The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-02-13
CONGRESS SIONAL.
SPEECH OF Mr.. SAWYER,
OF OHIO,

OF OHIO,
In the House Of Representative, February 3, 1886
On tho resolution authorizing the President to CIV
the notice for the termination Of the joint oeeu
pancy Of the Oregon territory.
Mr.. SAWYER obtained the floor, ard, having
sft his usual seat at the right Of The Speaker, snf
crossed over, taking al unoceu1Pied place at Ih'
| Speakers lcft,' which 10 the wing portion OF th'
| House, he addressed the committee.
have come, MIR. Chairman, TO locate myself over
here Ia British Oregon. IL you will fancy the Co
umbia river passing cown INC ruwsw s,sAsy 800 &il
observe | take my stand on the north side OF thai
river right in the centre Of the British settlements
and here plant myself under the constitution and
laws Of my country, aud here intend to remain re-
gardless Of consequences. ! discover, Mr. Chair
man, that good many Of the settlers here have dis
persed, (refening to several vacant seats around
him. which conceive to be good sign-an evil
dsnee OF a consciousness Of want of sound title
They have gone away and va, a,ed these farms
and 10 the name Of my country take POSSESSION Of
Them, and intend 10 keep possession. | wish
then to he distinctly understood to assert our right
to the whole Of Oregon up TO $40 40; and am moi
viking tn Telinqush one ioia Of il. My reasons for
| this claim are not based upon any formal treaty
sdpualions whatever. Il is a right founded upon
| far higher authority than any human compact
The gentleman from Massachusetts,, Mr.. WIZ
THkoP,l who spoke in the early part Of this debate,
asked very significantly where we find our title TO
this territory, and whether it may not be found IN
some corner Of Adams will No; it dates further
sck-long before Adams dust was fashiond into
mani our title dates with the creation Of the world.
We received il from high HeaveR-from destiny, II
you please. In the course Of events, IN the prog
ess and contamination of this destiny, Christopher
Columbus was sent across the ocean to examine
this country, and he found that il good for
TO dwell upon By-and-by, our fathers followed and
took possession; here they established the seat
OF empire; here they sowed the seeds Of democracy
which sprang up and brought forth abundance Of
excellent fruit But the prosperity Of this country
soon excited the jealousy and fears Of another peo
pie, and they sent armies to subugate it to their
own viii and control. Then arose one George
Washington, who drove the invaders from the land
and located his family upon it. Columbus and
Washington were but the agents Heaven employed
TO place Us in possession of own. This is our
claim Of title, and can see defect in 1t. con-
tend il is good and sufficient against MI other claim
ants. This sland-er, il you prefer to call it 50,
this continent-was made and set apart for our es-
pecis benefit. We have right to every inch Of il,
and il would be ngratitude to high Heaven 10 sur
render a single pebble.
| have been trying for two or three weeks past
occasionally get the oor but, being modest man,
do not like to enter into the contest with so much
noise and clatter as see sometimes employed to OBJ
tain this floor; other causes, too have operated to
exclude me. One of them is this system Of explain
ing speeches whose meaning is uncertain that
these commentaries to be IN continued demand
thus the morning hour is consumed in petty Grimm
ation and recrmination. ! do not expect to con-
sumo my hour, and have tried for the las, two
or three days to get the floor TO move that half
hour only hereafter be allowed to gentlemen who
speak on this question. Well, hope this may be
proposed hereafter and adopted, as discover there
are certain other qualities besides talents requisite to
get the floor and to obtain ascendency in this House.
Here Mr.. S. was interrupted by some one ask
ing what other qualities he meant To which Mr..
s. replied, impudence
| may be compelled, Mr. Chairman, from the ne
cessity of the case, after have been here while,
10 adopt the same course which see here pursued
with much success. | have a constituency as
independent as profess to be, and they expect me
to have my rights, and will have them, though
should have to stoop TO an imitation Of the exam
pie set by some gentlemen in their efforts to be
heard.
There are divers ways proposed by gentle
this floor, whereby the Oregon question
may be settled. Of some of these will speak here
after. Twill not undertake to argue the constitutional
question, because certain gentlemen might say, as
said in olden times, that blacksmith was not
aproper person to mend watches, and farmer had
no business to lay his huge paws on the statute.
book For this reason, and for the more substantial
reason that it appears already to have received the
fullest elucidation from powerful and competent
minds, shall say nothing upon this part Of the
question. shall, therefore, mainly conhne myself
to replies to gentlemen who have espoused the Brit
ish cause in this dispute.
The word ''war" has been dwell upon in all ts
horrible phases, with great emphasis and eloquence,
by certain gentlemen, until many to be fright
ened from a performance Of their duty by the
"grm visaged" picture. Whether these gentlemen
are prompted by cowardice or selhshness in their
denuncatons am not able to say, nor do con-
ceve it to be very important as either motive il slfi-
GENTLY detestabe in itself But neither shall have
any weight with me in the arguments which | shall
use, nor in the conclusion to which | shall come.
do not care one cent whether England declare war
against US or not; no, not one cent. | believe we
are right, and that is enough to govern my action.
look no further If evils grow out of a sturdy
maintenance Of our rights, then let them fall upon
the guilty heads! Honest democrats have no hing
to tear from this malediction.
The gentleman from Virginia, Mr.. LEAKE, who
occupied the floor this morning, takes TO task some
ofthe gentlemen of the democratic party, who have
heretofore advocated the policy of giving the notice
for their votes on this question at the last session
Congress, and accuses them of inconsistency-for
getting, il would seem, that truthful old adage
circumstances alter cases" will undertake to show
you and that gentleman how it is, and why It was
that they voted against this measure at that time
and shall do il by quoting from the speech OF the
gentleman from Massachusetts,, Mr.. WINTHROP,
who spoke IN the early part of this debate, The
arguments herein addueed appear to have beer
those which governed the action of Congress at that
time; and whether the sequel has proved them cor.
VSt UT as tnluRb lHtil tnty appear w
been dictated by prudence and good policy; and mos
certainly, considering the aspect Of affairs at that
time, these gentlemen were fully justifsble in the
course they then pursued; but to the extract. The
gentleman whom quote proceeds to say;
Indeed sir, thi, whole proceeding IT, in my judgment
emneny calculated to impede ana embarrass the gotta
IONS IN Which tibet wo governments employed We have
received authentic that these negotiations have
not yet ed that they sl in progress; and that
munoalon regard to them may be expected from the
Executive before the close Of the present session Why
not Wah lot inns communication Why insist taking
steps IN me dark when in few weeks, at the most,
shall be able to act edvedy and clearly the ground
on which We are treading'"
That, sir, was the reason urged then by that gen,
ueman, and by several others why we should not give
the notice, and proceed to extend our laws and m
stitutiens fully over the whole ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
negotiations were going on, and ccanse a new
President had just been elected in whom the people
had full confidence, and to whom even they knew
this business could be safely entrusted and that il
was but mark Of respect to allow him to pursue
these negotiations further, in the hope that i were
possible he might bring them to favorable termi.
nation. And with this view many persons voted