The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1846-03-05

} du'ge the hope that they will be actuatec
. by due regard TO the interests, the integ
9 rity. and the honor Of the country; auC
: that, acting under sense of their obliga
: lions and responsibilities to the American
people, they will in due time, If possible
, bring this controversy 10 a fair, a JUS, anc
: honorable termination. And, if they car
+ do so with the notice, they certaln y can
. do so without it. Besides, by giving the
) notice with The design and for the purpose
, we have expressed, we at least run The haz
ard OF provoking feeling OF irritation
. and obstinacy, rather than spiril OF good
will and concilialon, so essential 10 O
peaceful and amicable settlement OF any
controversy.
But, Mr. Chairman, if, upon the other
hand, rash and inconsidc,ale counsels pre-.
vail on either side, the result must inevit>
ably prove most unfortunate and disastrous
10 both, 10 the present alread excited
slate Of feeling upon this subject, both in
this country and in Eng land, it would re-.
quire but little oflhe language OF irritation,
OF menace, or OF defiance, on the one side
or the other, to arrest all efforts at nego-
,iauon, to blast all hopes of compromise,
and TO involve The two Governments in a
disastrous war. 1t is not 10 be presumed
that either Government will tolerate 10 the
other the claim aud exercise Of exclusive
jurisdiction over the whole of the Oregon
territory, or any ACT looking 10 the exclu>
| opH nnn,rol IS O.,I;
ing that much will be gained by the ex-
hibiiion Of spirit of Cancellation and har.
mony, while much will be lost, and every
Ihirg hazarded, by the exhibition of an
offensive, gasconadlng lone, ask, in all
earneslness, whether we shall not best
consult the interests, the honor, and the
happiness Of the country, by abs,aining
from all acts, and from all language Of ir-
riaIion and provocalon.
| will, most cheeEfully, give my sup
port to any provisions which may be nee
essary for the protection Of our citizens 10
Oregon, and those emigrating there
| These are peaceful and proper measures,
and can furnish no just cause OF complaint.
| But lei US once assume an attitude OF hos
llily towards England; let US direct hat
the notice be given forthwith, and withou,
qualification let us accompany the no.
tice with an assertion Of our claim TO the
whole of Oregon, and the assurance OF
our purpose 10 take exclusive possession
OF II; and let US follow it up with the dec
larallon that the subJrc, is no longer open
to negotiation and compromise, ds was Sc,
forth in the resolution introduced in the
outset OF this debate by the honorable gen.
tleman from Illinois. (MR DoUoLAss,) lie,
this be done. land it is all proposed TO be
done,) and will venture my poor opinion
10 opposition TO any assurance or pledge
10 the contrary, let ii come from however
high and authoritative source it may, that
war is certain The inevitable, might say,
almost the necessary consequence. The
notice being given, If the question be not
settled within one year, we can do no less
than proceed TO take exclusive occupation
of the whole territory, or else recede from
the position we have taken. with disgrace
and ignominy. No one, ! presume, con-
templates the latter alternative. We shall
proceed, then, 10 take possession and con-
Tol, and 10 exercise our own exclusive
sovereignty over the whole Of The Oregon
territory. Do gentlemen really mag
that Great Britain will peacefully and qui-
city yield to our authority; surrender oil
claim OF title which she has hitherto as
serted and insisted upon. and withdraw
from territory which she has actually
occupied for more than fifty years; and
all this without struggle or an effort p
Gentlemen in this debate have dwelt much
and loudly upon the rapacity CT Eng land
for dominion and empire, and upon the lie,
naciy with which she fixes her grasp
wherever she can get hold of foot OF ter.
riiory. And shall we filter ourselves
that this rapa:;ous, and dornineering, and
mighty nation will now, for the first time
i'll her history, quietly and peaceably yield
10 the demands of another nation a vast
and valuable territory to which she claims
title =? Sir, The supposition is TOO preposter-
Gus 10 be entertained with seriousness a
sing lie moment We may date war with
that power from the day on which we
shalI do the frs, overt acl, and take the
first step ovowcdIy for the purpose of Ia
king entire end exclusive possession Of
that territory. There is no escape, then,
from this alternative, in case we give the
notice, except by settlement Of the qnes
ton within the year, And, as have al.
ready said, the chances Of settlement, in
my judgment are realty Iessened by Civ
ing the notice in the form and manner
Pre- posed.
II, then, Mr. Charman, this Oregon
question is to be settled By conflict of
arms, | beg OF these gentlemen, who
would hurry us upon this fearful issue,
and who seem almost impatient Of the de-
law, 10 p1use and wait liIl we are some.