The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-01-23

II
| musty records do not share In this feeling; rev
| erencs musty records, and hold them as precious
| With musly record can upturt The whole fac. O
human society. With the niusty record Of MSgn,
| Chara in my hand, can revolutionize the face o.
Europe, il permitted to present It's principles TO tn,
minds Of her population. trust that II the dust O
age and neglect should ever gather on the sacred
volume Of our constitution, and there be descend
| ant Of mine on this door representing d south
ern people, as do, he will be able to call up from
| that mlsly record d morl power potent enough u
shield their liberties, and 10 esuscse and bless III,
condition Of society throughout this land.
On the evidence contained In masiy records
| found my bssf that every inch OF Oregon is ours
can see no break in our title from latitude 40 e
| latitude SO 4U. do not say thar would not ar
range for any portion OF The territory lying between
those parallels II is not for me 10 make any such
arrangement. That power has been placed by In,
constitution in the hands Of another branch Of this
government. Il is altogether pIspSr lhal he Pres
dent should regard Al the great ahdfess o. the
country in sdjaslipg difficult national Question
| am not disposed 10 disturb his functions. | dc
not wish to commit the House on that point But
hold title 10 be clear and 40 capable Of de-
monstralion, that but for the colossal power OF
Great Britain, and the haughtness with which she
has been accustomed 10 treat all other nations in the
conduct OF her Diplomacy, cannot but belete that
she would withdraw from the contest oyerw Inclined
by the force Of argument which she cannot fefute.
But there are some who admit that Great Britain
cannot maintain her claims to the territory in dis
pute upon the grounds 10 which have referred
who yet insist TIA. che nay s1ttnd her pcsses.lonr
that region upon the principle Of continuity Of do
main. What right has Great Britain TO set up
claim 10 Oregon the ground Of continuity Of ter
rtory Is the seat Of her sovereignty on this conti-
nenti No, her posssssions here and hsr rights
here are colonial. This continent is the seat OF our
empire. In this view, the venerable gentleman
f.. III.
have examined the subject will, l am sure, concur;
and they will bear me out in saying that this ought
to outweigh every other consideration in question
Of this eharaGier Tbs seat OF Englands sovereign
ty is aero5s the Alabde. Holding here only colo
NAL posse ssons, she seeks to extend them sill fur.
Their, when neither the comPactness the security
of her empire requires H. and when her claims
in conflict with those Of nation holding their orgi-
nal sovereignty on thus continent. ....0
If, then, our uue 10 the territory OF Oregon is
clear the next question which presents itself Is ns 70
our wisest course to perfect that title. What course
ought we to take to secure the possession Of that
which 10 ours by titlel In my Judgment, and
make The ssysttion with profound Sefstepee 70 The
opinions Of others, "lpactivily" is no longer mas
terly." ] repeat it. inaeiirty is longer mastery.
There are OCCASIONS when, to save what is dear 10
us, it becomes necessary to act prompuy-to' act
with decision, and to act Immediately, often the
only way to act with effect. do not see that we
the perpetniy OF peace the possession Of the ter.
tiloty in disputh. IL We would avoid wdr we must
have the Of war passed upon and settled. II
is not always by adjourniDg over great and difficult
and delicate questions, that war can he avoided.
Our condition in regard TO Oregon Is such as to de-
niand acknowledged, prompt, decisive con1pre-
hensive action. II we should leave this question:
open in the present state Of the two countries who
can avoid seeing that war is inevitable,
When Lord Ashburton returned to England
after having successfully arranged the difficulties
about the northeastern boundary, and was congrat-
aaied in the Britsh Pafiayenl on his success,
I believe that esperisn6ea ~ salesman said that
the national sky was then ceas and without 6lotd,
saving one minute speck upon the horizon, which
he did not doubt would soon disappear. But how
has his prediction been fulfilled That little speck,
then no bigger than mans hand, and scarce per-
ceptble on the far-off margin Of the heavens, has
since become dark, and lowering, and portentous
cloud it has swept the face Of the sky and hangs
all over our northwestern frontier, gloomy night.
The whole aspect OF the question is changed; and,
if we wish now to maintain our position as the
friends of peace, 1t il time we awoke to action. We
must assert our rights we must shun temporzing
policy; we must adopt vigorous measures, and car
ry them 10 the very farthest verge to which they
ca be maintained without violation of the terms
Of the convention. Otherwise, we shall find that
the population of the two nations intermixing in
that remote territory, carrying with them the preju
dices and the heat of the contendng parties protect
ed by and ameDable to conflicting jurisdictions, en-
tering into the esger competition Of trade will, at
distant day, precipitate us into war with Great
Britain. ...
Nor, sir, is the danger of war all that is involved
in the adjournment of this question; we incur the
danger OF losing the territory altogether. And why
do think sos From the whole colonial history OF
the British empire. There was time when Spain
possessed great and extensive colonies. but they
have dwinded away. There was time when
France could boast Of her colonies, but they have
dwindled away There was time when Holland
swept the seas with her feets and held important
lonial possessions, but they have dwndled away. In
the mean time, Great Britain has gone on, growing in
strength, extending her power, and spreading her
armies abroad into every part of the habitable
world. Her language, her laws, her military Prov
css, ill both hemispheres while she has beted the
globe with her forresses, to say nothing of her col
onies. The British people and their government
well understand the management of colonies When
in Europe, short time since distinguished Brit
ish dpomatis said to me- "Sir, France does not un-
derstand how TO manage colonies; we do understand
it," and he spoke the truth. Since the year 1909,
Great Britain has acquired no less than forty-one
colonies, twenty-four Of which she has obtained by
settlement, nine by capitulaton, and eight by ccs-
sion. In the possession Of Oregon, she seeks to
plant herself there permanently, and is employing
all her power and all her skill to establish her au-
thority over the greater part Of that region. r.
At Willamette Falls, in latitude 45o 90, there is
a prosperous and growing settlement; a factory. cs-
tabiished by the Hudson Bay Company, s in oper-
alton there, under the control Of DR.. Mclaughlin,
factor to that company, and whose co-parneris her
Majesty's magistrate for that district This settle
ment, sometimes called Oregon city, is under the in
fuence of this DR.. Mclaughlin, a man of fine per-
son, of finished and winning manners, Of great
wealth and unbounded hospitality--an intelligent
man, long experienced in business and well inform
ed on all subjects connected with his position. IN
der the auspices Of such an individual, have VIC not
reason to expect that Great Britain will 90 on TO
plant herself in the possession and occupancy Of the
country in such manner that we cannot expel her,
AT least not without a severe struggled
II we refuse to protect the thousands Of our own
citizens who are, and the multitude more who soon
will be, in Oregon, may they not conclude, az they
are neglected by their government, to throw
off their allegiance and go over to a government
which never refuses and forges to protect its
citizens in every part Of the world Their right to
do SO is recognised principle Of international law
IL the government refuses its protection citizens
may throw off their allegiance, and transfer them
selves TO the jurisdiction Of government that will
do its duty. Or, they may determine to set ur
for themselves, and rear an Independent and riva
Al n n