Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1846-01-23
THE OREGON QUESTION.

We copy from the National lnielllgencer
the speech of JOSHUA II. GtDDrNGs on this all
absorbing topic. 1t was called forth by the
following resolution:
B.,oLred by the Senate and House Of Repre-
sentatives of the United States Of America in
Congress assembled, That the President of
the United States for hwith cause notice to
be riycn to the government OF Great Britain,
that the convention between the nltcd States
and Great Britain, concerning the Territory
of Oregon, of the 9th of August, 1927, sign
ed at London, shall be a~nnulled and abroga-
ted, twelve months after the expiration OF the
said term of notice, conformably to the sec
ond article of the said convention CT the 9th
of August, 1877.
Mn. GlDD;Nc3 said that owing to the diff
caliy which he had experienced heretofore ~
obtaining the floor, he was induced to avail
himself Of his present position to Indicate the
consideration that would govern him IN vot-
ing for the resolution reported from the Com
nl,tee on Foreign Affairs. 1t is due to my
self (said Mr.. O. to say, that, in a former
Congress, ! was opposed 10 terminating the
Joint occupancy Of Oregon. That vote was
riycn under the circumstances which then
surrounded us. Now we are placed in a to-
tllly different position. Since this subject
was before us, our Union has been changed
in its essential elements, and lis fundament-
al principles have been overlhrown. The
Union founded by our fathers has been sub
vertcd. and a new slavcholding Contederacy
has been formed, giving to the Southern por-
ton the balance of power, and subJecung the
free labor of the North, the dearest rights OF
the free States, to the tender merclcs CT a
slaveholding oligarchy. They now have the
entire direction Of the Government. The
rrople Of the free States have been POLITICAL
iy bound head aud foot, and delivered over
to the slavrholding interest, and It IS now
worse than mocksry to talk Of maintaining
the manufacturing in;err SIS Of Pennsylvania
or Of New England. They ara now undcI
t.!c incXomhlu power OF the South.
This, then, i, cur situation, as We arc a!
perfectly conscious. Tx nation has beer
plunged without my aid into this condition
and against my will. | have believed an'
ctill believe, that this policy ct acquiring ter
1itory must inevitably, il carried cut, SuOYeT
the Government and dissolve the Union.
Ma. CuIpMAN called Mr.. G. to order, ant
,yas understood to say that to speak of ii,
dissolutiUa of lho Onion was irrelevant, anl
was throwing a frebrAnd into the House.
Ma. GIppINGs proceeded. ! vas Stain!
our present situation, and the liability Q. thu
new Union to fall asunder from its ON
weiubt, when this system of extension shdl
he carried out. And il is uHat. these circum
stances that | am called to express my opln
ion Of the proposed policy. am led to tn
conclusion, to the irresistible conclusion. %.
war, with all its horrors ard its deVa5tato
Of public morals, - infinitely preferable TO
%supine, i active submission TO the slaveholc
ing power, that is TO control this nation,
left in its present situation.
| wish TO be distinctly understood 'hat
have seen enough Of war to form an oplnid
of its effects, its misories, and the extent
its curse. Yet, sir, | greatly prefer th2'a, t
n few years, to the quiet apathy which III
already subjected us to a change u 1ha 90
eminent formed by our fathers.
Here | will take occasion to say, that | d
fer from my venerable friend from Massach
sets as to the probability of war. | am
opinion that if we take the whole Of Orego
it will produce war. l say this, although
have heretofore in nine cases out OF ten, toul
myself mistaken when | have differed fro
that venerable statesman. The conseque
ces of a war have not escaped my consider
ton.
1t must inevitably produce great destru
ton to the commercial wealth Of New I'm
land. Here let me say to the gentleman fro
Massachusetts, (Ma. WINTHRoP,) vino
other day made so eloquent an appeal in
yor of peace, and who represents the co
mercial interests of that State, that fully
p~reciate his motives and feelings. But, $
this situation is one of his own choice.
was among the first distinguished men of t
State who gave in his adherence to the chan