The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-01-16
THE DAILY UNION.

maue during the contlDU anee OF her Nootka Sound
with Spain. He argued that It's benefits
must have enured TO Spain, and thence, by pur-
chase, 10 the United Stales-we thus becoming the
owners of hettls by the discovery on the part Of g.
Britain, IN consequence Of purchasing from Spain.
Independent Of this he noticed the argument that
Whatever rights Great Britain may have acquired
under that Nootka Sound convention, upon which
abe based her claims were destroyed and abrogated
by the abrogaiion ofthat convention by the war Of
1896.
Such, then, being our title to Oregon, the very inn
portant question as TO what is the best policy
to be pursued in relation to this controversy with
Great Britain. A great deal had been said Of this
policy Of "masleIly inactivity and he confessed
that at one time he had been the firm, uneom-
promising advocate of that policy. lie referred To
various cOnsdcratons-to the Temoteness Of the ter
rIlory-beDg 1000 miles distantI to it's comparative
HorhleSsness except for traders and apPersi 10 the
fact that IN pursuing this policy the inevitable laws
OF population would secure 10 US, and place Il
so firmly Ia possession that no nation could take II
from US; that the onward progress OF our popula-
uon-which had increased IN less than half cen
fury from five millions until We now numbered
over twenty millioas-would soon roll Its resisiess
tide over the Rocky mountains and Hood that terri
tory as IL had already dotted IL over with 1000 OF
our ctizens-al appealing with irresistible power
IN years past IN favor Of this system. OF mastery
inactivity" But circumstances had now changed.
TWAS wise policy; but now that wisdom had ceased
TO be wise. We were now compelled TO action from
the existence of circumstances over which we had
no control. Out Of this question had been pro-
duced-as he must believe, by the action Of the
present dominant party-another element of excite
ment which was now agltsung this entire country
Since the ll-starred connexlon of the questions OF
Oregon and Texas at the late Baltimore convention
new element had been introduced into the political
controversies Of the United States The idea Of
ritorial aggrandiIement had seemed to become pop
ularj patriotic appeals were made to the people; and
change had taken place in the policy of the coun
uy-a change that must be met by correspondent &C.
ton, prompt, Efficient without delay. He was not
AN advocate of the extension Of our territory
unless in a manner perfectly in accordance with
the constitution Of our coutry, perfectly in ac-
cordaDce with the spirit Of our institutions
While he believed that republican principles must
and will spread yet he did not hold to the doctrine
that were bound 10 extend our country with
them. Nothing can resist the spread OF republican
principles. You might well attempt TO chain the
lightning as TO arrest the onward march Of liberty
The glorious principles Of freedom will continue 10
spread, and the time is not far distant when every
part of the world will feel, and will acknowledge
their power. But he could not consent to Join the
cry that the whole continent must come into our
confederacyi that the United States must he extend
ed from TO sea-"from the rivers 10 the ends OF
earth" Il is mpracticablei il is dangerous to the
integrity of the Union; and such extension must
burst the cords that bind US. Let our principles
extend; give them "the wings Of the morning, let
them fly to the utermost parts Of the EARTH" but
beseech gentlemen (said he) to stop in their
The spirit of conquest is abroad over the land; il
must be resisted, II will forever ruin country
We have territory enough territory the most
magnificent the world ever saw. Why then seek,
in this spirit Of ACKNOWLEDGEMENT, to extend ter
rtorial limits. He was in favor Of proper degree
Of national pride. II essential 10 the preserya-
ton Of national rights and national honor; but as
a.
which goeth before destruction; naughty spirit,
which "goeth before a fall" live have not reached
that emnence, he feared at least that we were APP
preaching 1t very rapidly. In the natural history OF
man. told that when an individual is raised to
great elevation, there is an almost irresistible i'm.
pulse to dash himself from the giddy height into
iuin. So with nations, all history abundantly
showed.
In addition to the state of our country, Mr.. p.
referred to the state of foreign relations
Their reason making 1t necessary to abandon this
policy OF "masterly inactivity" and to adopt some
other. We are informed by the President Of the
United States that negotiations abandoned; that
the English government will make no proposition
which we can accept; that our rights in Oregon
must be abandoned or firmly maintained Now,
this being the fact, what is to be done? Are to
fold our and permit England to remain in
quiet possession Of the whole Of Oregon The pres
ent is crisis which demands prompt, united, ur-
gent action. The President recommends that the
notice be given Now, although he happened to
differ with the President in political opinions, yet,
this being American question, 1t became the duty
of every American citizen 10 unite in giving him
that prompt, efficient support in this measure that
shall give him power which will be felt from one
end Of this Continent to the other not only but from
one end Of the British domnons to the other He did
not wish, question like this TO the American
Congress standing in opposition TO the American
President. He was in favor of the proposition of
the honorable gentleman from Alabama, Mr.. Hill
LARD, or that portion Of the proposition of the
chairman Of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, [Mr.
c. J. lNGERsoLL; but he preferred the proposition
of the gentleman from Alabama, referring this no.
tice to the President Of the United States, with
authority to give it, whenever in his judgment
the interests of the country required it. 1t
might be said that they were not sincere in
the advocacy of the notice, when the notice, as
proposed by this amendment Of the gentleman from
Alabama, devoved the responsibility on the Presi-
dent of the United States But he commended it was
but devolving upon him the exercise of his constu-
tionaI rights, and no greater responsibility than
properly pertaned to the high office which the peo-
pie of this country had conferred upon him. The
President, aided by his cabinet, he contended, was
the proper power to decide upon the propriey or
improperly of giving this notice; as they were ac-
quainted with the whole course of our negotiations
on this subject.
Another reason why he was opposed to passing
the resolution declaring absolutely that the notice
should be given, was, that thereby the President
would be deprived Of the exercise of his discretion
in case circumstances should hereafter be so chang
ed as to render it unadvsabe to give it, But if the
House should not concur in these views he should
60 for the proposition of the Committee on Foreign
Affairs for the giving this notice without the inter
vention Of the discretion of the President.
Advancing now to the more direct arguments in
favor Of the notice, he indicated it from the charge
so often made that it is war measure. 1t was not
war measure but simply the exercise of our rights,
which exercise on the part Of England all would ad
nit, would be no offence to us. What might be the
result after the expiration of the years notice was
another question; and all the predictions as to what
would be its effect were mere specuations No
member Of this House, no individual of this nation
could pretend to pronounce the result oft It did
not follow matter of course that we were to take
armed possession Of Oregon it did not follow that
we were to attempt to drive out every English