The northern galaxy. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1844-1848, 1846-03-17

of our Government, numbering many of the
ablest men ard purest patriots of the country,
in proposing 10 surrender to Great Britain a
large portion OF this territory as peace-of
fering, to what is now, for the first time, as
serted to be an arrogant and groundless de-
mard. We have, all at once, become vastly
wiser and more patriotic than our fathers
Considering the character and the early date
of the British misunderstanding the grounds
and the nature OF the evidence upon which
our respective claims rest-and considering
the manner in which her claims have always
been treated, the concessions and the offers
made-I have no hesitation in saying, that
we shall find less justification in now treating
her claims as a mere arrogant and groundless
pretence, than we shall in meeting them and
treating them with serious and respectful
cOusideration-so long, at least. as she mani
tests similar disposition on her part.
Let US suppose that England, being as
thoroughly convinced Of the validity of her
title TO Oregon-the whole oft, if You please
as the Baltimore convention and President
Polk are of ours, should say to US: 1--WE
have clear and incontestibe title TO the
whole of the Oregon territory; we shall.
therefore. insist upon the whole oft; and al
though we have been negotiating about II for
more than twenty-five years, and made vari
Gus propositions of settlement, and offered
you one-half of it. by way of compromise
and you have occupied it. in common with
US, all this while, we shall now close the door
upon you, and give you notice that, at the en-
piration of twelve months, you must quit
possession; from that time we shall exercise
our own exclusive jurisdiction over The whole
of il; we shall no longer listen TO any tel ms
of compi omise: we shall neither propose nor
receive any further offers for negotiation, nor
will we submit what we consider clear title
10 MS 10 the decision of any disinteres,ed tri-
bunal; all your claims are mere pretence,
without foundation or shadow of lille. We
own the whole; we demand the whole; we
will take nothing short of the whole; and, in
so doing, we claim only what rIghtfully be-
longs TO us; and if you choose TO 60 to war
with us for taking only what is our own, we
will meet you as best we can. Let conse-
quences take care of themselves" This is
very much after the manner we are now adj
dressing ourselves to England upon this sub
ject; and how, think you, should we be like
y to regard language OF this character by her
to u.s. / need not say VIC should regard it
dhh uNut IL 10 w uiNH
could be offered to US. 1t would be met with
universal response of condemnation, not
only from the whole American people. but
from every civilized government on earth.-
No alternative would be left US but tame and
dishonorable submission, or an appeal TO arms,
and 10 the God of Justice, in vindication of
our invaded rights and insulted honor. Her
tones of arrogance and insult would find a
nations scorn and defiance. Is England less
sensitive in regard 10 her rights and to her
honor than we are? Will she be more likely
than ourselves quietly to submit to acts Of
encroachment upon her rights, or what she
considers 10 be her rights? This is not the
character or spirit Of the British Government.
That is not the character or spirit Of any civ
ilized government Oh earth. Whatever act
on her part, touching this controverted ques-
ton, we should regard as offensive and hos
tile. and as alfording a just provocation and
Cause Of war, will. on our part, be precisely
so regarded by her. Who will venture to
say we should declare war against England,
or consider it as Just cause for war, in case
she should give us notice for the abrocation
of the joint convention, and should assert her
exclusive sovereignty over the Oregon terri
tory: and yet that England would not declare
war against us, nor consider it just cause for
war, in case we should do the very same
thing! Is il wise, then, is it patriotic, is it
magnanlmous on our part, 10 address our
selves 10 England in tone and manner
which, coming from her. we should so readi
ly condemn and resent; or to do any act
which. if done BY her, we should regard as
offensive aud belligeren;! Should we not,
by such a course of conduct, even in a good
cause, place ourselves in the wong before
the eyes of the civilized worldl There is
good old golden rule, as applicable to the
conduct Of nation5 as ofindiyiduals: do IN
TO others as you would that they should do
unto YOU" There is an honor, a glory.
moral heroism, in acting upon the principles
of this rule, which never sprang from the red
fields of blood and carnage
MIR. Chairman. believing as do that this
unfortunate and protracted controversy may
yet be amicabIy adjusted believing as do
that it is the desire and the expectation of
the<great body of the American people that
it should be so adjusted, cannot discharge
what | deem TO be my duty as representa-
tive upon this floor, looking to the best inter-
ests and the highest welfare of the country,
""hOut CbtCiiHS NY must cdiucSt pIptcStd-
tiens against every course of action. and eve
ry course of remark, which. in my judgment,
shall tend, in the slightest degree, 10 interrupt
or embarrass negotiation; and, above all,
which shall tend in any degree TO array the
two Governments iu hostile collision upon
such question. In so doing ! am sustain
ed by the conscious assurance of the appro-
val Of those for whom ] am authorized here
10 speak and to act. How could we more
close the door TO all further nego-
tiation, and to all hope of an amicable adjust
ment, than 10 notify England of our deteimi
nation, after the expiration OF twelve months,
TO take exclusive possession of the whole Or
egon territory! Will she be in better mood
to negotiate by our informing her that she
has no shadow Of claim 10 any portion Of that
territoryl Can we treat with her upon bet
ter terms, and render an amicable settlement
more probable and more speedy, by telling
her that she must quit possession and aban-
don all preiension Of any title there after one
years noticei confess it strikes me very
am not, however, unwilling ts
vote for notice in some qualified form. ex-
pressing our earnest desire still TO negotiate
a settlement. and giving assurance that it is
given with a view TO more certain and spec