The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-02-19


risdiction of her courts over territory in which
she admits that she has other right bat that Of
| JOINT occupancy.
I am aware that she has disavowed the intention
of enforcing her criminal laws against citizens OF the
United States. But II senators will turn 10 the doc
umsnts accompanying the Presidents message, they
will see that the Hudson Bay Company has
much'more summary method Of disposing Of Amer
! lean citizens, who establish themselves the
north side Of the Columbia, ia the neighborhood Of
/ its settlements. Their condition is not betleTed, II
this exemption from the operation Of the British
statute is to be exchanged for forcbe process of
election without law.
| Under these circumstances, what is the duty Of
the United Statesi As | do not intend TO ntrude
myself on the attention Of the Senate again, without
absolute necessity, on any ques ton relating to Ore
gon, | desire 20 say now that shall vote for the
Lotce TO terminate the convention Of 1878, con-
tinued in force by the convention Of 1927 | am in
favor of extending the authority Of our laws and
n the jurisdiction Of our courts over the terrtory and
in doing so, | would specially except British sub
jects and direct them, when charged with inirac-
lions Of our laws, 10 be delivered up TO the nearest
British authorities. would make this reservation
for the express purpose Of preventing, as far as
possible, conflict Of jurisdiction, and 10 avoid all
cause for impuung to disregard Of treaties, OF
desire TO produce collision or disagreement Of any
sort And in order to facilitate the extension Of the
authority Of the Union our felow-citzens in
that remote district of our country and TO remove
as far possible, the obstacles TO more free and
efficient intercourse between US and them, would
establish at once a chain of military posts, with
competent garrlsons and armaments, from the re-
hottest navgsble waters which how into the Mis-.
sssippi, TO the eastern face Of the Rocky noun
tains, stopping here long as the convention
4 tinues in force. Duty, honor, polcy-sll demand
these measures at our hands; and ! trust they will
be executed with promptltude and decision.
Will these measures produce war; | cannot be-
lieye that they will ] cannot believe il, because
they furnish no just ground Of proyoeauon. The
right TO give the notice is reserved by treaty The
right Of extending our laws over Oregon is night
which Great Britain has already exercised for
quarter Of century, and to extent greater than
have proposed. The establishment Of chain Of
posts 10 the Rocky mountains wholly within our
own territory, invades no right in others. IL has
been inferred, from an expression in public docu-
{ ment, that there is danger Of immediate war; and
that sudden blow may be struck. Sir, | do not
believe it. A war waged against us account Of
any one or all Of the measures referred to, would be
a war Of plain, unmixed aggression No nation, in
the present age, could embark in such a contest,
without drawing down upon herself the condemna-
ton Of all civilized communities She would ind
herself opposed and restrained by the public opin-
ion, which, In our day, rules the conduct Of nations
more powerfully than the arm Of force hold,
therefore, immediate to be out Of the question.
Nor eventual war take place unless the asser-
ton of our rights shall be forciby resisted. do
may bring forth. Collisions may possibly grow out
of these Recommendations ripening through in
, huences and events which may be una
BILE TO control, into open warfare. | should deep
ly deplore such a result. The interests Of hu.
mainly, great principles of political right, self
government, freedom, individual rights all SUI
fer when the voice of the law is sllenced
by tie tnmult of war. "Iier silent kges," is
adage, Of the truth Of which history has furnished
too many fatal proofs. ] would do much to arrest
, not Inconsistent with honor, TO avoid contest
which would be disastrous 10 both parties, mat
ter what should be its final issue. But beyond this
, never can consent To go. And redemption from
war only be purchased by a surrender Of our
Just rights cannot consent to make the purchase.
But if war cannot I've averted, trust shall not
consmit the fatal error Of undertaking adversa-
, ry. With some opportunity of observing the con-
dition of Great Britain at hand, have hes
taiion in saying that she never capable OF
greater efforts than she the present moment.
know that her nordInate distension contains within
itself element of vital weakness. Ii is not in the
> order of human society that extended a domin-
, ion should remain long unbroken. But have not
r yet been able TO detect in the condition of her body
, polite, the unerring symptoms of that decay
which precedes and works out the dissolution Of
empires, She has great abuses TO struggle against
The senator from Ohio has well and graphically
described them. She has great burdens to sustain;
but she has great strength TO bear them. Her SOL
,
, ervated in vigor and relaxed in discipline You
will find them in every qua ter of the ODE, urder
e tn fiery heat of the equator and amid the Of
the arctic circle Drawing the elements and setting
danger and toll, in every form, at defiance But,
RI sir pretend not, with my narrow foresight, to look
into the future. Ii is possible that her hour may be
<hear at hand But we knew that The last struggle
of the strong man is always the most desperate,
and sometimes the most dangerous to the antago-
mist, who have brought him to the ground.
lsay this is no spirit of timditv. shy it in a
spirit Of prudent forecast-w.th the desire that we
may go into the contest if it shall come, with the
assurance that have to deal with strong adver-
, sary and not weak one; and that preparation
shall be commensurate with the means of offence
to which we shall be exposed. Ihave no doubt of
our ability both to defend ourselves, and to give
back effective blows in return. We were never 80
strong as we are at the pre- sent moment-strong in
our position, means, III the spirit of peo
pie. Our defenceless condition has been greatly
overstated. We have been told that our coast is
denuded. have heard, wheh.r on this floor or
elsewhere do not know, that there is scarcely
gun mounted for the defence Of the comm rcal me-
tropos o. my State There cannot be greater
error. There are hundreds ofguns, of heavy cali
bre, in the city of New York, ready, at the very
hour in which | speak, to receive assaant, and
as many near, which can be placed in position in
any emergency. In thirty days believe the city
might be rendered, with a skilful engineer, and
with the means which mis- ht be placed at his COM
mand, prepared-well prepareS-agalnst a maritime
assault. But, sir turn awDy from all these fore
bodings ofevil. I have confidence in the continu-
ance Of peace. The good Of both countries
will revolt at contest which can bring no good
to either, and demand adjustment Of existing diff
fculties on terms honorable to both. Such is my
conviction But, sir, if am deceived, then !
have only to say, that while would be constrained
by nothing but overruling necessity to take up the
sword yetif the necessity shall come, trust we
shall never consent to lay il down until the rights
and the honor OF the country have been fully vndi-
| Gated.
When Mr.. DIX resumed his seat,
| Mr. ALLEN moved that the Senate proco ed to
executive business; but
Mr.. BENTON signifying his desire to address
the Senate, the motion was Withdrawn.
! Mr.. BENTON said: propose to speak to a branch
of this question-not the branch of it on which the
senator from New York on my right Mr.. DIx1 has
just spoken II had intended to have spoken on that
j branch ahnuld have Giyen nn the desira a1.s-