The Kalida venture. [volume] (Kalida, Ohio) 1841-1865, 1846-02-19
CONGRESS.
TUESDAY, February 8,

Speaker, and crossed over, taking an unoc-
cupied place at the Speakers left, which
portion Of the hall is settled" more gene
rally by the whig members of the House] he
addressed the committee:
have come, Mr.. Chairman, (said he,) to
locate myself over here, in British Oregon.
If you fancy the Columbia river passing
down the main isle, take stand ON the
north side of that river, right in the centre
of the British settlements; and here plant
myself, under the constitution and laws of
my country, and from this do not intend to
be driven away. And | discover Mr.. Chair
man, that good many of the settlers here
have dispersed, (referring TO several vacant
seats around himD they have gone away,
and vacated their farms; l have taken pos
session, and here intend to keep possess
ion. ! then may be inferred to take my
stand, in reference, to this question, for the
whole of Oregon up to 81 deg. 40 mn.; and
am not willing to surrender any portion of
it. And the reason why l do this, is not
based on any formal treaty stipulation; but
it is right, as | conceive, which we have
independent Of any treaty stipulation.
The gentleman from Massachusetts,, Mr..
Winthrop,] who spoke in the early part Of
this debate, asked, very Significantly, where
we find our title to this territory, and wheth-
or it may not be found in some corner of
Adams will. l answer him, our title dates
further back; il is Of prior date; it comes
from period before Adams dust was
fashioned into man. We received our rights
from high Heaven-from destiny, if you
please. In the course Of events-in the
bringing forward and carrying out this des.
tiny-one Christopher Columbus was sent
across the ocean to survey out partially this
country; and here we have taken possession;
here we have established the seat of empire
where the principles of pure republcansm
and democracy shall finally prevail. Well;
further on, in the course of time, there was
one George Washington; he came forward,
and located his family on this land; and we
contend, from this location-from this early
settlement, under the guidance of destiny,
we have the right to every inch of this island
If you please to call il so; or, if other
words suit better, this continent. We have
the right from high Heaven to all of it
every inch of it.
Now there are several things considered
arguments in this question. l have been
trying for the last two or three weeks occa-
sionally to get the floor; but owing to my
extreme honesty, being very modest man,
l do not like to enter into the arena and re-
sort to those means which are necessary in
order to get the floor. Other influences
have brought themselves up to prevent me
from gotting the floor. One of them is this
system Of explaining speeches which need
explanation, by which the morning hour is
consumed by gentlemen in making explana-
tons, eliminating and recrminating each
other. A great deal of time is thus consum-
ed. do not expect to consume my hour;
and / have tried for the last two or three
days to get the floor, to move that half hour
be occupied henceforth by gentlemen who
speak. Well, hope this may be proposed
hereafter and adopted, as l discover there
are Certain other Ingredients besides talent
requisite to get the floor, and to obtain as
cendancy it this House. l may be com
PEELED, MIR. Chairman, from the necessity of
the case, after have been here a while, to
adopt these same things. / intend to be
heard. have set of constituents as indie
pendent as profess, to be-; and they expect
me TO have my rights, and shall have them,
even if have to oresort to thisco of pro-
ceeding. Mf
There are divers ways now proposed by
gentlemen on this floor whereby the Oregon
question may be settled. will not under
lake to argue Unconstitutional question,
because certain gentlemen here might say,
as was said in olden times, that blacksmith
was not a proper person to mend watches,
and farmer has no business with his huge
paws on the statute book. For this reason,
and for the further reason that it has been
well argued, | will say nothing on this part
OF the question. shall then be found reply
ing ioscertain arguments of gentlemen in
my brief, curious way of doing business.
The word "warn has come into every
speech; and that appears to deter gentlemen
from doing what they would do, were it not
for the fear Of war with Great Britain. Well,
that shall not enter into the motives that
will govern me at all in the decision to which
shall come, and in the arguments which /
shall use. j do not care one cent whether
the English declare war against us or not
not one cent. lbelieve we are right. Thus
believing, shall proceed to do what con-
slider to be my right-to take my rights, and
to maintain my rights, Independent of future
consequences.
The gentleman from Virginia, Mr.. Leake,)
who was on the floor this morning, takes to
task some gentlemen of the democratic party
who have spoken heretofore in favor of tine
notice, in relation to their votes on this ques-
ton at the last session of Congress, and has
shown thai they voted against certain pro-