The northern galaxy. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1844-1848, 1846-02-24

manifest destiny TO spread, will not be adj
mitted TO exist IN any nation except the uni
versal Yankee natisnl This right Of our
manifest destiny, MIR. Speaker, reminds me
of another source ofright which is worthy Le-
ing placed beside it. Spain aud Portugal,
we all know. in the early part ofthe sixteenth
century laid claim TO the Jurisdiction of this
whole northern continent of America. Fran
els l. is related to have replied TO this preten-
sion, that lac should like TO see the clause in
Addm's WiH in which their exclusive title
was found. Now, sir, | look for an early re-
production Of this idea. have no doubt that
II due search be made, a copy Of this prime
val instrument, with a clause giving US the
whole oil Oregon, can be somewhere hunted
up. Perhaps it may be found in that same H.
linois cave in which the Mormon Testament
has been discovered. | commend the sub
Ject to the attention OF those in that neighbor-
hood, and will promise To withdraw all my
opposition to giving notice or taking posses
sion, whenever the right Of our manifest des-
tiny can be fortified by the provisions of our
great first parents Will
Mr.. Speaker. there is a third, and, in my
judgment, still more conclusive reason for
regarding this question as one for negotiation
and compromise. / refer TO its history, and
10 the admissions on both sides which that
history contains. For thirty years this ques-
ton has been considered and treated as one
not of title, but Of boundary. To run a
boundary line between Great Britain and the
United States from the Rocky Mountains TO
the Pacific Ocean-;his has been the avowed
object of each successive negotiation. 1t has
been so treated by Air. Monroe, and Mr. Ad.
anH NJ C,lI.t,.
by all the other American statesmen who
have treated of it at all. Offers Of compro-
mise and arrangement have been repeatedly
made on both sides on this basis. Three
times We have offered to Grea. Britain to di
vide with her on the 49rh parallel Of latitude.
aud TO give her the navis arion ofthe Colum-
bia into the bargain. Mr.. Polk aud Mr.. Bu-
chanan themselves have acted on the same
principle up to the moment of the final abrupt
termination ofthe negotiations. They have
offered again to make the 49h parallel the
boundary line between the possessions OF
Great Britain and the United States in the
Northwestern Territory. With what face,
then, can we now turn round and declare
that there is no boundary line to run, nothing
to negotiate about, and that any such course
would involve cession and surrender Of A.
merlcan soil! Such a course would be an
Impeachment Of the conduct of the distin-
guished statesmen whose names have men
toned. 1t implies an imputa,ion upon the
present President of the United States and
his Secretary of State. And. explain it -
we may, it would be regarded as an unwar-
rantahle and offensive assun ption by the
whole civilized world.
Sir | am glad TO perceive that the lam
guage Of the Presidents message is in some
degree comfortable to this view. He tells
US that the history of the negotiation thus Ear
''affords satisfactory evidence" not that no
compromise ought 10 be made, but thar ..nn
compromise which the United States ousb.
TO accept can be effected"
And this brings me TO another Of my prop
ositions. | take issue with the message Oh
this point. | deny that the rejection of tie
precise offer which was made to Great Brit
ain last summer, has furnished satisfactory
evidence that no compromise which the Uni
ted States ought to accept can be effected -
Certainly, regret that Great Britain did not
accept that offer. Certainly. think that this
question might fairly be settled OH the basi-
Of the 49th rarallel; and believe siuccrel,
that, if precipitare and offensive steps he not
taken on our part, the question will ultimate
ly be settled on that basis. Bat there NAV
be little deviatons from that line required
TO make it acceptable TO Great Britain; and.
ifso, we ought not 10 hesitate in making
them. | deny that the precise offer of Mr.
Buchanan is the only one which the United
States ought to accept for the sake Of peace
Such Il suggestion is an impeachment of the
wisdom and patriotism of men by no means
his interiors, who have made other and more
liberal offers. | think that we ought TO ac-
cept a compromise at least as favorable TO |
Great Britain as the one which we have |
three times proposed to her. II we are I'M |
willing 10 give her the navigation of the Co |
lumlia. we should provide some equivalent |
for it. If the question is to be amcably SET
tel il must be settled on terms consist6n! |
Nth The honor o. both parties. And nobody
can imagine that Great Britain will regard il |
as consistent with her honor. to take a line
less favorable to her interests than that which
she has three times declined within the last
thirty years. Let me say. however, in regard
to the navigation of the Columbia, that if
understand it Alright, it is Of very little impor-
lance whether we give il or withhold it, as
he rIver is believed not TO be navigabIe at all
where it is struck by the forty-nnth parallel
Of latitude. trust that we shall not add fol-
y to crime, by going TO war rather than yield
he navigation of unnavigable river.
And here, sir, have word 10 say in ref
,rence 10 remark made by the honorable
member from New York WHO has just taken
lis seat. tMr. Preston King. l understood
lin 10 say that the Administration, in max
ny the offer of The 49ih parallel TO Great
Britain during the last summer, did il with
he perfect understanding that il would be
elected. appeal 10 the honorable member
o say whelher have quoted him correctly.
Mr.. P King. | said | had heard it, and
relieve d il to be So.
Mr.. Winthrop. There is an admission TO
which wish 10 call the the solemn attention
f the House AID of the country. trust in
Heaven that the honorable member is misia- :
en-. trust, for the country, that the chair /
nan of the Committee on Foreign Affairs .
ril obtain official authority 10 contradict this \
:afement. ,
Mr.. C. ]. Ingersol will not wait for any H
deny it most unqualifedly. .
Mr.. P. King. have no other authority on g
his subject than public rumor, and this be- n
eve 10 he correct. h