Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1841-1853, 1846-07-02
Gwentp- Ninth Gonsrsss.
Of MIR. benton,
OF MISSOURI,

Mr. PRESIDENT: In the progress Of my speech l
find another little bit of rubbish In my path, Just
thrown into il from the other side OF the sea-irom
London-which | must clear away before proceed
further Ii is in the form Of article IN the Lon-
don Times newspaper. friend has just sent me
numbers of that paper, in which furious war
is waged upon the Utrecht line of forty-nne, molved
BY the conversational debate which took place IN this
chamber some months ago, and Ia which the
Senator from Michigan, (Mr Cass,) and myself were
ence, Of that line the point OF condensation The
Times takes part with the Senator frUm Michigan,
and carries into his subject tic usual quantity of his
fiery zeal. 1t so happens, Mr. President, that pos
very delicate scent, and smell things especial
w of the rat species, at immense distance. So,
when read these articles in the London Times
smelt them-smet the beaver that was III them and,
the scent coming upon me very strong, was struck
with an idea. Ii is the same which struck the wor-
thy DIR. Primrose the second time that he met the &C
complished Ephraim Jenkinson. and heard from him
n second rehearsal Of his Greek learning on the cos
rnogony. or creation of the world ''Iardon sir,
said the DOCTOR for interruptng much learning, but
think have heard all this before" The apparltIon
of the fair, with all the catastrophe OF the colt and
Blackberry, Immediately rose upon the mental vision
Of the learned commentator on Sanconlathon, Name
tho, Lucellus Ocanus, and Berosus. Seeing he was
caught, he confessed for Jenkinson had some re-
deeming points about him. and never lied when there
was no use in it. He confessed the whole; and the
doctors 'idea received the seal Of its confirmation
from his candor. In like manner, must beg the par
don of the editor of the Times with the suggestion
that have seen all this Utrecht learning before ;
that it is old acquaintance of mine all familiar
TO me from the time that President Jeerson's Cover
of Louisiana drove the British traders the
line of Utrecht-across 49-and Kept them there,
regardless of all their cries and lamentations. re-
cognized this old acquaintance in these articles
IN the Times-nothing changed in spirit, only in
form.
The Earl of Selkirk, and his associate sufferers, in
forensic language, confessed and avoided, that is to
say, they admitted the line of Utrecht but plead its
abrogaton by war; and its supersedeas by the consent
and connIvance of the Spanards; but the new arti-
cles, improved by the intrepidy if not by the profun
dity, of GreenhOw's book, accredited is this
floor by the Senator from Michigan,) boldly taking
the short cut to the object, and deny. out and
out, what confessed and avoided before. In 9TH
er respects, the Times articles the memorials
of the British furraders at the epoch of the acqui
sion of Louisiana, and the expulsion of these trad
from it by virtue of the Utrecht line of 40. And
now | want to ask the Senator from Michigan, (Mr.
Cass,) if, at seeing himself thus applauded by the
London Times, he does not feel tempted, like the
Athenian of old at seeing himself applauded by rab-
bic that he desplsed to turn rount to his friends and
ask what he had done amiss to bring this applause
upon him (Mr. Cass nodded assent) l can tell
him what he has done amiSs he has taken the Brit
ish fur-traders side of the line CT Utrecht And
for the editor of the Times, if he wishes light the
subject, can refer him TO authentic sources of inor
nation just at bis hand, namely: the kings map.
with the Utrecht line upon it, (all written In the old
kings own hand, which so maryelously disappeared
from the foreign office at the time of the Ashburton
treaty and also to the thin quarto, with red edges
printed at the corner of ST. Martins Lane, Charing
Cross, London, ammo Domini MDCCLIII, prepared
by Thomas Jefreys, esq, Geographer 10 the Prince
of Wales and intended for the instruction of the heir
apparent to the dominions whose boundaries he was
defining TO him. Upon Jenkns's principle, the Times
editor should confess, after seeing this map of George
the Third, and this geography, in which that king
studied the boundaries of his dOminions
This bit of rubbish being removed from my PATH
now go on with my subject.
The value of the country-I mean the Columbia
river and its valley-Q must repeat the limitation
every time, lest be carried mp to "a 40)-has been
questioned on this floor and elsewhere. 1t has been
supposed to be of little valuehardy worth the pos
session. much less the acquisitions and treated rather
burden to be got rid of, than bene6tto be pre-
served. This is great error, and that only pre-
walls this side of the water the British know bet
ter; and if they held the 1.-THE Of our title, they
would fight the world for what we depreciate
1t is not worthless country, but of immense
value and that under many aspects, and will be &C.
cuped by others, to injury and annoyance If not
by ourselves for own benefit and protection. Forty
years ago il was written by Humboldt, that the banks
of the Columbia presented the only situation on the
northwest coast of America fit for the residence of
civilized people Experience has confirmed the truth
of this wise remark. All the of the coast from
the Straits of Fuca out to New Archange, land no.
thing but fur trading post there,) remains vacant
waste Abandoned since the quarrel Of Nootka sound
and become the derelict of nations The Columbia
only invites possessor and for that possession, sa-
gacious British diplomacy has been long weaving It's
web. Ii Is not worthless possession but valuable
under many and large aspects; to the consideration
of some of which now proceed.
1t is valuable, both a country to be inhabited
and as position to be held and defended speak Of
it, first, position, commanding the North Pacific
ocean, and overlooking the eastern coast of Asia The
North Pacific is rich sea, and is already the seat of
great commerce; British, French, American, Rus
sian, and ships of other nations, frequent it, Our
whaling ships cover 1t ships of 90 there to
protect interest; and, great as that interest now
Is, it is only the beginning. Futurity will develop
an immense, and various, commerce on that sea- of
which the far greater part will be American That
commerce. neither in the merchant ships which carry
it on, in the military marine which protects il,
can find a port, to call Its own within twenty thou
sand miles Of the field Of its operations The double
length of the two Americas has to be run-a stormy
and tempestuous cape be doubed-to find itself in
q port of its own country; while here lies one in the
very edge of its field ours BY right ready for use.
and ample for every purpose of refuge and repair,
protection and domination. Can we turn our ba cL
upon it and in turning the back deliver il uo to the
British Insane and suicidal would be the fatal
act.
To say nothing of the daily want of su, port in
time of peace, its in time of war becomes min
Commodore Porter has often told me that will,
protection from batteries in the mouth of the Column
bia, he never would have put himself in a condition
TO be attacked under the weak collusive guns of
neutral port. He has told me that, with such port
for the reception OF his prizes he would not Ina
In the ocean, or hid in islands where it was often