The banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1844-1847, 1846-04-15
RE M RKS OF Mr.. BU r T.,
OF SOUTH CAROLINA,
ON THE OREGON QUESTION,
Delivered IN the House Of Representatives,
February Z, 1916

The House being in Committee of
the Whole on the state of the Union,
and having under consideration the
joint resolution to terminate the conven-
ton of 1927 for the joint occupancy IF
the Oregon territory, and the various
amendments thereto
MIR. BURT addressed the committee
as follows
Mr.. Chairman: 1t has been assumed
by those who have preceded me in this
debate, that the chief induccmcnt 10 give
the notice recommended in the annual
message of the President is, that it will
contribute TO speedy adjustment of the
question of boundary between the Uni
ted States and Great Britain. And it
was insisted by the gentleman from
Alabama, [Mr. Houston,l as an objcc-
ton to the proposition of his colleague,
IMr. Darcan,l that any definition of tho
limits of the country on the northwest
coast, Of which we should take exclu-
sive possession when the notice expires:
would embarrass our negotiations and
we were admonished by that gentle
man, that if we desired compromise Of
this question, we should give the notice.
Sir, entertain different opinion.
undertake to say that the only reason
assigned by the President, and the only
object to be accomplished by the notice,
is by terminating the treaty Of joint oc-
cupancy, TO enable us to take exclusive
possession of this territory.
What is the language Of the :Presi-
dent? Does he not inform us that, in
consideration that MIR. Monroe and Mr..
Adams had each proposed to the Co.
vernment of Great Britain the forty
ninth parallel of north latitude as the
boundary, he felt constrained to make
another effort to adjust this long pend
ing controversy2 That he had sub
nitted the offer Of the forty-ninth parai-
lei, without the right to navigate the
Columbia river, which had been tender
ed by his predecessors, and that it had
been rejected? Sir, his language is:
"The extraordinary and wholly mad
missible demands of the British govern
ment, and the rejection of the PROPOSE
tion made in Difference alone to what
had been done by my predecessors, and
the implied obligation which their acts
seem to impose, afforded satisfactory evil
dence that no compromise with the Uni
ted States ought to accept can be efec-
ted" With this conviction, the propo-
sition of "a compromise, which had been
made and rejected, was by my direction,
subsequently Withdrawn, and our title
to the whole Oregon territory asserted,
and, as is believed, maintained by ire.
fragable facts and arguments" "All
attempts to compromise having failed,
it becomes the duty of Congress to con-
slider what measures it may be proper to
adopt for the security and protection of
our citizens now inhabiting, or who may
hereafter iahabit, Oregon, and for the
maintenance of our just title to that ter
ritory."
The measures which the President
deems necessary to the protection of our
citizens, now in Oregon, or those who
may hereafter migrate to that country,
are suggested in his message. They
are, the extension of cur jurisdiction and
laws over them; the establishment OF
Indian agencies the erection of block
houses and stockade forts on the route
between our frontier settlements on the
Missouri and the Rocky Mountains an
adequate force Of mounted riaemen to
guard and protect emigrants; and the
establishment Of monthly overland
mail.
But, sir, he advises us to give the no.
tice, and tells us, "At the end of the
years notice, should Congress think il
proper to make provision for giving this
notice, we shall have reached period
when the national rights in Oregon must
either he abandoned or firmly maintain
ed. That they cannot be abandoned
without a sacrifice of both national no.
nor and interest, is too clear 10 admit o
doubt"
Sir: can gentlemen read this carnes
and emphatic language Of the President
and delude the country or themselves
with the belief that II is edv;eet