The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-03-24

stoekade forts and fortifcaiions along the rom, ~
Oregon, to protect emigrants thither For vh.,,
l why are you desiring 10 push American eitirena
o'o the territory of Oregon, when the legislative
| branches Of this government dare not say m he
face ofGreat Britain, the territory is ours-dsrs
not say foot OF II rs ours. For what do you De.
sire TO prepare a road, 10 guard that road and IN
push on men, women, and children from
| this part OF the country into wilderness, among
savages, when you dare not extend your laws over
them Why do IL be asked. Why adopt poIi-
cy Of this character Better let them all turn with
| The other branch Of Congress, and petition, and
qualify and take the TO dissipae all pretence
that we have any right TO that territory and keep
our people at home. Now he desired TO see wheth-
er were TO insist upon our claims to this terrific
ry. He was desirous 10 see whether our laws
viii be extended that territory--whether our
people already there, as well those who to 20
there, will be protected In the enjoyment Of all the
| rights and privileges of American citizens. He
was IN favor Of protecting them there before he pro-
teeted the way there aud encouraged them 10 emf
crate. He desired TO see the Indians within that
territory eoneiiated, and their good will secured
and they brought within our protection, before he
voted Tor any bill to send our people there 10 be
slaughtered by them whenever the beck or the
direction was given by the Hudson Bay Company
TO do It. When they saw that the action OF this
House was TO be esneurred in by the other branch
and that first the notice Is given next that our laws
are extended over our people in that territory, %
protect them when there and Ia the last place that
terms OF peace and amty cultivated with the
lndlsnsi when all these things were done, he would
go for opening the way for our emigrants thilher,
and for protecting them their route and not be-
fore
But these things not done. We have got al
a Yankee would say, "lhe cart before the horse,h
and il is now proposed to raise branch OF an army
for the purpose OF protecting our emigrans to a
country which we dare not assert our right 10. We
| are preparing way 10 transport men, women, and
children from their fres,des in this country, and To
induce them TO 20 where We dare not extend our
| laws over them. We urging them 10 90 among
| Indian tribes under the influence OF local company
herewith whom we have opened negotiations
or terms Of friendship, and have no treaty stpula-
tons no surety that they will not butcher our peo-
pie whenever they directed To do so by those
who have established these stipalations. Then, he
said, in this stage OF their proceedings in regard
Oregon territory this action was premature. II
all these proceedings TO fall TO the ground this
bill and all its provisions unnecessary. fthey
passed this bill, and organized these two regiments
a, the expense Of s400, 900, $500 900 annually,
is all money thrown away, because you have taksn
no step TO render II necessary. Not only that, hut
il is adding another TO the many causes Of disgrace
and Of infamy, which have attached 10 the
whole country for attempting to talk 90 loud
and assert claim so supreme over a tern.
tory which the government in its diferen,
| branches dare not carry out. He begged that
this House would spare itself from drawing upon
its own head any portion Of that Disgrace; let them
wait, and IL the coordinate branch Of this govern
ment would block the wheels. and refuse to aid
them in carrying out and maintaining the rights Of
this government in Oregon let them take the respon-
sibility, let il not be thrown upon them that they
mad disregarded their nertnes,their want Of cour-
age, he might say-and gone on and established
regiment, or two regiments, Of rihemen, drawing
emigration into that territory when they knew that
the Senate would not concur with them in establish
ing laws for the protection of Qua people there He
| said let us save our credit, save our money save
our people here and not induce them to go whore
we have not the ability, or at least until we meet
| with concurrence in the other end Of the Capitol
where we have not the power to extend our protec-
ton over them. He was in favor instead Of rails
ing two regiments to induce our people TO 20 there
the action indicated by the Senate was to be car
ried out, of raising two regiments to 90 and bring
them back; let us not incur the charge that meets
US at every STEP that we are inducing our people 10
go where we dare not protect them, but let us como
out openly and confess that we dare not and induce
them to come back where we can protect them
But there was another objection 10 this bill and
one which, if there were no other, would induce him
to vote against it; and that was that we have now
seven thousand privates enrolled in our army, out
Of which thousand something like four thou
sand men and upwards are in Texas. How long
were they TO continue there' Why, in all reasons
BILE probability they are either to return soon or
we shall have abundant occasion for more. He
thought they were destined to return without hav-
/ ing tried their steel with the Mexicans. Suppose
they return within six or twelve MONTHS when we
take into consideration the condition Of our western
settlements, and their capacity to aid in protecting
themselves we have strength enough to protect all
our exposed points. We have maintained several
companies in Providence, several in New York city,
several in Buffalo, and company of flying artillery
in Baltimore. We have them scattered all along the
seaboard; and what for' One company in each Of
the Notifications, one company for New York, ono
for the State ofRhode Island, and for any other site
along the Atlantic coast, sufficient to take caro-
of the Notifications, and that is all that is wanted
We have this surplus wasting and corruptng by
their contguity to cities, who amply sufficient 70
distribute along the route to Oregon; and we have
already our mounted Dragons TO be taken upon that
route for the purpose Of aiding traders back and
forth to Oregon. Then, Che said } unless we were
to have war with Mexico, we have men enough;
and he asked members of this House to look