The North-Carolina standard., 1846-03-11

own wool, our own meat and bread our own
clothes, and our gold and silver Yes sir
our own gold and silver; for who can tell of the
countless stores of mineral wealth which lie en-
bedded in the bosom of her mountains For her
mountains are but continuation Of those which,
in Mexico, have poured out their treasures in such
astonishing profusion into the laps of her citizens
But it is in regard to the commercial importance
OF this wonderful country that prophecy has ven-
tured her most amazing speculation. q Il is in this
point of view that Oregon becomes invested with
an interest and importance which it is not given
TO the most sanguine Imagination 10 grasp We
are told that whatever nation in The history of the
world has monopolized the trade Of The East, has
exercised controlling influence over the destinies
Lotsthe other nations of the earth. Phenica, Car
thage, Greece, Rome, Venice, Genoa, and Hol-
land, have been succcssively the successful COM
petltors for the gittering prize, and they sue
cessively the masters and school-masters Of the
world giving to it law, civilization, the arts that
embellish and the sciences that dignity and emo
Bile human nature, and pouring into the laps of the
other nations The luxuries of refined and cult
waited existence. The sceptre Of this allpcrvading
power is now in the hands of Great Britain, and
she stands confessedly the master power Of the
world. 10 secure this trade by the only pracl
cable route which now presents ITSELF her mer-
chants are compelled to traverse an ocean way of
some tens of thousands miles, and requiring for
an average voyage some five or six months. ri
If Oregon shall become ours, and the project Of
railroad between the Atlantic and Pacific shall
ever be realized-and realized it will be-lhal
trade must pass through country, because the
route from the East 10 Europe would be shorten
ed by some two-thIrds Our country must then
become the thorough hfare Of this great trade, and
into our hands must pass the sccptre of that pow
er, which, in all ages that past, has given such
controlling moral and physical influence to its
fortunate posscssor The Kingdoms Of the earth
Considerations like Observation-Disclosures too far
from being fancifu and visionary-invest Oregon
with interest and value which will not Justify US
in surrendering it as barren waste. am aware
of the attempts made at times to deprcciate and
underrate it. | know that 1t is represented by
some desert waste, in which mountain is piled
upon mountain in wild sterile confusion, fit only
TO be the abode Of the rnurderous savage, and the
prowling wild beast But, sir, j must confess
that like the country for the very wildness of its
mountains. Mountainous countries arc the nurse
ries of freemen. The love of country which they
inspire is 10 be found nowhere else. The inhabi-
tant of the plain loves his country, but it is often
cold, selfish, and calculating attachment. Point
out 10 him place where his interest will be
more promoted and country is lost sight of,
amidst the cngrossmcnts of interest. The noun
taineer loves his country with a romantic devo-
ton, partaking of the grandeur, the sublimity,
!
rounded. And, sir, when liberty is about TO de-
| part from any country which it has once blessed
with her presence, her last and lingering footsteps
are 10 be seen in the defiles and recessns of its
mountains. And when country shall have
reached the meridian Of its glory, and, in obedi-
ence 10 that law which nature has impressed all
! things human shall begin to wane and decline,
perhaps patriot Wallace, with his few valiant, de-
voted followers will, in the rude mountains of
| for ord
and drive back for time the mercenary forces of
| the usurper "i
| will now proceed 10 answer some of the
statements made on this floor by gentlemen on the
other side. Some of them tell US that we are not
prepared for a conflict with Great Britain; that
we have no forli6calions deserving the name; no
navy; no army; no militia; whilst she is repre-
srnted as having preparations in all these respects
never before seen in the hands of any power in
The history of the world Statements like these
are the Standing and sereotypcd arguments of all
those, who, in the history o. the United States.
have been opposed to war. They are consdera-
tions which were urged Just before our revolution
ary and our last war, and urged with an ingenui-
ty, and eloqucnce, and seeming propriety which
they never bring with them again. They
carried with them little no force then, and they
can carry with them still less now, when the
result of both those wars but especially of the lat
ter has proved that our strength consists in our
resources, in our material for ready preparation,
and in The indomable spirit of our people, rather
than in any extended previous preparation. TO
argue that should adopt no measures which:
by any possibility, will lead to war, until we on
an cqnality in point of preparation with the power
which it may be supposed will offend, is to
argue against all war, as we'll as against the ad-
vocacy of any measure which, however remotely,
may operate to produce hosllitics For the sense
OF our people, the spirit of institutions is op-
posed to large Standing armies, to expensive ma
vies, and to extensive Notifications, so that our
preparations are always made after war is declar-
ed, or considered inevitable. aotz s1i r-
Other gentlemen tell us that the certain effect
of war for Oregon will be to lose the whole Of
it for while at least, and that its probable effect
will be to lose it to us altogether. But, sir, [
cannot bring myselfto believe that we shall lose
it even for a time I cannot but believe that we
shall be able to send men enough into that country
to expel any force which Great Britain send
there and supply with the nccessaries of life and
the munitions of war, for any considerable time
And as to her Indian allies, very little is to be
dreaded from them, except in their attacks upon
defenceless women and children Great Britain
managed in both our wars TO get them upon her
side, but we were an overmatch for both of them,
and that TOO, when the Indians were much more
numerous and powerful than they are at this time,
and when we were far less so, and the Indians
were far more formidable than the haIEbrute
creatures which bear that name on the west of the
Rocky mountains Indeed I am inclined to the