The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-02-12

sIderation, at which 10 give this notice. | know
that some attempts have been made TO rdicule the
position which many Of US occupy 10 tho true
mode OF settling this Oregon question. We say
that without giving aay notice, We may proceed
To oke the proper steps 10 Ultimate pos
session OF the country, and to place ourselves in
such strong and invineible position that Great
Britain cannot move us. The gentleman from Hi
nois Mr.. HeoIl told US that this would be stealing
the tsrnoryi but ask attention 10 an admission
made by himself, which goes as far as | could
wish. That gentleman tod US that without giyirg
tho notice, could properly ..sor to ali the meas.
nres recommended by the President in his message
What, sir, are those measures
To encourage emigration to Oregon by all proper
means. To establish at once military posts; 20 es-
abllsh p0s,-routes, and TO guarantee by the strong
arm OF the government the rights Of American eiI
Lens acquired IN Oregon. All this we have the
power TO do without notice, and it is al that is me-
cessary TO DO done 10 ensure our ultimate posses
sion Of the country.
IL you give the notice you must do more than this
VOC nu6t lake foreibie possession Of the country
and maintain Il at every haiard, whilst the sdyan-
tages to be secured, by this line Of policy VIII be
ldenticaly the those resulting from the course
have indicated. But will that course be an inrrac
ton OF The joint convention Gentlemen say that
Great Britain has twen,y-odd forts erected within
the limits OF the disputed territory; that she has nu-
'nerous settlements there, and Engaged in the actual
cultivation Of the soil. England, then, has con.
slrued the convention for US; and il we have sub
mI'ted for period Of 80 years 10 these "encroach.
lnen's, surely she can hAye no right to complain
we coionise, with view 10 avail ourselves of the
oehehS stipulated In the agreement between the
two countries
! wish to repeat that am in favor Of all steps
requisite to secure our rights aud 10 encourage EN-
lgration. The great argument have heard here IN
favor OF the notice, is, that ne citations have been
brought to close ard therefore that must look TO
Interior action. fths argument is founded in
son i, would have been good from the time Of the
adoption Of the convention. That convention was
resorted TO a substitute for war, as the distn-
guished gentleman from Massachnsctts, Mr..
AplNs,l On remarks which find reported in the
"lntelgencer" ofths Sd Of February inst, declared
IL wos substitute for war; negotiations had fail
ed. In 1924 another brief attempt to negotiate
failed And again, in 1926, another effort made
to settle the difficulty by negotiation. But the Brit
sh plcnipotentares made proposition to which
we could not acceie, and II eected. Negotla-
ton failed, and the convention was renewed. So
that in each Of these cases the argument had
quite much force aud efficacy il can have now.
But il is precisely for the that negotiation
has failed that this notice ought not to be
given, because II It is given, war is the only
alternative. Your negotiations have failed and
therefore you give the notice. II becomes, then, a
resort to the Ultima ratio Of nations; and the ques-
ton must be settled by the struggle OF arms, with
all the cover and resources Of the two countries IL
is an event fraugh: with too much horror, and with
too vast destruction Of the interests Of the two
countries to be for moment contemplated.
One other consideration, and ] have closed. In
1919, we had not in Oregon 900 eiti1ens who had
gone there to settle. In lSI5, we had 5000. If
this increase Of population, almost unexanped even
in the nearly fabulous growth OF population in the
States Of this great nation, should continue, and the
notice should not be given, in two three years a,
the same ratio Of increase we should have not less
than $1,000 sturdy Of the West ready TO repel
aggression, and preserve the country from British
encroachmsnt
This consideration alone would deter me from
giving the notice, and satisfies that the course
am pursuing is consistent with our rights for 1t is
to be remembered that the joint convention in no
respect detraets from claim. II does not weak
en- the strength Of title but leaves it precisely
as il is.
| have thus, Mr.. Chairman, hastily expressed the
views which have guided me to the conclusion at
which have arrived and sincerely trust that, in
the ultimate settlement of this momentous question:
the real honor and true glory Of our country may
be preserved untarnshed and its interests gusrai-
tied, as well against foreign aggression against
the effects of hasty and illtmed legislation here.