Wisconsin herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1846-1849, 1846-01-03
goes to Asia and Africa, to take any
part Of the continent she may please to

ltohSI
8. War, therefore. remains as a
possible alternative; but one which, in
my opinion, there is not the slightest
present cause to apprehend. Remem-
Der, war, to exist at all, must be an ag-
gressive war on the part of Great Brit
ain. She mus. come here to seek it
We are not proposing to go to Europe,
and to take from her Scotland or halt
lof Ireland by force. 1t is she who IN
vades, and must assume all the haz-
ards Of invasion. Will she do this?
| do not believe it. Sir Robert Peel
may talk largely on the subject, for the
purpose Of carrying through Parlia-
ment some critical domestic measure,
or in vain hope to intimidate the Uni
ted States. But England is too de-
pendent on America for cotton and
corn to declare war against us lightly;
and she cannot fail to remember how,
in two wars with us already, at time
when we were much less powerful
than now, she gained nothing but de-
feat and dishonor; for thrice only, in
the history ofmodern times, has it hap
lpened to Britain, among so many bril-
liant achievements of hers in every
region Of the habitable globe-thrice
only in modern history has it happen
ed to Britain to see her armies capitu-
late and lay down their arms on the
field of battle; and each of these times
it was to the Stars and Stripes Of the
United States that the cross Of St
George was lowered in humiliation
and sorrow; whilst our ships of war, in
like manner, Dissolve the charm of
British invincibility on the ocean.
! reiterate the declaration, then,
that l think the existing panic on the
subject as idle as it is incomprehensi-
BILE, and that l have not the faiutest
apprehension Of the imminence Of war
with Great Britain--confdent, mean
while, that when, if ever, il does come,
it will cease only with the utter ex-
pulsion of her power from America.
In conclusion, permit me TO say a
few words concerning the value and
Importance Of Oregon to the United
States.
That region Of the earth, thrice as
large as the British islands, as large as
the thirteen original United States,
washed by the sea, with four great riv-
ers flowing into the sea, with many
valuable harbors in its more northern
parts, and unsurpassed fisheries--a re-
gion possessed of mild and temper
ate climate; capable Of pasturipg cat.
tie the whole winter, well-wooded, land
with much fertile and productive soil
that such region has uaiueit is idle
10 controvert, and ridiculous TO deny.
To be sure, there are large tracts Of it
which are comparatively arid, or filled
with PERCEPTIONS mountains; which
mountains, however, it is quite posi-
BILE, possess the same kind Of mineral
riches which fill the southerly contin-
uation of he.ranges, in Mexico; and
if it should prove otherwise, there
does not the less remain vast amount
of habitable and fertile territory, ca
lpable Of sustaining in comfort and
happiness millions Of men. And it is
a region Of country naturally destined
to supply the nations on the coast Of
the Paci6c..and its islands with lumber,
fish, breadstufls, beef, and thus to pos
scss Immediately a lucrative commerce
on that ocean.
And its ultimate commercial value
is, indeed, that which causes England
to covet the possession Of it, and to
desire any disposition of it, rather than
its settlement by the United States.
For, in the region Of Oregon, is to
grow up, ere many years pass away, a
race of men, who will stand in the
same relation TO the Pacific that we of
the eastern States do TO the Atlantic,
and in the same relation to Asia that
we do TO Europe. And the stake
therefore is worthy OF all possible So
licitude TO our whole country, and to us
Of the east, especially, who have TWEEN
ty millions of property sfoat in the
South Sea, without barbor in which
we have permanent right Of refuge,
without an acre Of land on which the
storm-tossed mariner can set his foot,
and feel himself resting at length un-
der the protecting folds Of the banner
OF the Union.
Finally, it is not TO be tolerated any
longer that England should consider
This continent the field for indulgence