The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-03-17
THE DAILY UNION.


United States have BE- en- told has rhor Cla m % Ills
rerilOry is un}dubied; rhat Greal Britain hsg not Il
scina of rght that her claim Is awlesS aud prose
cuied IN spirit of arroRancei and that the energy hnd
patriotism Of the American people are summoned To
resist H. They are tod that not merely our nation
al rights, but our national honor our national char
aCter-are involved in this controversy; and that
unless we proceed to those ultra measures which
gentlemen require that honor and that character
will be sacrificed. Now, if these things he true,
why is any senstor nactiye' IL they are not true,
why Is he SILENT Whether true or false, Mr.. Pres
dent, If these impressions can be made upon the
public mlnd--if these opinions can be received by
the American people-ihe ieeIlng (which they
awaken is an obvious one. That feeling
will require from Great Britain an unconditional
and absolute surrender Of her rights or will demand
from US the enforcement Of our own In that event
would be-to adopt the adjective which the
senator from Michigan has dlscarded--war would
be inevitable" Then the question Is, can we in
the discharge Of our constitutional duty do anything
10 avert these consequence IL seems 10 me TO be
within the scope ofthe constitutional power ofthe Sen
to accomplish that object seems to me that calm
and dspassonate consideration of this subject will
lead us 10 a conclusion, the effect of which will be
the preservation of the peace OF the country. And
! think that our first duty will consist Of stripping
this subject Of the gloss which has been given to
it-of that coloring which has been impaired to it.
ings Of the American people. They are told that
the national honor is involved; that the national soil
is attempted to be wrested from them. They are
told that title to this territory is "unquestiona-
BILE" Strip this subject Of these representations
present il to the American people IN its true condi-
ton, and then they will be disposed to calm dis
passionate, and peaceful aCu n. How is the ma
tional honor involved in the settlement of our con.
Aictng claims TO this territory How is the nation
al character affected by the determination of uues-
ton Of boundary between Great Britain and us in
regard to the lerrltorysof Oregon And what is our
undoubted title to this territory Sir, in my hum.
BILE Judgment, n ~ an utter perverson Of language
TO assert that either Great Britain or the United
States possess undoubted title to this property
There is no principle of national law-there is no
law, human or divine, which can be applied to the
facts Of this case, which will sustain the assertion
that we have clear and undoubted title We have
claims which, duly prosecuted will eventuate in
the acquisition ola title; and those claims to the extent
TO which they are sustained by the principle of law
and the facts OF the case bound to assert and
maintain. But what is our title or that Of Great
Britain, 10 this and-tO this vast extent If territory
IN the possession Of these aboriginal trlbes' WIN
she and we and those under whom we claim have
sailed along this cOast-have landed here and there
have made occasional settemens-have traded
with the nauyes-have explored a river and made
a settlement on its banks and this the American
people are told has given them an undoubtcd title
-an undoubted property in that whole territory
Why, what are the elements of that title, They
have neither possesslon-the right If possession
mr. the right Of property, nor Jurisdiction In the
absence Of all these, is it not perversion of language
TO assert that either ofthose contendng parties have
an undoubted title TO this property You have not
possessIon-(l mean Of course exclusive posses
sion, which is necessary to maintain exclusive IL
ue)-yOu have not possession for your possession
is the possession of Great Brain-her possess ION
is You have not the right Of possession
You cannot acquire it. The convention forbids it,
You have not the right Of property in the soil; that
everybody agrees belongs to the aborigines until
their title be exunguished. You may acquire this
title when you shall have egitimately acquired
possession by force, or fraud, honest compromise
either we or Great Britain, taking The various pre-
cedens in the history of both countries may choose
to adopt the one the other course. Bst in the
mean time to assert that have an undoubted title
to this propery-to infame the American mind by
the representation that engaged in a contest
for our own soil, is, in my judgment, to msrepre-
sent to them this whole subject. Sir, the contest
between Great Britain and the United States is a
struggle for priority Of right TO trnmpe upon the
rights of these aborgines; and as it is for such
prize that two great and Christian nations are dis
posed 10 put in jeopardy all their great and essential
interests' am not willing to deliver to the Senate
any homily upon aboriginal rights. | know the
principle by which the law of nations authorizes the
acquisition of territory, in the manner in which we
are preparing to acquire this territory. | know that
the earth was given for the habitaon of man, and
that as consequence Of the prmeva curse must be
cultivated, and that when people too closely pen
up Here IN consequence Of the loud talking and i'm
pertinent Interruptions Of gentlemen in the gallery
where the reporters "pent-up, several sentences
were lost. All this may be admitted, but what
desire to do is to dvest this subject of the character
given to 1t as contest for our own so-as a con-
test for portion of our own Union-as a struggle
with foreign power in defence of our fresides and
our homes-of our domestic affairs and our house
hold gods Sir that the character OF this con-
troyersy. We and Great Britain are seeking to
acquire title TO the territory Of Oregon and the qurs
ton is, which has the Priority Of rghr to make
that acquisition, not who has made it; The ques-
ton is, whether in the acquisition Of right to that
tsrritory we shall Ge allowed to cover its whole ex
tent; whether, circumscribing our pretensons
within specific limits, the residue shall be open to
the pretensions of Great Britain The subject thus
presented in this aspect to the consideration of the
American people will receive their calm and dis
passionate delIberation When they understand
that not their homes-not their fresides are inva.
ied, but that there is a mere question about our pr-
orty of right with Great Britain TO acquire foreign
and distant territory in the possession of aborg
nal tribes they will say that the United States has
rights in that view of the subject which may be
but that the national honor is not in
volved-that the national character is not involved
that it is question which is TO be adjusted by
and in the spirit Of peace, and no, by
careossly rushing upon all the caamities of war
1t is in this aspect that desire to present this sub
ect to the consideration of the Senate, and through
he Senate to the country, as to prepare the way
for two propositions, for which | mean to contend.
If this were question affecting own sol-if it
were question relating to any part of this Union
if it were question relating to any spot within
The limits Of the United States over which the stars
and stripes Of the Union extend their protective
nhuence-f it were a question in which the
national character and honor were involved,
why, it would be vain for any senator to present
hat subject of compromise. Will you COM
promise a question which regards your right to your
nome' Will you compromise question which in
wolves your own honor your own character No.
But if the question relate merely to the acquisition
Of foreign terrltory-to measures which TO be
.aken for the assertion Of priority of claim-that
IS question which the American people will readily
recognise fit subject for compromise. And now
having brought my judgment to the conclusion that
his is the true aspect in which this question to be
Dresented-that 1t is properly the subject OF com
-, h., al.