Wheeling times and advertiser. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1839-1849, 1846-02-28

uNutU-k wv Il
MIR. Adams. answer, sccordins to his
own idea. that in the case Of the first conven-
ton | was acting In a subordinate capacity ~
Secretary OF State to = most excellent and e.
,;mable man for whose memory ! shall ever
cherish the highest regard, James Monroe; and
as To- the second convention. which YVES made
during the time that ! occupied the Office OF
President, l tell that gentleman thsti he will
read !, ne will find it contains q formal protest
ag.;ns, the claim OF Grcat-Bri,sin. have
the convention. here, and will read from
them. MIR ADAMS ber quoted the third ar
iicie Of the first convention:
Ii i, agreed that any country that may br
claimed BY either party on the northwest
coast of America, westward tO the stony
Mountains. shall. together with its hsrboss,
seas, creeks. aud the navigation Ut all rivers
/ within the sam~, b. yREE AND ovrs Ior the
term of ten years from the date OF the sigma
,ure of the present convention. to the vcsscls ID.
citizens, and subjects OF the two Powers.
Is that occursiion-joint OF ssveralf No
such thing. Ii Is SoS-occnpafion; II is an
agreement TO leave the country free and open
10 all the world Tor ten years "lt being well
und, rstoodT-herc's the protest-''it being
,reu understood that this agreement 10 not To
be- constructed To the prejudice OF any claim
which either of the two high contracting par
ties may have To any part oi the said country,
nor shall il I've taken To- affect the claims OF any
Other power or state 10 any part OF the said
country j..
beg the committee TO take good notice OF
what follows, for | mean todraw nv argument
from IL ''The only object OF the high con-
tracing PARTIES being to prevent disputes and
differences amongst themselves
This il my answer to the gentleman from
Georgia. That is the only object Of the con-
v~ention. That being the only object. and the
article being limited to ten years, is il not the
obvious and definite conclusion that NJ the
eud OF the ten wears the difficulties must all
come up again for settlement Il not this q
sufficiently clear protest against the claims Of
Great Briisiu' and not only 40, but OF any
other parties concerned In the ircatyf What
il the other party conce med' II isSpsiu and
this was a clear admission that Spain had
rights there which were not to I've affected by
convention. This was ia 1918. The very
expressions show that both parties understood
that the question OF their respective rights was
not TO be settled for ten years, but would come
up again at the end Of that period. IL was
equivalent To a. full and explicit q claim TO
the whole OF Oregon, as We now make. Ii was
an agreement that for ten years the whole
country was to he open tn both parties, with
out either Of them exercising exclusive juris.
diciion.
Let me observe, then. what was our title
aud " hat was Great Bitaiu's. In that neco-
t~istion, aud iu the subsequent negotiations,
aud even to this day. Great Britain has clain
ed no exclusive jurisdiction she does -
now claim any. She Nays that shc has no
title 10 il: she pntends none; but then she
says also that we have none, but that Oregon
n an open county-occupicd las lar as az il
occuPied) by barbarous people only. She
says the country is open to all; sbc docs not
/ eIuas.a a. .lss.sx. t.sl..A. n..s s.A-..-.
you she will before oil is done she will claim
any thing you will let her have she will
claim. IN the end, exclusive jurisdiction over
the whole territory. She now claims TO keep
the country open Tor the purpose Of hunting
10 keep n IN a harbarous state, as a hunting
ground. IL will he of no benefit tn her from
the moment il shall be settled by people who
till the ground; from the time the country Is
cultivated by persons who settle in II for pur-
poses of agriculture. her claim is good for
nothing; il il abolished. There is the differ
ence between tho British claim and ours: we
claim Oregon that NJ may improve the coun.
Try and make its drscr, 20 blossom az the ros~
We claim IL that we may establish laws, ill
The ground that we may ''subdue the earth
os has been commanded by God Almighty.
She Claims ~ 10 keep IL open as d hunting
ground-ihat she may hunt wild beasts in il
she claims IL, oi course, for the benefit of the
Wild beasts . laugh as we'll rs the savage ma
tons who roam over IL.
hope | have answered The gentleman from
Georgia, a. To the reason why ! did not, in
words, protest against the claims of Great
Britain. but, having agreed To continue the
claims OF both nation just ms they were foI
ten years and subsequently, until notice should
BE- given by one OF the parties, | now wish "a
put an end 10 the convention by giving such
notice.
l want Oregon for our Western pioneers.
l want il as a theatre for the display OF tina
CHARACTERISTIC OF our people which ia embodied
ia the phrase 'go a head" | want il that i
may grow into a great nation like this, ana
become . free. independent, and sovereign
Republic; instead Of remaining q hunting
ground for beaver aud buffalo, or a savage
Il desert.
lnow come 10 The second convention. tn,
first was to continue for ten years. This ser,
provision shows that IL was not intended b,
the parties OF a permanent state Of thiags; ii
shows there was a claim in anear, and on,
winch we meant io assert and 20 maintain n,
Time aud circumstances should render expe
dent. Please 10 observe the difference In tb'
phraseology employed.
Here the hour allotted TO MIR. Adams, ex
pired.