Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1841-1853, 1846-06-11
Iwfntp -Nintb Congress.
In Senate, Monday, June 1, 1916.
speech Of Gen. Cnss,
On the bill to provide for the protection Of American
settlers in the Oregon territory.

settlers in the Oregon territory.
On motion Of Dir. HANyEGAN, the Senate proceeded
the consideration of the special order being the
bill protect the rights of American citizens IN the
Oregon territory, the pending question being, to refer
the bill to the committee the judiciary, with IN
structions.
Mr.. CAss addressed the Senate as follows
did not intend, Mr. President, again 10 trouble
the Senate upon any question connected with our
claim to Oregon, with the proper course OF Pocy
to adopt in support OF it. And l avowed to those
friends, with whom in the habit of free consult
tation, this determination to remain silent, believing
had occupied my full share of tie attention OF the
Senate, and of the public, far the public can be
interested in any views Of mine. | am now, howey-
er. compelled break the silence had imposed upon
myself and again vndicate the position in which
am placed. The honorable Senator from Missouri
has referred to me by name, and if would not seem
to abandon the ground have occupedi must defend
ii from this and vigorous assault shall, how
ever, be BRIEF avoiding recapuatlOn, and contnlng
myself almost exclusively to two of the propositions
submitted by the Senator. One entirely new the
other presented in tie previous discussion, but again
brought forward, though with facts and illustra
tons, and extending to remote regions The
former is the assertion of the nonexsece ofth line
of ftyfour forty. and the latter the assertion that
the parallel of fcrty-uine deg was established ;
boundary between the British and French possessions
by commissaries under the treaty of Utrecht, and
that 1t ran to the northwest coast.
The Senator commenced by the work Of demolition
pulling down before he built up. Clearing off the
rubbish occasoned by the labor OF Others to procure
fair site, preparatory 10 the task OF re-edlcatlon
And how has this system of destruction and of subst
tuition been effected The process and the result |
propose TO examine.
In the first place, he announces that till now we
have all been in error including the President, and
Congress- and the country, and that such line as
the parallel of your forty has ever been establish
cd fho fborn hcn 1orrr 1910 and ha
sders that this correction Of great popular is
enough to quiet the excitement which has been got up
about it. fear, sir, that the honorable Senator de-
ceyes himself, ard that this erctement, he terms
1t, this conviction of the extent and justice of our
title, term it, is far beyond the reach of any new
reading of old documents, however gigantic may be
the intellect which puts itself to the task of giving
out and indicating new system of national rights
or any new evidence in support of them. The hon.
orable Senator competent to the performance oil
this labor as any one among US. But, sir, when a
great question like this has occupied the attention OF
enlightened country and government in some mode
or other for almost half century, and more recently
has called into its service the heads and tongues, and
pens of hosts of abe in public and in private life
the discovery and PRONUNCIATION of new views, giving
unexpected direction to great controversy, is not
indeed impossible, but is far improbable that he
who claims the title and the reward of discoyerer
must expect to have his pretensions investigated with
much and admitted with much caution The
honorable Senator, in the exultation of anticipated
success, speaks of the philosophy Of The tyOur Sen
aors, and says 'there is end of that question Al
-yanished-evaporated into the air-and the
place where 1t not to be found" And then comes
the parurition Of the mountain and the birth of the
mouse.
1t is good old fable. intended to convey usefu
truth. But it is somewhat dangerous in its applica
ton, especially when he who appeals to 1t, in the
very act of decrying the labor of another
er cathedra the value of his own Pulling down tC
build up annlhiating one line TO establish another
There is such thing as putting the saddle on thu
wrong horse.
The honorable Senator says 'there is no boundary
at ffty-four forty quote his very words, and joir
issue with him. If there is not shall then confess
that for liable to all the he casts upor
the forties he calls them, and upon the
cause; while if there is, shall leave the honorable
Senator the position he has assumed.
And whence this declared popular error, respecting
the boundary line of ffty-four forty! 1t originates
says the Senator the treaty with Russia concluded
In 1924, the third article of which he quotes
CART 3. 1t is agreed, that, hereafter, Their
shall not be formed by the citizens Of the United States,
the northwest coast of America in any of the is
lands adjacent to the north Of your degrees forty min
Efs north latitude and that The manner there shall
be none formed by Russian Subjects under the suho
Of Russia. south of the same parallel"
Now, sir, this, would think, is clear enough
Here is ifty-four forty established boundary a
plainly words and types can establish it, beyond
which the claim of the United States cannot extend
1t IS the northern limit, across which we cannot GO
We may march up to it /; with that Russia has N
concern; but the moment we attempt to put foot ov
eT 1t, we shall be met by this convention ard on
pghted faith not to pass it. If this is not bounda
~ to US, am sure do not know what boundary w
can have, there or anywhere else 1t is point not
be discussed. 1t gains no strength by argument. N
ciearness by illustration. IL as boundary ine an
when that is said, all is said. | am well aware il j
line In posse and not in esse, established upon pa
per, and not actually marked upon the surface of tn
globe. But is of the boundary between u
and the British possessions, and between and Mex
leo. And the Senator himself, in his argument
where he undertakes to prove the establishment o
the parallel of forty-nine as the line fixed under tn
treaty of Utrecht, expressly says it established
but not run 1t was nevertheless great line of de
marcaon, whose effects are said to be felt upon thu
rights. of nations at this day. All boundaries be
tween countries which not natural lines marks
must be first fixed by diplomatic arrangement, an
when this done, their establishment upon earth be
comes question of fact, and is usually committed
scientific persons who give practical effect TO the la
bors of the dPlomafiss. If therefore the parallel
hfty-four forty should remain paper instead of Wis
lble boundary till doomsday, it would nevertheless
be a barrier beyond which we could not pass an
might at any time be ascertained by astronomical OBJ
servatons, and marked upon the ground, should sue
measure become necessary to.assert the jurisdiction
of the one party, or to arrest that of the other.
After quoting the third article Of our treaty wit
Russia, the honorable Senator proceeds to quote tn
third article of the treaty between Russia and Eng
land, regulating their mutual professions to the sam
region And he controls the construction of on
treaty, by what legitimate process know not by tn
provisions of the other. He says and strangely too
that 'sthey identical IN objects, and nearly i
terms" Iaentt>al IN objects! Why, sir, one Is
treaty between the United States and Russia for th
a..