Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1846-04-01

and stocknde fortes on the restc between
our frontier seitles,ents on rho missouri
and the Rocky mountains; AN adequate
force of mounted riaemen TO guard and
protect ea,igrantsi and the establishment
Of moa1h!y overland mail.
Bat, sir, Ire advises us 10 give no'ice, add
tells rs. "A, the end of the years notice,
should Congress think proper 10 make
provision for giving this nouce. We shall
have reached q period wtfen the national
rights in Oregon must either he abandon
ell or firmly maintained. That they can.
no, lie abandoned without sacrifice OF
both national honor and interest, rs too
clear to admit Of doubt
Sir, can gentlemen read this earnest
and emphatic language Of the President,
and deiude The country or themselves with
the belief that il is advised because il will
contribute TO The amicaoe adjustment of
our delicate and perilous relations with
GreaI Britai'.?
beg this committee 30 he reminded
that If further negotiations were IA the
contempt atinn of the President, they caa
he conducted only by those functionaries
of ,he'sovernmenI !oiwhom the consIiIu-
lion has contided The treaty power. am
yet To learn that the House Of Represen.
talives have ever been supposed 10 par.
ticipaie this power with 'he President and
the Senate. And ! surnit 10 The COM
nilIcc aud the country that i, is only be-
cDuse "all attempts al compromise hav-
ing faile,l," this House can he appealed to
by the Presidenr, and that the appeal is
made that we may adopl measures for
maintenance of our l~st title" 10 the
lesria,ry of Oregon. aud, at the expira-
inn nf the nsIicc, take exclusive posses.
sisn Of it.
But. sir. If we disregard the direct and
,explci, lausmaec Of The President, can The
human mind conceive any other motive
4i'r terminating the treaty ur joint occu
paAcy of this territory tlGau tie exclusion
Of Great Britain! II the notice he given,
and the question Of boundary be sill un'
adjusted when the twelve months shall
have elapsed, we shall have no alternative
leli hut To rjec, Great Britain from any
portion OF the territory, or submit to the
sacrifice of those rights which the country
had been Told are "clear and unqnestion-
able" Gentlemen. Mr.. Chairman; have
discoursed eloquen,ly OF national honor
in this debale. Let ME tell them thai
when we shall have Terminated tbelteaIy
sBS Which Giieat Britain fioIds Inc JONI
occupancy with us of lhis territory, We
will be a nation of cravcus and daslarls il
we do not Instantly tear down every
British Tort and flag that shall be found
upon our soil Sir, lie chershes no Just
sentiment of national honor who woulI
thus pause to negotiate. or parley to co,n-
promise.
Before we determine, then, 10 give The
notice To Great Britain, which is in itself
harmless measure, we should have well
considered whc,hey we shall lake posses
sion of the eRlire ierni,ory Of Oregon, and
if mol of The whee, of which portion ol
il. i we intend TO assert our rights in
any porliua of this country TO The exclu.
sion G the professions OF England, that
asscriea must be maintained by The arms
OF this country. Tie gentleman from
Massachusetts tAlr. Adams) has expressed
the opinion tiIa! if, the verysday after the
notice should be given, we march our
troops and take possession of tho whole
territory, ;here will rot be war. | did
moi understand thai gentleman as assign.
ing any other reason Tor lha, opinion than
his belief !hSi o,ic or the other parry
would .'back olr.' Sir, the calculation
that our adversary will "back OUT"
take leave to think, is one that prudent
man ought not To iiakc-i, is one that a
brave man wtinld scorn 10 make.
II, NJ Chairman, we provide for giving
The notice without defiuins the extent ol
our rights, tie President cannot. aud I
feel assured lie will nor, hesitate TO main.
tain them with ell the resources of the
government, 10 The entire territory in
controversy. And, sir, when this delber.
ale and often repeated decaraion-tha,
our little TO tho whole country wes, Of The
Rocky mountains is "clear aud une ues-
lionable"-if we simply terminate the
joint occupancy, he woiId find in our &C.
lion The approval Of his opinions, and
might we'll be deferred from admitting
that Great Britain has any jus, protein.
sions TO ask partition Of il with US. For
myself. do not hesitate TO declare that il
| entertained the opinion as 10 our tilo
expressed in his inaugural address, and
repealed in his annual message, ! would
exhaust all the resources of this great
country before | would surrender oae toed
of that territory on the denaad G fer
eign government. | trust this committee
will neither shrink from, nor evade, the
responsibility which has devolved upon US
Al IA recent period of our history, Ar.
Chairman, the distinguished citizen who
was then chief magistrate declared" that
we should claim nothing which is not
clearly right, anu submit 10 nothing which
is "roag." II is great and noble seni-
meu,. 1t defines the poin, OF honor
amongst nations; and. in my estimation,
r N