The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-02-16


protection Of commercial and maritime interests Il
has abundance Of timber of the finest kind for build.
ing ships IL affords every facility for raising 10
and supporting a great maritime people; and over
and above everything, with everything that there
- In the regions of the Atlantic, il has, besides
the mild and moderate temperature Of the Pacific
waters.
Mr.. MANGUM. Will the senator allow me to
say one or two words. understand the alusion Of
the senator 10 be TO me.
| Mr. HANNEGAN. Yes.
Mr.. MANGUM. | have taken occasion to ex-
press no opinion on the question IN relation TO what
might or might not be the value of that country. In
truth, the opinions upon the subject conflict
ing, that have not been able TO form satisfactory
one. Some have represented it a steril country
without water and rain. Others, again, among
whom is a member in the other House. says il
is so fertile to be 1T for the production of sugar
and cotton, even as far up as the 6lst degree.
! Mr.. HANNEGAN. II il was good for the pro-
ducton Of sugar and cotton, il would not have en-
countered the opposition it has done; its possession
! would have been at once secured. Sir, if it is not
good for sugar cotton Il is not destitute Of rans
for the will find, IL he takes the trouble of
reading the journal Of Lieut. Fremont, he will find
il narrated there that during the first winter he pass
ed there they were nearly deluged with rain. But
II Is good for something better. IL guards the
above 400; it commands Nootka sound and the
northern Pacific ocean. As live, and as shall an
swer for II 10 my constituents, would as soon give
| them every foot Of the territory as Fuea sound
! What would II be worth 10 give them the inlet to
| Fuca sound IL il but SO miles from Nootka sound
the beat harbor on the Oregon coast There, in time
Of war. could rendezvous naval force that would
hold in complete control the harbor Of Puget's
sound. You give two-hfths Of Vancouver's island,
| and consequently the control and ownership Of
| Queen Charotte's sound and the Gulf Of Georgia
With the exception of these 10 not a harbor there
] hat nRlHh he IhAa If
lized savage; not that would furnish shelter
! for houa larger than Indian canoes. Sir, objec.
tons 10 the assertion Of title is old the gov
eminent itself. We first find il at the settlement Of
Kentucky, seeking TO eonfne this republic 10 its
then limits; and we find IT, from time TO lime, during
the progressive settlement Of the whole West We
find i in vehement opposition to the acquisition Of
Louisiana and Florida and from the last the pres
ent moment, in charitable efforts to repel the adyan
ces of Texas. But SIR this last, the present oppo-
stlon, is more improper, more mallgnan: than any
previous; for il inyokes the aid the especial aid OF
British tyranny to blot our page and huH us from
the high throne Of our destiny. But SIR those who are
engaged in this object engaged in the work Of
! Sysiphus. Before | reply TO some remarks that
f II from the distinguished senator from Delaware,
allow TO read from a speech Of the senator from
Missouri a description Of Oregon; and more bold
and graphic one never was given inside these walls:
IL do date upon the value and this great
country word sufices to display both. In extent is
larger than the Atlantic portion Of the old thirteen Untsd
States in climate softer in fertility GREATER in sslubty
superior; position, better, because fronting Asia and
wash by tranquil In all these particulars the
slope Of our continent Is far happy than the
In confguration, II is neSpresibIy fne and grand-a
obong square. with natural boundaries and single
gateway into the The snow-cEpped Rocky mountains
enclose 10 the east ironbound coast the west
frozen desert the north and sandy plains the south.
Al Its rivers, rising the segment ola circumfer
ence run other the centre then now TO-
gethsr into the ocean through gap in the mountain
where the heats Of summer and the colds Of winter
! southern
equally unknown This Is the valley OF the Columbia
country whose every advantage crowned by the adv
tsges position and conhguraon; by unity OF all It's
Partsthe nsccessbility Of its bordes-and It's single in
wealth and strength can hav. but capital and
will be Thebesi but one commercial emporium and that
one people one interest one government and that peone
should be American, that interest and that govern.
menl republican Accused and infamous be the that
divides or alienstes IT,"
Sir that is the language Of the great senator from
Missouri, and to every word Of it | give a hearty
amen. There were portions of the remarks which
fell from the senator from Delaware, Mr. CLAYTON
on Thursday last, in which ! find il impossible TO
concur He suggests that the question Of title should
not be discussed in open session. and intimates the
propriety Of the Senate Withholding an opinion on
that subject until the doors of this house be closed.
| cannot concur in anything of that kind This
question has become the property Of the American
people. IL is of late in every mans mouth. But
question concerning il is asked by the great ma So
Of the people, "is it our own, is it ourowni' 1t is
for to show it Isl if So fve-seyenths Of the Amer
lean people would, with accord, say "assert
your title and take it." With question Of such mag
nude to the American people before you, to sit
with closed doors, to conduct your deliberations in
secret, and give your judgment in darkness, would
be melancholy sight for this country. fear it
would be the prelude of scenes even more deplora-
! bic in this chamber (The exact words Of the
speaker were here lost to the reporter owing to
depression of the voice of the senator) Sir is it
| iprn1 vim Il
of this country cannot be discussed openly or that
there is any who would not wish to make known TO
the public the full merits Of an intricate question like
this' If there be, cannot concur with them Sir,
there was another point in the remarks of the dstin-
guished senator from Delaware which formed theme
on which he dwelt at length, and in which did not
concur. believe both he and myself are willing put
this country in the most effective state of defence
have IN all our conversations, so understood him.
He does not stop with faltering tongue; but what
| have heard Of the maritime power of England held
| up here, felt satisfied it was for the purpose of
acting on the fears Of the American people; but it
| is in vain to make such exhibition with the in
tention of forcing them to surrender of what is
their own. 1t is right and proper to examine the
question first but it is also gh and proper to have
our own. Sir, the American people cannot be
alarmed or awed by any exhibition of British
power All her fleets, though concentrated into one
mass, would not strike terror into the American
people; because they have read that, sixty years
ago, the whole American navy consisted of one
frigate; and that with that single frigate, J Paul
Jones crossed the ocean, swept the English channel
ravsged her coasts, and sacked her cities returning
home in triumph They have not forgot the names
of Decatur, Of Perry, McDonough, Barry, &c
They. know that, although England may have
hundred guns TO our one, we have reliance equal
to her on the brave and high minded and honorable
men who serve the United States, which has given
them the rank they entitled TO occupy. The
senator from Delaware, who quoted the great Eng
lish moralis, certainly did not learn the rules Of
warfare from Henry V. He might have learned
his duty, however, from the conduct of that prince
in case not dssimiIar to the present. When Hen
ry the V found that his case was good, that the
title to disputed territory was clear, did he hesitate
to carry the war into Francei No; the or,ler was
to march to the renowned field of Agincourt-a
field which can never be forgotten-the most glorious
England ever saw-wbere her forces fought, one TO
ten against the French, and conquered them. Nor
does the senator learn his rules of warfare from the
first of Romans and hegrcaest of men, the great Ju-
Illus, who, had he been governed by such ues would
| hny left the plories of Pharsalia IN ponnev Had