Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1846-01-17
REMARKS OF Mr.. WENTWORTH,
OF ILLINOIS,
On the Oregon Question WedaeSday, Jan. Il

rise on this floor and descant upon the goes Of war or the
blessings Of peace For one, he had nothing say upon
either He would avoid the charge of bravado sidc
and tinidty the other The question of declaring
not before Congress And at amty with all the
tons Of the earth, and consequently had peace to
make. He had expressed his views in relation TO this matter
ON several occasions before this and 1t difficult to find
politician who had not For nearly thirty years the matter
had been agitation and during the whole time the extrn
sic consideration OF peace war had been dragged I'M and
used rctard the assertion of American rights In all this
controversy there but question, and that was sis
Oregon II is but act the part OF justice when
we claim if il not then should make no pre-
tensions adversely the party justly entitled to It, II Is all
ours then we should boldly but respectfully assert our rights
all if not all ours then should only take what Is
ours This course would be alike honorable TO men,
Christians, and nation There was but one highmnded
course to pursue and that do right and leave
qucnces 10 themselves to be provided for as they arose.
Entertaining these views he had resolved 10 manifest his
attachment American rights Ivy silent vote on this ques
ton at this session. and should have done SO but for the a
sion TO him by the gentleman from South Carolina, (Mr
RHETr, in relation the vote given by him. the present
Speaker ( DAvs) and the present presiding officer, (Mr.
TBBATTs and about sixty other Democrats against insert
ing this notice in the Oregon bill and which no gentleman
yet having spoken had explained He would state how
ever that the for his silence that the people
beginning believe that this subject that forever
to be talked about and be acted upon He afraid
that the Oregon excitement he considered the American
humbug, used 10 make Presidents, and to get into Con-
gess but 60 further because there " lion in the
path" As long ago he could remember, the polit.
clans talking and Jploatss negotiating this sub
jcct; and the advances if any all the WHILE have been the
wrong way. As Texas the twin with this al the
last session. passed without discussion, ho certainly
hoped that Oregon would have secured the courtesy
and he at the commencement Of this debate and he
was ready and anxious TO limit the debate to single day.
Gentlemen anxious define their POSITIONS and there
fore delaying this for weeks and perhaps for
MONTHS when they could but know that their votes no.
the question of this notice, and upon bill extending
American jurisdiction to the Russian boundary, would be the
Ia,tI ar shatth our Ear
question, way the other what the people expect
ed and what he (Mr W. would labor to promote As
said in the Of Texas, he would reiteae equally app
cable to Oregon the people have decided the at the polls
after full hearing Of all the parties, and only remains for
us to execute their judgment.
One gentleman has proposed to take Oregon time Well
sir have been taking time, rather losing time,
since 1875 When began, had twelve degrees
and forty minutes of territory. We have but
Great Britain has about thirty forts there, and have
Such has been the result Of workings on time. To
give this notice. in the minds gentlemen would be TO declare
To pass any Oregon BILL send any troops there
without the notice. would he TO violate national faith Thus
they place in dilemma the direct and sole tendency Of
which is to effect delay Indeed they say, day take
Oregon, but not noworgeng that Independent people
will think their rights when they find
they have them Every gentleman who has spoken but
(Mr WNTHRoP) has said that had perfect title to all
OF Oregon and that has said that Of the two, both being
imperfect, the best When they say that much,
they say enough to make further delay their part
excusable. Having rights the people will demand their
maintenance and the those rights endangered, and
the greater the prospect of losing hem the camorou
will they be for the most decisive action Were rights in
doubt delay would be excused but knowing them and open
avowing them and yet bringing up the fear of war; and
setting forth the Of the British force and British
for not asserting hem nothing less than
national cowardice.
When party carry its points way, it apt
to try another and have noticed that the opposition here
when they cannot reach better judgments from the weak
of their arguments always try to affect by
shasr
they have failed in their trial of all other But the
venerable gentleman from Massachusetts has told that there
would be and he from his superior knowledge, age,
and experience should be good authority with them So that
need not operate But is not the qucs
uon, and it should not be considered for moment Let
us take Oregon now, and look to when it arises 1t is
not for TO fear it. when the people who sent here and
who will have lose their money and lives in consequence of
II, bid US onward in the execution their will.
When the admission of Texas before Ga country
which had acquired right except by the will of the
cupans of the SOIL who had revoted from their rghu gov
ernmcn the question not how shall compromise this
difficulty with Mexico how much Of Texas shall have, but
all said the whole none, and took it all and the story
that took than all by running the Rio del Nore
for the sake of good boundary This sanctioned with my
vote and now wish, and call upon my Southern Texas
friends TO aid me, TO let my patriotism have full scope
northern frontier il had the South If il wrong
10 ccdc Texas in 1919, equally cce away
any portion Of Oregon now And if have had such
struggle, is too recent in experience describe now,
TO that country against the will Of the weak and dis
traced Government Of Mexico what be the mighty strug
gle when the future inhabitants Of surrendered Oregon groa
ing under British oppression, shall demand this just p
vlcge And such demand is TO come. My doctrine
is "put off the evil daymcct the in the face do
justice whilst il is in your power and leave consequences to
consequences.
Mr. W. wanted TO call the attention Of the ouse-and in
deed, that the main object Of his rsing-and pa
culary Of the MEMBERS explanation Of the
in the last Congess alluded to by the gentleman from
South Carolina, (Mr RuErr) Mr.. W. said il was bis OPT
non and that Of majority Of the party with which he had
acted that if the notice and the bill the Sen
ate separately, not both would pass There
Senators who would for and the other lie
for BOTH and wanted that pursued that would
both But if he could not have one, he did wish pre-
JUDGE the other BY looking the journals, it would be
that all who voted against putting the notice in the bill
Democrats After the notice in the bill, they however,
did not iorsake the bill that Now look at those
who voted against the bill its final passage All their
names recorded in favor Of inserting is notice Several
Democrats voted TO put the notice in the bill because they
did not wish 10 be put in false position at home, where the
circumstances could not I've explained hut yet entertained
rous doubts to lis proprey, for fear OF its enangcrng
the passage Of the BILL Here, then, the facts all those
who went against putting the notice in the BILL finally went
for it, whilst all those who finally against tho bill went
for inserting the notice. The fears Of its friends realized
and the bill was defeated in the Senate.
Mr.. HOLMES called Mr.. w. 10 order.
Mr.. WENTWORTH sat down, and demanded the point
Of order.
The CHAIRMAN desired the gentleman from South Ca
rolina TO state his point Of order.
Mr. HOLMES stated that il out Of order to alude to
the Senate.
The CHAIRMAN ovcrruled him, and said the gentleman
was aludng to the Senate Of last session.
Mr. WENTWORTH said that the gcntIcmans point