusive jurisdiction the whole territory
results and if Great Britain has obtained these concessions
10y hs Nootka Sound convention has heen by the most
"raotdnay construction ever imposed upon human Ian
Raige."
Mr.. Benton places the same construction upon the
convention. In his speech in 1S43, he says:
1t coniers nothing but the priv ege of fishing and hunt
ing along the northwest coast and erecting temporary hnts
which til" pursuit OF their occupation might require Colo.
nilation they renoc3ced."
This construction of the Nootka Sound conven-
lion is not only not disputed by Great Britain, but
is most clearly acquiesced in.
In 1927, Mr.. GaIlalin, in letter to the American
Secretary of State, observes:
That the British negotators declared that there
intention the part OF Great Britain to COLOMBO the
ny orrgon or to impede the progress oil American settle
in"nts"
In the British House of Commons, Mr. Fox
speaking of the Nootka Sound convention, said
BY the sd article we ere authorized to navigate the Pa
Of trading with the natives But after this pompous recog
milton of right to navigation fishery and commerce. comes
in another article cine bth) which taxes
landing and erecting temporary hus any purpose
hut that OF carrying the fishery and to
pete derecton OF all right settle any wsy the pur
pose OF commerce with the natives"
These are the restrictions under which Great
Britain labors. We labor under none such. Be
sides il is not desirable to Great Britain, and If il
were, is hardly possible for her, to coonize Ore.
gon. In the first place, from England to Oregon is
upwards of twenty thousand miles--sailing distance
1t is at least six months voyage; and to make it,
you have to cross the equatortwice. No other than
salt provisions will keep. To say nothing about
the expense, the emigrant going Oregon would be
compelled 10 incur all the horrors of six months
sea voyage, scurvey, disease, and death. He could
land upon shores, those Of Canada, in about
one-seventh Of the time, and at one-seventh of the
expense. Besides, if he desired TO make a more
distant pilgrimage than TO shores, there are the
English colonies in New Zealand and New Hol-
land open to him, situate in an infinitely better
climate and blessed with an infinitely better soil