The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-03-12
THE DAILY UNION

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question 10 be considered was, Is right and poll
tic TO give the notice. That the only question 10
be entertained, and the surplus matter relative 10
compromise, &C., which accompanied the notice,
had nothing To do with the question. Here several
sentences were lost 10 the reporter from tho noise
caused by the audiences In the galleries. The SEN
ator from Maine was met on the very threshold
Tie said ne did not know what the President Of the
United States intended to make Of that notice,
nor could he see the use of it, The $40 40 men, at
the hsad OF whom stood his friend from Indiana,
Mr.. HAkREGAs, HE believed that was generally
conceded on all hands-the $40 4O men, SAID in re-
ply TO the senator from Maine that they were vii
ling TO put that great moral weapon into the
hands Of the President, for the purpose of defend.
ing our rights from California to the Russian line
The senator from North Carolina informed the
Senate he desired that great moral weapon 10 be en-
trusted TO his hands, to be used for purposes of ne
gotiation an! compromise He (the senator ffom
Maine) could not tell which party was right, nor
could he ascertain what view the President took of
the matter. Now, he Mr. AZ could refer the SEM
ator from Maine Mr. EVASs,l to the express dec
lar iuon Of the President that subject and as 70
the construction that might be put that part of it
TO which he referred, he thought there could be
difference opinion between the 49o men, and the
$40 40 He would call the attention of the Sena 10
TO that portion Of the Presidents message; il
short: "Al attempts at compromise having failed il
becomes the duty Of Congress to consider what meas
protection of our citizens, now inhabiting, or who
may hereafter inhabit Oregon, and for the maiDte.
nance Of our Just title that territory In adopting
measures for this purpose, should be taken
that nothing be done To violate the stpulations Of
the convention Of 1921 which is still in force The
faith Of treaties has been, IN their letter and
spirit, and, trust, will ever be, scrupulousy OBJ
| served by the United States. Under that conyen-
ton years notice is required 10 be given by either
party TO the other before the joint occupancy shall
terminate; and before either rightfully or
exercise exclusive jurisdiction over any portion Of
the territory. This notice it would, in my judg-
ment be proper TO give; and recommend that pro-
vision be made by law for giving IL accordingly, and
terminating in this manner the convention Of the
| 9Th August, 1927" For the reason assigned by
the President, he would sustain the proposition.
He desired TO the treaty terminated and all OBJ.
iections raised 10 the action Of Congress removed
But in every step they had attempted TO take in
their proposed measures TO extend the laws and iu.
risdieuon Of this country over Oregon, in their
attempts TO establish military posts, they had
been met with the objection that such measures
would be violation OF the treaty OF 1927. Hence,
whatever was the desire Of Great Britain or the
United States whether they wished to extend their
jurisdiction over the whole or part, If it be-
the interest of either 10 institute any particular
course Of policy there, it could only be done by the
removal Of the obstacles standing in the way; hence
the necessity for that notice. The President could
south Of the Columbia river, as far north as Age
or $40 40; and il the senator from Maine believed
| our title COED one, he must admit il would
be necessary TO assert our exclusive iurisdc.
ZION. He (Mr A. had long since, from a knowl-
! edge Of facts not possessed by every men,
Der Of the Senate, arrived at the conclusion that
the policy proposed by the senator from South
| Carolina wise and mastery nactyity-would
not answer; and that il would be a long Time
before they could even be prepared to carry out
that policy. 1.-The (Mr. Az understood that policy,
it was TO make no move on the part Of Congress
enact no laws give encouragement, nor stimulate
emigrants to settle in the Oregon territory That
he understood to be mastery inactvity-a course OF
policy which had been pursued from 1918 to 1910,
when his predecessor first moved in the matter
And it was the agitation Of the question from that
quarter, which called public attention to the sub.
jet. When il commenced, not a citizen Of the
United States thought Of emgrating to Oregon; but
the speeches that made IN the Of discus
sion in Congress, the reports Of both houses from
1910 down to lS43, were carefully disseminated by
western senator's among the people, and this called
the attention Of the people OF the West to the sub.
jeci; and the very first expedition that took place
from the United States, having for its object the es-
Adjustment Of a settlement in Oregon, went from
the western part Of Missouri. With the most Of
the individuals comprising that band he had the
most perfect acquaintance. And what was their
isducement to 60 there They anticipated that
Congress would extend the laws Of the United
States over that country: they expected protection
from their government, and that It the object
1 OF the United States TO take possession of it.
Now he (Mr. Az would admit that the wild spiri,
! Of adventure might have induced some of them 10
go to that country; but the wild spirit of ad venture
whatever it might do in some instances never in.
duced man with wife and family of children to
| go TO Oregon. Many went for the purpose of bet
terng their condition. Poor men expected grants ol
land from government They were willing to risk
their lives and their all, to undergo every privaon
TO better their condition, and carry out what thew
believed TO be the policy Of government. In 1s43
the first company Of emigrants-to use the eloquent
language Of the senator from Massachusetts-w
| ploughshares and pruning-hooks in their hands,
went to settle there Since that time emigration had
increased under the operation of the same motives,
relying that the arm oft American government
would be extended there, and that rapidly. With
that prospect as induoement, the stream of emf
grafton had continued to increase till the present
time. But, by carrying out the policy of mastery
inactivity, that large stream of emigration would
dwindle to very small brook. That army of hardy
and brave pioneers, who with their wives and chill
dren, their herds and focks, were annually filling
that territory, let but be minated that the protec.
ton Of government was to be withheld and that nj
tmatey they must become British subjects, or be
thrown on their own resources and emigration
would cease, and that speedily. He .knew
It would cease. Hence mastery inactivity
would no longer do. During the delivery
of the speech of the senator from North Carolina.
| he Mr.. A. was impressed with the belief and so
understood him, as expressing the views of the
President of the United States; but as his speech
was not published he could not refer to any partc-
ular expressions showing that he spoke by author.
| ny in relation to these matters. He thought the
senator from North Carolina had departed from the
| record and drawn erroneous conclusions from the
planest and clearest texts. IA passage here
relative to the construction put by the senator
from North Carol ma, in his speech, on the Presi.
dents message and views, was SO imperfectly heard
as to make correct report mpracticable.1 He
would now 60 hack to the beginning-to the Bat
more convention; for it seemed the resolution of that
body was at the foundation of the views and policy
of some senator's. He did not propose to show that
those resolutions binding on the senators from
Maine, or New Jersey, or Maryland; nor would he
attempt to show they were binding on the great
mass of the democratic party; but as an honest man
he believed they were binding the members of
that convention and the nominees of that conven-
ton He would not trouble the Senate by reading
those resolutions; but, in substance, they declared
that our title to the whole of Oregon was clear and