Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1846-03-14
THE OREGON QUESTION,
IN SENATE-MARcH 10, 1916.

Mr. PEARCE said he had been charged with the presenta-
finn 10 the Senate Of memorial the. subject aud character of
which required that he should ask the Indulgence Of the SEN
ATE while he made few remarks This memorial was adopt
ed al meeting Of the citizens Of Queen Annes county, in the
Of Maryland Il relates TO the condition of the Oregon
question: the rights Of the nation and the duty Of the
ment regard that question Ii entitled to much respect
for moi the voice Of faction; does the language
Of party it is the continuance of mere politicians, whose
business to aragn defend an Administrations chiefly
with view to their own personal advancement IL Is the
voice OF the people, spoken in primary assembly OF the
Pile OF both political parties exercise their undoubted
night OF examining the of Government and speak
ing freely their opinions This meeting called by gentle
Of the political party TO which opposed It's officers
were divided but those who conducted the proceedings and
debates all of the school of politics yourself sir
They all well known 10 and vouch for them
dyuaiy persons OF intelligence, honor, and weight of
character. The gentleman who penned the memorial a
venerable for years and for all that give dignity To
character authority opinonhe ardent friend of Gen
Jackson the supporter Of Mr. Van Buens administration
and Of the present Chief Magistrate The Of The meet
ing was composed OF The members Of an agricultural
nifty respectable for intelligence, honesty, patriotic spirit
those OF any rural district in the countryen who love
their country Its institutions, and its true glory little like
y be influenced by tmd appehenons Of British power as
by the rsn Of political demgogues ready make any
flee to sustain the Government the vndcaton Of clear and
undoubed rights and resolved to hold to the strctes me-
countaby they should be involved an war
They believe tina; the peace Of the country is seriously enda
gered by the condition of the Oregon controversy They had
noticed the declaration made by the President in his naugu
r speech that right TO the whole of Oregon territory
was clear and dpuabs and they express the startled
prise with which they heard this declaration. They saw that
the President in his message the beginning Of this Con-
had informed the country that all attempts at copro
mise had failed that the namssblc demands Of the British
Government, and the rejection Of propositions afforded
satisfactory evidence that compromise which the Govern
ment OF the United States ought accept could be effected
that onr title to the whole territory had been asserted and
maintained by rrefagable facts and arguments that had
the vnF
be adopted for the maintenance our title To that territory
that IN his opinion, notice should be given termination
OF the joint occupancy under the Of 1927 that at
the expiration Of the of notice. we shal have reached
period when the national rights in Oregon must be either
abandoned or firmly maintained and that they cannot be
abandoned without the sacrifice Of national honor
They had not the advantage of the which the
Senator from North Carolina has ngcnousy given these
and other passages the Presidents message and thew very
naturally concluded that if compromise could be effected
which the President would accept the joint occupancy were
TO be termnaed he advised and title the whole Of
Oregon, sustained by efagabe facts arguments was 10
be firmly maintained. there could he doing hisex
cept by appeal TO the sword They confirmed in this
opinion when they saw by the published correspondence that
the President would consent To mode of arbitration because
the territorial rights Of this nation in his opinion fit
subject for arbitration They not ignorant OF the prnc
Piles adopted by writers natural and national law that ac
corng TO the publlcists all peaceae of adjusting ma
hona disputes should be employed before resort 10 force
that arbitration Of these means being confoab 10
the law of nations for the decision every dispute which does
or
such as were certain, clear and nconcsabe that the
claims OF the other party manifest and nsincegs pencc
They knew that the United States had in various instances
submitted important national rights artraton AMI that in
every case but one the result had been sac
tory to the nation They knew that in these instances The
Government Of the United States had submitted territorial
70 arbitration This done they knew by Jaws treaty.
IN 1894 You viii recoect SIR that there was then dis
te as TO the eastern boundary of Maine arising from an ur
certainty 10 what the ST. Crox intended Nv the
treaty OF Independence Our territorial rights dependant up
~ that question were by the h section of that treaty refer
ed TO what was commission in and FORM in fact
hnd effect an arbitration. Two commissioners were appoint
~ ny tne respective Governments with power them TO
soa o ,aS 5s aSS a. ps S sJ ss, that
al award under which the United States now hold title to
large part Of the then province of Maine.
So, too, IN the treaty Of Ghent in 1874 territorial rights
submitted 10 arbitration Cnder the fourth section Of
@ treaty the nights Of the respective Governments certain
stands in the bay of Passamaquodjy referred to two
commissioners. whose award be final and if they diff
tered the two Governments agreed submit points Of DIFF
ference TO the decision Of friendly Sovereign or State
which was TO be final and conclusive Under reference
the United States established their title Moose Frederick
and Dudley islands in The bay Of Passamaquoddy.
Other sections OF the treaty provided for the settlement
OF our title to other portions Of territory BY of these
commissions the islands in the river St Lawrence and the
lakes from Ontario 10 Huron apporoned between the
two counries
Another Of these commissions falling 10 settle the north
eastern boundary which committed them, the refer
ence OF that question made in 1927 the King Of the
Thus under the administrations OF General Washington
Mr.. Madison and Mr.. Adams the territorial rights OF the
nation had been submitted arbitration with the concurrence
Of the Senate in each instance Let be remembered that
the who thus declared that territorial rights were proper
subjects OF arbitration, the Iusrous OF their
time whose public purity and political intelligence he
stained dcreded without disgrace the national chaac
ter The country large will have difficulty in determn
ing whether the Administration Of this day are enight
ened and patriotic than those conscrpt fathers whose
precedenis they scout.
Sir the intelligent who reported this memorial knew
all these facts they had noticed also the speeches made in
Congress They the chairman OF the Committee Fo-
reign Aiars declaring that il late consider The
possession that stood committed to the maintenance Of
our title to the whole territory up $40 40 that
committed bg the convention with Russia in 1924 by which,
indeed we had only abandoned part Of claim
under the Spanish cesson, yielding to that Power 60 20 Of
latitude, to which title perfectly good f the Spanish
claim which we had purchased valid that com
mtied BY the creed Of the Baltimore Convention by the
on OF 1874, and by the inaugural speech of the President
That Senator said there only point remaining whether
we bad nerre TO maintain rights Perhaps sir, ought
TO beg pardon OF the Senate for the of that nerre
which has been banded about here that think the leri
cogTaPhers should furnish half dozen synonymes and
leave that to be consccraied ridcule hereafter.
pc sr-sa.pr fos ofIig UNDERTOOK prepare o
the people for by deng the military power Of England
declaring that her navy, effect reduced onehird
W. tHner power that put naval force ahoat
a he can send 10 meet IL that she is the weakest
e hVe great Powers OF Europe and the weakest Co
eminent IN the world, because wholly unable to endure re-
80, and misortunes; that she weak al home weak in
- ohafon, weak in her councils and weak in her inter
The