The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-01-15

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you'd not the srming Of your additional regiments,
building yous stockades. and all and each Of the
acs for which those gsnllemen who eall themselves
peculiarly the peace party on this question, be VI
olation Of the letter, at least OF the spirit OF
tho treaty. This, apprehsnd, was the intention oil
both the high contracting powers-that whenever
each government should have offered It's ultimatum,
/ and whenever il was sscersined that this yexed
question could not be settled by negotiation, that at
least years notice should be given, that sufficient
time should be given TO both countries 10 prepare TO
Withdraw their commerce from each others ports as
much AZ possible in short, 10 give time for retiec-
ton 20 both countries 10 determine whether their
titles sufficiently strong 10 justify the arbilra-
ment of the sword This, il strikes me, Is The COM
mon sense view of it, else why was the years no.
tice inserted II certainly means something Do
gentlemen suppose that, upon the receipt OF this mo-
tice, England intends 10 declare war j can not
bring my mind 10 any such conclusion. ms JOINT
occupancy is unilateral contract England, without
any title has all the advantages 10 be derived from
the use Of the whole territory, and we, with the
clear title the whole of the territory, divide the oc-
cupancy. am no prophet, nor the son OF prophet
but venture the assertion, that This question never
will be settled either by negotiation or even ny sro
iraton, IL this country were weak enough 10 submit
10 IT, and the title TO Oregon will he in allegiance UNI
Ill the people of that country finding that the tenure
by which they hold their property 80 unstable de-
clare themselves independent, which, l presume,
England desires, and which time will most assured
ly bring about. II. .....r
You must recollect, sir, that there other par
ties deeply interested in this matter than your
selves; the people Of Oregon themselves feel the
want Of "loeal habation and name;' their Zee
ings interests, sympathies, and everything, leads
them 10 attach themselves TO you, and unless you
throw over them the egis of American liberty, you
cannot expect that they will wait forever the ierm,
nation OF negotiation, which England never VIII
put end 10, and which you seem equally disposed
to continue, without the least expectation OF se'lS-
factory adjustment.
England don't desire Oregon she may desire such
ooonists she has in the east; the population OF
Oregon would require too much trouble to Keep qu-
ct under her monnrchical institutions. They are
made Of serner stuff than be moulded 10 her iron
will. Nor did she want Texas; she would not have
taken il for gracious gift But she desired TO see
Texas independent government, and adjourn
Of the last Congress- without the passage OF the
Texas resolutions would have lost that beautiful star
in glorious confederacy. need not recapttuate
the arguments. Had been Texan, would never,
after being twice rejected, have applied again Tor
! admission. The recognition of her Independence by
Mexico--national prde--eyerything would have
conspired, and the glorious policy of inactivity
would have lost Texas then, and the same poll
cy, il persevered in now, will lose Us Oregon. She
will never belong To England but they must have
; a government firmly sablished-recognized by all
the world. Her language is, Where shall we go
If you do not settle the matter, Of necessity must
| n
perfect knowledge Of the strength Of both titles,
knows that our government will never recede from
49o; but she further knows that there Of nigh
standing in both parties, who have expressed them
selves favorable TO the independence Of Oregon, and
she is perfectly willing 10 "bide her timen and II
I this is left open question, some lucky moment
may be seized upon TO induce TO consent 10 the
] independence OF Oregon.
E As regards the Inhabitants Of that territory,
/ independence is certainly more desirable than any
connexion with England; but in relation to US, for
: all practical purposes, had almost Ore
gon belonging to England to her independent
All the advantages of the China trade would be lost
TO Va forever. For these reasons, believe that a
delay will be fatal to rights in Oregon, and Will
q give Great Britain all that she desires. .... ..
1.-THE view that have taken be correct will Eng
land find any Just cause Of war in this notice, or in
> our taking possession of the whole country?
think not. England had much stronger interest in
maintaining the independence Of Texas than she
has for that OF Oregon, and fully much right
: and yet she neither made war upon us for this
d wholesale annexation ofTexas and have no doubt
= that she prevented Mexico from declaring war; for
D she knows full wen that with the United States tina
jsu ne rna pas Ia ehardee "War with the Chinese
where the loser pays all expenses is different thing
: from with the United States, when all tina
she could gain, would not pay for the ammunition
that it cost; and my life upon it, Mr.. Chairman
q England is not going to have with the United
States, for the sake OF the Hudson Bay Company,
e very rapidly. ...... .... -..,.....
i But If the President should be mistaken, and
d the venerable statesman over the way, and ths
e chairman Of the Committee on Foreign Affairs
o and all Of who are in favor of this notice, il
Y ought not to affect the action Of this House upon
e these resolutions There was a time when it became
our duty to pause and reflect upon the consequences
Il Of any particular measure (where principle was not
l. involved and the sternes statesman might well ask
= what would England or France say upon this sub
A iecta Hapnilv that has long saed and
If our affairs administered without the least ref
erence to the opinions Of any nation on the globe
peaceably, hut firmly pursuing such course, in
our best judgment is calculated to secure liberty and
the pursuit Of happiness and whatever others may
think, have yet TO learn single act connected
. with our foreign policy that would wish undone;
and as proof of the integrity Of our course, while
we exasted and received compensation for injustice
from the hands of nearly every foreign government,
believe the first claim has yet to be made against
this government for any injustice done to the weak
est or the strongest power Acts Of individual wrong
there may have been; but cannot recoect one sin
gle act Of our government for which we have been
! called upon to make PREPARATION. ~"
As an American, an citizen Of the world, it is a
source of the most sincere satisfaction, and more
than all things else makes me admire the wisdom
Of our forefathers who transmitted this rich hertz
age and, when rightly and universally understood,
will do more In favor Of republican institutions than
all the disqustions Of essaysts than have ever been
written on the science of government. This fact is
worth than all the theory upon the subject for
two thousand years. .> - ' "
What reasons have been given to induce the be-
lief that the passage of these resolutions will precpi-
tate war; II resolves itself simply into express
sion Of opinion. II was one Of the happiest Of Sir
, Boyle Roachs bulls, when he said 'he best pay 10
apoid danger, TO meet il plump in the face" Every
man on this floor has, will find it so, in private
life, and il 10 equally true in relation to nations.
Having no arstocracy TO support, or favorte fami
lies to keep in the ascendant, the world has become
satisfied that individually and collectively the Amer
lean people, upon the slightest epcroachment their
rights, would almost soon fight az not. That idea
has kept them from many collision. ] recollect
, when Gen. Jackson informed the French govern
ment that if they did not pay the money they owed
us, he would cause himself to be pnid in summary
manner war considered inevitable we were
no more prepared then than now; but the French