Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1883-09-15


RAlRoAD IN CoyGREss N Isss.
Written for the Posr. ISrx1IIaxScxx.
1t is somewhat strange to read som.
things which were said about thi.
Northwest coast nearly forty year,
ago, and that not alone by English,
men. who wished to obtain possession
and 80 in public spoke dispsraeinely o,
it, so that the United States might bs
willing to part with it, but even by edo.
Gated Americans.
In the United States Senate In iS4. a
resolution was offered to give the nee.
essary twelve months notice TO Grea,
Britain for the termination of the
treaty which granted joint occupancy
to both nations to what was then Ore.
gon.
All the Senators claimed our right az
good as far north as - degrees, and We,
Tor varioos reasons majority of them
opposed the motion. some for fear i,
would involve rs in war, some because
they were afraid it would have a bad
effect on she negotiations which, it was
said, would soon be made, and fol
which preliminary arrangements were in
progress, some beoause Of the worthless
ness OF the country, and some because
they wanted no more territory.
In regard to these latter pointa Mr.
Dayton Of New Jersey, quoted the fol.
loving description Of the country, from
tho Christidn Advocate, of February 4
lSA: with the exception Of lands
along the Willamette and strips alsnc
a few OF the water courses the whole
country ID among the most irreolaim.
able barren wastes of which Ne have
Rad. except the desert Of Sahara. MOI
u this the worst Of it. The climate il &C
unfriendly to human life that the native
population has dwindled away under
the rava1es Of it, malaria to q DEGREES
which defies all history to furnish par
Allel IN % wide . range Of COUNTRY
de also read from the Louisville your
NAL, a. republished in the NATIONAL In.
felligeneer Of Washington, as follows
'Of all the countries ON the face Of this
earth, it (Oregon) is one of the least
faYored BY heaven. 1t is the mere rid.
dlings OF creation. 1t is almost as bar.
rem as the desert of Africa, and quite as
unhealthy as the Campania of Italy.
Now that such a territory should excite
the hopes and cupidity of citizens Of the
United States, inducing them to leave
comfortable homes for its heap of sands
Is indeed passing strange. Russia has
her Siberia, and England her Botany
Bay, and if the United States should
ever need country to which to Danish
its rogues and scoundrels the utility OF
such region AZ Oregon would be de
monstrated. Until then We are perfect.
ly willing to leave this maenificen,
country to the Indians, trappers and
boffaloes that roam over its sand banks
and by the side of its rushing and un.
navigable rivers"
After quoting more of similar char.
acter. Mr.. Dayton said, II confess these
descriptions are somewhat below my
estimate. had thought il a poor coun.
try az whole. but not quite so posr as
these authentic accounts would make
it. Yet these accounts are substantial
~ correct as applied to the country "a
q whole, though have no doubt there
are some green spots, some strips along
the streams, which may be good and
even perhaps rich for agricultural pur-
poses, and it is to these spots that the
glowing descriptions have been applied.
Judging from all sources
of authentic information to which
have had aocess l should think tho Ter
ritory taken together . very poor region
for agricultural purposes, and in that
respect unworthy Of consideration or
contest at the hands of this Govern
ment.
How will the speedy settlement of
Oregon affect rs? In my Judgment it
must be injuriously. The admission of
Oregon AZ State to the Union seems to
me as undesirable on the one hand a. it
il improbable on the other: undersir-
able because by the aid Of representative
principle, We have already spread our
selves to q vast and almost unwieldy
extent. have no faith in the unlimited
extension of this Government by that
principle. We have already conflicting
interests more than enough, and God
forbid that the time shsuld ever come
when State on the banks on the Pa
cifc, with its interests and tendencies
OF trade all looking toward the Asiatic
nations OF the East, shall add its EARRING
claims to Our already distracted and
overburdened country.
But it is not only in my Judgment I'M.
desirable, but improbable. Distance
and the character of the intervening
country are natural obstacles forbid
ding the idea. BY water the distance
around Cape Horn il said to be abou,
eighteen thousand miles. BY land the
distance BY the only line Of travel il
about Eve thousand miles from this
spot 10 Vancouver, in tho valley of the
Willamette. And when considered with
reference to the facilities of oommuni-
cation, Europe 10 in comparison oul
next door neiRhb0r.
And this state o. things must con-
tinue unless some now agent Of commu-
nication shall cast mp. The power Of
steam has boon suggested. Talk OF
steam munication-a railroad to the
mouth Of the Columbia-why look u
the cost and bankrupt condition Of rail-
roads proceeding almost from your CAPT
tal, tfaversing your great thorough.
fares. A railroad across 900 miles OF
prairie, Of desert. and Of mountain
The smoke of an engine across thoee
terrible assures Of that rocky ledgs
vhere the smoke Of volcano only haa
relied beforsI Who II 70 make this vasl
internal or rather external, improve.
ment-ths State Of Oregon or the
United States? Whence 10 70 como the
power? who supply she means? The
mines Of Mexico and Peru disemboweled
would scarorly pay penny in the
pound Of the cost. Gothine short Of
The lamp Of Aladdin viii suffice fol
such an expsnditure. The sxtravaganos
Of the o1oRsstioa sssms % ue q outrur
svsey1AinR which W know Of mcdsrr
visionary sohemine. The Sooth 81
bubble, the Dutohpan's speculAtsous
the tulip roots, our own in town lot
and nultioaulis are all commonplace
pl0ddings IN oomparison. Bat all tn
suggestion seems 10 me properly par
and parcel Of the great inflated whole
This connection being ous Of thu
question, Mr.. Dayton then proceeded
70 discuss the idea Of il being q colony
similar 70 ths Britain colonies, Of which
b made - much sport a. he did Of tha
railrOad.
Oshar Senators said that il We OBJ
tanned Oregon Ne could not hold il, Al
il would ses itself a. an Independent
nation after time.
Mr.. Archer, after describing the Gin.
culties in getting to the Willamette, and
the vorthleasness Of the intervening 70
gion, said: These led to the third
and last tract Of valley ON the seabeard
~ sk> DansSr ausxo<1 Tor "a n tsn 4 - "a