The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-03-03
SPEECH OF M. BEaRYERs,
I'M rau CHAMpEn or DErUfiEG JAZZ 81, 1874

SPEECH OF M..BEaRYERs.
iR rss CHAaprn oF DErUfiEI JAZZ 81 1876.
The Psraprxr. The Discussion Of the para.
graphs Of the address s the order Oft day Para
graph FIVE, adopted yesterday by the chamber is as
follows:
ave are happy TO hear that your Majesty has
received from all the foreign powers pacific and am
icable assurances. Peace will be henceforth the
first wish Of all people. IL belongs TO those whose
force equals their courage, and who loudly proclaim
itS benefits. The policy which has maintained
peace through so many storms with the assistance
Of the powers Of the state and Of public opinion ex-
cites at present the gratitude OF all nations. One
day, sire, it will do honor TO your name in his
tory"
At the conclusion Of this paragraph M. Berger
proposes to insert, as all amendment to the address,
the following words:
III peace should be disturbed by the conflicting
claims oftwo great nations, Franco for her
self TO guard against any violation of those princ
Piles Of public law which protect upon the seas the
liberty and the dignity Of Internal onal relations"
The right of debate is with M. Berger.
NJ. BERRYER. Gentlemen: A document Of high
importance reached us few days before the OPEN
ing of our present session. The President of the
lays open the state Of the grave controversy which
has arisen between England and the United States.
He shows that the United States claim absolute
right to the territory in dispute. Side by side with
this formal declaration he sets forth several import
ant acts of his government and especially the recent
annexation Of Texas.
This exposition offactJ is accompanied by COM
plant Of the conduct Of France towards that
great country The President is deeply panied ICE
mit) to that France, friendly power ancient
ally Of the States, having deep interest in COM
mon with the Union in defending the freedom Of the
Il
Of Texas, into that system OF opposition to the
Union which was begun by England.
A few days after the arrival of that message in
France, the British Parliament was opened, and the
speech from the throne has made manifest to thai
the conflicting pretensions Of the United States and
Great Brtanthe subject heretofore of negotiations
often resumed and now recently broken oG--have
not as yet been found capable Of ADJUSTMENT. The
royal speech adds that every effort compatbe with
national honor will be made by the British govern
ment to bring about prompt and pacific settlement
OF the question. ....
A few days since, moreover, the French minister
Of foreign affairs has told that il this conflict of
claims shall result IN hoktiity, and % pescs Of Tho
nations be unfortunately disturbed attraiiy will
be the only policy worthy Of France, the only
course in conformity with ouT true interests
have thought that facts thus entitled to consde-
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. made with such soemnity in
these great legislative bodes-should not be passed
over in silence; that the silence of address this
point was matter Of regret and Of manifest omission,
and that it concerned both the dignity and the inter-
ests Of France that such omission should be
supplied Thus, to supply this omission, gentle
men, is the purpose Of my amendment In these
conflicting claims, France has an interest, imminent
and actual; in view of which must adopt a poll
cy wise, firm, and prudent but, above all, prompt.
On this question our action cannot wait upon the
course of future events.
We know not, yet what will be the result of the
JoIa he k,,t, - r.,
say even before Congress has pronounced it's opin-
ion that question has already been solved there,
and that the debate has thus assumed a most grave
import. / allude to the fact that the provisional
| treaty Of 1897, between England and the United
States, which renewed the concessions, or rather,
the forbearance respectively agreed upon by those
nations in l8l8--this treaty can no longer continue
in force. More than this ii is knoion that Sir
Robert Peel has recently submitted to the United States
the proposal Of arbitration and this proposition has not
been accepted ,oiI Meier be accepted H. cu nerer
be accepted because, ,ohen pas first made year ago,
il at once rejected lT WILL NEVER BE ACCEPTED,
BECAUSE 1T CANNOT be ACCEPTED; BECAUSE ARBI-
| TRATIoN WOULD SEEM re ne AN ABANDONMENT OF
THAT ENTIRE AND ABSOLUTE RIGHT WHICH IS THE
| CLAIM OF The UNITED STATES.
The Union would, indeed, consent to a coRces-
son-to compromise which should fix bounda.
ry line, SO as to leave to England that to the
Pacific ocean, which she may properly ask; but the
Union DH admit thai its right is uncertain, and
| thus arbitration can neper take place
say again, the remuneration of the treaty is fully
| resolved upon; negotiations may, indeed, resume
their course, but IT is sure that the treaty can no
longer remain in force because the state of things in
relation to the question is completely changed.
In 1918, the United States hardly interested at
all in the possession of the northwest coast of Amer
lea In 1918, the population of the United States
was but nine millions Of men; now it numbers from
nineteen to twenty millions. In 1918, this popua-
h.e,ll A.
the valley Of the Mississippi was scarcely iohabit.
ed; the shores Of the Missouri not then crewd
ed with the population which now fills them with
life; and, in word, tfstloay n,QRntain chain which
divides the United States from de Pacific had not
| then been ovcrleaped. ~
To-day, we see another state Of things The
American population il pressing on to the West,
and Is already planted in considerable force in the
territory Of Oregon. The American establishment
there is already important and it is not possible for
the United States TO leave without protection, with.
out government, and without law, a large number
Of their people, thus established along the shores
md by the mouth of the Oregon, at Astoria.
There is now, therefore, q real interest in this
question which can no longes endure either suspense
or Joint occupations some definite adjustment of the
matter must be found.
Add to this, that what has already and of late
). years taken place in the midst Of the Pacific ocean
amid its immense clusters Of islands-that which
has most recently TRANSFERRED on the opposite SHORE
of ASIA the success Of England there, the real pre-
dominance which she now yields upon the coast o.
China, fronting the western shores Of Amerioa-al
this gives the highest importance to the questions
which the United States now seek TO settle in the
4 northwestern coasts Of America
Thus the question is no longer, and can no Longer
be, suspended question. Il must inevitably find
an adjustment and as the minister Of foreign affairs
has well assured US, that question contains within
itself relations of difficulty and Of peril, in which
France may be summoned TO assume its part, and
in view of which France must now assume line Of
policy and a course of action. That line of policy
| propose to mark out; and that course Of action
have just submitted TO the chamber in my amend
ment. ...
| To ascertain what course Of action we should
sdopt, what line Of policy we should follow, tn,
minister Of foreign affairs has surveyed both hem