The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-05-16

golhor win It's hhIDOIa, DAYS anu anu III.
navigation of all rivers within the same, be free ana
open for the term of years from the date Of the
signature of the present convention, 10 the vessels,
citizens, and subjects Of the two powers; It being
we'll understood that tins agreement is not to be con
strued TO the prejudice Of any claim which either OF
the two high contracting parties may have to any
part Of the said country, nor shall It be taken to
affect the claims of any other power or state to any
part of the said country The only object OF the hgh
contracting parties, in that respect being TO prevent
disputes and differences among themselves"
This convention, sir, it will be perceived admitS
no claim on the part Of Great Britain To foot OF
territory there-no sovereignty, no right OF roll,
no territorial Jurisdiction whatever. 1t is mere
easement granted 10 Great Britain for the sole pur
pose of preventing disputes and differences between
the parties, through collisions among their citizens
and subjects and originated in motives of policy.
British traders Oter the capture in 1873 sought the
country in great numbers, enrchng themselves
from It's wild productions, with whom our own
citizens, allured by the same object, might come
IN collision from which angry disputes and ma
tona difficulties might ensue. II was deemed poll
tic, sir, under such circumstances, TO license thus
use Of the country for years as It was not then
needed for any national purpose, or expected at
that day ever TO become an important appendage
TO our Union ! shall not say, sir, that this con
yention was not wise arrangement at the time It
entered into. No right IN Great Britain Is
acknowledged by it. There is no such idea in any
part of the instrument; recognition expressed or
implied Of right IN Great Britain 10 any part OF
the country. And at that time, too, sir, we had
not the Spanish title upon which to repose nor ~
other respects then IN condition to assert
more resolutely than We did right as against
Great Britain, independent OF the title of Spain.
Ii was, perhaps sir, sufficient for US at that time
| to have our right of possession acknowledged by
that power. The ten years being about to expire,
| the term was indefinitely extended, very unwisely
| | think, sir, in view Of our then altered eircum
| stances, by the convention OF the 9th of August,
| 1927, which now seek 70 abrogate; and when alb
rogated, are for the third time IN the exclusive
possession of the country as its legitimate sovereign,
a trespass upon which, wlfully, and by force, by
| any other power, would be an act OF war, 10 be
accordingly. Having the right to be the party IN
posse ssOn, the admission OF Great Britain through
Lord Custlereagh in 1918, that right must necessd-
nly be exclusive. Great Britain Will have no right
to occupy any part of the country; tor # we are
Of rgh the party IN possessIon she cannot be there
except wrongfuly. Such subjects of foreign
power as shall choose after that event. 10 remain IN
the country, would necessarily become subject To-
our laws and jurisdiction; and on taking the oath OF
| allegiance, would share with our own citizens all
the benefits Of national berality, grantees Of
| lands, and participate in the advantages humanity
derives, Of whatever country creed, from our
much-cherished and free institutions.
think sir, the time has arrived when this con
vention should be terminated; and had hoped we
would wave voted upon the proposition, without de-
bate, with great unanimlty and promptitude. Al
present. sir, although we have the acknowledged
right of possession to the territory of Oregon, IN the
greater part Of tin all of II north Of the Columbia
river, except a small American settlement at Bull
fnch's Harbor, Great Britain, by her subjects and
her chartered power, is in the actual and exclusive
| possession So exclusive was this possession that
northern bank Of that river was known and called
the British side ;" and the opposite bank the "Amer-
lean side" Our own citizens, Mr.. President, de-
| rive no benefit whatever from this convention; all
/ H. -, IN he aid n
and we, at the same time, the true owners of the
whole country This being the case, sir, unless VIC
take some decided action in order to obtain on our
part, that exclusive possession which belongs to
the right they will continue to derive these benefits,
to the exclusion Of our citzens. IL seems to me,
therefore, sir the advantages being all on the side Of
Great Britain unless give the notice, unless We
express a desire to terminate the convention, 1t
| will never be terminated by Great Britain. Notice
will never come from that side, sir. She has all she
desires, things now stand, and has, therefore,
no stmulant to act She will not take the lnltIa-
| tive She does not desire TO be RENTED to
her original barren pretensions; whilst we encorn-
ter no danger, by rePosng upon utle 1.-THE best III
| existence" And, said the other day by the
| senator of Massachusetts, Mr.. WEBsTrR. it cau-
not give offence Gritain Britain, BENZ but IN ac
cordance with a treaty stipulation; and will a"d,
| sir, she would have right TO demand the re- 'on
| for such action on our part, nor would we have the
right TO ask of her the reasons should she choose TO
/
come from that power. This onvent /, sir, Is an
obstacle in path Of progress, and we must get
rid of it. So long 1t exists, we can do nothing Ell
| fective we cannot extend our laws in their most
ample scope the country for the protection OF
our citizens there; cannot erect of defence
or of refuge; cannot make grants OF land IN fec
| to the settlers who there in thousands,
posing with confidence upon the frmneGs and JUS
tice OF a government they dearly love; in short sir,
we can do effective act whilst the convention eX-
| lists. By abrogatng it, we are at once enabled to
exercise in the fullest extent, any act OF sovereign
l ty we may desire-it will restore to freedom and
enable us to pursue such a course for inter
| est may choose, IN our WISDOM to adopt
If we do not take this course if we do not give this
notice, if we allow things to remain as they are,
| there is manifest danger, before the lapse of many
years, that difficulties will so grow up and thlcken
that war may be the result; else, that coun-
try, favored by Providence beyond almost all others
in all the great essentials of human happiness, and
80 necessary to in enlarged view of our future
destiny, may become, by our objectionable neglect,
an independent nation under some foreign guarantee,
and possessed of elements and position we'll calcu-
| lated to annoy and embarrass us hereafter. Sir,
| there are strong indications of desire in several
| quarters that such should be its destiny. 1t is the
opinion of gentlemen of great intelligence, high char
acter and influence, that it is not possible that Ore
gon should long continue to be an appendage Of our
government, but must be Independent.
| | think differently, sir, if we do our duty. |
think, az 1t Is an integral and most important part
of our empire we should be awake to its preserva-
ton If we are mindful of this germ the enterprise
of our people has planted the shores of the Pac-
6c if we and cherish it, as it should be
| nurtured and cherished bestowng upon 1t our kind,
protecting care, it cannot but grow in beauty and
expand in strength and, deriving its sustenance
from the parent stem, will flourish with it in indy
ing verdurc.
| 1t depends upon ourselves whether this country
shall remain with us not. Its destiny is, under
Providence, in our own power; and we encounter
most weighty and fearful responsibility, if by any
| supineness, timdity or want of resolution on our
part, its preservation shall be eoperded and in the
end lost to us forever.
If it proper, sir, in the nascent state Of the
Atlantic colonies, for Great Britain to assert, and
prosecute, and establish by force of arms and by
arguments from the lannon's month, the principles
she did establish for the extension of her territory
how much more proper and necessary is it for us,
sir, in this age, with all the improvements in
mechanical philosophy and the arts, by which