The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-06-15
[Gonlinusd Go,n fni psEs. !


pending the convention, and v hat after It's sbroga'
ton and conRning himself 10 the first class OF thest
measures, has recommended five, namely, the mo-
tice-Ihe extension Of law and government 10 tht
American settlers 10 the same extent that the Brit
ish government has extended law and government
10 British setilers-the protection of the emigranis
by mounted regment-block. houses on the way
a monthly mail. These are the measures recon-
mended by the President -Four Of them have been
granted (ior the mounted regiment will furnish ne
best mai-carrers;) one only remains that OF me
temporary provision for the government OF lhe SET
TIERS and this might have been passed m as niue
time az il would have taken TO read the bill thIee
times, il presented in the form recommended by
the President. He recommended an extension OF
orr law 10 our settlers TO the same extent that The
British had extended TO theirs. This might have
been done by the easy process Of copying their act
with the notifications which would have adapted
lis application to citizens; and by this means
an adequate temporary government would have
been provided, with the advantage Of being free
from the possibility Of objection, or cayil on the
part Of the British authorities.
The bill from the House is not modified copy
Of the British act, and is therefore Objectionable
IL also provides for what is already DONE and there
IN is Objectionable again. A bill for the mounted
regiment and the chain ofbloek-houses for the pro.
lection Of the emigrants, passed the Senate h'e
months ago. Not being presented as a war reg
men for the conquest Of the country up TO $40 ~,
il passed with lItte notice, that the event seems
10 have been almost unobseryed n n has lately
passed the House Of Representatives, and is nov
the law Of the land; and II all the other measures
recommended by the President had been brought
forward in the same way, they would have passed
as easily, and the whole Eve measures, notice and
ALL finished four Eve months ago. But they
we're brought forward war measuTes-war for
t all or none"-elear up TO SO 40. This was the
cause Of the delay, and the reason why one OF he
measurs-thst Of the temporary government-re'
mains Enacted upon TO this day The provision in the
bin from the House for the regiment and the block
houses, is therefore. not merely unnecessary, but
A work Of supererogaton-a sort OF SPECIFICATION ln
legislation. Equally supererogatory, and absolute
~ impraeicable, is the provision in the bill for the
establishment OF monthly mail between Missouri
and Oregon. Mails in an uninhabted country OF
more than two thousand FIVE hundred mi'es, ira
verssd by savsges, and running over mountains Of
seven or eight thousand feet, where deep snow lies
for more than a thousand miles more than one-half
the year, could not be carried by the solitary
veyance Of conuactor's man or boy. -Four or FIVE
mounted rihemen, going together, and started from
the diferen posts 10 relieve each other, alone could
do il In winter. they would have seighs draw
by dogs the relefs always being ready at each post
The mounted regiment, already provided for in thu
Senales bill can render this service, costing nothing
and by the mere order Of the President. No law IL
necessary about it. A non-eommissioned officer
and four or FIVE men, relieved at each post, thu
only practicable mai-csrrers over such line; and
while carrying the mail, will also be in the line Of
their military duty, in looking out for danger, and
giving assistance 10 travellers and emigrants.
In the land grants, the bill from the House is en-.
tirely deficient: II proposes three hundred and TWEEN
" acres to each settler. Now the bill which pass
ed the Senate heretofore gave double that amount
TO each father OF family, and half that amount for
each child under eighteen years OF age, including
the children born within five years after ne went t.
the country, and also half that amount to the wifi
IN her own right; and TO all single men over eight
cen years il also gave six hundred and forty acres
Such beneficial provisions these, once sanctioned
by the Senate, should not be given up without an
effort TO restore them.
The bill, therefore, now before the Senate, is, IN
some respects, unnecessary--in some, injurious
IN some deficient in justice TO the settlers-and, IT,
defining no boundaries for the territories TO be oc
cupied is dangerous 10 the peace Of the country
and commits the hazards Of war to the collisions,
accidental or designed, Of government agents, foui
thousand niles from the seat Of government l.
confounds temporary and permanent measures
which should be kept distinct A temporary gov
eminent, to provide for the preservation Of order
and the administration Of justice until the conven
tion expires, is me want-a permanent territoris
government is another; and, for the purpose
having these measures appropriately brought for
ward and ln a way to pass, | shall move 10 recon-
tAlt the bill with instructions TO bring in the tenn
potsrY and the permanent measures separately
namsly, a temporary extension of law to the ex-
tent recommended by the President, and plan fo'
d permanent territorial government, fully organ.
izei to take effect the instant the present
ton expires. These my views. would
mix temporary and permanent provisions: would
do nothing half way, or niggardIy. At the termina
ton of the present convention, would take pos
session of the territory TO the same extent that II
held by Mr.. Astor-from the sea to the noun aims
and take possession as an owner knowing its value
and determined to maintain 1t. A governor who
should be both statesman and a soldier, with al
adequate salary, should be at its head; distin
gushed general should be under him as the imme-
date commander Of the military force regulars
militia. territorial Neutrality-suspicious. and in.
feror courts of law and equity, and of admiralty
iurlsdlcton-and a custom-house, should be esab.
ished. A skfu engineer should be sent out To-
superintend the planning and construction Of FORTH
cations; regiment of artillery should go to man
the works A navy-yard should be established for
the repair of vessels. The militia should be organ
Ized, and divided into classes, ready for service
when called, to be compensated in land for holding
themselves ready, and paid for their services when
IN the field. Mounted gun-men, cavalry, and horse
artillery, 80 well adapted to country Of plains and
grass, should be relied on for field service against
Indians, or any invader artillery and infantry (regu-
lars and mlitia) for the defence Of posts and forts
chain OF posts on the commercial route of the Co
lumba and Missouri should be established. That
route TANKS the British establishments and is open
TO the depreciation Of the northern Indians. Posts
at the Oka-nagan and at the Upper Falls Of the Co
lumbia-ln the valley of Carks river--at the Great
Falls of the Missouri, and at the mouth Of the Vel
low Stone, should be established. The protection
of government should be extended to both routes
the land line of travel through the South Pass, and
the water line ofcommerce through the North Pass
This would keep the Indians in order on both routes
north and south, and speedily open direct commu-
nicatlons with the Pacific ocean. In word, would
prepare to take possession of the country flor it
exclusive possession comes to us under the Ghent
treaty, whether Great Britain treats now or mott
on scale commensurate to its importance, and t.
our rank and power IN the world. For this purpose
| would have the bill recommitted and the COM
mttee instructed to report separately the temporary
measure for the preservation of ORDER and the per
manent government for the territory, which have
sketched.
Mr. Pr sident, have performed a painful duty
one from which have long held back hoping that
events would correct the Of the day and free
the country from danger. There was great danger
Of war with Great Britain when Congress met las,