The banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1844-1847, 1846-04-15
Vol. III.


can be conducted only by those func-
tionaries the government to whom the
constitution has confided the treaty pow
er. am yet to learn that the House
Of Representatives have ever been sup
posed to participate this power with the
President and the Senate. And sub
nit to the committee and the country
that it is only because call attempts at
compromise having lailed," this House
can be appealed to by the President, and
that the appeal is made that VIC may adj
dopt measures for "thc maintenance of
our Just title" to tho territory of the Orc
gon, and, at the expiration of the notice:
take exclusive possession Of it.
But, sir, if we disregard the direct and
explicit language of the President, can
the human mind conceive any other mo-
tive for terminating the treaty of joint
occupancy of this territory than the cx-
clusion Of Great Britain? If the notice
be given, and the question of boundary
be still unadjustc when the twelve
months shall have elapsed, we shall
have no alternative left but to eject
Great Britain from any portion of the
territory: or submit to the sacrifice Of
those rights which the country has been
told arc "clcar and unqucs,ionablc"
Gentlemen, Mr.. Chairman, have dis
coursed cloqucntly of national honor"
in this debate Let nc tell them that
when we shall have terminated the trca-
ty by which Great Britain holds the
joint occupancy with us of this territory,
we will be nation Of cravcns and das-
tards if we do not instantly tear down
every British fort and flag that shall be
found upon our soil. Sir, he cherishes
no just sentiment of national honor who
would thus pause to negotiate, or parley
to compromise.
Before we determine, then, to give
the notice to Great Britain, which is in
itself a harmless measure, we should
have we'll considered whether we shall
take possession of the entire territory of
Oregon, and if not of the whole, Of
which portion of it. If we intend to as
sert our rights in any portion of this
country to the exclusion of the preten-
tions of England, that assertion must be
maintaiped by the arms of this country
The gentleman from Massachusetts
[Mr. Adams] has expressed the opinion
that if, the very day after the notice
should be given, we march in our troops
and take possession Of the whole terrific
ry, there will not be war I did not un-
derstand the gentleman as assigning any
other reason for that opinion than his be-
lief that one or the other party would
"back out" Sir, the calculation that
our adversary will back out" l take
leave to think, is one that a prudent
man ought not to make-it is one that
brave man would scorn to make.
If, MIR. Chairman, we provide for
giving the notice without defining the
extent of our ri ghts, the President can
not, and feel assured he will not, hesi-
tate to maintain them with all the re-
sources Of the government, to the entire
territory in controversy. And, sir, with
this deliberate and often repeated decla-
ration-that our title to the whole coun-
try west of the Rocky mountains is
"clear and unquestionable"-if we sim
ply terminate the joint occupancy, he
would find in our action the approval
of his opinions, and might we'll be de-
tered from admitting that Great Britain
has any just pretensions to ask a parti-
ton of it with us. For myself, do not
hesitate to declare that if l entertained
the opinion as to our title expressed in
his inaugural address, and repeated in
his annual message, would exhaust all
the resources of this great country be-
fore would surrender one rood of that
territory on the demand of foreign 60
vernment. thrust this committee will
neither shrink from, nor evade the re-
sponsibility which has devolvcd upon us.
At recent period in our history, MIR.
Chairman, the distinguished citizen who
was then chief magistrate declared "that
we should claim nothing which is not
clearly right, and submit to. nothing
which is wrong" 1t is great and no
BILE sentiment. 1t defines the point of ho-