Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1846-06-01
30 I'll CON q AZ Il. So.
FIRST SESSION.

FIRST SESSION.
SPEECH Oh Nix. BENTON. ON TIE ORE
CON BllI.
wnIon WAS ron TIT PURPOSE OF rosrroSiNo iNnlrl
NlrGLY fnG NIL tNrENprNo QUA LAWS
otER oREGoN.
Ia he Senate u Hc taiiei s,ates
FHnAN, May p. 1916.
/ Mr. BENTON and addressed the Senate Mr.
President. {sald he the hll before the Senate propose
To extend the sovereignty aud jurisdiction oi the lnlle,
States over all cur etfaues west Of the Rocky Mum
atus, without saving what il the tNeht aud What
the limits u lhlsefnnfy. This Is wrong, IN my upln
ion We uHgti II d,dne the liant within Which a
gents do such this hill cunempa, cs uihef
wise eanmlt In then the solution of questions ahel
we find tnn hard tr ourselves. THIS indefinite sNten
sion ct authority. Ia which requires The
precision, urets speak, and 10 give my opniun
| the true eNent oi territories beyond The Rocky
Mountains. | lave delayed doing this during the " hult
session. not min any desire To conceal my opinions
(Which, IN het. eeIe told Ia all ttat asked ur them
but because aaght II The business OF negotiation. not
ot legislation, 10 settle these boundaries. waited af
negotiation. hui neentation lays while events ~ f1r>
ward, aud no~ we are III the process ot acting upon
measures upon The adoption OF which t-may ~ long
er BE- IN the pomel either 81 HeIutaon or ri legislation
to contr the esens 10 which they may GIVE nse.--
he bill haure without definition of The territory 10
be occupied. And why this VagutnrSs case fequir-
ing lie uluosl Preeis,nl WHY not define lne hlunda,
ul these ,effilontl Precisely brcausa do mol
know thrm! Aud tbs presents case which requires
me 10 wait M hunger taf negotiation, bat 10 iar.
ward with NY oN nptufuns, and To do what can Ia
prevent the evils ol vague and indefinite leEislaian.-
NV object will be- Il, sh,v If can the tine extent and
nature OF uu territorial claims beyond The Rocky Mnnn>
tdluS. with sleN Ia Just aud wise dcclslons mud. IN
doing 81. shall endeavor 10 act upun the great
ask nothing but what Is tsht-subnlt 10 nothing that
Is wrong
1t is my nnefaeians task, in atlemptinp 10 act upnn
this maxim, 10 eane.eoee nv exposing ,tfm al hamr.
au cr,ay.nina Ia clear M son, great m,lakrs nuer
which the n,bI he mud has hb,r,j
# has lrrn assumed Tor i,yu yents and Tho nssun,n
t,n las b,rn n,ad, HE cause ofpll the Dr,,n .>rtn
ment IN The rannIfv that We have a DIVIDING linz with
Russia mad. So h, the convention of 1901 ,l,n,, the
parallel ol 6lry.aof ,tnrres lry Minutes 5m lbr sr1
Ia the Rocky Mountains m Ia which our tIr Il ,.fnd
Ihls is n pfrat mistake No such line was ever essb
shcd. and s5 lar as nIan5sed and discussed as Snfih
eru Amcrean lnp Inc public treaties will uroye tbefe
!, no such 1ne; documents will pr,vc that q, for as fiji
y four G,rtv from The s,a la :, maintains VIVA sv.r
PROMISED A. norlhern hal diary for any Power il was
pfnposed by ns lr the Il lush aud not ,r uuf-olves
'rn make ny.elf mlelinible in what slrlI saw on
this point II Il necessary In 90 back 10 the cp,c III lie
Russ,n cnyeelr5n nj sgl and il, recall ia. ,a,,l,
ton of The circumstance out Of which thai convention
GROW The circumstances were these. In The war
Isll the Enpefnr Alexander, ncliny anon lradinp
II,auf Russian pry I'm relation t. the north parl6 a
crau) from The tInr II Peter the Great undertake l.,
front thai ergu a. a rls son auJ 10 Scre.e IMMORAL
aulhnr,fy over a ,rreli xient Of lis shores and y,l,rs
Ia Ssnronbcr ii 1bai# war the Emprror Issued n 10
rec b,rlofued mum ms re onsion assuming exclusive
,, ionfy and Jurisdiction yer tine biob .ens IN i,,,1
4 .nch c,9i Il, the * eu ot une hundred Ian n,}I,.
from BrIHfaafs Straits down To latitude fiji y one IN
the Arefran eaa4f aud Ia on the A.nle. mud
,n.uc = The nenaliir- f confscolion up,n nu sli,s
Of ,bef-5q.,r fan that should npotoacb the co,.s
within the mt.rIleed dlsntcr4 This va4 n very
-laijluJ decpr Ca8uu, from tccbc nalmn II vnutd