The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-04-01
MGR Z ssIoNAL.
SPEECH OF MR.. CHALMERS
OF MISSISSIPPI,

giving nOucc 10 afrnt bfitdln OF
the convention Of joint occupancy Of the Oregon
territory.
Mr. CHALMERS, being entitled to the floor,
rose aad addressed the Senate as follows;
Mr. PHIsnrsr: The question before US for con-
alteration is viewed by senators on all sides az IN
yolying vast consequence Whatever we may have
thought of il when It's recommendation was hrst an
nounced in the annual message OF the President II
is now manifest to you, sir, 10 the Senate, ana the
country, that wide and conflicting views are enter.
tanned here and elsewhere to the objects expected
20 be attained by giving the notice TO annul and abb
rogats the convention for the joint occupancy OF
The Oregon territory. For, sir, Notwithstanding all
who advocate giving notice proclaim TO the world
that il is peace measure, the ENDS ana oDJecs ef
pectsd and desired to be accomplished are wholly
ineomnatible The senator's from Ohio, Mr.. Al
IrSl Indiana. GMr. HAESEGAH,l and Illinois, Mr..
BREEsEl tell us that they are for demanding sur
render or the whole territory up TO he boundary
line established with Russia, upon the parallel oil
$40 4V; and that we have only to give the notice,
demand firmly and boldly, and the whole will be
peaceably surrendered. The senator from Georgia,
IMr. CoiauIrT and those who for giving the
notice, tell us tina; they vote for it with view tn
expedite settlement Of the question upon principles
Of Just and honorable compromise; and that TO give
the notice and demand surrender Of the whole ter
ritory, will be tantamount TO declaration OF war
Such being the state Of the question, and made so
Dy thOsc VINO huNOChtc BNlu6 wv - 800
ously one Of the grayest character and this contra
riety of opinions only the more deeply conunces
me of the importance Of the issues involved.
None can be greater than one which involves the
peace Of two of the most powerful nations IN
the world. A question so momentous demands OF
us elaboration, hrmness, circumsPecuon, and de-
c,iye action. The country expects 1t OF u.s. and our
duty to ourselves and il requires that we should not
disappoint that just expectation.
Before proceeding, Mr.. President, to say what
desire on the immediate question before us, feel
bound TO notice remark which fell from the sena.
tor from Maine, Mr.; EVANS, upon the subject OF
our negotiation with Russia in 1924, when tho
boundary between that government ana ours was
fixed.
The senator referred to a portion of the diplomat
ic correspondence from which the in JUNCTION of Sc
creey has not, believe, been removed. hope ]
may have misunderstood the senator. IL | have
not, a remark of his is calculated to create great
misapprehensop, and do infinite injury to our title
to any portion Of Oregon. IL was this: that our ne
gotiators in their correspondence asserted that the
north west coast was open for, the occupation OF
all the world to settle at pleasure; and treated the IT,
tie which we had derived from Spain by the trea.
ty OF 1919, with entire disrespect and vaueless
have looked into that correspondence, and although
may not state the grounds assumed, must say
that, to my apprehension, they placed the matter
on totally different grounds.
me EvAxs said, in explanation, that he had not
read from the correspondence, but had only
used newspaper paragraph, in which il was stated
that our government, IN interpreting the Nootka
sound convention, had placed 1t on the ground he
had stated
do not say that he quoted from the correspond
ence improperly. What wish to say, is, that it was
scarcely possible that our negotlaiors should have
disregarded the Spanish title, while they were, at
the very time, fixing the limits between Russia and
our government at the parallel of $40 40', up to
which line our title was derived solely and entirely
from Spain.
Mr. President, listened with great attention. and,
hope, profit, to the argument, Suggestions, and IL
Illustrations fthe senator from Maine Mr.. EVANS
and | regret-and | say 20 in no unkind spirit OF
complant-that while suggesting difficulties IN the
way Of our title, he should have thought 1t hs duty
10 say nothing the adverse pretensions of Great
Britain | should have been much pleased ifhe had
done So BECAUSE from what fell from the senator,
is manifest that he is quite familiar with the prlncl
pies of the law of nations. should have been glad
to hear 30 great master Of the principles of the
public law as the senator proved himself upon the
OCCASION test the rights, Claims and pretensons OF
Great Britain, which, she contends, are "fxed and
defned,' Tin the text and stipulations Of the
Nootka Sound convention by the principles
Of the public law. Nay, further, | should have
been glad if the senator from Maine had sug-
gested the difficulties that surround the British
government in making out her claims and pre-
tensions, upon the known and acknowledged
principles of public law, to am portion of the north
west coast of America. These pretensions are
founded, not upon discovery, for so far as that is
concerned, the facts against her. but based upon
occupation and settlement, which can never rpen
into title or exclusive sovereignty under the NoOtka
convention, which fixed and defined these pre-
tensions. This convention she has tried TO nterpo-
late into the public law, and arroganty claims be
the law Of nations for the northwest of Amer
lea. This position presents difficulties far more in
surmountabe than any suggested by the senator
TO our title to any portion of the territory Of Ore
gon. do not propose, Mr. President, to go into
the question of title; all that has been said by me
on that point has been extracted by the remarks
which fell from the senator from Maine, [Mr
EVANS who omitted TO state notice the lnsuper
able difficulties which Great Britain meets at every
step in showing her title to any portion of the terri
tory, and con,en,ed himself with suggesting the diff
fculties in our way.
Before entering upon the discussion of the ques
ton Of notice, must be permitted to submit few
remarks upon the course Of the President in thu
whole matter. 1t was said Gy the senator from
Kentucky, Mr. CRrrrENDEs, and the senator from
Delaware, fMr. CLAYTON, that the President wou'
be held to the strctest responsibility by them tina
he would "encounter a responsibility weighty
enough to sink q navy if war should grow out o
this matter. Now with all due submission to tn
opinions Of older and ADLER senators, may be per
miued to say, that If shall come, the response
bity Of il will not and cannot rest upon the Presi
dent Of the United States. In all that he has sal
in his message in all the measures that h
has recommended, he has done what his oficia
position required at his hands Not only did he d.
that which was right in ITSELF but in doing it he fol
lowed in the footsteps of his iustrious predeces
sors. The language employed by him is almos
identical with that used by Of the most eminen
Of oil our Secretaries Of State, MIR. Clay In speak
ing both of our own title and Of the British claims
Mr.. Clay uses nearly the same words. That thl
may not rest upon mere assertion, will compare
few of the passages in the documents of both
The President in his message tells that this "hk
all the prspious negotiations, based upon principles
compromise that when he came into Office, thong
entertaining the settled conviction that the BIRTHS
prsitnsions Of tile could not be maintained
any portion Of the Oregon territory upon any prncip
ofpubHe lao recognised BY nations" yet, in 'drent
10 ,ohdi had been done by his predecessors and especial
y in consideration thai propositions Of compromise Ia
been thrice made By too preceding administrations
adjust The question on the parallel Of ago and mo-
outstanding "ht extraordinary and rholiy inadmi
sibs demands Of the British government" and the n
lection Of the propOsitlon made IN difference alone
what had been done by his predecessors, and ~
implied obligation Whieh their acts seemed 10 impose
hog Al trhi