The northern galaxy. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1844-1848, 1846-04-21
CONGRESS-.
THINGS IN WASHINGTON.
WASHINGTON. April 9th. ISL

WASHINGTON. April 9TH, 1910.
gave you, yesterday, sketch Of Mr.. Me
Duties speech on Oregon. Ii was amusing
10 see the the uneasy movements and frown-
ing looks of the extreme Oregon men. when
he was skeiching the beauty and fertility Of
the soil. lake the following extract from
his speech, rs reported in the Union. The
Book upon which he relies for his statements
is no British authority. 1t is Mr.. Greenhow's
book, which had been endorsed by the 81 de-
gree 40 minute men in various ways. Mr..
Nj Duiiic proceeds 10 say:
was referring 10 calculations that had been
made of the expense of such war. The
annual sacrifice, including the destruction oil
our commerce and the expenses OF the war,
would be one hundred million Of dollars
| put that as the lowest estimate and as
am responsible 20 God. would not give the
tenth part Of this sum for the whole Oregon
territory. Row this being d clear question of
calcnlaiion-of profit and Ioss-as far as our
homer is not involved, have brought book
here from which, having shown what the title
is 10 that for which we are contenGing, | will
proceed 10 exhibit 10 the Senate the probable
value Of the country in dispute. II ercr
there was portion OF the earth in which
would regard il rs the greatest Inifortuues
Ol a IODi ill.lu " DC " CuD-
slider that that portion Of the earth is this
Oregon terri DRY. Ii is country that al
mosts appears 10 have been blasted by the
Go oil creation. 1t is totally destitute of every
attraction Ii is almost incapable OF sustaining
Il civilized human being. And yet this Is
the country that has been magnlied into a
rerfect Ell Doradol Let me now call the al
iention of the Senate 10 few short extracts,
which well remember were published main
| ly at the Instance Of the present Secretary sf
State-hen member of this body-a book
giving the most recent, perfect and accurate
account OF the Oregon territory, Of any tina:
has ever yet been published. The Oregon
territory is very remarkable one. IL is d-
vidcd iHio different regions by mountains
First, there are the California mountains
running parallel with the coast about eighty
miles from the sea; betw cen them and the
sea. according TO this work is an area Of %
| Geo square miles, Of which about -ecth or
ne-tenih only is &, for cuiivaiion-that is.
about four or five thousand square miles (;
and, rs far as ] en- learn ard as far can
learn, and as far as any Just inference can be
drawn from settlements made. this miserable
strip land is the only portion of Oregon on
which civilized human being can rest his
loot with certainty that by agricultural
means he can support existence! have
said that these regions the first and the best
Is that nearest the ocean and the remarka-
bic fact that no settlement has been made
this side oil the valley Of Willamette; that af.
ter entering Oregon. the emigrant travels
one thousand miles before he can find SPOT
inviting him 10 settle, is pretty conclusive ev-
idence that the region alluded 10 is the only
portion Of the territory capable Of sustaining
civilized human lile.'
OF the territory North of49 degrees, about
which we are so anxious 10 90 TO war. Mr..
Greenhow says
The territory North Of 10th parallel of
atituded, and Northwest of that drained by
the Columbia river, has been called Ner
Caledonia by the British fur Graders. who
first established posts in it beyond the 56;h
parallel, in 1906. 1t is a sterile land OF SHOW
clad mountains, iorturous rivers; and lakes
frozen over more than two-ihirds oil
the year; presenting scarcely a single
spot in which any Of The vegetables
used as food by civilized people can be pro-
duced.
These statements fell upon the Senate
with geat force. The 81 degree 40 minute
men found il Indispensable 10 do somethibg
and so Mr.. Breose rose and read ex-
tracts from vancouver VOYAGES, descriptive
OF he country on The shores of the Sounds
and iii.;:s. This WAS useless. for Mr.. Nc
Duaic bad acknowledged, with Mr.. Green.
how i,:ai there were snme four or five lhon.
sand square miles on the shores OF rivers fit
for rul'iva.inn. These were the facts which
Va7convrr'S Voyage refersto.
Mr. N;c1'':is replied:
M ,inub' i''re may be small slips of the
country st !or cultivation, but the description
have sireH i beyond all doubt tina, which
applies 10 The whole country generally.
shall he very glad if any gentleman proves
that The description is inaccurate. SirAIex.
ahdcr Mckenzie, who explored the whole
country gives precisely the same account of
the region of Frazer's river as have quoted
from Greenhow. And may add that Mr..
White, now here, has said, as understand.
within The last month, that, for agricultural
purposes, Oregon is not worth egl