Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1846-01-30
SPEECH OF MIR. GDOBBIN,

Whole on the state of the Union, Mr.. Dob
bin addressed the committee as follows
Mr.. CHAIRMAN : / do, not arise with the
design ofinfie,ing an hours speech upon
the committee; and, while have not the
vanity to indulge the hope of entertaining
the committee with the charms of splendid
defamation, or Of illustrating this vexed
question more elegantly Or more clearly
than other gentlemen. yet, sir, such is, ITS
magnitude. such the solemn responsibility
its decision imposes on every representa-
tive such the deep and intense interest
with which, our countrymen are all watch
ing our deliberations here, that ! feel ex-
cused and justified in proclaiming, with
undisguised frankness and candor, and as
succinctly as possible. at least portion Of
the numerous reasons which, animate me
in the course feel constrained to pursue.
Sir, believe the present is an interesting
crisis in our national history, when legis-
lation should be the offspring of calm, dis
passionate, unexcited, patriotic, and states
manlike deliberation; when the illiberal
and contracted suggestions of sectional pre-
Ijudice should be sternly discarded: when
party animosity should be sacrificed and
forgotten, and this grave American ques-
ton, involving American honor and Amer
lean rights, be settled by the suggestions
only 'of American patriotism Mr.. Chair
man, had stranger entered this hall, and
listened to the thrilling and beautiful des-
sertations on. the loneliness Of peace; the
frightful descriptions Of the horrors Of war;
his mind would surely have been impress
ed with the opinion that we were really
discussing the question of declaring war
against England For myself avow my
determination to vote for the resolution of
the Committee Oh Foreign Affairs, TO give
notice to Great Britain 10 terminate the
joint occupancy Of Oregon, in pursuance
Of the treaty Of 1928. | repudiate. the
charge that this is a war measure. fling
back the ,war-cry.. Il there be war par
ty and peace party, belong TO the peace
party. But, sir, this incessant alarm-shout
of war, war, war, shall not deter me from
voting to give this notice, when [ entertain
the sincere conviction that national honor
demands it; good policy demands it; f.
deity to treaty stipulation demands it; jus
tice to our adventurous pioneers in Oregon
demands it; and, in my humble opinion,
the public peace a0iN be more surely pro-
moted By 1t. Mr.. Chairman, gentlemen
who have ingeniously sought to make this
war measure, may express surprise at
the declaration; but here, in my place, be-
fore this House and the country, declare
my solemn belief that gentlemen who op-
pose this measure are openly advocating
and proposing a course of policy far, far
more calculated TO plunge our happy coun-
try into an early war with England; more
evasive and viola:lve of the spirit of our
treaty stipula!ons; more surely to multi
ply difficulties in the adjustment Of this
already too long protracted controversy
and more inconsistent with the candid and
honorable bearing Of this grea! and proud
Republic. What, sir, is the relative po.
sition of parties on this question:? All, all
believe our country's title to Oregon il
not perfect, is at least the best All con.
cur in the opinion that the emigration o.
our citizens and ofBriiisi, subjects to tina
TERRITORY, and the difficulties and confusion
necessarily produced by conflicting juris'
diction and laws, loudly call for termin
alton of the present convention between
, the two countries. All no,U reject the for.
neeriy avowed policy of 'masterly inactiv.
and propose action. But, sir, l in.
woke the attention of the Hose to thechar.
acter of the policy of gentlemen who dis
course SO vehemcnty agamstthis notice as
a war measure. -s aag:l .s-.oa-s ss- @....f .
The distinguished gentleman from Vir
1ginia. ma. HUNrER.) whose eloquence
and patriotism all admit, proposes, not 'in'
activity but the passing of 'such mea.
sures as may encourage our settlements in
the disputed territory without contravening
aahy treaty siipulations. He thinks thai
thousands of dollars may be jndiciously
1expended for colonizing the territory; and
THAT IL our settlements are once firmly plan.
ted south of the Columbia, the crack -ol
our American rifles, and. the sound of the
axe of our westernspioneer, will in:7 due
thine be heard. not only north of thal:riyer,
but north of the 49th parallel Another
gentleman, opposed to the tnotice, ventures
= the hope that soon hundred thousand
American emigrants could be encouraged
10 settle there. and among them twenty
I thousand good riaemen l. Other gentle,
men who concur in ibis miseaRed tactic
ipollcD concur also in the opinion that this
is the wisest PoIiey.sto secure the territory,
not only to the Ash degree, but .tbe whole
lof 0ra0nns-snme avon =; Al. l.