The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-02-09

peaceful remedy 10 secure the enjoy ment OF an &C
knowledged right the faithful execution Of solemn
treaty stipulation. Is IL matter of no consequence
which patty 10 in possession pending the negoua
lions? Reopen thsm now, continue the Joint occu'
4 pancy, and you leave Great Britain in the aclua
possession Of the country. But give the notice, an
null the convention, demand restitution, and you
find the United States In the peseeable possession
IL Il not wiser and better TO the possession
by the use Of peaceabie means and The pursuit OIL
are hiful remedy than to resort to foree sratagem
or frauJl
The gentlemen who oppose the notice say they
are for getting possession tooj that 10 only DIT
ference ofopinion 10 the mode Of attaining the OBJ
iect Their plan is to continue the treaty OF Joint
occupancy, and al the same time quietly, and Sc
crety if you please pour in torrent Of emigration
that shall be sufficient 10 take and hold the country
This is what they call the peaceable, friendly mode
Of proceeding Holding on TO a convention guaran-
tying Joint rights and, under IT, sezing the exclu-
sye possession in violation Of solemn treaty supula-
tons. Would not such a course lead 10 war
Would il be deemed friendly act, consistent with
honor and good faith Or rather would II not
wound the pride Of Great Britain, and compel her
20 fight whether she desired Il or mott Sir, IN the
name and for the honor OF my country, protest
against such proceeding, as perhdious and dis
graceful. aver that any attempt 10 practise 30
'insidiousa pocy-any effort TO steal into the eoun.
try under Of the treaty ofjoint occupancy and
seize IL in violation of its provisions, must lead TO
inc sitabe war-to u dishonOnbe war--a war 10
which our country would be placed 10 the wrong.
IL would convict our government Of duplieity and
perfdy-would array the whole civilized world
against u.s. and Justly subject US to the charge Of
want Of honor and fidelity. But five plant our
selves on our undenisble rights-if we rely on our
treaty stipuauons--give the notice, annul the con-
vent on demand the possession, we place our eoun-
try in an impregnable position, which Great Britain
cannot successfully assail, and dare not resist.
Il will not do for gentlemen TO say that England
will not acknowledge our right 10 the possession,
when the convention shall have terminated She
has already acknowledged it-has guaranteed il by
an irreyocable treaty-has once made the surrender
in pursuance Of the ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS now
cstopped from ever intcrposing denial Hence, |
insist that the notice is the rghtul remedy-is the
peaceable remedy, and the only peaceabe remedy,
by which we the possession OF the val
lev Of the Columbia Those who are opposed TO the
notice, must, therefore, discover, and ayow, either
that they are against obtaining the possession, or
that they in favor Of ,ru a substitute for this
pacific remedy.
When the restoration shall have been made, and
the United States placed in the quiet possession,
they were on the 9Th of0ctober 1873 we will be- as
we were then, on the most friendly terms with
Great Britain, ready TO adjust all disputes
amicaby, and by negotiation, IL she chooses
We will then be in a position to say to
her, that we deprecate war-that we love peace
that We are ready TO negotiate, and that she
can take her time TO bring the negotiations to
termination. We are willing that she should proceed
with all due care, and diplomatic formality, and take
another third Of century for deliberaon il she de
sires il. But in the mean time will be in the
possession, with the acknowledged right TO remain
until there shall be amicable adjustment. Such
conceive to be our rights under our treaty stpula
! tons with Great Britain, independent Of the ques
1 ton Of title; and such the reasons which should i'm
pei us to guard those rights strictly, and to do nc
| which xUoull them m Dlare ourselvf,
| in the wrong. When, under the operation Of thi,
pacific and rightful remedy, shall find ourselves
in the exclusive possession Of the valley Of the Co
umbia, our settlements will spread on the north
well as the south Of that river, all its branches
and tributaries Puget's sound and the straits Of
Fuca, until our people there will become numer
Gus and powerful that Great Britain will discove,
the utter hopelessness of any effort to convert then
into British colony. r -'
England has learned lessons Of wisdom from tn,
result of her diplomatic intrigues in Texas. She
then discovered the true character and feelings o.
the American people, and their devotion TO the polt
cal principles and institutions Of their native land
matter where their residence. Her designs upor
the inhabitants Of Oregon will be equally frutess
They will increase in numbers and grow in strength
driving the savage and the fur bearing animal before
them. The fur and Indian trade will become value
less, and the Hudson Bay Company will be compel
led to abandon their establishments for the wan
of business to sustain them. This will be thu
natural result Of the policy recommended il
the Presidents message. Ii will give US possession
not only of the valley of the Columbia but of TIT
whole northwest coast do not wish TO be extrav
agant in our demands, nor to claim more than RICH
and Justice will award us. But | say frankly tina
! will never he satisfied with the forty-nnth parable
nor with any other boundary which shall recog
Mise the right of Great Britain to any part Of thu
northw coast. Our interests manifestly require
us to assume and maintain this position, if ou
rights will Justify it. The free navigation OF the
Pacifc-the trade of China and the lndies-th,
commerce of the whole eastern world-will be
opened to us by route so direct, cheap, ant
safe as to exclude successful competition. To &c
complish these results we must deprive her Of thu
maritime ascendency on the Pacific, which can only
he done by excluding her from the best harbor'
on that coast. She has now no colony west of thu
Rocky mountains and no title TO the country which
would authorize her TO establish one. She ONLY
claims the right of joint occupancy by virtue of tn
treaty of Nootka sound with Spain, and the con
vention Of 1918 with this country. She makes nj
pretensions to title, but claims simply the right o
Joint occupancy in common with other nations. Gu
go vernment has always denied her title to any por
ton of the country west Of the Rocky noun
tains and aso her right to joint occupancy, cxccp
by virtue of the convention which we now propos
to terminate by giving this notice. During the ad
ministration Of Mr.. Adams, his Secretary Of State
in his instructions to our minister to England use
this emphatic language:
Nor is concerted that Great Britain has, make
colorado He 10 any portion Of ne northwest coast"
In the British statement submitted TO Mr.. Gala
tin, December 10, 1926, the English commissioner
define their claims thus
Great Britain claims eJeirs sortrsignfy orer an
part Of that territory Her present claim in respect
part but to the whole, limited 10 right Of
cpaney in NTH Other states barring the question
s,eiuSirs doninion in abeyGncS."
do not propose at this time to argue the questio
Of title, but simply TO state, in general terms, tn
: grounds which it rests. do not deem il neces
sary 90 into elaborate discussion of the var
GUS modes by which title to an unoccupied countr
may be acquired, to trace the devious course O
, discovery and diplomacy in connection with thi
question for the last three centuries | am wilIin
to that branch Of the subject the discussion
which have taken place between the accredite
agents Of the two governments, and invoke the en-
I hghened judgment of the civilized world upon then
will only remark, that we hold the valley Of the Co
lumba in right, by virtue of prior discovery
exploration, and occupation, and that claim title
: the remainder through the Louisiana and Florid
treaties. The original charters Of the British colo
! nies on the Atlantic extended westward end north
weatwafd 10 the Pacific The treaty. oc lisa natal