The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1870-04-22

neighbour, across the way. were about d.
vcs;ing US of ever the right and title 10 our
Pacific possessions, tho question for the
first time came up in . practical shape. and
assumed proportions well calculated to
threaten the friendly relations of England
and America In both Halls of Congress
the discussion Of the subject ,vaxed warm
and excited, and tho leading statesmen OF
our Nation, Sewer. Linn. Benton, Riycs
and Calhoun, each and ell. placed upon the
Nations record their views IS 10 the course
to bcpursvct! in SO critical case The opin-
ions Of some Of our military men were call
ed for to MD the decision, and among the
rest, tina; Of our late Quarternastcr General,
letter by the House of Representatives, ask
ing his views rs to what military move.
menls and course should I've adopted for the
ma,ntaihancc of our right to the posses
sions of Oregon, las tho whole North Pa
cific was ilien callcd); and the old hero,
peace 10 his ashes, replied, in communica.
ton 50 characteristic of his boldncss and
clear foresight into projects OF great Ma
tioual import. recommending the establish.
ing line of military posts from Council
Bluffs to the mouth Of the Columbia, and
that ships OF war should be sent immediate
~ via Cape Horn to the mouth OF the Col
u,nbia, frcightcd with arms aud munitions
to assert end maintain by force our right to
the country As history records, this gave
great umbraye and alarm to the British
Government, and warm and frequent was
the correspondence between Mr.. Rush, our
Minister u England. and Messrs. Husken.
son and Sir Stafford Canning, England's
Commissioners. relative to the contents OF
Gen. Jessup's letters, and tho consequence
vas, tina: m;ldcr and probably less wise
councils were allowed to prevail. But the
far seeing Statesman of the day, were not
willing to see tho labOls Of Lewis and Clark
thus shameful!y treated, to whom had they
been more kind they would have bceu less
unjust. These good and great nlc! hal
now gone to their graves, but the memo.
ry of their lators were still fresh in the
minds Of the lovers Of progress and western
development, and once more efforts We're
made by the friends of the Northern Pacific
to secure to W its peaceful possession; of
opening up line over Lewis and Cla:k's
route by which our citizens could trail to-
ward the newly discovered region and there
establish IN infant colony and outpost to
our fast increasing Republic. With this
view NJ. FLOYD. tho father OF the present
Secretary Of War, and who ut that day rep.
resented his district in Virginia in the
House Of Representatives, was tho first to
bring the matter up in u practical Shape;
md, il um rightly informed, brought be.
fore Congress bill to opon . ccnlmunica.
ton from tho Columbia to tho Missouri, for
which $50, coo was asked, but which was
allowed to slumbcr on tho table of Congress
without successful action. Though much
detailed Information was by this time added
to that gained by Lewis and Clark; still
nothing was done Ivy our Government until
later years Ivy which we have been cna-
tiled To build up On important bulwaf'S Of our
confcdcracy upon the Pacific coast; and
what might be regarded as somewhat sim
GUAR incident in the connection IL the fact
that Gov. Floyd, the younger. aided by
Cbo;cau, the younger, was enabled quar-.
ter of century still later 10 accomplish and
carry out in full success the first project
and views of his father whose chief counsel.
Tor and advisor at that day was Choteau:
tho elder, Among the warm admirers OF
Lewis and Clark, and man who could
we'll appreciate their tolls and their laiors,
was the late Col. Benton, and in his aims
and efforts to mako his favoritc State OF
Missouri that which shcis destined to DC.
tho great central State Of wealth and i'm.
portancc TO our. Nation, he carly devoted
Ills labors and the talents of his mind to-
ward the opening Of . practicable highway
across the route pursued by these early p!o-
nccrs The future portrayed not only for
the city of St. Louis and tho State of Mis.
souri,, but tho country at large found the
oft repeated theme Of his most eloquent up
pcals in tic halls of Con gress, and why he
abandoned lis 4ayorite line and favorite
project for routes amid snow clad mountain
ranges, and over alkaline plains, aud amid
deserts, / never could understand. unless,
chasing him among The sectional partisans OF
the day, who, fur private views and private
interests are ready to t0rsakc his long cher.
isl!ed friend and project, and marshalins
his talent under new standard, witlbncw
ficdgcd friends for the pleasure and profit
of the hour. To show the i:herest that this
grca. man took in the National enterprise
Of connecting Tire Pacific with the Missis
sirpi valley / will quote from his own wri'
tings tho account Of the first, and probably
tho authentic account Of the steps taken b.
the friends OF the measure about half CO.
fury ago. In tho frs. volume Of his lhir'y
Years View, lie states his own action nnt
that Of its friends thus wisc The Session
Of 1890 and 1921 is remarkable rs being tlt
FIRST at which any proposition was made IL
Congress for the occupation and settlement
of our Territory on the Columbia river, th'
only par. then owned by the United States
on the Pacific coast Il was made by tn
Hon. Dr.. Floyd, a Representative from Vir
gin;a, an ardent man Of great ability ant
decision of character, and from IN early
residence in Kentucky. thoroughly isnbued
with western feelings, he takes up the sub
j.ct with the energy which belonged to hin,
and IL required not only energy, but cour
age to. embrace subject which at that tim
seemed moro likely to bring ndicule tina!
credit to its advocate"
% 12r RETROSPECTIVE.
Two gentlemen. Mr. Ramsey BROOKS 0
n. T., and Mr.. Russell Farnham, Of Mass.
who had been in the employment Of Mr. J
J. Astor In founding his colony OF AstOri
and carrying on the fun trade on the north
west coast Of America, was at Washington
| that winter. and had their quarters at tn
sa,nc hotel where Dr.. Floyd AID I hssl ours
Their acquaintance WAS naturally made b
western men like us-in fact knew thcr
lbcforc--and their conversation. rich IN N
| formation npon new and tntereslin
country .wos eagerly dev0ured by the arden
spirit 81 Floyd. he resolved to bring to'
| ward, the question Of occupation and did g
He moved for ., select COMMITTEES - copsldc
md. report upon the subject Tho com
mitteo WAS granted BY the HOUSE. NOR
| through courtesy 70 y rcsSccted member tina
any view 10 business results. Il was CON
| Mittcc OF three himself Chairman accord
| ;pr n parliamentary rule-Art VbOu1l