The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-03-31
THE UNION
SENATOR sRERsE i

SENATOR BREEsE
Amsng the statesmen and orators who have adj
dressed the Senate on The Oregon question, the
member whose name heads these lines has borne
Conspicuous part. and he has done good ssrsiee to
MS country. lie has argued the subject upon the
broad principle Of national right rather than upon
the temporary idea Of expediency. Partaking of
me Characteristic ehivary OF the people Of the West
ne iooks with single purpose TO American rights,
ase nsibte 10 any obligation To acknowledge or 70
ysSid 70 me mere Will power Of any foreign ma
aon Interfering with such rights, and particularly
siih those OF territorial nature. He has treated
the subject as AN original question untrammeled by
the inyoluiions and 'entang dement's of diolomaey.
he roles upon the unerrng prescriptions OF Justice
and conues the pretensons OF the adversary nertst
by the application Of principles Of international law
established and maintained by that adversary inter
est at the mouth of the cannon and by the point of
the bayonet. He treats that interest and liz resre-
sentatives with that national comfy belonging the
dignity Of his own position and character, yet pre-
serves that Independence and freedom Of mind with
out which latent eonsiraint 10 infused into discus
sions Of thls character. We find q deserved com
Pl,msni paid TO the ability and proprsty Of this
ator speech In the circumstances Of is beng refer
rcd 10 by several Of his able and dissiDs usAed
opponenis The idea OF yielding positive night, an
DER the pressure Of eommittsls Supposed 90 DO
binding upon the honor Of th< pston by the euo-
nsou. proceedings Of our former public faneiiap.-
ries, hnds no PlAce " he aaisd- Tksre being no
assertion OF claim u sovereignty or 70 SOIL on tho
part Of Great Britain, by hght 81 eonques,, he does
not admit that she has acquired any bSss 6ds tide %
either, BY virtue OF the generosity Of the United
States, In according Joint occupancy, without an
equysieut or In the i-advised proposals of Our
Own negotistors TO yield up Eratuitously large
portion OF the territory. He no doubt believes that
arguments Of right, founded upon these consdetu
lions, would come with III grace, oven from the al.
plomatsts Of the adversary interest themselves Ha
has shown by rrefragable argument that Great Brit
am was bound in honor against herself at lest
to make good her former grants, and IL they were
not acknowledged and confirmed by the treaty Of
peace Of 1853, IN which she renquished "ali claims
TO the government, proprety and territorial rights
Of the same, (her former colonies and every part
thereof" Great Britain emphstcaliy aeknowledged.
by The terms OF the treaty Of Paris Of l763 that The
dominion over the residue Of North America, after
sbstractng that part acquired by herself and there
In particularly defined, belonged TO the other con-
traeting powers, France and Spain, whose several
rights have been fully, fairly, and honorably &C.
CURED by the United States by the honest payment
OF just equivalents to those nations. Tho senator
rom Illinois seems to be unable TO comprehend thai
species Of legerdcmain by which Great Britain is
acknowledged az having right TO half Of Oregon,
whilst, at the same time, she has acknowledged our
right Of possession, disavows any right Of soyer-
eighty ~ herself and IS bound by the terms Of he
treaty Of 1863, excluding herself from any right
whatever in that territory. This senator in expos
ing the absurdity OF urging any right in Great Brit
ain, under the Nootks Sound treaty OF I790, which
her own negotiaton would refrain from doing, hap
pity illustrates It's nature by the remark that was on
intended to secure the private rights Of her citizens
within the dominions OF another power, and that
similar privileges might be accorded to British
subjects IN our Atlantic soaboard, without any IN
fraction Of our national rights or dignity. He has,
however, shown that convention to be nugatory,
and that IL ought 70 be consigned 10 oblivion,
Il z. Al. -. IL
Of claim that Great Britain ever Possessed, which
was that Of protection for the private rights OF her
citizens, who might reside in tina, territory which
she obtained by the gratuitous admission OF Spain,
and which was humiliating TO that country, only,
from its having been exported from herb by the threat
ofa murderous conflict for which England was then
amply prepared. IL was purely tribute to power,
and was obtained neither by the boldness Of con-
quest, nor by the honesty Of purchase. Senator
Breese appears to view her present attitude Of
menace as synptomatc Of kindred purpose. He,
no doubt, assimilates such intentions TO those Of
Brennus, the Gaal, who attempted to extort trib-
ute Of gold from the Romans, and by false weights
(srguments) to draw down their side &c The bal
ance The Romans expressing their resentment,
Brsnnus in contemptuous and insulting fhsnner
took of his sword and threw Il, belt Ind all ihothe
scale, (the presumption Of menace ma when Sd:
s.S, Wv " nat should it mean but wo TO the con-
Hcf,' This aroused the Indignation
81 Camus the Roman, "the father of his country,
who took the gold out Of the scales, and gave II to
the lictors and ordered the Gaus to take away the
balance and the weights, and to depart; telling them
hat ait the custom of the Romans to deliver
heir country with STEEL not with gold" The sena
or from illinois seems to be imbued with the spirit
IF Camillus as also with that of our orn Jefferson,
who thought that the proper tribute for free nation
o pay las in the case Of the Bashaw Of Tripol)
ponder and ball. .
This senator represents in part, state containing
upwards Of half million Of people, including
l50, 900 backwoodsmen. most Of whom no doubt,
possess good rifles and know how to use them,
whose sentiments upon the subject of tribute. or
to power in disregard Of national right
and the in,nufabk principles Of tice would be found
to correspond with those Of their senator, and whose
arms will be found ready at the call of their country
to maintain those sentiments When the public
Of nation find themselves in a condi-
lion which obges them to abstain from full and
free discussion Of national rights and from insisting
upon full and entire measure of justice, and such
condition results from the double cause Of the armed
,rowess Of an adversary and their own unprepared
md vulnerable state, they must not be surprised if
ruth should designate that condition as of vas
,alagc, and that the same monitor should convey
he friendly warning, N render, without delay, the
Vulnerable points invuherabe, and thereby restore
heir independence, to enable them to treat upon
equal ground in the mean time to suspend all ac-
ion upon the subject in controversy, or in other
words to maintain mastery silence upon the subject
until we choose to speak-permi,,ing the question
% rest upon the treaty stipulation Of 1927, unless
Great Britain should propose such reasonable terms
hat American honor would not be compromised
~ their acceptance or unless she should proceed
~ her usual summary process to decide ar parte,
md occupy the territory; in which event we should
nave the option Of paying our respects to the "mis-
ress of the ocean at home when it should per-
ectly suit our own convenience.
A CITIZEN OF VIRGINIA.
a ssesm ... 1916. seSn.
s4eSSa,9.T LAKE SUPERIOR