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Tous las autres exemplairas originaux sont filmAs an commandant par la premiere page qui comporte une empreinte d'impression ou d'illustration et en terminant par la darniire page qui comporte une telle empreinte. Un des symboles suivants apparaitra sur la darniire image de cheque microfiche, selon le cas: le symbols — »> signifie "A SUIVRE ", le symbols V signifie "FIN '. Les cartes, planches, tableaux, etc., peuvent Atre filmAs A des taux de reduction diffArents. Lorsque le document est trop grand pour Atre reproduit en un seul clichA, il est film* A partir de I'angle supArieur gauche, de gauche A droite, et de haut en bas, en prenant le nombre d'images nAcessaire. Les diagrammes suivants iiiustrant la mAthode. rata 3 lelure, A J i2X 1 a t 1 2 3 4 5 6 i ■TW™^ LETTER TO THE HON. JOHN QUINCY ADAMS. f ON THE OREGON QtEStlON. BY LUTHER BAKER. NEW-BEDFORD : EVBNin.O BVLLETin FRE88. 1816. 'J- nil- '^til '.i ■ i' LETTER. To iAe Hon. John Quincy Adams, 't. Member of Congress: Dear Sm : I have just read your remarkable and lucid speech, delivered in the House of Representatives, on the ninth day of February, and having noticed the foundation on which you so confidently rely as establishing our title to the whole cf the Oregon ferritory, I cannot but ad- mire the firmness of mind, and that reliance upon Di- vine authority, which you manifest. If there can be no possible mistake in your inter- pretation of the will of God in reference to our right, ownership, and occupancy of the whole of Oregon, yet things which are clear to some minds may be dark and doubtful to others. And it cannot be deemed strange that in reference to the Territory in question there should exist an honest diflference in the senti- ments and views of mankind, both on this and on the other side of the Atlantic To approach such a man as I esteem you to be in the piirity of your purpose, with such universal knowl- edge of all that appertains to human rights, the gov- ernments of the different nations, and your perfect ac- quaintance with the whole science of jurisprudence, and whatever has existed, or does exist in the purposes or pursuits and policy of them all ; To approach you, I say, with the most distant thought of the least possible criticism, would be a folly on my part which could not be disguised or hidden from the most superficial. I do indeed consider you as one of the most pure, intelligent, and honest leading politicians on earth. — This is nothing new with me, but I have noticed your course a great part of the time for nearly a half cen- tury past, and in all the important stations which you have filled, I have sticti and known much more to which I give my unqualified approbation than in any other public man on whom has rested from time to time such nigh and vast respnn>ibilitics. (iranting all that you claim for our own country, it does not in the whole public mind do away the fact at present that Great Britain has no rii^ht to any part of Oregon. For myself, in view of all that is passed, I might entertain doubts, if it were not that I must go in the face of your explanation. This i feel loth to do, fear- ing an exposure of my own weakness, and having such an opirjion, as I possess, of your profound understand- ing, and sound judgment. You will therefore regard me as yielding whatever may have conflicted with your views of the ground, or foundation of out title to Orc- fon, or to any other territory which we possess. And will pass on to ask one question on the present state of affairs with reference to that territory. It is this. How ought we to treat another christian nation claim- ing a right, at least, to a part of that territory ? There ought no dispute to exist, but it does exist. There Qught not to be any contention, but there is contention. Sir, it is cause of gre-t regret that you did not go on with your speech, for I presume you would have given JurtUcr light with regard to the duty of christian nations towards each other, when difficulties arise bor tween thcpi, and it seems unfortunate that legislative bodies pay so little attention to " the little book," of which you spake. I recollect that several years ago u distinguished editor of a newspaper in Boston, express- ed his surprise that there were several clergynien in the Legislature of Massachusetts, and he could not con- ceive how they should be there unless religion was con- sidered all a furce. And I confess my great surprise at learning that *' the little book," of which you made mention \yas at hand " on the Speaker's table " in the Hall of the Representatives of the nation where many scenes of late years have been enacted, which would have disgraced the cabals of a gambling club. But to the matter in question. If I were in Con- gress, a member of the House of Representatives, 1 5 would ask the Clork to turn to '> the little book" on the Spoakcr's table, and read the question in the ninth Chapter of th«) Acts of tho Apostles and the sixth verse, and ho would read as follows: Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? In my spocch I would declare this i.^ my motio, and in my conduct I mean to l)e governed by it in reference to Ore'^on. if" any member object- ed, I vould refer to the uxampleol the jrenileman irom Massachusetts, it bein;^ the very l)est that was ever ^ll0vvn upon that floor. Then I would request the Clerk to turn to (icnesis, the thirteenth chapter, Hcventh, eighth, and ninth verses, and he would read as follows : And there was a strife between ihehcrdinen of Abrnni's rattle, and the lirrdinrn of LoCs cattle, and the Cuihaanitc, and the Pcrizzitc dwelt then in the land. And Ahrmn said unto Lot, Let there be nj strife, I prat/ thee, between me and thee, and between my herdmen and thy lierdmrn ; for ive be brethren. Is not the whole land before thee? Separate thyself, I pray thee, from me; if tlioii wilt take the left hand then I will qo to the ri :ht ; or if thou depart to the riqht hand then I will go to the left. Proceeding then upon the principle that every inch of territory that any man upon earth docs, or ever can rightfully possess, the ground of liis title is found in tho " little book " upon tho Chairman's table, and no where else but there. I should be most deeply impressed, and should ask, most seriously ask. Lord, ivhat wilt thou have me to do ? I should indeed pay hut little regard to popular opinion in any case, if it conflicted with what I should become convinced the Lord would have mc to do. I would admit youi ground by which you say we hold all the title we have to any of our possessions. And after admittmg it, 1 would frame my speech in the following manner : Abram should stand for, or represent our Govern- ment. Lot should represent that of Great Britain The territories where they were should represent Amer- ican and British territories. The contentious herdmen should represent the war hawks in England and tho United States. And the Canianite, and tho Perizzite should represent the Indians that dwell in Oregon. In my speech ! would allow imagination some play, and it I could find a little to indulge la 1 should have no objection to its indulgence within the bounds of pru- dence. The great object would be, not to find out what this party, or that party mifrlit think of me. How much it would cost (or gun boiits or steamers, a navy and fortifications, an army and armor. 1 should lay aside every thing but just the matter in hand ami say. Lord, what wilt thou have me in do ? To be sure, I would bring up all these, or any one of them, should I think I could get any light to teach me what the i.ord would have me to do. But my meaning is, that nehher profit, nor loss, nor honor, nor disgrace, nor land, nor money should influence me. If 1 could only find out Ciod's will concerning me, I would do it. I should tnake great use of what Abram said and did. There was trouble, and 1 almost wish we could have more of the history of those hcrdmcn. 'ihcy wore an uneasy set of fellows, so are our war-hawks. There seems to have been nothing in Abram's or Lot's mind of an irritable nature towards each other, till the lierdmen got at it, and Abram then feared that Lot might be inlluenced by them, and consequently a strilc t.ike place between him and his nephew. Abram was a good man. He did not lack spirit, but was very conscientious. He knew what to do. So he went to Lot, and did his duty. JHe said. Let there be no strife brtwee.n vie and thee. — How different from what we now see and hear. Now it is, let war come. 1 believe there will be war, let it come, the honor of the nation is at stake, and that is more than all riches and peace and prosperity. All is to be sacrificed to their God of war. No matter, we must all die sooner or later. And if thousands die by the sword, if they are slain on the battle held, they do but die, and die they must, if not slain by the sword — Shall we act like Abram ? Succumb to Great Britain ? and say to her, let there be no strife. No ! VV'c will have all that belongs to us. And further. Let there be no strife, I pray. Infamous! My blood boils. I pray thee. Horrible! To arms, to arms. Oregon we will have — the whole of it. We will fight you. — We will have the whole or none. What a method to preserve peace, and to promote good temper ! To settle national dieputes about territory ! No ! Give the bowie knife for our neighbor, the sword, pistol, and rifle (or gentlemen, and all these, and gun boats, and steamers, a iiuvy, an army and oi'dinancc, and Oregon is ours (orever. li 1 am not cgregiously deceived, the herdmen on both fides, would rather get it, by such means, than that cither Ciod, or man should givo it to them. All this array, Etir, and threatening takes place before nny one, at home or abroad, absolutely says, you shall not have it. '1 he true secret is, if there be one, but 1 think there is none, for it seems that the herdmen would rather fight than not. They seek occasion to set our Abram, and J ,ot at variance, to effect their own selfish purposes. They are not like our wi.se, profound, and patriotic statesmen who have the good of the coun- try at heart. With the war-hawks, the catch-word is honor, but the meaning is fi<^ht. 1 would then say. Sir, the foundation ol all the litle to territory recorded in Genesis, was, 1 think, as well understood by Abram who saw the day of Christ afar off, as by any man now liv- ing. And as a diflcrent state ol things existed, especially in relation to morals, and the indulgence of human pas- sions at that time, from that which existed when the foundation to the title wrs granted, for that was before the fall of man, and about two thousand years before Abram's day. 1 think no man living can be a better pattern for us to follow, than that venerable Patriarch, especially as he knew so well how to manage a difficul- ty in which he was so deeply interested, and in which his relative and friend had as much at stake probably as himself, lie faw at once that his own power, and au- thority, and that of Lot also was required to put down the villains that were disturbing the peace of both fam- ilies, without the least profit to either, and to the injury of both. i!c was a great man. Ho ruled his own spirit, and showed himself better than he that taketh a city. O that such were our Abram, and that such were Britain's Lot! There would be no more trouble in surmounting the difficulty about Oregon, than a son of Anak would have in getting over a mole-hill. And' now for men who keep the " little t-^ok " upon the Speaker's table, and who ought to see that the s ^ruuiul ot thfir title tu all that tlioy |x>frs«8ii m ther«, i\iu\ no where else but there ; lor them to talk of war, huilding war-steamers, and of lurni^hin*? every thing for ollciisivn and defensive war, I declare, it peerns to deinand a doubt whether soir'? of them l)elievc that thr Ijord ever gave them a title to a single inch of ground in the world, for it seems that they jneati to fight »oget that in Oregon, and if so, they mean, it they can find occasion, to fu;ht to keep it. NVluit would Father Abraham s.iy to christian na- tions, to those who believe, who arc blessjU with him, to see them beating their plough-shares into swords, and their pruning hooks into spears to plunge them into a brother's heart. Alas! 'I'ell it not in Ciath. — Publish it not in Ore'jon, to the C anaanite, and Feriz- zitc who now dwell in that land, lest they say, tlie sons of Abram are n^orc cruel than the untutored heathen who now roam in the forest. 1 would say, Sir, as Abram knew liow to treat a mattter of such serious concern, and to manage such an unruly set of hcrdmcn as iiis own, and those who belonged to the family of Lot, how should governments learn to treat their citizens and subjects. 'I'hey should never excite them with inflammatory speeches. Tiiey should discourage all recourse to arms until things were brought to extremities. They should speak calmly to each other, and even beseech each other to say, Let there be no strife bef'vecn me and thcd Herdmen should not be allowed to say one word, as herdmen, until the governments themselves had de- cided what to do in every case. Their business is to light, if they have any, and no one needs their counsels All know their mind without asking them. Let it rtot be thought that I include all military men in this coun- try, or in l^ngland. No. He that would charge to the cannon's mouth to save his country, is a very difTcrent man from the herdmen of cither Abram or Lot. How dignified was the language of Abram to Lot ! Let there be no strife between me and thee. Would the power, energy, or courage of an individual, or any number of men be impaired now, were such language used by them ? Certainly not. Was the spirit of lib- J) orty, the Imtrod of tYfiuiiiy, mid opprossiuii <|ucnchml, or diminished intho ^rc^t Wnshiriiftoii, Fratikhn, AduinH, Warren, and I'litniun, and a ho«t of other wortliiea by their forbearnnco r i\o. VVlien tlioy rose np, it was in tile majesty ol their strength, girt with a consciousness that they had done aU they rj\\d do to perpetuate ponce before they drew the sword from the scabbard. But liow behold our herdmcn are going to ^iiow fight at once, and conquer, with six or eight steamers, the great- est nmratimo power on the globe. I think it would bo better for them to read in the *' little book," on tho speaker's table, what the King of Israel, by his servant, «aid to fienhudad. Let not him that girdcth on his harness boast iiiia^elf, as he that putte»h it oH". And 1 think it would be well to send some of them, for the present over the rocky mountain to some secjuesterod spot, some Jericho, and let them there remain till iheir beard be grown. Sir, the Canaanitc, and the Perizzitc dwelt in the" land. The Indians arc in Oregon, and it is, at least, a weighty question about their expulsion. I know not tiiat Abram wanted to expel those Canaanites and Per- icntes that dwelt in the land, for he seems to have been a very peaceable man, and his greatest friend, to whom he was niost tenderly united, was Mclchisedec, King of •Salem, and Priest of the Most High God. He was King of righteousness^ and after that King of Salem, which is King of peace. Yet, if Abram was compell- ed to fight, he fought to purpose. He did not explore the countries every where to find rivers and creeks, and claim them, and then get up a <]uarrel, lest at some time or other before the end of the world, some body might paddle up and down them in a flat-bottom skill', or Indian canoe, and fight the worlrl to prevent it. He pursued business upon a more dignified and enlarged scale. He did not keep forever changing his policy, andteazing, and perplexing his own family, and disjoint- ing, and clogging, and deranging their pursuits by sot- ting up plans for the support oi his government, and upsetting them once or twice a year, so that the herd- men could hardly know where to pasture their cattle, or those who used the mattock, where to prepare the m ground for planting. He, and they all kept about their business steadily, unless they were disturbed by the contentious herdmen, and he knew well how to silence them, and when a proper time came up for them to defend themselves, or their friends by force, Abram did it to purpose, but always in what he considered a righ- teous canise. So after four kings came down upon Sodom, and sacked it, and carried away Lot, Abram's brother's son ; as soon as he got the intelligence, there was no* delay on his part, he armed his servants ut once^ His committee of ways and means had attended to their business, the weapons were on hand and paid for. I tell you. Sir, af)cr all the improvements for about four thousand years, that the present age know not any better how to manage the aflfairs that concern them, than Abram did ; indeed, many of them not half so well. Abram attacked the enemy at once, it was the right time to do it, and rescued his nephew, and with him all the goods, the womeA- also and the people. And the kim of Sodom went out to meet him. And the king of Sodom said unto Abram, Give me the persons and take the goods to thyself. There, Sir, look at the reply, And Abram said to the king of Sodom, I have lifted up my hand to the Lord, the Most High God, the possessor of heaven and earth, that I will not take from a thread, even to a shoe-Iafchet, and that I will not take anything that is thine, lest thou shouldest say,^ I have made Abram rich. Now, Sir, if any one wishes to see heroic valor, let him read " the little book." If he wants to see a noble mind, let him look at Abram. If he wishes to see a generous, independent spirit, let him look at the holy patriarch. And if patriots wish to support the honor, the dignity and independence' of their respective nations, then let our Abram and Lot say to each other. Let there be no strife between me and thee, nor between my herdmen and thy herdmen, I pray thee, and just stop the clamor of war-hawks, and then at least, in a civil and political sensev peace will flow unto tis as a river, and righteousness as the waves of the sea. Sir, it is my opinion that Abram as readily acknowledged the rights of the Canaanite and Perizzite that dwelt in the land as he claimed his own. And as he was a man of God, he 11 readily gave them every protection in his power. But now it seems that many think that the color of the skin, the straight, or curly hair, and the appearance of the teeth, and eyes, determine who ought to possess Oregon, Texas, California, Yucatan, and all the rest of the world. And if a man be born with a dark skin and curly hair, it is a crime, he is proscribed, tiid not albwed to own an inch of ground upon the face of the earth, ladeed, he is not permitted to own himself. From all the ideas that 1 have ever formed of Lucifer, son of the morning, «ven afler liis fall, I have never thought that he would confess that he was in pos- session of such sentiments, for fear he might blush at what many of our people maintain widi such bold effrontery. Sir, from the manner in which the gentle- man from MassachL. etts has treated srbjects of this sort, I have no doubt he will descend to jtbe grave with the wrath of the oppressor of our race, aimed at him to the uttcrmo^, and with the cppisobation ofhis own con- science, of all good men, and .that which is infinitely more, the approbation of God. i>ir, the sentiments of some of o«r people and the herdmen in particular, seem to be, to keep all we have, and to get ail we can. Or in other words to own all the land we have, and all that joins iit, and then cross over, and take the islands of the sea. 1 have no doubt some have in idea ere this, compassed Cape Horn, as part and parcel of these United States. I'his, indeed, is rail-road speed with a witness, and I am afraid, it we do not lower the steam, and check the herdmen v' . cry, make it hotter, make it hotter, we shall burst tne boiler, or throw the whole train off the track, and kill, at least, one half of the passengers, and that the world passing by witl in<;ck, and say, these fellows undertook to run the swiftest, and moat unexampled race, and were unable to fiBish. Sir, I think by this time, that if I were in Congress, instead of being where I am, I should hear the wordsi, order, order^ irrelevant, he, &c. But to return. I would say. Sir, Great Britain is our relative. Lot was Abram's brother's son. The cases are not exactly par< allcl. Great Britain i^ the parent country. It is true, m wc liave had our fanuly cjuarrcls, but it would have been better for Lot to liave said to us, It' thou Avilt depait to the right hand, I will go to the left. But waving every thing about the cause, prosecution, and consequences of these quarrels, let us turn our attention, mure partic- ularly to modern Lot. He has herdmen like our herd- men, and there is strife between liis and ours, and I would to God, if there must be war, and if our modern Abram and Lot shtjuid prove recreant to the principles of ancient Abram and Lot, and let loose the dogs of war on both sides, that those who compose thetwocabr inets should be placed in the fore front of the hottest battle, and they together with their herdmen have to fight it out without a single soul to help them. But before I proceed further, 1 ought to tell the reason why I have chosen Abram to represent us. It is because I love my country and its institutions, all but one which hangs like an incubus about the neck of our nation, and will if not removed as surely sink us into ruin, as we now have an existence. But Lot is, and has been very much to blame, he had no right to say that he was pre* pared to meet us, and contend with us, and then for the herdmen to shout a huzza. It was all wrong. So did not Abram. So did not Lot. And though we call th« governments by these names so honored in the past time, yet when we view the contrast in the present, both their.^, and ours, we say as the " little book " on the Speaker's table says. How are the mighty fallen ! How is the gold become dim ! How is tlie most fine gold changed ! O that our government had tiie magnanimity of Abram. O, that the British had that of Lot! But if to war they will go, I will say of them, as the Patriarch said of ^-imcon and Levi, instruments of cruelty are in their habitations. O my soul, come not thou into their secret ; unto their assembly, mine honor, be not thou united. Now, Sir, it may be objected that my remarks are inappropriate, because the ancient governments were patriarchal, and therefore no example ought to be re- garded by u?, which they have shown. But so far from this is the fact, tliat the patriarchal is chosen to show what should be the spirit of our Abram, and Lot toward 13 each otiier. Was that of A brain and Lot brotherly ?— So is ours. Were they professors of the sa;ne religion ? So are we. D\d they descenc] from the swne parents f So have we. Did they mutually enjoy the advantages of trade, of commerce ? So do we. Were they socially and afTectionately bound to each other? We have similar ties, and enjoyments, and mutual affections.-^ And shall we fight? Sooner let our right hand forget its cunning, than to raise it to plunge the dagger into our brother's bc^o^)' Shal) we, in time of peace, sit together at the tahle, in memory of the body and blood of the Lord, and tlien in time of war thrust the deadly weapon into each others heart ? Does the religion of the Prince of Peace, authorise this ? Will he who came not to destroy men^s lives but to save tliem, allow this ?-r- But, O the herdmen on both sides. Let them bo silenced, and we shall do well enough. For where no wood is, tlie fire goeih out, so where there is no tattling, whispering, brawling war-hawks, stfife ceasetli. For as coah are to burning coals, and uood to fire, so is a contentious man to kindle strife. 1 never thought. Sir, of getting up a speech to be delivered in Congress, ajiy more than of going to the moon to deliver one, until I read your speech, which poured such a flood of light upon my soul and mind, that I now think I could not only speak my hour, if I were an honored member of that august body, (for there are honorable men there after all,) Ixit a whole day if needful. For most seriously I do consider you to have presented the true and only ground of our title to every inch of territory that wc possess. And that not only scripturally, but also philosophically, with a clearness, and force which sophistry, or artifice, or learning can- not set aside, or obscure. To the Speaker, I would say, Sir, my first object is to put down the herdmen, for nothing can be done to purpose until ttiat is done, and this will be apparent to every fair mind when the whole case is duly considered. Between them the strife already exists, and if it contin- ues, and continue it will, until they are made to know their place, Abram and I .ot are every day liable to get at variance through their pernicious influence. And ^ how ahnll this influence be suppressed ? Sir, Abram nnd I<<»1 both must tell them that they will no longer listen to ur government will stamp (he nation with a black and indelible rStain of eternal infamy, or raise it to honor and distinction among uhe nations of the earth far beyond the most splendid triumphs that Rome over witnessed. Sir, iu view of what is, and that which may soon come to pass in all liumaH i))robabiility, if the wisdom of our national councds ■does not arrest the apparent progress of things in their j)re8ent •course and direction, we may «oon hear that wb^ich may cause erernr .ear to tingle, and many hearts >lo melt. I apprehend it wdl be ultimately, if war «honld take place, Avorsc for Greet Itrituin, than fur us. But we shall wade .through blood and carnage to obtain thejnurels which arc to dockttite brow oif .the conquoror when lie returns from the fieid, the acddama of his siiTugglcs, and his triumph. Great Britain is probably looking for.. ard'to a bffoad dash upon oui trade, which is to ifilt her coffers with the vast rtr«asures which \\ie have floating upon the bosom of every ocean, and the tol«l wredi of our flourishing commerce^ and •with the whole world. She will, if we have war, undoubtedly makA ;Z great sweep, and then be rea«ly to negotiate, and divide Oregon, but will deceive herself most egregiously in her mistaken calcula> tion, for she will, in the end, f(M' every 4qUar of gain, have to en- dure a loss of ten. The Republic, so stow in getting prepared, will ibe but just ready to begin the contest, and not an ocean will be clear .of public and private armed ships, to prey upon her commerce in 'tiifu. Let her drive us back from some of our sea ports, it will Muly be like a river running back uiion itself, and it will cost her 15 more to come and burn out (owns, and rillhgcr, than tfio pIundcK she will obtain, to help pay #be expense, and she will not be so well* oft as when she began, and #e shall gain nothing in such a squabble. Iniieed 1 would rather that SUf Robert Peel, in Parliament, should' 'iiout, and say alt ready for' nt weeks, and the rest huzza for' six weuks together, and General Cass, and Mr. Allen resolve and re- resolve, and then resolve again, than to see only one such scene as i one day witn«>sscd in a smaN town in the war of ihe revolution. Sir, I can. see our bold,- taunting heroes returning in imagina-- tion from the field and standiing in the presence of tens of thousandsr to receive the homage of thef nation, and removing the military cov- ering of the head, to receive the laurels which are to dbck their brow as a reward of a grateful people for their services in' the work of blood and death, and looking to the Presidential' (ihair with in- tense desire, and imagining With what dignity and grace they will fill that chair. But with them, as with others, the etid is not ytt.-^ They have not yet girded on the harness, and if they do, it is as un' certain who will put it off, as it was to Packingham, <>f Ross, before they landed on our coast. I have not the least apprehension that the skill, or prowess in war of our «uiemy, will outdo that which our own countrymen will manifest in the sharpest, or hottest coftiest, nor that brother Jona- than will not kill as many of John Butt's men, as John Bull can of his, with equal numbers on both sides. Indeed I would rather have the chance of life with Jonathan, than With John, for Jonathan has learned that there is no fair play in figh^g, and that if he only puts a ball through an Englishman's heart, "any way he can fix itf," he is as surely a dead man as if he shot him ever so scientifically. Sir, I would say^ after thanking the Hoose, for their patience in hearing me with so much attention, Aere is but one question more on which I will detain you at present npon the important sub- ject of debate before us, and that is in vie# of the statement and explanation o( the gentleman from MassachMetts, of the ground of our right to Oregon ; and that is whether Great Britain, Bcnmurk, or Swelen, hate not as much right to it, as we have, if they are christian natiomr. I only mention this ar A thought that crosses my mind in view of that quotation from the " little book " on the Speaker's '"*^''>,'imd which is fouivd in the latter part of St. Mat- thews' Gospei, which reads thus: All power is (riven vTilo me in heaven and in earth, go ye tiheretore, and teach all nations, baptiz- ing them in the namo of the Father, an^ of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you, and lo ! I am with you always even unto the end of the world. From the 'whole conncetion in the gentleman's speech, I understand him to mean that we have iitfhe "httle book " the ground of a title to Oregon, and to citilize, and christianise that people. I ask then, has not Great Britain as good a right to go there, as we have for that purpose, or t)enmark, or Sweden, as either? I would say to them all, go by yonr heralds, if there is room, and people there, and contend earnestly for the faith once delivered to the saints. Subdue the rebel to God. Bring his every thought into subjection to the mind of Christ. And as much as 1 16 nih oppoMrd to war I should like to |{o there myself, and b666Aie a humble instrument and leader in such a contention, to suhjeet every herdman to the same blessed government. In this war I glory where the contest nnd wrestling is not against jltsh and blood,- but against principalities, against powet s, against the rulers of the dark' ness of this world, and against spiritual wickedness in high places, Sir, 1 should say, ii 1 were allowed to go on in this House, I knovr nut when, how, or where I should finish my speech, with the thotightti suggested by the words last quoted from the " little book " ujion the Speaker's table. Bnt I am confident I should say enough myself to make a small book for the consideration of the House of Repre- sentatives. But I forbear. A Word to the wise is sufficient. A word more,' and I will relieve the patience of the House. S'tt,- ws must not underrate the power, and influence of the sonft of strife.-^ It is great. They have always been the plague of the world and* forever will be so,- Ontil they are put down by superior power. There does no( exist the great difficulty which many imagitid*. There is territory enough for Abfani and Lot both, and if there is nny danger from any quarter that either of the families will b« broken up, or sufiifer severely in consequence of future changes, it h not because they need more land, ior they both have too much already. And it ia much mure Irkely that trouble will sooner come by having too much, than too little, for the more they have, the more herdmen wUl they have of course ^ and if so, of consequence strife will increase^ And in truth there ia nothing of an outward nature, mofe likely to produce coHisions aAiong themselves in their own families, than that their respective territories are so much too large. And shall they fight one another for more ? Forbid it/ reason ; forbid it^ honor ; forbid it, common sense ;' forbid it, interest i torbid it, all virtue and humanity. Yours with the moat profound respect, LUTHER BAKER^ Nbw-'B'edforo, Marclr 13, 184&. every jlorjr but Jfark- faeei, \now fghU (ho elfio we and* re is be !S, it lucb :oine the enee «'ard iheir too a i.v est; m