The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-01-10
tzens, and enjoy the same privileges that we en-.

| In maintaining Just rights 20 Oregon, vi
maintain them for Englishmen as well as for our
selves When the laws Of the United Statoa shall
be spread over Oregon, Englishmen will have tn.
same rights Americans to go there and settle, ana
assist 10 elect their governor, aud VIII he ei
zens; whereas now they aTe subjects, and are called
seryants-seryants Of trading company.
state this 10 show what are the historical faet'
concerning the rights of Englishmen in America
and these rights will remain until other laws ar,
made True, they must renounce their allegiance
to the British crown but this done for Them
aud in the name Of all Englishmen who should
come here, by the slgners of the declaration OF in
dependence, and English settlers have only 10 ac'
knowledge its validity.
This contest for supremacy and rule in America
has been going on between the Norman barons on
the one side, and Englishmen on the other fromth
time the little colony was planted on the bants OF
the James river until now. AS early as lob, The
Virginia colony asserted their rights here against
the company at home-thus early beginning 10
maintain the rights Of Englishmen IN AmeIra 10
IgoyeTn themselves.
Then came the sister colony, escaping with diff
Guilty from tho British yoke, and planted Itself on
Plymouth rock, These were all Engiishj anG. fsese
two sisters have gone on hand in hand until they
have erected great and free English nation.
But they have had 10 contest II, step by step aud
inch by inch, with the Norman barons who ruled
sat home"
! The declaration Of independence gave us exist
ence as a separate nation, and the Norman barons
were obliged 10 acknowledge II; but no sooner was
the treaty Of 1883 signed, than these same naughty
lords tried 10 riyet by arts those letters they had
failed to secure by armsnot the mechanic arts, but
the arts Of intrigue.
These Norman barons, unwilling TO reinquish
their empire in America, have kept this country and
this people in eommotion for more than Two hun
dred years.
There was Queen Anne's war OF 1913, which
took of the best blood Of Boston TO be shed on
the shores of the st. Lawrence In fighting against
the poor Canadians who had done them no harm.
There was the long war OF George Il--ealed the old
| French war-when the money and the men Of the
colonies were required TO place the British flag upon
the walls Of Quebec, 10 strengthen British power in
America There were Indian wars instigaled by
British policy, too numerous 10 mention. Then the
eloody war Of the revolution, IN which deeds were
enacted by British orders too revolving 10 describe
The piratical war Of 1912, again opening upon
us all the horrors Of Indian warfare unsheathing the
scalping-knif and tomahawk against the defence
less women and children of the frontier settlements
Then, after the peace Of lSl4-atter they had been
soundly whipped at New Orleans-they began their
intrigues and encroachments again. They claimed
half the State of Maine and all the territory Of Oregon
They dissolved the governments of Upper and Low
err Canada, and established a central government on
our northern frontier. All these things remind Va
Of the constant, unceasing, untiring enmty 81 Brit
ish statesmen to English liberty in America. How
ny ia America; she gave 1t freedom, and Louisiana
besses the name Of France. Ay, and her sons
would be among the foremost To volunteer in defence
of their mother country. Every Lousianian loves
France, and every Canadian hates Britain. Yes,
every Englishman in America hates that British pow
er which holds his countrymen in bondage.
The great question now Is, "shall the Norman
barons rule in American-or "sha Englishmen
Scotchmen, Irishmen, Frenchmen, and Germans,
and their children, assemble here together in this
free America and elect their own rulers"
| This contest about Oregon will decide the ques-
ton Ii Britain gains the Oregon territory, she will
seize California and Cuba, and hold her iron grasp
upon Canada. She will encrce with forts, seizs
the passes Of the Rocky mountains, aad blockade
our road to China; and for another hundred years
this nation will be kept in constant war, fear oil
war.
But if America gains this victory, peacefully pur-
suing her own course in her own territory-if Anglo
Americans, sons Of Englishmen, gain tier undoubt-
ed right to Oregon--then British power in America
wl4pll, and the Norman barons will cease to give
form part Of this Union. Canada will, Of her own
accord ask to be annexed to this considerations and
these United States will be free indeed
Thus Mr.. Senator, | have written out brief
historical account of our rights and our wrongs
of our rights by various treaties to the whole of
Oregon, of the wrongs and aggressions heaped up
on us from the beginning by the party who now
interferes with our rights. All this you know as
well as do, and all may know by reading history;
have set down ought that is not true, there are
the treaties and the records of history to detect my
errors.
| have not the honor of your acquaintance, but
did hear you say that you were not afraid, and
then was sure you must have some of the blood OF
the "Alens" flowing in your veins.
| | rccollect in my youth the honorable Ebenezer
Allen. Although his biography is not written, he
was one of those great men who assisted to shake
even King George on his throne, surrounded by
his hired host Mr.. Allen was chairman Of the
committee of safety for Worcester county, Massa-
chuses, and his name may be found enrolled in
the American archives of 1774, now in Congress
library. l have heard the old men speak of him
as one Of those energetic minds who could stir up
mems courage to deeds of daring. As TO fear, he
knew fear, except the fear Of being remiss in his
duty to his country. He was constantly abroad
among the people, emhodening the bold and
strengthening the weak. He gave counsel to the
young to stand by their country for 1t was for them
he was fghting-for liberty, and not Tor himself,
who could not long be expected to larry here. He
was terror to 1.-THE tories who fed at his approach;
but he was warned by them to beware of the power
of the British who would with regiment Of their
regulars capture all the rebels in the land. But he
did not fear nor heed them, and went on glorously
in his course until he his country free and indie
pendent.
recollect the old gentleman well; he lived to the
age of 90 and died in 1906 and was buried with oil
the honors grateiui constituency couiu pesto" up
on him.
Irecoec distinctly the place he occupied at church
where he was a regular attendant-his whitened
locks that told of many wners--hs fiery eye, that
even in age told that spirit had been there no,
yet extinct--his aquiline nose and his expressive
facehs tall and graceful figure, and then his bold and
manly bearing, dressed in his long blue cloak, which
he always wore in his latter days,-he appeared to
me, in my youth, to be like one Of the Roman
fathers had just began to read about. Such is a
slight sketch Of one of the Aliens whom did know,
who lived in time when to fear the British power,
whose subject he was, would be no great wonders
and yet he did not fear but dared to meet this pow
err and assisted to drive its governors and its troops
back to Britain. Whether he was a relation OF
Ethan Allen know not; but there seems to have
been kindred spirit animating both their minds,
and if mistake not, the same spirit animetes their
namesake Of the present generation. While we
have such spirits in the land we have nothing to
| fear from the British barons
Respectfully, your most obedient,
CHARLES FLETCHER.
WAsHMeroN CITY, January l. 1876.