The Charlotte journal. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1835-1851, 1846-06-19
From the Richmond Wing, All instant
Senators Benton and Cas-.
"a 40 rerSus 40


10 resnsci,o,e The lIne Of 81 40, which had
been so completely obhteraied by the able
argument OF Senator Benton. 10 what ex'
tent he succeeded IN breathing a soul on
der the ribs Of DEATH" may be inferred
from the hopelessness OF the undertaking,
as well as from the fact, consequent there
upon, that be omitted, in his speech, all al.
fusion TO The strong points aud oSerwhelm'
incly conclusive facts adduced By MIR. Ben
ton, and resor,ed 10 the stale artltice OF en-
deavorng to weaken their force by lmpug.
n,ng the consistency OF the Senator from
Missouri, from whose speech 10 le42 he
read several muiilated extracts, furnished
for the occasion by certain caterers, TO
whom, as well as to their champion, Mr.
Benton applied the lash with unspalr'ng Sc
yerlv. Mr.. B, complained, as he had o
right TO do, thu, The Achilles OF the Fifty
four Forlies, who We were assured few
weeks ago by one OF the most ardent OF his
disciples, was able 10 drag the discounted
Hector Of the adversary party around the
walls OF Troy, /" had slipped over oil the
srong proofs which be had addnced upon
the line of Utrecht, such as the hing $ msP,
Jeffiies' Geography, the exclusion OF Inc
British for fifteen Years from LOUISIANA by
virtue Of that line, and The refusal OF Inc
British Ministers to take any notice oil their
complaints" This wHs certainly, though
discreet, not very cred,table 10 The valor OF
the Michigan Senator, aud implies want
OF confidence in the truth and deiensiblliiy
OF his extreme assumptions. But, II such
course be credltable 10 the slratagoIlc
skill of the partisan leader, who, though
convinced Of his error, still endeavofs TO de-
fend his position, i; is not less dlsPatagins
10 his claims as a Statesman, whose leading
purpose should be to renounce and abandon
q position assumed precIpltately and from
ignorance, as soon as his mind IS enlisht.
ened by facts which demonstrate the error
and deIuson under which he has been la.
boring Particularly is such course IN.
cumbent upon q Senator, who has perhaps,
mex. to The Pfeslden, himself, done more
than any other Individual TO tnsead the
public judgment, upon question OF such
grave consequences as the extent OF The A.
mericau title 10 the territory Of Oregon, up
on the ultimate decision Of which hangs the
issue Of Peace or War between the two
most powerful nations on the globe-na,
tons OF kindred Interests as well as kindred
tongues, and both Of which have SO many
and such powerful persuasyes, social and
political as well as commercial, 10 keep the
doors Of the Temple OF Janus forever closed.
Not having space 10 publish the whole Of
Mr., Benlon's reply 10 Mr., Cass,-whlch
by !he way, completely spiked the guns O
the fifty four foriies, not one OF whom raj
lied to his support, even Allen and Hanne
gan remaining mute copy few Of II
salieu, points, by which the reader will b,
enabled TO Judge both Of the strength Of hi
position and Of he weakness Of that Of hi
adversary.
Mr.. Benton said
The point before the Senate was de
claralion OF title, on the part OF the Unite'
States 10 FraZsrs river and lis valley
known as New Caledonia, and, as such, &C
cupied by the British without question sIuc
ls06. Mr.. Benton said this vas the gres
question for il was 4 question oil peace o
war, and a var upon a mls,ake--a bluude
geographical and political. Tue bLande
was, that the United States had line witt
Russia, dividing the country with her from
the sea 10 the Rocky Mountains, and tina
all the country on this side was ours. Thl
was the political blunder. The geoeraph
zeal blunder vas in relation 10 Frszet's riy
er and IFS valley, called Jy the British New
Caledonia, and which was assumed TO be {
part OF our Oregon, There was no suct
line. and no such extension Of our Oregon
The Russian line was in the sea, confined
10 the islands. Frazar's river and its val
ley, covered with British establishment
since the year SOC, covered the counir,
from 81 deg to 10 degrees. These wer
the facts. But the fifty four. forties, upoo
mistake as 10 the Russian line, and upon
mistake as TO Frazsf river, set out To TAX
that entire river and valley from the Brit
ish ; and, therefore, to involve Us in wal
and tina, gnoranlly aud unJasuf4bly, wit
Great Britain. Their double error ha
been shown; the readings Of the lrea,e
with Russia and Great Britain detected hi
double error. The gentlemen who had lie
the country INTO error, who had prepare
them for a war upon a mistake, instead {
retrsctng il, had this day taken their cours
10 petsevere IN il And what was var up
on mistake before, now became war upo
design, and without preleM. MIR. Ben
ton said, without pretext for the Sena
ter from Michigan, in a speech of an hou
and q half this day, with an instructive drea
of the fatal point, never ouce mentione
Frazer's river; never once mentioned Ne
Caledonia never once veniured to asse
that the United States bad one particle
claim TO that British possession. Yet
would still adhere TO 81 deg. 40 minute
which includes il ; and thus, by inferenc
60 10 war for wha, he could not even vel
ture 10 name.
!" Mr. Benton said /. was a case TO II
the frali'y Of poor human nature. I'll
great organ, aud FIVE hundred small one
following lis notes, aud many ten thousan
tongues, had proclaimed the "a 40 lin,
nd ,s,hf -