The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-01-29

ana thcy were as Hhely 10 yiciu 10 uose
passions. And as 10 their interests, which II had
been urged would deter her from entering into q
war, our interests would be much affected by a
war and IL would not do Ia rely upon her interests
as AN assurance that she would not be brought into
war in defence OF her alleged rights Ii no ne
gOtlstIons had taken place. If no threats Of war had
been uttered both in this hall aud elsewhere II no
excitement had been raised; and if things stood in
the same state as they were Ia 1915 when this con-
yenton was first entered into, then he admitted the
giving the notice would not be taken a cause of
war, but the mere putting all end to friendly
agreement, afording no just complaint. Gentle
men talked Of this notice, II they considered II IN
this light now; but under the circumstances ex-
isting-afer the President had declared that we
could make no proposition more favorable than that
which had been made and had been refused so often
by Great Britain, and that Great Britain would
make no offer which We could accept ailer we had
confsssedly exhausted every means of friendly set
uement-the giving this notice would be taken as an
Enthusiastically all must agree that once given,
Il must be followed up by the protection OF our
eilzens, by AN extension OF our laws over that ter
ntory, and by all those measures necessary TO the
assertion and yindIeatlon of our rights. Among
these, Mr.. +. referred particularly TO the extension
OF our laws, which must necessarily folOw-bOih
in respect of person and property over all persons
within that territory and In Of the commission
Of muHer bya subject Of Great Britain, his plea Of
jurisdiction, not being considered valid by our courts
his conviction and execution would be taken To be a
easUs be by that power, which never failed TO main
tain the rights and privileges Of her subjects, where
ever, and however remotely, they may have extend
ed themselves.
With reference to this convention, recurring To
TO his position, that II a convention Of iOint
occupation, Mr. Il. coRtended that by virtue
Of Il, and by virtue Of the negotiations which had
been entered into upon the subject, from time 10
time, we had acknowledged thar Great Britain had
rights in this territory; and he urged that the giving
this notice, and following IL up by the necessary
measures, in order TO take exclusive occupation Of
the territory would be neglect and violation OF
those rights.
| But, should the chairman Of the COMMITTEES on
Territories, Mr.. DOUGLAss, we shall then be in
possession, and can enter into negotiation with
Great Britain upon the title. And yet the gen.
tleman claimed that our right was perfect not only
to $40 40, but beyond that line he knew not how far
and that under no circumstance he would yield that
right What room or what ground, then, he asked
the gentleman, would there be for negotiation
He referred to the declaration made by the chair
man Of the Committee on For ign Affairs, tMr. C.
J. ISGERsoLL,l and by the venerable gentleman from
Massachusetts Mr.. ADAMS, that no war would fol
low this notice. lie certainly placed great conf
denee in the declarations Of these gentlemen; but
when they told him that there was nothing behind
the curtain-thst the President had given them q
full exposure OF the state Of our relationship must
be allowed to form his own judgment, and, in his
war WOulu DC result OF tnls no.
tce. Atany rate, he should like TO take peace
warrant against Great Britain and he should be glad
| TO ind any power high enough, and strong enough
to hold her to bail TO keep the peace. He said 70
these gentlemen, do not expose US to ridicule in
contending that the result will be war; IL you have
| the means to show that this will not be the case
He should like TO know whether either of these gen.
uemen had bride in the mouth of Great Britain
or hook in the nose Of this leyathan, Ii so, he
would like to see how they would handle this mon
sier-pover among the nations Of the earth.
He passed next TO a consideration Of the inquiry
| whether the giving this notice would be a ground
/ for war upon the part Of Great Britain. He knew
that our title to this territory had been held by the
great majority of gentlemen who had spoken, TO b
so ''clear and unquestionable," that il was unpatr
otic and dsbonorable for an American citizen to
stand this floor and presume TO question it. Blu,
he was for the strict naked truth, however il might
affect US. Honor and patriotism ought always 10
consist with truth, and truth the foundation on
which the prosperity Of all governments in The long
run was based. Then he did not hesitate 10
examine our title. He did not say il was not
n better title than that of Great Britain, and he
gave the reasons which, impelled him to dis
sent from the position of a gentleman who
had preceded him. and who had commended that il was
absurd TO speak Of the title of one nation being good
and that of another nation to the territory be.
ing better; but he proceeded to inquire whether il
was such clear and unquestonable title to the en-.
/
defence. He proposed to read few words from a
treatise the law of nations; and il astonished him
that the Secretary of State, the chairman Of the
Committee on Foreign Affairs, and the gentleman
from Massachusetts, should have talked here of the
law Of nations, when there was neither book nor
page from any respectable authority on the law OF
nations to sustain the positions 80 gbly and flip
PANTY taken by those who commended that the title
Of the United States was clear and unquesiionable
He did not pretend to compare his knowledge with
that Of so high authorities, but on bis responsibility
as lawyer and man Of some reading, he made
this declaration. This was the whole matter; if we
had an unques,ionable title, of course If Great Brit
ain were to place soldier, a gun, or a fort upon
our soil, il casus belii. But he affirmed that our
title to the entire territory not "cear and un-
questionable He was as much disposed to defer
the extensive knowledge and to the superior abi.
ties ofour secretaries--of Mr. Buchanan and Mr..
Calhoun--as any gentleman; but he had seen no au-
thorities quoted; and he said there were FIVE or six
doubtful points of the law of nations which were
assumed, and assumed alone, in settling our clear
and unquestionable right to this territory. .al
| Mr.. f. first read from the law of nations upon
the impropriety of going to war upon u question
which is doubtful; and his hour having nearly ex-
| PRED, he concluded by reading-wilh bur n word
of comment on them respectivey--certnin other
doubtful points, (Which he had reduced TO writing
which he had referred to as having been assumed
to be clearly established by the law ofnaona, and to
which he invited the attention Of gentlemen who
were to follow him.
| Mr.. BAKER obtained the floor, and addressed
the committee for about one hour in support of the
proposition before it, and remarked upon the fire.
quent and positive assertions which this govern
nent had made before the world of the validity of
it's title to the whole of Oregon. The gentleman
from South Carolina, Mr. HoLNEs,l who had Just
taken his seat, had expressed great apprehension
that the measure proposed would disturb the peace
of the world Why did not the gentleman adj
vert to that result before the late election, when
the Oregon question was coupled with the Texas
question: Nothing was said, then, OF the probable
iiy Of war. He did not wish To speak of The Ba,,s
more convention any further than to say tina, by yr-
tue of its proceedings and resolutions their NOMINEES
was now IN power; and he now called upon all who
had shared in the success of that nomination, 10
stand up to the principles upon which il was made
And he would here add, that it did not become an
man who had participated and conceded in the re.
suits of that convention, now to sneer a, western
enthusiasm on the Oregon question: or to talk of the
horrors OF war which might grow out Of il. But
he denied that the question belonged 10 The West ex
clusively. 10 was an American question