The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-01-06
terms with the article Of this treaty ia relation to
Oregon.

treaty Of peace be entirely opea to both PARTIES, and is
side to whatsoever Of the parties belonging may freely
be- reEOTted 10 and used by both parties IN ample
any OF the Atlantic ports places of the United
states or amy VI the ports or places Of his Majesty in Great
Britain" -,
Almost precisely the language used in relation
TO Oregon. Now suppose that Great Britain
had created one of her great nonopozing com.
panles, and had placed ii on the soil Of Mississippi
and Arkansas, who would have believed for mo-
ment her claim TO any right Of territory there, under
treaty which gave to her the right Of ingress and
egress in that river Who would have supposed
that she had any right to prevent us from organizing
a civil government therei And yet the privileges
conferred upon her under Jays treaty IN relation TO
the Mississippi ryer Just as extensive as those
which this treaty in relation to Oregon conferred up
on her. and still il never entered the heads Of British
statesmen that they had any right TO the territory
along the shores of the Mississippi, the Missouri,
and the Arkansas and the idea of her rights
in Oregon had been begotIen alone by this con-
inusl grasping spirit on her part fostered by
our own supineness and inaetion and by the remote
ness Of this territory. They would never have
tried underIhe treaty Of 1913, to plant territory
under our own view. Under the treaty which con-
ferred upon us the right Of fishing on the banks of
Newfoundland, We we're authorized 10 build hus
aud warehouses, to dry our fish and prepare and
store them for Market and yet IL never entered into
the conception Of man that because Great Brian
had given rs these privileges, that territory or any
portion of II Was ours unqueslonably II had never
entered into the thoughts OF Great Britain that If
she saw ft TO organize territory there she FIRST
TO come and ask u.s. And he asked gentlemen to
throw aside the idea which had been engsndered,
and which served only TO confuse and lead aatray,
that Great Britain had any rights which would be
Inlerferrd with by the vindcstun Of our claims to
that territory. Her treaty with Russia in 1925, con-
ferred upon her almost the same privileges as the
treaty with us in 1918; yet she had never dared to
plant any colonies there she had never even raised
the claim that Russia had surrendered any portion
Of her territory.
He called gentlemen then, TO look at this subject
in the right aspect. This is American territory
No rights have been conceded except the rights of
trade; and 30 long our harbOrS, bays, and creeks
are left open To her citizens for this purpose, 30
long we violate rights Of hers although we go on
to take possession Of IT, by organizing government
and taking the proper measures for the protection of
our citizens and our soil. When closed the
navigation Of Mississippi river to them we
threatened with war When closed one two
other rivers To Them were we threatened with war
No. il had not been the practice Of this House
10 anticipate war such grounds. They were
looked upon az commercial transactions. No !
Great Britain never would have dreamed of saying |
that she had any claims upon Oregon, had II not
been for the lsggard spirit Of the American people,
and which had crept into certain portions OF this |
House. This the origin Of the grasping spirit
manifested by England on this subject, and which
well accorded with the graspng spirit with which
she was nov fighting the New Zehlanders, to strip
them Of their little territory, and was denouncng
them as rebels. She had now drawn her fortifca- |
lions from the North Of England itself in contin-
uous military line all the wayaround TO the East In
dies; she had fortified that route, to command
the trade Of China and she does not Oregon for
itself Mo- she would be glad of the whole Of Ore |
gon were burning volcano, as far as she is con-
cerned; because she will have to go on to fortify
herself IL we settle il. Her object is to keep the |
VI If Ifsha ean
vent our emigration thither, that is all she de-
sires. Now she has the island Of Chusan, that
commands Ningpoo, at the mouth of the Yang
Zie Kiang; she captured il during her with |
China and sold II back for twenty millions of dol
lars. The time expired for its payment; it was
paid; and now the English government say that |
cile instances have changed, They have got the
money, and they refuse 10 surrender back the island
because, they say, forsooh, g" wonld be putting it
into the hands OF our great rival, France. IT Is too
important TO surrender; we must keep II, and pre-
vent France from coming in possession oft" This
is British morality! And why do they keep IL Be-
cause il is the nearest harbor to Oregon. |
He now called upon gentlemen to look frankly
upon this treaty, and to say that there have been no
rights conferred under it, as claimed by gentlemen
in this House; and whether give the notice or
not, we have much right to organize Territory,
to fortfy ii, to put troops in it, as we had in
Arkansas Mississippi under jays treaty! It was
no grant of territory, but merely commercial trea-
at our action, long as we protected the rights of
trade of her citizens; but if she 6t to take Of
fence at it, let 1t come,
But the gentleman from South Carolina Mr..
HoLMEsl yesterday told them if war came 1t would
be war Of aggression on our paIt. Our soil (said
Mr.. b. is quartered upon; Notifications are erect
ed and the territory is actually taken possession of
and because we fit TO do the same thing, in the
exercise of our rights, to be told that in case
the result OF this action is war, it is war of az
gression on our part 1t reminded him of the old
fable of the porcupine and the snake. The porcu-
of the snake and sought protection from the in
cemency of the weather. He taken in; and
when he got tired Of his company, he threw out
his sharp quilts into their soft skins. They inv-
ted him to retire. "No," he told them; she had
been allowed TO come in, and he was very well salts
fed those who wished to could 60 out" So with
British traders. They had been allowed to come
in and they had taken possession Of this territory;
and now, when we wanted to get them out they tell
us they are very well satisfied, and those who are
dissatisfied may withdraw; and when the gentleman
says five undertake to put the porcupine out, is
an aggressive war, he Mr.. B did not understand
il So II was nothing more nor less than war of
defence against the encroachments of an grasp
ing power An I" offensive" war! Why, one
would suppose from the speech of the gentleman
that were engaged in some grand acquisition of
foreign territory. Was that the fact Is not Ore
gon ours Did any one doubtit at this day And
Il it was ours, what was" our duty in regard 10
citizens and our territory The gentleman from
South Carolina had told them that to give this no
tice would be 10 assume exclusive jurisdiction over
the territory and to assume exclusive jurisdiction
would be war; and further, that it would be war
of aggression on part. EIe agreed with the
gentleman, that giving the notice was necessary to
assume exclusive jurisdiction; but as to the remain
der Of his positions, he differed with him IN toto.
To give the notice, and to assume exclusive juris-
dicton, he mir. b. commended did not necessarily
invite to war; and if war should follow, y would be
a war Of aggression the part Of England, to take
from US part of our rghtfil territory; and war,
which he trusted, if it once was forced upon us
by the rapacty of Great Britain, would never
cease until she had not a foot of land upon the
continent of America. Let her distinctly UNI
derstand that this was the sentiment of this
House und of the other house of Congress;
and that they are sustained in it by the American
people; that we not going to cover before her, and
to surrender our just territory; TINT we not the
poor contemplate creatures that she is committing
her depredations upon in South Africa in the Isle
of France, or New Zealand; and let her distinctly
understand, that if she makes war Of aggression |
in order 10 take from us any portion of our territory,
IA will never cease SO long ms she owns one inch |