The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-03-13


torious claim to popular fayor'
have not, Mr.. Chairman, thought proper to ar
que the question of title. IL 10 not properly before
the committee. The question here 10 as 10 the most
effeclual means Of securing our rights in Oregon.
We are not debating rights, but remedies. have
investigated the matter OF Tile Enormously, and
have come to conclusions satisfactory 10 myself
And think we should never give up any portion
Of the territory south of ago. But the people, hay
ing to do the fighting il come, and being, there
fore, entitled decide for themselves whether there
shall be war and how much Of Oregon they eau CON
scienteusly 90 to for, should, when they take
the matter in hand, be possessed Of the full argu-
ment ON both sides. And as the letters Of Messrs.
Calhoun and Buchanan have been sent forth,
deem IL proper to suggest that their Arguments
were intended for the British minister, and not
for the public and If you suppose they con
sdered all they said gospel, you never la
bored under a greater mistake. What are The
circumstanees Here is a controversy about land
between Great Britain and the United States The
United States engage Messrs. Czihoun and Buchan-
an to argue our side of the question, Great Britain
appoints Mr.. Pakenham 10 argue hers. Nov, IL
was the business Of each 10 make the most OF his
side Of the question This Is the practice OF lawyers
the world over. If MIR. Pakenhsm len his side UNI
argued, IL was not Mr.. Cslhouns buseSss 70 argue
il for him. vsald not -la.iniasc tlA ol1 secret ~
res stated anything that was not true. ] mean to
saw IL was their duty To sum up the facts and con-
when the argument shall be taken out Of diplomacy
and committed TO the people, they will act in the
character OF Judges; and Judge should always hear
both sides OF question fully and fairly stated, es-
pecisly If he il about To decide upon his own
rghts.
Mr.. Chairman, the prominent position held by
the venerable gentleman from Massachusetts, upon
this question, the reliance which the friends OF "nO-
ice" eeem TO place upon his co-operatios, and the
great weight his name is likely to have with the
community and the world, make il my duty, as |
conceive, 10 take some further notice Of his course
IN this matter. All eyes here are turned towards
him; all encomum and adulation are heaped upon
hun; and, indeed, IL any one here may be called
leader, he IL, unquesuopably, that person. The
venerable gentleman processes TO be the friend of
peace; but look, SIR, at his conduct. Last winter
he pronounced the notice measure; calling il
"terrible question" Nor can he pretend il was
an inadvertency; for the point before the House
was, whether the power to give the notice was with
the Congress- or with the President and his whole
argument in favor Of the oower being in Congress
rested upon the single proposition that the "notice
was war" His effort, at that time, to postpone
action until Greenhow's book ordered by the
House, could be procured, and the people made ac-
quainted with the evidence Of our title, This or
pdre argument would, he supposed stimulate the
popular mind up to $40 40. Let his speech be con-
suited We'll, sir having carried this point most
successfully, he now tells you to ''pass the notices
it is perfectly peaceful; harm in in"
Thus the only important objection against notice
being removed, he then you that YOU can
pass no laws in relation TO Oregon until you have
first given the notice; leaving you no alternative
but TO give the notice, or abandon utterly your
people there, and every measure to promote the
settlement Of the country; notwithstanding he
himself, IN lo25, recommended certain laws to he
passed on the subject, and Notwithstanding, too,
the British government admitted our right to
make needful laws and denied expressly that Great
Britain intended to ''preyent the progress Of Amer
lean settlements" By all this, he would persuade
you that the notice is both harmless thing and an
Indispensable thing; and, such, OF course no one
could hesitate to vote forit. Conceivng, them the con-
venton to be abrogated, and the be brought
point, the next object be attained Is to ex-
cite the two nations to the most uncompromsing
pertinacity IN their respective demands. He there
fore, in terms Of taunt and dcrsion, predicts that if
Great Britain should stand firm, "M<. Polk and the
democratic party will back out" He then turns
about, and applies language of the same import to
Great Britain, upon the superstition that Mr.. Polk
should stand firm. Thus does he aim to nettIe each
party 10 the conflict, by all those powerful Impulses
that spring from national pride and sensibility, two
naughty and imperious nations, that would rather
suffer annlhilaton than be humbled and abased be-
fore the world. And yet the venerable gentleman
says he is opposed to war. He opposed to war !!
What more could he, or any man, have done to
bring about the bloody CATASTROPHE
Here the Speakers hammer fell.