The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-03-09

grant what is so Justly asked Of us by the citizens
Of Oregon. ] would give the notice not only with
a view 10 Interior measures for their projection
against the British and the numerous savage Lands
thar surround them, but bectuse many gentlemen
suppose that until the notice is given such meas
ures cannot be taken consistently with the conyen-
ton and our nat iona faith IL 10 also part of the
obligations Of the government TO extend the pro-
lection of its laws over the citizens OF Oregon
an equivalent for their allegiance and obedience 10
its behesw. The gentleman from Alabama MIR
YAscEYl has described the convention as "a sub
sttute for war" as an alternative Of war; and has
proclaimed, In beautiful and fgurative language
that the abrogation Of the convention would be fpsG
faeio TO provoke or declare war | differ from him
in this position. ! look upon the convention as
mere temporary arrangement between the parties
liable TO be revoked according TO an expnss stpuls.
ton, without, afording any just cause Of war 10
either one of them. The same gentleman admits
our title TO be valid and exclusive; yet he says he
would not 90 10 war 70 yindicaie IL. What are we
to infer from these intarmonioas Posiuonsl Nothing
elss thaI can perceive than that he would abandon
our title, unless We could obtain peacesble recog,
milton Of Il by Great Brtaib--at oil events, that we
should continue the bargain by which we admitted
Britain to the freedom OF Oregon, rather than rescnd
H. and exclude her from il by war. Would the gen
teman apply the same doctrine to the patriotic
State OF Alabama, il, by some improvident act
Great Britain had been allowed 10 ntrude herself
ltLO tNul olalcf W. NcIlulHl1 nOIs let, nlNIe
conceded the validity Of our title 10 Oregon, he
would find it difficult, on principle, to distinguish
between the cases. The gentleman from South
Carolina Mr. RHETTl also joins in the cry OF war,
and dcprecates such event. not only as calamity
in ITSELF but also as measure tending, by inevitable
consequence, to strengthen the tendencies Of the
government towards Capitalization and consolida.
ton. He asserts that the war Of the revolution en-
quilted in federalism aher the adoption ofthe pres
ent cOnstlIlon Of government that upon the tarmina.
ton Of the last we found ourselves in like sit
uaton. All this may be true; yet, sir, il either
proves too much, or il proves nothing; il proyes
Rs much against just war an unjust one
against war Of defence as of aggression. Yet the
gentleman would scarcely say that the revolution
US too much because it burdeRed us for period
with debt and taxes, and the misrue Of federal
ism. Nor would he, presume, say that il would
have been better for us TO have borne longer, and
forever, the insult to our flag upon the high seas
and the outrage Of impressing our seamen into
foreign service than to have resisted these unbear-
able injuries at the OF an addition to our pension
list, and other consequences which gave birth to
national bank.
Differing from the gentleman in the views he has
EXPRESSED predicate it the true maxim that
our only inquiry should he, first to be "sure We are
right, and then TO go ahead" that we should task
nothing that is not right, and submit to nothing that
is wrong" IL Oregon is ours, let take il. 1.-THE
path Of duty is beset with danger still let us press
forward, as 1t becomes brave and patriotic men to
do. Hesitation from fear would be co watdce; from
craftsmanship, wckedncss or folly But gentlemen
say there is occasion either for fear hesitaton
that all may be attained by negotiation Upon
what assurance is this assertion rested Certainly
not upon our experience. live consult that as a
test, we find that negotiation has nearly always
been the cause Of injury, the Of disaster. Ne
gotation has lost us much, would have lost us more
and has gained us nothing. jays treaty author
lied the anomalous right of foreigners residing else
where to hold and transmit lands by descent within
limits il admitted British subjects to the priv
ileges Of ingress and egress, whilst il excluded
American citizens from the territories ofthe Hudson
Bay Company. IL did rtiIl more; itadmitted Tro-
jan horse into the very heart and citadel OF the
country Under the deceptive mask Of commerce.
it admitted the British naval power into the waters
of the Mississippi, from its mouth to its sources
Great Britain coveted this last acquisition as an OBJ
iect Of the first importance. She foresaw the at
tendant advantages it would secure to her over
young but formidable rival. American diplomacy
did not heed vast and dangerous concession.
The laundering engines Of the Jupiter Olympus Of
Amerca-the immortal Fulton-had not then fur.
rowed the turbid bosom Of the great father Of rivers
the of that mighty river still through the
dark dense forests which had not yet been laid low
by the woodman's axe The red man was uncon-
that his native power TO fade before the
advances Of the pale faces; that the graves Of his
and gorgeous palaces. These things, these mighty
revolutions, were in the dim distance; and Ameri-
can diplomacy, with hcdged vision and unpenetra-
ting forethought, overlooked or dsregarded them
What further In 1918 and 1897 diplomacy, with
laundering stupidity, offered to sever Oregon by
the 49th parallel, conceding 10 Great Britain the
country to the north, together with the free navi-
CATION of the Columbia In l845 it reoffered the
49h parallel; and last, thought not least, by its in
durable blindness and oblivious delays, has involved
our title to Oregon, originally clear in confusion
and doubt; for 1t will be recoiected that in 1918,
Great Britain set up no claim to the joint occupancy
of the country. The great body of the people, and
especially those Of the West have no confidence in
negotiation. They would as readily subscribe to
the truth of the black arts to the efficiency of d.
plomatic arts--to the realities of Herr AleXander's
necromancy to the ability of minister to settle
satisfactorily, by negotiation, the vexed difficulties
Of the Oregon question. At their vast assemblages
they have given unequivocal urerancs to this sen-
ment. At the Baltimore convention they demanded
the whole of Oregon. In my own State their ban
nera have Geen blazoned with the notices of "ORE-
CON WITHOUT NEcorlArIoN;' cell or none" "no,o
nerer," These are the honest, spontaneous ebul-
ions Of the people The people arc sovereign; let
their voice be heard and obeyed.
Oregon is ours; title to il is established "by
rrefragabe facts and arguments" it does not there
fore present case for negotiation and compromise.
Hisobore the po,utr Of government, arhoh the express
consent ofhe people, 10 dsmsnber lis territories, or 10
tranyr the allegiance ofis citizens. The function of
government is to preserve and protect both. Terri
tory is the base and the people the spr of govern
ment. To ALLEVIATE one or the other would be to de-
sroy the very props which support it such aliena-
ton would be violation Of the contract of govern
mcnt; it cannot trade or give away to foreign jul
risdction either its lands or citizens. The same
doctrine was averred by Mr. Clay upon the question
of the alienation of Texas, though not to the same
extent. In 1890, as member Of this body,,he of.
fered the following resolution as expressive of his
| opinion:
"RC;oIreR That the constitution Of the United States
vests In Congress the power dispose of the territory be
longing TO them; and that treaty. pnrportng to ALLEVIATE
my portion thereof is valid without the concurrence
Congress
Texas in that case was not different from Oregon
in this. Texas was mere territorial possession
Oregon is the same. lit was wrong then to nego-
tate away Texas-and such was the Judgment OF
the American peope--it is equally wrong now TO
negotiate away Oregon; and if it may be supposed
40 unwarrontabe an act will be perperated, a cor
responding cry will be raised to that which was
raised in regard to Texas, and will be kept up until
lost Oregon reclaimed peaceaby if we can, forci,
| bly, If we must.
| ~ DoI, kn, al, roppatedlv affrp,oJ bis copvic.