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Maps, plates, charts, etc., may be filmed at different reduction ratios. Those too large to be entirely included in one exposure are filmed beginning in the upper left hand corner, left to right and top to bottom, as many frrmes as required. The following diagrams illt strata the method: Les cartes, planches, tableaux, etc., peuvent itre filmis A des taux de reduction diffirents. Lorsque Ie document est trop grand pour Atre reproduit en un seul clichA, il est filmA A partir de Tangle supArieur gauche, de gauche A droite, et de haut en bas, en prenant la nombre d'imagas nAcessaire. Las diagrammas suivants illustrent la mAthoda. 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 Mf IN SPEECH OP MR. KENNEDY, OF INDIANA, ON THE OREGON QUESTION DELIVERED IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENT ATI VESy JANUARY 10, 1846. WASHINGTON: PRINTBD AT THE UNION OFJ^ICE. 1846. Kir 4 :;'i 'i S ;■% .'■". » •.' .J, .-i ,f .J r^,. the ret -Mr. KEN] * Mr. Chair ' 7»ith the s w believe li'a;,ion of v rion ha7<», I I7 lead h 'jiiftstion of es.-i resolut id treaty rr, 2^ giving tvv ■)>'o^aie it. lloc do v,/hat •fiv party, w rnohinj; I'.d dcso'.atii './^^Wi^ a wf r>: hclievfi t 5! questior Bntba tlii i«f ?o far a: those wh( wafte or wai rmined it s 'eST'')!"! 'CRiO t prRclud* result f the territi loo lon^ slei fci pe.#.e, ^ i»iftV»red En^ fcrritor/ in Ibosea, for a •eaceable ji that our nee •rrength anc fhrt masses- Iw?'^ not CO «7 treaties ,<lmind, ancf ■'lot while th ^frtfe, they m "^ Ivy drplomc ' Now the 'and arguiT I come satisf '^ . i SPEECH. the re3cluiio?i giving fks twelve inonlhs* notice far the termr.atlon of the joint occupancy of the Oregon territory. Me. KENNEDY addressid the committee as fol- ' Mr. Chairman: From the course this debate has kf.f), should a spectator enter this hall, unacquaint- ° 7»ith the subject that gave rise to it, lie would be to believe thai the question pending was a dec- auon of war (igainst txrear Britain. All who apr« ari^jed against the re ilution.s under consido- prion hiivf. declared that t(. >nm them would inev- hly i»ad to war. Now, 1 -bmit that this is not 'I'lftstion of peace or war. '1 , '; very treaty which «3C r«3olations propose to ennui, provides that id treaty r.,ay at anytime beannulled ijy either par- 2', apvinsr twelve months' notice of their intention to ^i'iipte it. And has it come to this, that we can- h'it do wha". the treaty stipulates niaj/be done by ei- hfi.r party, without incurring the charge of wicked- jr rn:?hino; our country, unprepared, into a needless r><\ de.wlating war? Sir, I hurl back this charge of U'Akiri^ a war upon those who make it, for I will lo: believe that war rr.iist necessarily grov/ out of ftia rjUf^stion. P.iub:^ tlii^: iv it may, so far ns ! am concerned, tnrt ST) fcv HA I urider.stand the feeling and o])inionp •f those whom I represent, this if! not a question of er,c^, or war, but a question of right, and I am de- rmined it shall be so treated. Does the territory of 'e?on belong to the United States? If it docs, ftiat ct; prftcludes; the question whetlier peace or war frvy result from our action or from the occupation kf 'he territory. But it has been said that we have jho long .■slept upon our rights to assert them now Jn pe.#e. That does not result from our having ihjfi'ered England jointly tc occupy this magnificent territory in common with us, for commercial pur- ses, for a quarter of a century. This long and »ceable ,oint tenancy has resulted from the fact iat our people were not made acquainted with the •trength and clearness of our title. Thousands of th<* ma-^se.-; — the bone and sinew of our country — Iw7(» not conned over all the old recc.us and mus- ty treaties in which our recora of title is to be ,^und, and learned therefronr! its nature or extent; -fcwt while they were in doubt or ignorance as to our * title, they were willing '.o see what could be done t Ivy drplomacy. • Now the case is altered, and we have, by proofs t wad argumcntfl that have been laid liefore us, be- f come satisfi^J that our title" to the whole of O/egon, from 42° to M°4C' north latitude,' is "clear and un- questionable." I call upon gentlemen from the South, who go against the notice, to recall the irresialible argu- ments made, and the clear and inextinguishable light which has been shed upon our title by their "great statesman," before they ask us to surrender oiie inch of the Oregon territory, whi.h he hiis' so conclusiv«:ly shown to be ours. Are we to read the masterly arguments of John C. Calhoun and James Buchanan, which have made our title to the v.hole of Oregon as clear us sunlight, only for the purpose of making our surrender of what they have siiown clearly to be ours the more disgraceful.' We of the West are not ''bookish" men. What, Utile education we liave we received after the labor of the day had been done, in the school of adversi- ty, in the Far West, iind almost on the verge of civilization, where our .itruggles have been with the Indian, and our wrestling with the bear — now no common (jccurrence. We have, therefore, left ir. to our agents to settle the question to whom, by ihc record, Oregon belongs. Thi.s they have done, and done well. Our part of the task, whjch is to maintain and defend our rights, is now to commence; and by the remembrance of the deed.s of our fathers, and the strong aiiection we cherish for our wildcrnes.s homes, we will detcnd them or perish in the at- tempt; we do not want war, and you slander lu^ when you say that our hands are itching to grasp the stee! of strife, and our hearts panlmg for the deadly conflict. No people more highly appreciate or value peace and brotherly love, that should bind in one unbroken chain all the families of man, than the people of the West. We know that our free institutions flourish best in the mild and genial at- mosphere of pence; but, when it comes to thi sur- render of the patrimony of our fathers — to receding from, or yielding up our just rights upon our own soil, then, we say, peace can no longer be honorap ble; and we shall not hesitate when it comes to the question of dishonorable peace, or honmaiile war. The honorable member from South Carolina |Mr. RhettJ has warned us against the consequences which may follow a combination of the European monarchies against what they may please to call an eflTort on our part to push the principles of our free government beyond the boundaries thereof. Sir, we are no propagandists. We do not wish to spread -t. * :■ .1 J h ovir principles by conquest; we deairc to force our UMtitutions upon no people under the auii, however much we might be pleased to aee all mankind, not only appreciating, but enjoying their inestimable biessingB. But when it contes to this, whether we shall plant them upon our own aoil, and within our wfidoubted territorial limits, it is quite another ques- Uon; in such a case, we cannot stop to count the cost, or look at consequences. Another honorable gentleman from Virgiriia [Mr. Hunter] has told us that "before we succeeded in wresting Oregon from England by conquest, we must prepare to chu.se the Britii^h lion around the world in his blood and oluver." Sir, 1 have no dis- position to engage in the cha.-c of such a beast, but thi.si I will say, that if the British, or any other lion, lays down in our ))uth, whilst we are peaceably pur- swing our own business, witliin our own territory, that he will be soon be chased from that luir. Conquest is not our ol ject, and surrendering our territory is still farther from it. If any gentleman here, be he from the North or the South, tlie East or the West, who believes our title to Oregon is not good, fee shall be excused from voting for this notice; but the man that iell.s m*; that he believes that Oregon is ours, and stili shrinks from assertmg our exclusive rights there, will allow me, in all kindness, to tell him to look to it, that he does not place himself in an attitude that will not only make him nncurrcnt coin among hisconstituente, but neglect a duty, the non-performance of which he will deeply regret du- ring the remainder of his life. It" Oregon he ours, is ii not a blasting, withering siiame that the cross of St. George should now be doaling over any portion of it f [Here Mr. Simms, of Missouri, exclainieJ aloud — "Yes, it is a burning shame, and it will blister our foreheads, like the mark set by God upon Cain."] And are wo to bear this reproach — and shall a brai)d like this be burnt mto the foreheads of the sons of the "Old Thirteen," because, if we attempt to reraove it, we may provoke a war.- Suppo;^ your fathers, of glorious revolution.-iry memory, had been thus timid — suppo.'Je that before tliey com- menced that struggle for liberty, they had, us gen- tlemen say, counted the cost, had "numbered the ships and liayonets of their insolent oppressors, where would you have been, Mr. Chairman ? In- stead of presiding, as you nou do, over an Ameri- can Congress, you would l.ave been a vassal of the British crown. And has the blood oftho.se me-.t which now Hows through our veins become so pale — has it degene- rated 80 soon that in less than one century — and whilst a few, a'a^! too few of those noble patriots are still lingering i,mong us — we arc prepared to mirrender to the same haughty power, a portion of the glorious legacy achieved by their \-alor, for fear wc may be startled by the sound of their war-trump, or the rattle of their artillery .- Forbid it, Heaven ! (Gentlemen have argued this is a western ques- lion. It is a national (juestion. Every portion and section of this country is inteifsted, and deeply in- terested, in the possession and occupation of Ore- gon. Yet, on account of its locality, western gen- Semen have frequently been appealed to in relation to it, and western feeling inquired after. If the West is to be consulted as to the settlement of Ore- gon — and 1 believe they ought — 1 declare it to be my firm belief that in that vast md mighty valley, not one man in twenty willcvor consent to surren- der one inch of what they beiicvc riglilfully to be- I long to the United St iteb They will neither ftjBe '^ut a render it for fear of a war, nor &sll it for a pecuniaijitpariaonl consideration. All the bayonets of England caiipift to dead! win, nor all the gold of Peru purchase it. «^nded n But the gentleman from Alabama [Mr Y'anc K^^ng, orpj admonishes us to wait until we are prepared for t:^(« arc fJ strife, as though strife must necessarily follow oio^t cases,! action. He fays, and says truly, that when tj^d immcJ western people are once aroused for the struggle, It ia to bi need.s no prophet to predict the result; and seemi.i d our pol to believe me as one of the spirits he described i iis it to al panting for war, said, in compliment, that I, M , which il Chairman, with rifle in hand, would lead to tt the revoj deadly breath. Why, sir, he has wholly mislakt that sped my character; I am a "man ol peace;" I beloi jmitted tJ to that anciertt, war-hating and peace-loving peofi Idren inl called lluakers, who detest war in all its forms. IJ la of aBrI notwithstanding the prejudices that my educatic mpare thd necessarily engendered, I have \ ?t to learn th;it c call on^ can surrender any portion of the inheritance left b set him the fathers of the republic without dishonor; ar mor — whi 1 hope 1 am not )»rep«red for that. iients lefil Some of our friends of the Siuth who prefcss MofHict, anl be for Oregon, say to us of the West, "the conn dow and I you are )tursning will lose you Oregon, and we g ciiin'a bio against the resolution giving the notice to save ti, ither figh country for you." 1 feel under great obligations t lerehev them for then- kindness; but will they be so goo( jhts is be in this matter at least, as to let us of the West d( Most of termine for ourselves \k hat our best policy is, an y thatlh to pursue it.' J recollect on a former occasion, whe it thatj|il there was another question before this body — not ;aceably. question of extending our laws over and takin ttr.e. Let possession of our own soil, but whether we shoul ) discussi admit into the circle of our glorious I'nion a frf ut encout and gallant people, wFio, like ourfathers, had achieve rcgon. ar their freedom in the fiercest contests, and at t. point of the bayonet — then our Southern brethre said, "this is the go/JMi moment,'" and this is tr approved mode. It a northern or western ma presumed to question the mode, or object to she tiniel lie was denounced as recreant to the best interests o' his country, and suspected of .-secret hostility to tl' measure. I then thought this language unkind ancL the suspicion unjust to long-tried and faithful fru?nd.vilo.'ial dislu and therefore will not repeat or apply them here tilupiicity our brethren of the South. We went with t.heiif ught to hi then, and, I might almo.st say, we .vent it blind, hat we in( That great measure is now consummated; our uniot, 'ghts ther is complete and glorious; and it now ren\ains to bii erritory 8 seen wliether our friends, who then led the wa) >een giveii with a '/.eal deserving of a noble cause, and an en ; M honor ergy that knew no abatement, wi'l at Ik'n time play epublican us false, and turn us off with the traitor's sneer. I c*H*n to le so, I shall not reproach them; they no doubt dtyhe givin what they think their duty. But this much* I wil It may br tell them, that their hesitation and opposition wiil)<*S*'"' not deter us from discharging our duty to our con^ t*] pre" stituents and to our country. We will enter tiu' < lists wdl breach alone, and should all but the West hang' i*l "^urcii back, she alone would feel competent to meet and; ect tnem overcome every emergency; and in peace they wil . Jierciless not rest until no Hag but our own glorious stars and fp" f^^^^ ^ stripe^) shall wave over everv inch of th3 Americai #taia the soil. Protect tl Some one, I believe it wa.i the gentleman fro.i -l^no*' 5>o' South Carolina, m speaking of the calamities d >»ome of war, and the only causes that would justify a natior jjfamdjr h i' appealing to that dread tribui.al, said, thai wound- 1*'"*'^ '°n ed honor w-buld alone justify a resort to anr.s, ar.l Jt'irough compared it to the once common, but now disgrace- k^^itivatfi ful, resort to orms i>etweer>> private ii;d;Yidu«ia to V'>^ ^'^^''l, hold forn J intend uch like s vantage c r war. I ill allow 1 r,! prehen feel that y y/ill neither fijBe out a atirin from wounded honor. I Uiink the " fora pecunin>j|»pari8on a bad one. Duelling is at best buta re- 3 of E»g:land canmft to deadly conflict, to gratify personal vanity or 'cnaae it. ^ <^nded pride; there is nothing national, noble, ima [Mr YANCK^ng, or patriotic about it; its very nature or ele- tre prepared for i.tt\i» arc false pride and base selfishness. War in essurily follow oiobi cases, when justifiable, is not to secure a great Illy, til ■ ■ for the struggle, result; and seeriij 's he described iment, that I, M, would lead to tl IS wholly mistak peace;" I faeio y, that when tij^d immediately but remotely. t is to break the shackles which otherwise might d our posterity in chains too strung to be broken. iS it to avoid the payment of a two-penny tax on which induced our fathers to unHheath the sword the revolution.' Or was it not rather a resistance that species of legislation and policy, which, if bmitted to, would Imve made themselves and their eace-loving peop ildren instruments of British tyranny, and pup- I all it.s forms, il ta of a British j?arliameni? And can any sane man hat my educutic tnpare that noble appeal to the God of battles, to > ?t to learnth.it > call one individual may make upon another to inheritance left h fet him upon what is called by some the field of out dishonor; ar. nor — where, in too many instances, the only mon- [lents left to to mark the spot of the barbarous nth who prefe-ss :| n3ict, and to tell of the wrong.s inflicted upon the West, "the coiiri dow and the orphan, is the soil 'vhich drank the Vegon, and we ej:iiin'a blood? Sir^ I live in a country where they ither fight duels, nor sacrifice national rights; but lerehe who falld in the defence of his country's ht3 is believed to slumber in the patriot'.s grave. Most of those who go against these resolutions, y tliat they do not design to surrender Oregon, t lhatj[ihey only wish to settle the question aceably. ''Masterly iractivity" is the cry of n;e. Let the convention or treaty stand— have discussion, and make no question about it noio; ; encourage emigation, push your settlers into rcgon, and when you have strength enough there hold forcible po£.session, then let it be known that J intend to assert your right.'!. This to me seems uch like stealing into your own territory, taking vantage of ap»-,-/cnceof peace to fortify yourselves i- war. If this view of the subject be iight, you ill allow me to say, thatalthoujjli I may not exactly n.iprehend what is meant by national honor, yet feel that such a policy would bring upon us na- o.'!al dishonor, atiu subject us to the charge of base iipucity. If we believe that Oregon is ou's, we notice to save t ;reat obligations they be so gooi ! of the West d est policy is, am ler occasion, uhei this body— not over and takinj hether we shou ious l.'nion a fn hers, had achi.evei tests, and at th Southern brethren and this is tr or western ma 'bjpct to ihe tip.iel best interest.'^ o' et hostility to tl' iiage unkind a.M i faithful fru?f:d.'J ly them here r( vent with then- i^glit to have courage enough to tell England so; and ■icnt it bli.id. hat we intended and were prepared to maintain our natcd; our iinioi, Jght3 there by immediate occupancy of the whole ■ remains to b.i erritory after the twelve montlis' notice shall have n led the waj leen giveo. We ov/e it to ourselves, we owe it to ise, and an en iie honor of our country, t<> tell England in plain it tl»i.^ time pja) epiiblican terms what we intend to do. 1 would iitor'.s sneer. I ictM-n to lake cnir own by r.tealth, or their's by force, no doubt dc The giving this notice is further objected to for fear lis muchf I will trnay bring dire calamities upon our citizens in opposition wiii )regon. The gentleman from Virginia fiMr. Hun- uty to our con , er] predicts, that the effect of a war (which he in- e will enter tiw ' itat3 will follow the giving this notice) will be to put he West hang! iH our citizens in that territory to the sword, or sub- nt to meet and; ect them to the tomahawk and scalping knife of the peac« they wd . wercilese Indian. Let that gentleman calm his fears rious stars and |pn tJiat subject; that people will never ask you to tha Americai -ftaia the escutchion of this government in order to n-otcct them from either red coal or red skin. I entlemao fro.i i^now some of the people of thatfar-olT territory; with B calamities cf ?»otne of them I have warmed my feet at the same justify a naiior .fJimily hearth; with them I learned my letters in the id, that wound- I^Ji^'C «og school house, and with them have I passed t to anr.s, an ) |through scenes of hardi^hip and suffering in the un- now disgrace- »-itivatcd wilds of the West, that have fitted them ii;d;vidu«Ia to |^'>f every enterprise however hazardous, and every danger however threatening. They went to Oregon with their eyes open; and all ihay ask of youii, t* untie the fetters which this treaty of joint oceuptto- cy has thrown around their manly limUt. Tha k all they avk ut your hands; and should they fall in asserting our right to the i<)Ao/e of Oregon, they wiU sink, covered with honorable scars, a rich legacy to their sons who will arise to avenge their father*:* wrongs. 1 have been pained to hear, during this debatr, al lusion made to the western peofde as a war-lnvine and peace-hating people, who delight in blood ana carnage, and who were aii.\ious by their courae to embroil this country in a war. Who are those mot thus unkindly alluded to and unjustly assailed? They are sons of revolutionary sires, and spirits of noble daring, who have cleared the way for you into the heart of this magnificent empire. They have gone before you like the pillar of cloud by day and of fire I'y night, rolling back the Indian of the for- est to give passage to civilization, as the waters of the Red sea were rolled back by the Great Jehovah to give pa.-isa^e to the children of Israel ; and how- ever scornfully you may treat them, or whatever es- timate you may place upon them, I verily believe they are as pure and patriotic as the citizens of any other portion of this Union. While they are on the frontiers, where their instincts and duty lead them, upon the very soil designed by Providence as their inheritance, they will remain in peace and quiei, giving you uo trouble, and making no unnecessary demands upon your government. But I warn you from the consequences of an effort to stop their on- ward progress. Do not let the British get posse-a- sion of Oregon, and block up the passes of the Rocky mountains against their western flight. Should you do it, and thereby turn back into the valley of the Great vVest tho&e whose disposition and choice it is to mingle in border scenes of hard- ship and suffering, you may introduce into our so- ciety an element that may tumble it into ruins, as did Samson the teiTiple of Dagon when he seixedits pillars at the city of Gaza. What is .our exact position in relation to this mat- ter? The President, during last summer, made a proposition to Great Britain to divide the Oregon territory on the 49th parallel of latitude. This offer was rejected by the British minister without a refer- ence to his government, and was as prrtmplly with- drawn by the Executive, who now frankly telU us, that, in his opinion, no offer of comproraiae that this government ought to accept, will be made by England; and, therefore, this notice, in his opinioa, ought to be given. I am not disposed to censure the President for having made this proposition, sur- rounded as he was by many difli:uities and embar- rassments, growing out of former negotiations, and the position in which he found the question when he- came into office; but I am free to say, that 1 con- gratulate him, not only for his own sake, but for that of the country, that his offer was rejecred. And I think I may venture to predict, that such an offer will not again be made; and certain 1 am that, stta- ated as we now are, the country wdl not sustain any executive or administration in repeating it. No obsta- cle can now be thrown in the way to prevent our holding the territory uy (o 54° 40\ unless her Ma- jesty's government should disavow the action of ber minister, and now propose to accept the Presideu * offer. This ( think will not be done; if not, we aie at length clear of the shackles which previoiis or- ' gotiationa liave flimg around us, and free to txttzimt. bur exclnsive ri^'hts to the whole of Oregon. But •^ijppoflc we npg'ect to carry out the rcnommenda- tioirof the President, and refuse to "ive the notice: Mi'tU it not be nn intimntion to the British govern- ment and to the world, that Conjjrnns doe'; not con- nir wfth the executive hranch of the government, an to tlie cloiirnoss of our title to that territory — or yel, n still more humMiuiiny; nclniovvlcdsimenf, that we I terali»m will grow on the ruins of State-rigl^j.^ ^^^^ , Mr. Chairman, I nm a democrat, and as the saySre (1,;^ q is, dyed in the wool; I have alwRys to the utmost? ^^^jp, my ability opposed centrdlinm, banks, funded del and protective tarifi'i; indeed it has been a comn remark, that I was so radical, that it placed mf. TRiUury in advance of my own parly. But, Iv known that 1 am not the man to maintain my poi <lo not feel ourselves able id vindicate onr righis i<*al party in the management of internal affuirs, tj^ther thereto? I the surrender of external rights. And I now dec!: ^ ^^^ "What do centlemen promi.sc tlirmsnlves from fur- \ in the presence of this House, and in the face oft „g g|^j world, that if it be necessary to the maintenance i^ the y onr national rights, and country's honor, that i; ghgdow political opponents take the reins of g;overnmen; ,jj head am this day willing to make to them the surrender ^Q^ ^ Ihtt nesjoliations, whilst this joint occupancy lust Qf*at Britain is now in po.sseHsiori of all she ever daimed, and while this treaty lu--t.^, I assme gen- tlemen ehe will never settle this qiic;!lion, for the very good nisaon, that her condition can never he beltlcr, but may be, and unquestionably would be, worse. It would, therefore, be an ;ict of folly on her Cart to allow it to be changed so lonij ns she could . eep ilin stain ijuo. Give this notice— abrogate this treaty — and then she will see and feel the necessity of Jmmedictte and eflfectual negotiation; till that is done, 5^our negoiiationiiwili be all twaddle. The gentleman froni Houih Carolina, [Mr. Riiett,] for the purpose, as I tiiDughf, of frightening ns from the performance of what we honestly believed to be onrduiy. has in- titifiated (he probability of a combination oil the fwrt of the nionarchs of the (^Id World Ic ortiflh ns as jiropagandisls. On this subject, 1 want him, as well m fill olherK who do nie llic honor to li.^ten to my reniark.s, to und';ist;ind v/hat I iliink to lie the duty of this gnvcrnnifui in relation to this mai- ler. 1 hold it to he the Ijonndcn duty of the gov- ernmRnt ofllie United Siatcn, from the [icrrormnnce ■of'which she cannot shrink without di.stionor, to wee'that her iii.siitulioiia nr<! .set up and maintained ■wilhhi her entire limits; here her du'.v ends; but hUded to this, she has n privilege, frnai tho enjoy- inenc of whicli no governni'-nt or combination of gnvernineiiiB(uin or shall " li-^r— that i^, when any contiguous nation w 'O unite iicr destiny Avithours,und become on. con^tpIljuior'sifit't'iOK Slates, we will pud nj) il)e laich-.stnng and let her «oi»>«i in, UJ share witli xw. in all the piivilcger^and immuiiitiesofr.nr ..'loii.MiJ? confcdenicv. Wc claim ao rii;;:!! to fn-ce wiilijn oar ei;i'!o any ".nr.! do notdfsirc to sit ;.f our fivinily hoi^rr!: claim, and will'cxerciae, the riglit vxii-^paity; i'lid tlnii i'i;'!it we .,, believing, as I from my soul do believe, that everything that j)ertains lo the honor of our cou fg « try, tlieyiu"ea.s patriotic as we are, and that o onJe genii differences as to administrative measures grow o inyofnl of honest differences of opinion, as to what will b^ ^idence I promote our country's weal. But I utterly repui ,jg ^ere remBinil e that al no cnl her dl owes th| to the >are to ate the gentleman's argument; it is false in theor and equally false in fact. Democracy can grow, ai has grown, whilst the storm of war raged in all fury; the seeds of democracy were cast into the ear] by the hand of the rcolution; it was cradled in if storms, and nursed in its fiercest conllicts; thereat then was the tree of liberty planted; and llietempes] of war only loo.'^ened the earth about its roots, th it mi<;ht grow the faster and spread the wider; i roots have been plentifully moistened by the war: life's blood of those who ilefendel it against the fui OMS assaults of the wild boar of legitimacy, seekir to whet his tusks again.st its inner bark. And now tell gentlemen, I hat if it is occasionally tnoii ened by the blood of the patriot, honestly shed in it defente, it will not grow a whit the worse, nor en! a leaf on that accoimt. Has not the West, tl^ whole of that beautiful inland paradise resound' with the clank of arms, and has not its soil, an Idful of n small is of the is short need b] ontinen I, followi from h en clout along tl his last to be via in this? hen he f ? The or infic is said ] territory It mistak into y/i liiit w" do > choose ruf own 1 lolinijiiish only naiional exi,'>;c;ifc. AVe iJn not wish, as , to extend onr bonlers ^^;ith our Uom'e dnl «rins, bnl choose rather tlie^rnle of ri>cht than of »night. In t!ie end stich ;• policy will be set m to have every furlong thereof, been stained with the blood the pioneer and Indian commingling as ihi y fel! i^i^ ^\^^ -yy, deadly strife? Will any man tell me that libertjij^f jjg j, in it.^ niofit comely and nnobtru.sive form, does nij-j y^mj^ (lourisii there? Sir, it is the very ji!a.:e where ~ mi y be truly said, we have liberty without lice tiou>Jiiess', and order in the ahsunee of law. W^e have again and again, in the course of tli: debate, been reminded of the power and sfreatncf of the government with which wcare likely to con. ly the forc<; ofj in conflict. I do not de.nre to speak harshly of thj IJritish government; but I despi.se this con;5ta;i| ^ vHtmting of the greatness of England. Who, an^ been wise; for as Rome expanded, acquiring one what is s+ie? The seal of her power is situated oi, possession af"ier another by confincn?, she w.i.-i ob- a little island stuck down in the North sea. Trut 1i|^ to maintain herself by rapire and jilunder -she has spread her arms like seas, to grasp in alj the shores; but still she is not so terrible as to mak^ the nations tremble. All of her greatness now de^ pends upon her commerce. Clip her wings of that and, like the bird of Jove, she falls to the earth to maintain _,.. wwrever she could carry her arni.'^; and the conse- <iuence was, that when she CQuld no longer retain ! I&e possessions she had acquired by force by I tbe same means she used in their acquisition, she! feH. We, on the contrarv, accept only t!io,^o who l lifeless carcass come voluntarily, and froni choice. And tho.se v.'ho " " desire admission into ourconfede' y need no force to remin them there. Each additional Htatp, adniit- -ted under such circnmstanccs, add.^ another «nd permanent pillar for the dtfence and I ne.w orna- ment of the tenif)le <if liberiy. Anothei^new, and to mc n very strange uri:ument. against these resolutions is, that'if we,1>y os^serting «ur rights to Oregon, are unfonnnatel;,' plunged into ^ war, ll:e consequence would be, n "deprcpsion of democratic, and a: ri.se of federa' principier.; iha- -en seek no conflict between my« country and Great Britain. Let each pursue heil path alone, and unmolested by the other. We wili not go out of our way to attack the British lion; bii} if he chooses to lay liimself across our path, and re^ fu.ses to remove at a peaceful summons, then there will be no alternative — the American eagle will strike her talons into his nostrils, and you will seej his blood spout as though a whale hiid been hari pooned. There is, 1 repeat, no occasion for war; and thcrei will be noacj unles.^ the government of Great Britairi mencing rty years ad of tv ity-two. ication ta on by til you find ion oft) faces tl ho!" it this sii up the I snows ai ch it tak jon, are ire to dc -God pys, brl our illi in it b< South rer of a list us? Inholy s rowth other uttitude It. it mu ■=»* . T ays to the mmos )unk8, funded del lan been a comii lat it placed nif n party. But, Ix I maintoin my pui f internal afiuirB, And 1 now dec!; Hi ia racy can <?row, ai] 'ar raj^ed in al! e cast into the eari i was cradled in i| conllicts; there aii !il, and tlietempesi ibout its roots, tJi cad the wider; iined by the war I it against the iurj egitiinac.y, seekii her haik. And accasionally inoi< lonestly shed in ii ho worse, nor <■ lot the Weat, tli aradisc resound' nnt its soil, ai i wiih the blood f] ing as they fell l"!«H'-f!^- '■■'"'<« w«r with thi« country. If nhe doea.uhe may .«. r« fk- .*^*^!»« <l''« que«tion the pretext. Whether «he wants remains to be !<een. If it ia the design of Provi- e that she shall decline, as she arose, by de- no conflict will come. If, on the other hand, her destiny to pay in blood the debt of blood 'owes (he world, then I have no objection to be- to the nation and to live in the iige that nhall lise her for the evils she has inflicted on the hu- n.i ;« #1, (• e I ™<*' She is old and worn within; the blood T. Jo; . ' <«• ««»'«• hef "'«•'»«• If ehe is mad enough to 's bono iT'T * '*"" y"""P S'*"* °^ ''"^ western world, whose s of ffov' ,' shadow is already beginning to eclipse her glory, ,««, .i5 ''"'"'""^"' ler head be the consequences; and let those who In il L "Tu lot engaged in the conflict stand from under, and mnn. if ' '«« 10 hear a crash "tis if the ribs of nature lonor of our cou j. n 2 are, and that o ome gentlemen scoflTat what has been called the measures grow o liny of nations-or what is the same thing, the uTtc"l '^'•'«"<=* °* ^^ '" theaflTttirs of men. Sir. r]y repui ^^^ ^^^ ^^ ^^^ centuries ago? We were a lalse in iheor^jf,,, ^f nWgrmn landing upon Plymouth rock, a small band of cavaliers planted on the sunny IS of the South. From this small beginning, and is short time, what have we become? We have need by steady and peaceful strides, covering ontinent with independent and industrious citi- , following up the red man foot by foot, driving from haunt- to haunt, until, like a small and en cloud that skirts the far-off* horizon, he now along the shores of the western ocean, ready to his last plunge, and leave the graves of his fath- to be visited no more forever. Is there no des- in this? Is not the finger of God as plainly seen hen he first set in the heavens the star of Beth- ? The man who sees it not must be either or infidel. is said by some that we do not need the Ore- territory for purposes of settlement. This is a mistake; and that you may clearly see the into which some have fallen, I invite you to ri iti 'n "^ '^* West, and visit one of our log cabins, and r.ic in.it 11"! r!;ig|ber its inmates. There you will see a strong, V ,,'^'"'"' p">pt youth of eighteen, with his better half, just rtv ^' fl ^^l'?"' Ifmencing the first struggles of independent life. piy witiioiu iictir^rty years from that time, visit them again; and ead of two. you will find in that same family rity-two. This is what I call the American niul- cation table. Multiply this and the next gen- ion bj^ this table, and where, without Oregon, you find room for our people? The greater ion of this multiplying mass of humanity have r faces turned towards the setting sun. "West- d ho !" is the cry; and you can no more stop this side the shores of the Pacific than you can up the mighty waters of the Missouri, whilst nows are melting on the Stony mountain in h it takes its rise. Where, I repeat, without on, are we to find room for our people? What >'e to do with the httle white-headed girlii and God bless them ! — who throng our western ys, bright and blooming as the flowers that our illimitable prairief? n it be true, as suggested by the gentleman South Carolina, [Mr. Rhett,] that there is er of a combined alliance of European powers 1st us? Do they exhibit u disposition to form nholy alliance, to prevent the spread and cru3h owth of our free institutions? I repeat, there other danger of war growing out of our prf s- ttitude upon the Oregon question. In that It. it may be made the pretext for the onslaught. licti 5 of l;iw. the course of tli nir and greatnc Eire likely to coir.i \k har.shly of tlij ise this conatau, and. Who, an; 'ei- is situated oi, ifortli sea. Tnit; IS, to gra.sp in a! rrible as to mak reatness now de icr winffs of tha is to the earth m ict between my/ each pursue he other. We wil British lion; bn )ur path, and r& aoiis, then ther rican eagle wilj ind you will see e haid been har »r war; and therej of Great Britair- but ran never be the real «ause of war. Gnj^land has no rights iu or to Oregon; at least, her dipio* mntista have failed to show them, whilst ours hav^ clrnrly negatived the existence of any such ri||hl. .. Let us take a Rhort retrospect of the past, in oi^ der to judge correctly of the future. Liberty,, fai'r ing to find a foothold upon the old continent, took her flight to the New World. The causes whi^ produced, utid the consequences which followed, tne American revolution, planted deep irt our soil the tree of liberty. The formation of our constitution linked closetjr together u chain of free republican States, as a ram* part around that tree, to protect it from the outward pres.surfl occasioned by the hostility of EuropcAfi governments to the liberal principles which lay at the foundation of our system of government, ror half » century the representatives of legitimificy looked upon this expcria'<ent with great concern, ap4 not u little fear of its consequences upon tlheir oWf\ ill-gniten power, which must melt under the gl(>Wr ing light and scorching ray4 of the sun of ljb<\rtv^ casting back his bright cfTulgence upon the, Q]l<f World, leaching man everywhere that God has giv- en him rights, and demands that h^ should ijriAin*. tain them. At first it was hoped that this exp«ri« ment would prove a failure; that rivalry and heart- burnings would grow up Itetween the North and thfi South, the East and the West, which would fijiatiy' burst the bands of union, throwiiig the country into anarchy and confusion. Thank God, time has dia> sipated this hope; the last twenty years has C0i^^ vinced the world that our institutions are as filabi* as time, and as firm as the decrees of destiny. , No: sooner are the govennnenis of Europe conTince4 of the stability of our institutions, than tbey ares^r.' tied by the exhibition of our prinpipte of expaQ*; &ion, by the admission of a free republic into t|i6 American Union. This, to them, was the passi^Q of the Rubicon; it was the beginning of what w^ll end in placing under the protection of the. broft^ pillions of the American eagle the entire coniin^nlL, stretching from Cape Horn to Behring^s s^traits, and. from the shores of the Atlantic to the waves of the Pacific. This is what my friend from Illinois, [Mr. Ba- KKR,] who I hail as a worthy representative of western whigs, calls our "manifestdestiny;" and with him I say, if the representatives of legitimacy in the Old World, for the purpose of prevent ing its consummation, choose to put themselves in mttle array, either singly or collectively, let them do it, and upon their heads be the eonsequences. We cannot, we will not recede. We neither seek for, nor will we avoid the conflict; if it comes, we wilt enter the arena strong in the assurance of a good cau.se, firmly relying upon the providence of God, which has thus far stood by and protected us in our onward march! Know^ing that, as heretofore, each crisis in the alTairs of nations has produced men equal to the occasion, so hereafter in every emer- gency, brave spirits will be found capable of "riding the whirlwind and directing the storm." And why. p.f^er nil, should we so much dread thia conHicL' Deatli in some form or other ia the destiny of all of Adam's race; life at longest is but • span; this generation is but dust on the wheel of time. What boots it, then, whether we are shaken from it till instant sooner or later? Ay; and who, of all that now hear me, would not rather, when the clangor o^ Gabriel's trump sholl summon the pale milli>;;s of the dead to the congregation vf STi >. appMr in that vait uMmbly elothad whli bloom of youth, beurinf upon your (Voqt tke <lit(^<faah received in defence of your eoontrvHi hflMMi' and the rifhte of men, than covered with the Ijirillhklea of dhihonored age? Afiinat the EJnf liah people 1 have no hontile feet* il^oA the contrary, I love them for their aipira* timlli afker freedom, and I only reproach them that thiey do not tear away thoae feudal cobwebe which have ao Ion; galled their manly limba, and cast among the lumber of agea, those principles of legiti- ntaey which disgrace the country and age in which they live. But the English government is quite aiiother thing. To iT<y niind it is the very worst Sovtlmment upon earth. It has some pretence to b^rty without any of its substance. It tears the ainew8,and driHka the sweat of its laboring millions toAUten a stall-fed aristocracy. Our flrst conflict With England was in the revolution, which ended in tatting trom the British crown thirteen of iu bright- ijlt'Jlwels.and wringingfrom her stubborn heart the ' eMltaowleagement that theaa colonies were, and of nhtoUght to be, free. ' The second was the war of 1812, which ia called the second war of independence. It humbled the pride of the Britiah navv, and ended in a blaze of 8 Dry on the plaina of New Orleans, by making ousands of her bratest troops bite the dust in con- flict with the raw militia of the western States. The third and last conflict is not yet. No man can doubt but that it will come. 'When the history of tliatwar is written, it will record the downfall of the British empire. Fall she must, and fall she will, as lljare as Adam fd\. She is now standing in the twi> fight 6f her glory; aAd a sharp vision may easily diaeern,. written upon her fVont, the inscription truced by an invisible hand upon the palace wall of the Babylonish king. Aa I aaid before, England's greatness now rests upon her commerce. She has three hundred mil- ikma of tonnage, which guages her shipping. We kave already two hundred millions, and are now ilUhering upon her with the strides of a swift cour- ser. When we pass har. her downfldl hj pea' ble means will be rapid ami auMan. Orr^n ii therefore all important in a eomn cial point of view. It ia the inch of ground U| which we can place a fulcrum, f <*>nc ua the k by which to overturn the wond of^Britiah co , merce. ' It will give ua a cluster of nwnufactui and commercial Statea on the Pacific correaoond with our New England Statea upon the Atlaii Then the inhabitants of the great Mi«sissippi \ ley, who have in their possession the garden of world and the granary of the UMverse, will stre out one hand to the East Indies through the Pa chain, the other to Europe through the Atle; channel, granping the trade of the ciailizad e&i as we now hold in possession the means of s sistence for the whole numan faauiy. There is in this discussion, to me, a new i very agreeable feature. Thw diaeuaaion indica and the vote will prove, that thia ia no "party qi tion." There aita an aged and venerable n [poii. Jne to John Uuincv Abams.]) of the whig p ty who lias spoken and will vote with us, beca he feels it his duty so to do. Whatever may said of the hot haste of my youthful Uood, 1 confident that whilst I follow the lead of one wli locks are whitened by the snowa of eighty wind I ran do nothing rashly. On the other, hand th are some equally respectable friends on the der cratie side of the House who think duty calls lo ' activity," and therefore will vote against Greg So I would have it, that the world may know '. this is not a question of a party in America, bu an American party. I have attempted, Mr. Chairman, in my fet way, to show the committee that duty ««lls, and : terast points, to the aaaertion of our rights to C gen. 1 cannot, I will not, doubt but that the Ho ; will reapond affirmatively. Thia ia the war feel and the only war feeling in the West, if < : must come, let it come; and those who- provoi: will have to abide its cooaequenceai^ Ml .r'w ■« r. It}, .w MOMuatMSM iWNini ftU »f{Mli^ MrtMt in • cot. inch of gnound up 'Grid orBriliih cc / Mr of laanufactur Pacific oorretpond , m upon the Atlaii ; [rest AiiMiMipiii \ ion the garden of iiMTerte, will atre a through the Pa hrough the Atla, > ' the civilized e&i <n the meana of s inaily. ;; t to me, a new i j diaeuaaion indica ;,; la ia no "party qt J and venerable n^ Mtji of the whig p v ote with uMt beca '* Whatever may outhful blood, 1 e lead of one wli < a of eighty winti I he other, hand ih ' rienda on the der ink duty calla to ote againat Oreg rorld may know '. ' in America, bu irman, in my (c It duty ealla, and if our righta to ( : but that the Ho B ia the war feel the Weet. If v loae who provok :e»i^ vj«- ■ -"liwiMiaiiwiii