, 1857-11-13
The War and other Claims against The
United States.

Five millions of dollars are due to tn
people of Oregon from the United State
for expenses incurred in suppressing the In
dian hostilities during the late war
1t is the duty of the general government
expressed in the constitution, ito protec
each State against INVASION" aud "agains
domestic violence" But while, in terms
this duty is not imposed with reference t.
the Territories, the moral obligation il
stronger and the necessity more urgent il
case of the latter than of the former.
While it is incumbent on the general gov
ernment, by the mandates Of the constitu
ton, to defend the States, and to assam,
their expenses of self-defense, provisions are
promptly made for the liquidation Of theil
war claims, and for reimbursing moneys by
them paid out. But the Territories being
dependent upon the discretion and mercy o.
Congress, are at first provided with made
quate defences, and then left to suffer ru
inous delay in compensation for defending
themselves. For this lack of the proper
appointment of the national troops, and fol
this default in payment, no person having
a voice in the government is responsible
no national politician looses the vote of q
State for q chief Office; no State delegation
retaliates upon the local rights and inter
ests Of other States refusing justice; no
general Of the army neglecting his duty,
and in an unsoldierlike manner abusing the
people who contribute to his support, re-
ceives q reprimand at he hands Of his So.
periors in the Senate and in the Cabinet
but the neglects, injuries and insults are
brooked, because the suffering party is q
Territory! She has no power Of rebuke,
nor retribUtion r.0 .-.sF Cd.
In addition to the claims mentioned, the
people of Oregon have suffered most seri-
GUS losses in the destruction of their prop
erty by the savages during the late hostili-
ties, which ought to be, and some day will
be recomponsOd by the United States
These spoliation claims amount, in the ag-
gregate, to no small sum.
Nearly all the claims of both characters
are nOlO owned by our citizens, who, in
many instances, having been broken in bu
siness by the war, or having witnessed the
conaagration Of their homesteads, and the
scattering and destruction Of their herds
hold this scrip as the sole evidence Of their
former fortunes. Such men will not bc
able many years to remain without the use
of their property; they will consequently
sell their claims to speculators unless al
early appropriation be made for their pay.
ment. ...
If action on these matters by next Con.
gress is not had, our war scrip will go down
to one-half its present rates Now what
is the interest Of the speculator from Cali
fornia and the StatesY 1t is to put down
the price Of scrip. What is the interest
Of the original holder? 1t is to have it as
sumed and paid at once But the specula-
tor, meet him where you may, is opposed
to q State government in Oregon, because
he can more easily defeat present action by
Congress if we remain a Territory, and
thereby create a rich field for his future
harvest. But that harvest to him will
come Of our unfortunate sowing.
The fact is the country needs every hon
est dollar that is her due, and she should
place herself in q condition to enforce her
rights, and secure her claims. ..,.
Being State, Oregon has constitutional
rights and constitutional powers; being o
Territory, she is treated with discretionary
sympathies and prOcrastinations Being q
State, she has time TO move her measures
and vote to support them; being q Terrific
ry, she silently waits until The dag of Terri
tories, when the African question over-rides
all her interests -ai
We have more at stake in the next Con.
-gress than any State in the Union. We
shall have opposition, and bitter opposition
too. A party might as well hope to gain
a heavy suit in court Of law, With an at
torney who is not admitted to the bar, aE
believe that our war claims, amounting Il
a quarter of the surplus revenue Of the
government, will DO paid without the assis
tance of advocates and rOtes. ff
But when the war debt is assumed, mol
half the work is done. How many claims
of the Cayuse war and the Rogue River
war Of 1858 yet remain unpaid on aetount
of neglect in the departments at Washing
toni Thousands Of dollars. ApprOpria
tons have been made to pay them, and the
claimants are needy, still nothing is done
Our delegate has been faithful and dilgent
he has accomplished much; but it is beyond
the power Of one man in the capacity o
delegate to accomplish what the country
demands Our present claims, after an ap
preparation, will have to pass through thest
departments, and without constant applica
tion and urgency they will lie there TO
years.
Then let sensible men who have the in
iercsts of Oregon in their hands, move anC
vote for the constitution, which will enabl
us to control our own affairs and secure ou
rights Statesman. ......