Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1846-04-15
SPEECH OF MIR. McDUFFIE.

SPEECH OF MIR. McDUFFIE.
M. McDufie addressed the Senate,
and spoke as follow>:-Belore | pro-
ceed to The subject of the proposed no.
,ice to GreaI Britain in its various mod>
iications, feel it TO be my duty in the
peculiar circumstances OF this case, to do
what, in ordinary circumstances | should
no, be dispnsed TO do-ha, is, 10 enter
into thorough and dispas>ionale inves-
,igation # the respective titles OF the
United States and G,ea Britain 70 the
territory OF Oregon, and in duing this,
to state, from my c"nScie nee, what |
believe 10 be the truth, the whole tru.h,
and nothing but the auth. The honor
able senator from Arka sas, Mr. Ash.
ley,1 who favored The Senate with las
remarks yesterday, seemed to consider
that the discussion Of the title of The
United States, so far as it might compare
with the extent of the claim SIT up, was
not proper; and YET that honorable sem
a,ur, and various other senators, have
thoroughly and fully discussed Ire title
of the United States to its extreme linn
its. Now, Mr. resident, in the exist,
lug stale If this uegoliation--under The
course which has been pursued by the
President of the Uuited States, in SUBJ
mitting the whole of the documents 10
Cong, ess,-t is has become a popular
question. L, is vain to disguise II; and
/ fear NE have more 10 spprehen'i, III
adjusting this great question, from diffi>
culties which may be interposed by our:
selves, than those which may be inter-
posed by Great Britain. 1t is my sin.
ccre,c ,copvict.on that the public mind Of
this couElry is laboring under dcluson
as to the title Of the United States; and
| believe ,ha. the ASSUMED unan,mily Of
The people Of this country in favor Of
the title of the Unlted States to ,he par
allel OF $40 4W is fou lded entirely up.
on the fac, llla, the discussion has been
altogether confined, or almost altogether
confined, 10 those who have maintained
the title of the United States. believe
NO senator on this side of, ihe chamber
has pI:,ended to utter word agains,
the claim of Tie United States to $40
40' Senators to be sure have indica,ed
a willingness tu adjust this question upon
he principles OF co,Epiomiss on the
boundary of 49o north; but they seem
10 suppose that, although they might 60
that Gar in the way of adjus menl, yet
,ha, 1t is not exactly patriotic to deny
the title beyond that parallel. Now, l
am clearly OF opinion thai the tile of
the United States and great B'ilain
should be adjusted on that parallel. l
concur entirely viii, the Senator from
Massachusetts, (Mr. Websier,) that it
is the increasing opinion OF botI, coun-
tries tha, that is the true point of COM
plomisc, and that the question can never
be compromised upon any other basis.
The public mind is, Ithink, made up 10
that; and while shall attempt to show
thar this is tie extent OF the probability
of adjusting the question. l shall also
attempt to show that the respective titles
of the svo countries bring US Exactly to
that as the proper point of adjustment.
The honorable Senator from Arkansas
lMr. Ashley deal, very largeIy--as orr
Secretary 9i State has likewise donp---in
discussing This question, upon the Nootka
Sound Cor vention; and [ must confess
lfhaye never been able 10 perceive, on
any priuciple, whether as it regards the
claims of Gfeal Britain or those Of The
United States, how so much importance
can be attached to that convention in
the question now pending. ! agree per-
fecily with those who maintaiu that the
war of 1896, between Great Britain
and Spain, terminated that Convention,
soifar as any rights 10 Greal Britain
we,e derived in it fand7fiom il. 1t is
perfectly clear that these conventional
tights Of. commerce withtthe Indians,
and temporary privileges to make sets
tlemen,s, totally unknown 10 the laws
of natinns, were lerminatedsbyithe war
ofyI796. Well, sir, sthere were rights
paramount 10 aasconyention-righis
on which 3'ittwas fonnded-rights, also
claimed 'by Great Britain. sand rights
which belonged not ontFto Great Bri.
tain, ,burevery other civilized nation Of
the %orld-paramouut 10 that conyen-