The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-05-16

ceftan from HIM supposing the British
TO entertain objection to such course would sun he
views Of the United states government TO refer to arbl
ton not has already been proposed the question oil an
equitable partition Of the territory but the question oil
tile in either Of the two powers to the whole territory
subject 70 the condition that either should be
found in the opinion Of the arbitrator to possess complete
ute the whole teruOry, there should ~ that case he
assgnrd TO each that portion OF territory which would IN
the opinion OF the afbatng power b" called for by Just
appreciation ol the respective claims OF each
Now, sir, 1t will be perceived, here is no distinct
proposition to refer the question Of utle at all; he
merely inquiries, Surprising Great Britain should
entertain no objection to refer the question of tte to
arbitration, what would the government of the
United States be willing to do, IL would have been
proper, IN my Iudment to decline IA reply TO prop
osltlon presented IN such form II was not al
definite proposal TO submit the question Of title. lt|
Is a fishing" question. A Hypothetical case IL pre-
scented, which our government might we'll refuse to
entertain, and made subject to the condition. on the
happening Of a contingency, Of an equitable dWIsIOn
of the territory SIR, we DO not desra division
of the territory. ] am instructed and ce pleasure
IN acting up to those Instructions to oppose by my
vote a surrender Of any portion Of territory right
| fully belonging 10 US through the fundamentally
Of abltrauOn by crowned heads, board OF civil
lans, or by negotiation IN any form. would adj
wise negotiation, SIR, as have already SAID, IN re-
gard to all other matters growing out Of tins ques-
uon with which II is egIumareIy connected;
and should be disposed 10 be liberal. would grant
TO the Hudson Bay Company, winch has SO much
al stake certain privileges Tor a limited period. u
would do nothing that Is unjust, nor advise It lo|
be done, and, IN taking retrospect OF our past
history sir believe the greatest enemy Of republic
can principles cannot point his finger TO single ac,
Of national injustice committed by us. 1t may be
said, 10 the glory of the American NAME that not al
single act IN our whole career can be found by our
most INSCRIPTIONS enemy, calculated 10 stamp IN
Justice upon our natIOSal character. We have
never done injustice; we have always sought IN our
limit 4
menls to carry out the golden maxim, " Do unto
others as ye would they should do unto you.' Our
reputation IN thus regard, * pure and uuspoucd, sT
and desire to keep It so. wish To ofD nothing
bordering even upon the confines Of injustice, and
therefore, sir, II the Hudson Bay Company have
important interests there-and that they have am
free TO admlt-and the British government Is re-
sponslbe to them for any INJURY which may result
IN consequence Of any disposition OF the country
policy may require Great Britain to make and IT,
IN order TO carry on their trade few years longer
and settle their affairs they should desire the use Of
the river for a short period, | would concede It 10
them most cordially. would afford them every
facility for closing up their affairs, and leaving the
country to our exclusive jurisdiction; but to d.
vision of the territory could ever consent. We
all recOect SIR that memorable display Of he WIS
dom Of Soomon-the case OF the h,lng child claim
ed by two mothers-and the exhibitor Of true pa |
rental affection on that occasion She who consent.
ed 10 the division Of the child was adudgcd not 10
be the true parent, and the real mother restored
to her own. So 1t is, sir, with the friends OF
Oregon they cannot consent to a DIVISION of the |
child of their love Ii England Is the true parent
give II all 10 her sir. We cannot consent To a dIvI-
SION Of the territory either by the Co1mbn river,
or the forty-nnth parallel Aud here, Mr. President
must be permitted to say, "mOre m sorrow than in
anger" regret as Il friend Of the Executive that |
he felt himself bound to offer to Great Britain the |
proposition To divide the territory IN" forty-nInth
,4,r, Hat 81, IL IL.
sisted IN this that he dad not CONSIDER TIA n,c ques
ton, so far as he and his administration were con-
cerned. la my Judgment sir, so far he con. |
cerned It was an entirely new question. And why. |
arr Because, at the convention which assembled IN
May, lS44, to nominate candidates for President and
Vice President, To be supported by the party Ia
which he belongs, delegate of the State Of New
York offered the following, among other resolutions,
which was unanimously adopted, a principle of |
action and Of union. Here 1t Is, sir.
"Rrsoirsd That title TO the whole OF the ri,ory
oregon Is clear and unlur,o,ahc thl, H., ,,rou OF the
'nne ought TO BE- cei"I to hn-lluI power,
ii Texas Il thu raflr, pract.,a, peroI .r great Amer
Ican measures which tins recommends the
cordial support OF the democracy OF the mon
Now, sir, on these great "Amcrlcan measures, " |
then for the first time adopted such, we went
before the country, The present Executive was the
candidate Of the party that avowed this right and
title to the whole Of the territory Of Oregon. Ore
ength and breadth of the land. # was not con-
fined to the west or southwest, but in the northern
middle, and throughout all the StLtcs, the
ryng cry. Oregon and Texas were one and un.
divided The Executive was elected by the aid of
this measures and to what did he pledge himself on
the eastern portico, before his assembled fellow cu
Gems, in his inaugural address to them and to the
country: Mark his language sir:
Nor will 1t become in less degree NY duty 10 assert
md maintain by all constitutional means the right Of the
[ q ter
yond the Rock! mountains Our title to the country of the
Orrgonls clear and nnquesonahr, and alrriy our
H cir e anI SbG Hre' that 0y Occupying wit"
Such, sir was his explicit aud frank declaration |
IN accordance with the public Judgment of the Coun-
try; such his pledge. lie had been elected as |
friendly a series of measures of which the entire.
ty of Oregon was one; and thus 1t became IN my |
opinion, as to HIM and his administration, entire
ly question. 1t never had before, Mr.. President
been an element IN any political controversy, and |
his inaugural address prehgured to his constituents
what his course would be when called to act upon
the question LIT his message delivered to Congress
at the present session, he does not depart from the
ground he then assumed to the right, but ain |
Difference alone to what had been done by his |
predecessors and the implied obligation which theiry
acts seemed to impose and not considering 1t a |
new question, he made the proposition. Again ! !
say, sir, regret the President took that view of the
subject, and offered proposition so well calculated
to embarrass his friends in different parts of the
country, and who had united m condemning those
predecessors for making similar offer. But the |
was made and rejected by Great Brit |
ain, withdrawn by our government, and Is no long
er binding. The President tells us, with his con. |
vctIon that no compromise which the United States
pnght to accept can be effected, 'hc proposition of
which had been made aud rejected |
was, by my direction, subsequently withdrawn, and |
our title to the whole Oregon territory asserted and
as IS believed maintained, by rrefragab'c facts and
lie then recommends - wing the no. |
tIce to terminate the conycnuon and says: "At the
end of the years notice. should Congress think it
proper to make provision for giving that notice. we
shall have reached period when the national rights
IN Oregon must either he abandoned or firmly main
tanned. That they cannot be abandoned without |
sacrifice of both national honor and interest is too
clear to admit Of doubt" Again he says: Oregon
is part Of the North American continent, to which |
it is confidently affirmed, The HHc ofM En'I States
is The best IN eriStCnCr,"
10 understand, sir, what Is meant by our ma. |
uonal rights in Oregon, which cannot be abandoned
without sacrifice otboth national honor and inter.
est, we have only to the passage first above