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Les diagrammes suivants illustrent la mAthode. 1 2 3 4 5 6 ^^ Si l6^-)3 [piles, REMARKS «r MR, BURT, OF SOUTH CAROLINA, ON THE OREGON Q, JESTION*. Delivered in t/tc House of JRepr^sentaiivrs February 7. 1846. The House being ip Committee of the Whole on the state of the Union, and having under consideration the joint i-esolution to terminate the con- vention of 1827 for the joint occupancy of the Oregon territory, and the various amendments thereto — Mr. BURT addressed the committee as follows: Mr. Ch.ihman: It has been assumed*by those who have preceded me in this debate, that the chief inducement to give the notice recommended in the an.mal message of the President is, that it will contribute to a upcedy adjustment of the question of boundary between the United States and Great Britain. And it was insisted by the gentleman from Alabama, [Mr. Houston,] as an objection to the proposition of his' colleague, [Mr. Dar- OAN,] that any definition of the hmits of the country on tlie northwest coast, of which we should take exclusive possession when the notice ex- pires, would enibarrass our negotiations; and we were admonished by that gentleman, that if we desired a compromise of this question, we should give the notice. Sir, I entertain a different opinion. I undertake to say that the only reason assigned ^y the President, and the only object to be accomplished ! by the notice, is by terminating the treaty of jonit occupancy, to enable us to take exclusive possession of this territory. What is th"" language of the President? Does he not inform us that, in I consideration that Mr. Monroe and Mr. Adams had each proposed to the [government of Great Britain the forty-ninth parallel of north latitude as [the boundary, he felt constrained to make another effort to adjust this long mding controversy? That he had submitted the offer of the forty- ninth _ irallel, without the right to navigate the Columbia river, which had been [tendered by his predecessors, and that it had been rejected ? Sir, his lau* [guage is: "The extraordinary and wholly inadmisaible demands of the British government, and the N* ' jection of the proposition made in deference alone to what had been done by my predeccason, and the implied obligation which their acta seemed to impose, afford satisfactory evidence that no compromise which the United States ought to accept can be elTected." " With this conviction, th« proposition of a compromise, which had been made and rijected, was, by my direction, atibae- quently v^iihdrawn, and our title to the whAle Or^on territory asserted, and, as is believed, main* trined oy irrefragable facts and orguments." "All attempts at compromise having failed, it be« comes the duty of Congress to consider what measures it may be proper to adopt for the security and protection of our citizens now inhabiting, or who may liereimcr uihabit, Oregon, and for (he maintenance of our jn«t title to that torritory." K;liI;Ih4 o '['lie moasuvo^ which ilu- ricsklont dooms nocossavy to tho i)vottoii(.n oi ouv citizoiis;, now in Oir£joii, or thoso wlio may lioreafter migrate to tliat countiy, are sur^qcsted in liis message. They aiv, the extension oi" our jurisdirtinn niul laws ovt'r tticm; tho ostahhshment of Indian agencies; tho erection of l)l(i('lvhi.uses and stockade forts on the route hetween our fron- tier settlements on the Missouri and tlie Iloeky mountains; an adcqiiiitf forec of mountnd riflemen to gnnrd and protect emigrants; and the (\>ifili- lishment ol' a nionlhly overland mail. IJiU, sir, Iv iidvises us to give the noliee. and tells us, "At the end of the year's notice, slionid Congress think it projx'r to nuike provision fur giving this nulicc, \\r sIkiII have leaidied a jieriod when the nalinnal rights in Oregon iiui.si either he ahandoned (>r lirmly maintained. That ihry eamiot he ahiuidcmed witln-nt a sacrifice of hoih national hoinn- and inlc- rost, is too clear to iidniit (i a douht." iSir, can goitlemen read this earnef'l and emphatic, language of the Pres- ident, and delude the country or themselves with the heliof that it is ad- vi.scd hecani-e it will cmitrihute to the amicithle adjiistment of our delicate and perilous relations with (ireat Britain? I heg this commilfee to he reminded that if Anther negotiatii^ns were in the eoiuemplaiinu of the President, they can he conducted only hy thoso functionaries of the government toAvhom the constitution has confided tho treaty power. I am yet to learn that the House of Ke))res('nlalives have ever heen sii))posed to ];articij)ate^ this i)ower with the President and the .Senate. And [ sulmn't to the committee and the coimlry that it is only l)ecausc ''all at(ein])ts at compioniise having failed," lliis IIou.se can h.' appealed to hy the President, and that the ajijieaj is made that we may adopt measures for " the maintenance of our just tide"' to the territory ol' the Oregon, and. at the expiration of the notice, take exclusive possession of it. But, sir, if we disregard the direct and explicit language of llic President, can the hmnan mind conceive any other motive fJir terminatim,' the treaty of joint occupancy of this territory than the exclusion of (heat I'ritaui? It' the notice he ::iven, and tiie (juestion of honndary he still unadjusted when the twelve months shall have elapserl, we shall hav(! no alternative; left hut io eject Great Britain iVom any portion of the territory, or suhmit to tho sacrifice of those riglits which the coinitry has heen told aie '* clear and unquostioiiai)le." (Gentlemen, Mr. (.'hairman, have discoursed ehujuiMiily of "national honor" in this dehate. Let me tell them that when we shall have terminated the treaty hy which (»reat Britain holds the joint occujinucy with us of this territory, we will he a nation of cravens and dastards if wc do not instantly tear down ev<>ry British fort and Hag that shall he found uix)n our soil. Sir, he cherishes no just sentiment of national honor who would tints jiause in negotiate, or parley to compromise. Before we determine, then, to give the notice to (ireat Britain, which is in itself a harmless measure, we should have well considered whether wc shall talce possession of the entire ten-jtory of Oregon, and if not of the whole, of wdiich portion of it. If we intend to assert our rights in any portion of this country to the exclusion of (he pretensions of England, that assertion must he maintained by the arms of^this country. The gentle- man from Massachusetts [Mr. Adams] has expressed the opinion that if, the very day after the notice should bo given, we march in our troops and take possession of the whole tcrritoiy, there will not be war. I did not undcrsti than his calcnlati (Hie that would s If, Ml extent o licsitatij entire te rcpealetl inoimlaii joint oi.'r and luig pretensi( lo dc'.'laf iiiauimr; all the n of that t committi has (iovo At a I eitizen w nothing ^ 3 it is a gi I luuioiis; I iiidi\idu; I cloa-ly ri ^ or a greal •' without ( I dishonor ( 1 procc I tho iMitirt ! do not .; pv^'tensio ■ lo .show : the year ; of the ]in im; I'raiili .'•■ir, ill ti\es — a oiir Stan ;: or wi'ont desert th patriot tf Our l! ', !Voni d.is I the adni i Spain to hy Mr. ( clearnes: not iinpi with tho A. })OSSCSS1011 Pivsiiloiil, I tlic trnaty riuiin.' If sled wliru vc k'fl bill iiiit lo the ' clciir riiul iltKjuciiily II wo .shall .)i'cii])ancy L.-mls ii'AVC 1 lie found umor who , w liioli is lirlhor wo not of Iho Its ill any land, that he gentle- )n that if, roops and I did not rotcoiion oi I'atf to that non of CUV ^onrics; th(^ Ml our frou- n adoqiialo ;1 tho osi-ili- t the cud of rovisinn f'M' ional rights Tiiat dif-y T and inlr- of the Pros- % lat it is iul- air dthoalc :; 'MS worn ill :v iy hy thoso oiifidod tho alivos liav3iUifQ to niainlain thom wilh all tlic rosnuroos of tlu; gn\'criinient, to the • utiro territiiry in controversy. And, sir, Avilh this dolibcrate and olleu repeated tledaration — that our title to the whole counliy west (d'the Kooky iniiiinlains is "clear and uiH|Uestionable" — if we simply terininate the joint o(N'iip.nicy, ho would find in onr action the a])inMv;d (d' his o])inions, and might well he detonod from admitting tiial (Jreat iiritain has any just prelonsions to aslc a parlilion of it M'ith us. \'\ i- my.'^elf, I do not hesitate lo declare that if I entertained the opinion as to our title expicsscd in lus inamjural address, and repeated in his annual message, 1 would exhaust all the resiiiirces of this grivil cnuutiy holore 1 would surrender one rood of that territory on the demand ol' ;i foreign govennnent. 1 trust this committee will neither shrink from, nC ro]n'esrnfa- ti\es — a State so much misunderstood, so much maliytuHl in this hall — eiir standard of patriotism teacjir.s us, in any contt.'st with her (i)es, rigfit (ir wrony-, to stand, by our country. Hut wiiilst no (Jarolinian will ever ilesert the standard ».d' his country, even when wrong, it is the duty of a patriot U* connsol her to Ijc right. Our title, Mr. ('hairniiin, to the valley of the Columbia river, derived from discovery, exploration, aiid settlement, was asserted in ISIS, during , the administration of Mr. Monroe, belbre we had ac(iuired the right of " Spain to the country west of the Rocky mountains. It was maintained liy Mr. Calhoun in an argument, whilst Secreuii y of State, the ii)rce and clearness of which our present distinguished Secretary has said he would not impair by repeating it. Mr. Buchanan, in his late correspondence with the Drilish minister, speaks of this title as existing pritn' to the treaty 4 of Florida in 1819, and indejicndently of its provisions. He insists thai it was perfect and complete, independently of the Spanish rights which we acquired by that treaty. I think so, sir. But our distinguished Sed- rctary of State, not content with a perfect and complete title, says: " Our acquisition of the riglits oi Spain, then, under the Florida treaty, whilst it cannot aftect the prior title of the United States to the valley of the Colum- bia, has rendered it more clear and unquestionable before the world." Now, sir, if our title was " perfect and complete" before we acquired the rights of Spain, and has been rendered " more clear and unquestionable'' by our treaty w ith Spain, it surely is a good title, and we ought not to sur- render it. What does he say of our title to the country north of the forty-ninth degree of latitude? Why, sir, that it is recorded in the Florida treaty; that Sjviin acquired it by discovery, by the landing on the coast of her navigators, iiom the 41st to the .'jTth degree of latitude, "on all of Avhich occasions they tossess( l)Oiuida claimed contest( \ve had 1818 wi What \ AUAMS' if I am terized percriti( who nc that coi the ma its stipi to the I lege gu there a other? which t In lb tory ; a :> sole obj \ What,! I 1818?' i Adams I* of Juiu 4 tion of west CO hiid the of Nov( ries, sa tion wi also ha( tion." allowed she coi true COI Gallatii said, " object could I 1827, I ■;f t I I actually abandoned every txadinq tactory north of the 49th degree ol" lati- tude prior to the year 1800. F"rom that period to the cession to the Ihiitcd States, not an act was done by «Spain to consiunmate her claims or assert her sovereignty. I proceed, Mr. Ghairmao. to inqnir^ whetlier our government has not, by the most solemn and explkit derlaratious and acts, re .oguiscd the rights which Great Britain had a^Hcrtefl against Spain, not only Ix'fore, but since we acqtiired the ri^fiii* <'f Spain to this territory? In 1818, before the treaty of Florida, W whi-^h we accjuirod whatever rights Spain possessed, we proptjsed to moke the forty-ninth parallel of latitude the boxuidary between the territory ctairned by the L'nitod Str.tes and that claimed by Clreat Britain w*r»t o{ thfi Rocky mountains. Great Britain contested our exclusive claim to ibf^ valley of the Cohimbia river, which we had urged, and declined to a'^r* tie to our proposition. The treaty of 1818 was the result of this iiiiefl»wtiial att*;iupt to agree; upon a boundary. What was that convention? The gf^ntlemaii from Massachusetts [Mi. Adams] the other day denied thai it was a treaty of joint occnpancy. But if I am not greatly mistakejj. tliai seutlfinan, at the last session, charac- terized it a treaty of joint t«ocu}anrj-. Wr then heard nothing of the hy- percriticism of the chninuan ofFdvrisn R«>latioiis, [Mr. (.'. J. IxtiKKsoLL,] who now concurs: witli th*:- OTiiidfttnan f'rt>ni .Massachusetts. .Mlhough that convention Is treated in all oitr negotiations as one of joint occupancy, the material inquiry is- wliai dmnt it concede lo (Jrcat Britain? Are not its stipulations mtunal and jiwipurnral ? Fs there a solitary riglit reserved to the United States tliat in i*(4 rtservefi toG (?at Britain? Is there a privi- lege guarantied to one jnirty. which is noi conferred on the other r Is there a protest as to the tit^M'fK'nf^^ which docs notupply to the title of the other? This convention was adopted tl»r the period of ten years, during which the respective rlainws <.4 the two governments were suspended. In 1819, we acquired all llie righi-i whirfi Spjiin then had to this terri- tory ; and from 1823 to IHiT hHd !H?gotiations with (ireat Britain, the sole object and purjKtse of irhj^h w,k.^ the adjustment of the boundary. What, sir, have our negotia4 west, atlribnted, in lSl:i, in his jjIucvj as a .Sen- ator, to tiie ennveiUion ot' ISbS certain '"gr(at I'anhs;'' auidngst (hem one, "in assnniiiig tlnaf there were di\ers harbors, bays, creolss, and navitiaiilo rivers west ol'liie llorky m()nntains, some holi-nging to Vnv L'nited Stales, and some to (ireat IJrilain; and that innUiahly of bonelits was conterrod l;y giving U) ea'di jiarty ai-t.-ess to the waters of llie otiier." Another was '"in adniitliug a claim on the part of (ireat Ihitain to any portion of these t»'rri- tories." I coi,rKh-ntly aliirni. and I appeal to onr negotiahons, that at no period of thein has onr govi rmnciit insisted on a more lavojable bonndaiy than the I'.Uh parallel of latitndo. The convention of I HIS was renewed /ery administration to tile present >>" )V e in lS:d( , v-wd has Iteen ac([niesced in moment. Now, [Ml. Chairnian, '.\hcn it is not even alleged that CJ^eut IJritain has done any a -t lo lorliMt or 1o impair the rights which, Jiom 1S18 tu IbJ."), onr g(>ver!i:iieiit has admitted .she jx'ssesses in the ( begon territory, with "what liice « an we, bel'orc; heaven and man, denv them ' Sir, as a just jjooplo — as a (hrisfian nation — ■we ra)m<;t, wr. dare not. Sir, as we h.iw been ielMrnied that no honerahle «'oniproinis(! of tliis ancient contro\ersy can be etfected, and have heen called ui)on by the Ex- ecutive to maintain our just rights to this leriitory, I am jtreparcd to lake my share tf the res))onsil)ihty. .My jndgment has yieldtnl to the ii)rce of the argnnxiit \vhi \ai.'^J of advanced age, i'srge expice, and i.'iejt ;illaiinnents, who was Secretary of State in Ibl:-', v>heii tlic treaty of joint oecuj)an;y was concluded, and chief magistrate oft lese Slates iii i >•.'(, when it wis renev.ed. Uf that gentle- man, I do not intend to sjieaiv in terms of personal dit-resju'i t. But, sir, il has been his H)rtnne to bear towards this (|iiestion a relation the most important and remarkable. His right band chums the credit of inserting in the Florida treaty the clause on which our title to the Oregon territory is based, llf! has said that the convention of i SIS was the alternative to instajit \yar. In 1^27, Mr. (iallatin intiirms our goverinnent that the only reason for tlu' renewal of that convention ^vas to preserve {xjace. Tluit gentlenian now thinks there will not be war, if we march in oiu' troops, after the notice has expired, and take possession of the wlude country! Until the la ;t session of Congress, he was not prepared to agree to a teinnnation of th( joint 0{ .uipancy. Then his ruind Avas open to conviction as to our title to a part of this territory; now lie would take possession of the whole! When rrcsidcnt of the United States, he thonglu an equal dhidon of it r Slate I cliiot' Jut, .sir, kviili C;i«\'it Kiiuiiii was »ho only r-ijiuuibfo )»;iviiiiiin, aiul iv-ivtiod iJiai Ikt jdeiiiiMitciitiarif's would not accept it; now lie would deny tier any part nl' It! 'riip--e art' rapid and remarkable transitions. Sir, tl.e country will ilcmand fil'tfiat <.';'nll»'inan, what lias produced tliis clian^'e ' What launi- |neiit of title, what Tad to elucidate it, that escaped his research whoi oon- hictiii.'^ our n(•^Mtialiolis tVoni 1^1^ to jS'i", has heen disrovr'red hy that >i'Mtli'iiian to produce a chaML'e so sudden and exlraordinaiy ? Weil may 111'' j)co|.le — well may the civilized world — iiKpiire, why this ch; uue, of idhcy and pnsitidii ? Mr, Chairman, in considcraiiou of th(! iiasl if not of the I'uUne -if not local'-ulato the cost ol' niainlainiu!^ our ritrlits — we should jiause before wo. iliniL^e this country into war. We should take counsel of oin* heaits and iiir consciences, whether that war would he just, and in a just cause. b^ir, I have taken my position. I hdieve it maintains th( honor and the [iLrhts of my country, and will command tiie ap|)robalion of the people. |l is ihe comjiromise olfered by (uu" f,'overnnieut I'rom I>«I.S io JSl.";. I am liiwillinii; to accept less. 1 will not demand more. Hut, .Mr. ('hairnnui, if it he the deternn'uation of the conruitlee to lermi- il(> lh(> treaty of Joint occupancy, v. ith the piu'pose of assTtinsr the ria[ht il' domain to a part or lo the whole (■!' the territorv of Orcioji, I ti; -t the ^oticc^ will be (Mii'lird in those manly terms which shall maniii'sl our use that it is a ti'i-Iit. 'J'lie treaty provides that it shall he di'tiM'mined at he expiration ol' iweivo nionlhs' notice, and st.>cures to cafli of the high ontracliii!.!' parlies tlic; riL;ht to t(ive it. 'i'he notice nee.!.-; no ap'logy; lid I submit that it is unmanly and iinbcM-omin;,'' to mai.e (uie. And I Mist he pi rmilted to say, that 1 cannot admiie tla; spirit thai would whisper in the pitiful palaver of a '* preamble," or the whinin;^ and w!iimp(-'rinc; "a " whereas." Mr. (.'hairman, my constituents arc ever ready to niaintaiii the rights and ?l(Mid the honor of their comiliy. They know nothing < f the people of horn I ainan bumhh;, but I tn;st faithful, repr(\>;eiitutive, Avho snpjiose they ive any unmanly l!\u' of war, calamitcais and desolating as it ever has ecu and ever must he to their interests. 'J'licy appeal to the histoiy of |eir country to bear them witness that whenever the gallantly and j atriot- m of its citizens hav