Su ^. V^-„o. IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 1.0 I.I 1.25 no 1^ 112 21 2.2 ui lii III :^ 1^ 12.0 1.4 1.8 1.6 -► V] <^ /2 W ^ c?:^ .!^'' V ^> Photographic Sdences Corporation 7? WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N.Y. 14580 (716) 872-4503 CIHM/ICMH Microfiche Series. CIHIVI/ICMH Collection de microfiches. Canadian Institute for Historical Microreproductions / Institut Canadian de microreproductions historiques Technical and Bibliographic Notes/Notes techniques et bibliographiques The institute has attempted to obtain the best original copv available for filming. Features of this copy which n,ircuniference, and twenty nalllions of American citizens are this day looking with intense anxiety to the action that this House ntev take upon this question to secure the rights Mjd honor of the nation. Sir, as one of the hum- ble representatives of that portion of this Union, ihnominated the great valley of the Mississippi, tl(|eit lies between the Alleghany and Rocky moun- tl^ns, and between the great Atlantic and Pacific Bjippes, I feel the responsibility of my position, and will, if life is continued to me, when the vote is taken 0» the measures now before the House, and design- ed for the full occupation of Oregon, cast my vote for the whole of them, let the consequence be war or n0t. Sir, during the last session of Congress, and pjnding the discussion ofthejoint resolutions of the Biouse for the annexation of Texas, it had been fiwly remarked, that the Baltimore Convenkon, that nominated Mr. Polk, had made tlie question «f annexation an issue to be submitted to the people «|the United States in the Presidential election of lt44, and that the people had, in the election of Bir. Polk, responded triumphantly to that issue, «d demanded of Congress to execute their decree. ) the truth of this position I gave my hearty as- pnt, and, with a large majority of the Western and Northern members here then, stood sliouldcr to shoulder with our Southern friends, breasted the storm of opposition that met us at every step, clung manfully to the one-starred banner, passed the joint resolutions, a' id thus carried triumphantly the banner into the Union, there to mingle its rays with the constellations that played within her orbit. Sir, but a (gw days ago this Congress had glo- riously consummated what the last had begun; annexation is now complete; and the new planet is fully launched into our system, and it will shortly begin to revolve in the irbit we have as- signed to it. Sir, it is an act of which the last and present Congress should be justly proud. It was great in its conception, great in its consummc'ion, and will be greater in its consequences upon the whole interests of this country. It is, jierhaps, one of the most important moves that this Govern- ment has ever made upon the political che.ss-l)oard of nations; it has completely checkmated England, whose diplomacy had been most skilfully exer- cised upon Mexico and a few in Texas, to enable that Government to make subsidiary to her inter- ests the productive powers of the soil of Texas, in furnishing her with the great staple, cotton, to the successful growth of which its climate and its soil were so congenial. The course pursued by us on this question has given the death-blow to the ho])es of Great Britain, that promised her a supply of cotton from Texas under mutual trade regulations, that would have released her from her galling dependence upon the United States. Sir, the consummation of that great measure had put into our possession the best cotton country on earth, and gave us a power over British spindles and British industry that is more potent in re- straining her rapacity than would be fifty war ves- sels on our coasts, or an army stationed at our fortifications of one hundred thousand men. But great as this question wiis, and the happy results that promised to flow from it to the inter- ests of this nation, if adopted and carried out, yet it was not the only measure or issue made and submitted by that ever-memorable Convention for the decision of the American people. No, air : it was one only of a series of issues submitted and decided at that election. The great question now under discussion was made, submitted, and deci- ded; and is scarcely second in importance to that of which I have been speaking. Another of the series, too, was the modification of the tariff, and, », Ibb^UyJ though Inst, not least, in the principles involved ! and their ultimate rirect upon the iil)erties and in- j terests of this nation. Sir, liiose issues iiavint; all lieen deeidul hy the people, as we desired them to be, they must all lie consummated by our aciion, or the f^lory of the victory of '44, and the splendor of the achievement of annexation, m ill sink under ' a cloud of )Md)lic. indi:;iiati()n, iliul will burst in fearful grandeur U|)on our devoted heads. Sir, 1 i am c;lad to see around nie so many of that lutblc 1 band with whom I was ])r(iud to iwA at the last ses- 1 sion — the Tt\cu« Inrincilitv:i. Will there be one of that band who will falter iji his ell'ort to consununate the public decree on this subject? Is there one who is to be alarmed, and prevented friun respond- ina; to th'^ call of public ojiinion on this jjjreaf Ore- f^on question, by the crf)akiM^s of uur enemies, or 1 the p"opliecies of Abolilidjiists ? Will the r)pinions ' BO unfortunately and inconsiderately expressed by ' my colleague [Mr. Giuuincjs] this mornin;?, us to the results of war upon the South, (which in one ; breath he affirmed and in the next deined,) deter i any Democrat who rcpreseiUs the South herefrom \ aidina; ua of the West and N(n'ih in carryini,' out j thi.s important ni(-iisure? Shall his wish, and the j wish of some who may act with him — that war! may grow out of the course proposed by the nieas- ' ures now under discussion, and that its desolation!? j may tall upon the South, to facilitate a result that Jie and his friends desire — be seized Ufx)!) as ..lei movin;;; object in urj^nny; now the settlement of this 1 quest'on by its friends? God forbiil. Sir, I wish to say to any that may be operated upon by such reasoning, that they mistake the friends of this measure, and the motives that actuate them. Sir, if war shall result from onr course, 1 shall regret it as much as any one; Init I cannot shrink from my duty in prosecuting measures designed to se- cure the interest and honor of my country, if war ahould eome. And permit me to say to Southern gentlemen here, that if that war, predicted by my coUeafeiic, [Mr. Giudings.' shall come, and the British flag shall be unfurlee ,n the sunny fields of the South, and guarded by the black reg'imeuts oP which he speaks, that are to be imported there from the West India islands, its triumph will be short, and as gloomy as the regiments over which it was unfurled. Sir, thousand.-s and tens of thousands of the noble sons of the North and West would soon transport themselves to your sunny shores, and cause that flag to strike in mglorious defeat. But, Mr. Speaker, I entertain no fears that the South, upon this occasion, will be found less chiv- alrous and steadfast to the interests and glory of this Republic than on occasions gone by; but, on the contrary, tiiat her name will be mingled in all that can contribute to the consummation of either. Mr. Speaker, I have departed somewhat from the course I had intended to pursue in the remarks I desired to make on this occasion, and must hasten to other points involved in the measures presented for our action; and, sir, I will say, in the first place, that I do not think that the question of our title to Oregon is one now to be made or discussed, or that should be discussed, here; Tor myself 1 shall so consider it, and will not do it the injustice of subjecting it again to argument. The able letter I hold in my hand from the pen of the Secretary of State, (Mr. Buchanan,) in reply to the positions assumed by Mr. Pakcnham, the British Plcni:jgl[^p g),„j tentiary here, is conclusive and unanswerable; 'i|,gp|,,,^. „|1 in my humble judgment, is characterized hy _j,e,, |^-||i|l much ability as any of the kind tliat has ever •^i|li,,.i;,,|, tol nated from that depaitment. ateh, The apitropriatt! issues ar'-^' ', ' ' ernment of the United States, through its agent, ,^^^' '" ■^ ' B. Prevost, Esq., the settlement of Fort ^eor.v. ^^ *;, ^^"^ ' on the Columbia river. ^ !■ " Given under our hands, &c., the sixth day "£ , f^' « October, 1818. F. HICKLEY, ^^E^^^'j " Vapt. ofms^Iaj^estr/^h^f>^h^^^^^ " Of the Mrihivest Company." 1°^*;^ °fJZ " I do hereby acknowledge to have received tl.(^ jt shall i ' day, in behalf of the Government of the Unitf^jo-ated af ' States, the possession of the settlement designate ^i'' , . , ' above, in conformity to the first article of the trc *"'^ . "^ 'ty of Ghent ^ ^P^''^''^^ "Given under my hand, in triplicate, at Fo The first re « George," Columbia nver' the Gth^day of Octo'bt*?" •^"'V'M ' 1818. J. B. PREVOST. " ^'V ^'"'^ q^nt acts It is proper here to remark, that in Earl Ee |Jnited St thurst's despatch, and in Lord Castlereagh 's i^hilli could i stmction to the British Minister at Wasliingtoiidfcil manm a reservation is made that the surrender of poalflereagh o \ c British Pleni-jjjj^j^ should not be deemed nn admission of the ui!Ui.swc;i-aUe; a;j,^|„,^. „|„i ..xrlusive right (if di)miiiioii dninifd iariii!tfrize(l 'jy yj|„, ;-,iii,.,i Stiitcs; but at the .sauif tiniu, iu ex- tliat liua ever wjannti,,,, i,, M,-. Rush, us staled in a pul)hc, (h'S- atcli, " Lord Caslli'i-i'n;,'li adiiiiitcd, in the most 2;out of thp^mi^j^l^l,. f.^ieat, our ri:;lit to he reinstated in the ooeui)yini;Orr" ^^^ ji | n, i,,. ,]„, in^.ty ;„ i,ossessioa the ri-liilJJ^ii, • ' ' L'ssion, to III' treatinir of tiie title.' our luvor) then ; wj^^^. j^ ^^.jn |„, ..(nrcived by the forr-jjoinoj, that ' of the lull enj.,|^u„i,(.,| i^^.^^^.^^ ihrou-li her agent iMr. I'revost, ^iiere sfiiialters, cJj |j,.p„ i-csiured to her original jjossession of the It might be \velini,y,.y^ !,„ i^^. ijriij.s), Governmenl, in Octoix-r, tile hiMtory ol ;||j^^ .j],,! J,.^, nfn;,. i|mt, restoration of possession, ;s, that we may ^(1 ( 'astlenngh, in some (;xplanati(Ui U) Mr. nt. lheh('eret;i,jg[,^ !,.,,[ aiiimtud i)i,> justici; of the rcstonilion, S in his argunu^ (1,.,^ ,l,j^ (Jovcriunent was riu'htfiilly in pos- lon ()l war by t^jj^ii,!, ,,Cili|. ctinntry whilst liie two natioihs were e had the 'LiII a^,i,i„. ,,C ^^^^, ^■^^l^._ ^)^^^. pcsHession, then, up to II us against J^injdiii,. ,,f tlie eonvention, which is falsely called he war hud ai^^ ti-raty of jojui occupancy, dated about two lier navy, loren.ggj^^ .^|-,^.,. ii,;^ surrender of the territory iisafore- ur eitizens m D^^ ^^..,^ ,-„ll „,„{ p,,,.f,,et. Xow, by the terms of !iiiotrcst()redai;i,j^j (i-,:;ity, did we ilispossess oiirsel\es, or in any three or K ir ye.jjy ^^.(,j^j^j,i^ our right to possession.' To deter- wa.s in boccmkjj^jj ^l^l^ (iiR'stion, I will give you the artichs of reads tints: "li^ convention which are material to the aigii- ssions, whatsocv,gm^ j„ order that my course may be directed by I! other during .jg f.^^^^ in ll,iy controversy. Th :y read as fol- tter the .signing ,„_. islands ulterwai ' , shall be restoi articles of co.vvention By the third article of the conveiuion of 1S18, 1 of Ore-'on uni' Ris airrced that any country that may be claimed leiit was formi\by eiilier party on the northwest coast of Aine- oceedcd from iricn> wi;stuiu'd of the Stony mountains, shall, to- 1 directed by E?ether with its harbors, bays, and creeks, and lents of tile Nori^he navigation of all rivers within the stune, be a the report free and open lor the term of ten years from the ers: late of the signature of the present convention, md of his Ro;'** *'"' ^'*^''^'^^''*! citizens, and subjects, of the two a desimtch iViP®^^''^''''' » '' being well understood that this ngree- iathurst uddresv"*'" '^ ""^' *" be construed to the prejudice of Northwest Coi**y '"I'^'iii which either of the two high contract- unrv 1818 'v^ I'artirs may have to any part of tlie said .■r dated the it^"'"[y''.' *<=• ., ^,^^-,,, • .1. yherilF, EsJy "'^ joint article of 182^" It is agreed that Andromache, nvP P^."71f ""I "^ *''*= ^''f ^"'!'l'? "^ ''^f ';""^'^"- rmitv to the fir**" 1818, above recued, shall be,imd they nr ■der H. istore to the Go^'^'^X' '"definitely extended and continued in '0U"h its aeent '**''^'^^' '" ^''"^ same manner as if all the provisions t ,.? p^-t lionl-^f ^li'' said article were herein specifically re- it of Fort Geor. .V . ated / the sixth dav' ^^ '^'''^ second article it is agreed, " It shall be ICKLEY 50mpetcnt, however, to either of the contracting 's shin Blossom '*""^^' •" ^^^^ either should think fit at any time EITH ^^^^ ''^'^ ^'^''^ "^ October, l8'28, on giving due fc«s( Company. "''°^'''' °^ ^^'''^^ "'""*'l'' ^" ^'^"^ "'^*''" contracting ' . •' larty, to annul and abrogate this convention ; mve received tl,ijj4 it shall in such case be entirely amiuUed and '"' ■,'^^.U""yibgated after the .siiid term of notice." rticle of tl?e tre "^^ third article saves all rights and claims of ejparties. inlicatc at Fo . "^ ^''^^ remark is, that these conventional pro- dav of Octobt*?" contain no reference whatever to the pos- PREVOST "*•**'"' which, by the treaty of Client, and sub- (|nent acts under it, was acknowledged to be in hat in Earl Eeitlnited Statt;s, in the most formal manner, and Jastlereagh 's hhipli could not be divested, except in an equally at Washingto:i!i|al manner. The reservation made by Lord urreiider of poaiflereagh cannot afTect the possession, because it did not allude to that; and if it did, his subsequent mlmissions to Mr. Rush arc to Ije construed a.i giving un that reservation. Then, 1 will ask, hov^* stands the case now, as between the possessory rights of these two Governments juid their citizens and subjects? Did the termsof the articles ((iiotcd from this convention re|)ossess (Jreat Britain or her subjects with what she d timed under coiKpit'st, luid before the siiriender made to us, as bcfiiro shown.'' Clearly the convention did no such thing, but, on the contrary, has left us in the posses- sion, with an ag<;eem('nt on our part that her sub- jects nii','ht enter the country and exercise mere ea.'--cineiiis there, in the way of commerce inul trade, and the iiaviLcation of the rivers of the country. If tlie position I take be sustained, as 1 think" it is, by tlie history and facts of the case, then hav- ing the possession iind ritiht of possession, the r ht of sovereignty over the same necessarily fol- I' AS as an incident. There is no plainer axiom thui this to he found in international law, and it is laid down by a very c( lebrated author on niftional law, (Vattcl,) that where one Government jios- sesses itself of a conuuy not pre-occupied by any other, that then thi^ ejupirt or sovereignty juid do- main iu'c in such Governnient. Now, is there any obstacle in the way of this Government's exer- cising its sovereignty over the whole territory .' Could she not organize a territoriid Government there, protect her citizens, and parcel out her territo- ry in such manner as best suited her interests, with- out injury to such rights as the convention con- fered on the subjects of Great Britain.' In other words, could we not exercise such attributes of sovereignty over the soil and citizens of that coun- try as would secure all we desire, but in such way as not to violate any of the stipulations of the convention ? But why shall we regard so sacredly the jirovisiims of that convention, when Great Biit- ain (the other party to it) has, through the Hud- son's Bay Company, violated its letter and spirit, by taking possession of the soil of Oregon, selling out parcels of it to their employees, and establishing municipal regulations, not only over Oregon, but over all territory not under the operation of our law.-;? She has not only her civil and criminal laws in exercise, but an armed soldiery to see to their execution. Our citizens have in some cases been torn from their homes and families, and car- ried to Canada, to sutler the penalties of British law. Sir, are we bound to observe treaty stipula- tion.i, whilst she in her action disregards them all? Shall we, after al! her acts of bad faith, refuse to act, until the provision in it providing for a notice shall have been comjilied with? Sir, I insist that her bad faith, in relation to the treaty, has released this Government from all obligation to observe the provisions of that convention, and that it is virtu- ally abrogated by the course of that Government; and that having, on the part o*" this Government, no means of enforcing its provisions peaceably, we are at liberty to proceed to the full occupation of the whole country now. At the last session of Congress, when the ques- tion of notice came up in connexion with this sub- ject, the Democratic members, including myself, from the West and South, with scarcely an excep- tion, voted against the notice, for reasons that were then satisfactory. My opinion has undergone no diange. But as I am here to represent the opinions 6 ^ nf my cnnntiliirntfl, rvliicli (o Honip rxtrnt }i(\%c' been recently i'X|ircHNi'(l; iiiid as ilu; I'rcMidciit (I'lir: wiiost! opinion I liiivt; ii hiirli n'l^anl) lins rccotn- mended it in his Mcssnijc as ncccf.snry to dis- ' r,liarj;e what he ronct^ivi's to l)o conventional ohlic;ii- | tions; and as sni'h ciinrsc may licltcr answer pnblic cxpectulion, anil the expectations of otlua- nations, 1 than the pojii^y 1 be!iev(! to he riu:lit, 1 shall waivfi i my indiviilnal ojiinion, atid sustain the notice by my vote, bclicvini^ that it catinot be olijected to iiy Grciit Britain, havin'j; assented, as she did, to the jirovision in tiie coiiventioii tliat reqnircs it. | The notice in not, per sr, a declnration of w«r; | hut, on the contrary, was desiijned, w hen provided | for, as a meiin:^ of preventinij it. And if the Hrit- ' ish Govornment sliidl think proper, after the time ; )>rovided for by the noiice expires, to hold on, throui|;h her sulyeets, to the? possession she acquir- ed by trespassini,' on our ri2;hts, in violation of the spirit and terms of the convention of 181H, she by that course will bo the a^'<;ressor, and the conse- quences that may result from this course on her part must rest upon her. If she resists our takinu; j)osacssion at the expiration of twelvmnonths, she would now, unless it would be such servile jiosses- fiion as wouhl be of no use to u.s. As I remarked ■ before, I am williii!;; to take the responsibility now of takin:^ ))osscssion, or at the exjiiration of twelve ' months; but j)o.ssession will and must be taken of the country, rej;;ardieas of all consequences, at the [ time that shall be fixed upon by this Government. I If reason fails, then the strong;est of all arguments must ensue — physical power. I cannot, however, with due deference to the opinions of others, see what there could be in any phase this questi(iii might assume, that could justify Great Britain in embroiling herself m a war, that would begin with us, but end in one with all her neighbors. Wliat can she e o gain in territory on this conti- nent, or inerce? She nmst lose in both. Why, if ' .d even hold Oregon by it, it would be a shc/t Itase, for which to surrender Canada. Indeed, she camiot hold Oregon; causes both moral and physical forbid it, .'?eparated as it is by twen- ty thousand miles of ocean from the centre of her power; and strong though that power be, yet the Government cannot impart its viiror through aline of such vast extent, to any colonial form of gov- ernment that she might create, so a.s to give it power or respectability or energy enough to resist the popular, moral, and political inllucnces that now exist there, and which the proximity of the terri- tory to ours would facilitate and increase. Sir, England has only to cast her philosophic eye back lialf a century upon the history of the progress of population here, to satisfy her, it seems to me, that any hope of a permanent foot- hold in Oregon is chimerical. In 1800, our popu- lation was about four and a half millions, and it is no^y (in 1846) about twenty millions — showing an increase of upwards of three per cent, per an- num, coiiipounded, upon the population of 1800. This ratio of i- rcase applied to the twenty mil- lions for the next twenty years, will give us more than thirty-five millions of people. This ratio up- on the population of 1800, has filled the country east of the Alleghanies, and thrown from six to eight millions of people beyond it into the valley of the Mississippi in forty -five years. Now, what power oil earth can stay the tide of increase upon twenty millicuis from sweeoing over the IJu nuiuntains and on to the shores of the Par Its current is daily increasing, and spri'iuling ii 'UR>nilinri! fHIHl ell'ei' 111 ill 111 over a greater and greater surface, and such wil ^^ ,,, i),,. the momentum imparted to it by a tew yearj||g i,,,,. .^y time, that it must spread itself over the wl,^i,,,.i j,,. country within tli(^ geogiapliical limits of •i^'vitlnmt ie America, in this view of the subject, can iy^,-|i uiki possible tlidt iMmland, to attain nil object ng:Hj||i„,,. y^, the probai)ilities of which tiii'i-i^ are so miiiiv ^g.! ,,,..l.. ronfiueriilile reasons, will sacrifice the large iuvS ,'i n her citizens derive from the manufacture of co|[I3|.,|,| ^^^^^ and dry u|i one of the mo.st ar'iive and exteii-,j||r|, sources of her commerce, as well as of enij.;^,, iiieiu and of support to tlioiisanils of her subji jy|^|il ilj.ri, Will she jeopard her commerce, tVoni which u^hji h n,, derives all her v\-e;ilth? And more: will she liii/yj luak. the (ixisteiice ol" her nionarciiy, whose fouii(liii.i|^e ^^ ,,, i,! | have beneath tliem elements of combustion j^e urm (h will iirnite and explodeiipoii the t'llliiiij: of thi -contoi, an spark that is stricken by tlif; blow of her svspl^i,. \v1mi from the helmet or shield of her antagonist, ^J,.. ,S| entomb her greatiu.'ss beneath the ruins of tinpju-t ,,( ili. tastrojihe? .Sir, it may be the destiny that ftj-uli df il has assign 'd to her, but nothing less could ai c.y|r^ | , nnli for her folly and her weakness. l>ul suppose gjnii,.,,,,.,, determines on war, as her luiuclUy spirit may tliis .qilij. i tate, after our course shall have been taken on be given l" subject, are her circunislances such as placi tintion wa: in a condition that should inspire us with I'g^tiaiiou ii What if she has an army of one hundred and gpu Tenin ty-three regiments, cmilaining l."J3,0(H) men, the terriin her Army Register of 1844 shows;") of that nimhtre have sixty-tliree regiments are required to kee]) in (lideration jection her starving people at home; thirty-thn not, it coiit watch O'Connell and his 1()0,()()0 repealers in sand scpiai land; twenty-tiiree to protect the patriots from eand about throwing her power in the Canadas; thirteci jui comiiart stationed at Gibraltar, nine in the Ionian Isla tile nuiiibe two in India — and they the' only regiments that i informed, i ever been in battle of the whole of her preseii tijity of tin my; the balance in Burmudas, Jamaica, Ausir ui view uLs and Chusan. These ret;imciits are all needi occupies oi those jioints; indeed their ))resence is indisj)! maiul of iis lile to the security of her possessions at each most weali all of them, and she coultl not, without great Ijlresiein I ard, withdraw at any time more than five of i MJireiKlor n to add to her strength in Canada. It is true lator of the our army is .small — perhaps eight thcmsand wv service; but what are our resources in citizen dier.s? Sir, if an exigency should arise, we three millions of citizen soldiers that would br geiitative h Wjeciion b; isitioiis o *iit, ad vis dy to defend the honor of the country and ofler.d .- C rights from the attack of an enemy. We w fartJur ney be stationed upon our own soil amid plenty, v Ihe power she would have to transport her men and pr tiontdly to sions here at an enormous expense to meet i. citizens u] battle array. Her navy, too, that would be a Such an e> able to her in such a contest, would not ex with the s eighty ships, and many of them of an inli flangerous grade. On the other hand, with the vessels , I think, 1 complete and those that are nearly so, we cou Message, a short time put to sea war-vessels equal in i fuid that tli her, superior in size, and carrying more guns, prophecies large and splendid merchant vessels and w war is ine> ships, amounting to five or six hundred, con! ^eut delay procured at once by this Government, moii with guns, and many of them with steam-eng. and put into effective service in a few weeks; besides these, there are at least fourteen huii asts fron rd the hu tic, at 1 nV I an iirastinotio I •tiici il iiikit: will slu: lia/y^ ly, wliiisf l'iniiiilni,i|ie \\ , i)f ciirrfrt, the clt'iiiiMits nf war lu'r iliicKfiiiii^ ni'oiiiid UH, unil thn'iiti'ii NJiortly a f^ri'iit iiininl e\- jilosidu tlitit would wiiko u|) ilir rivili/.cd wDrld i'niiii its sluiiii)(:r, to witin'ss a ('(illisiDii ot' powers ftiid i)riii(i[)li's, tlirouLrliDiil its l)ri>nd extfiit, timt would ri'iiiould ilN history, its inHiituiioiis, its dt-M- tiiiy, |ifrlia|).s for renlurii's yet to conu'. ft lins Ix't'ii said, nud not iiia|)tly i-iilit-r, timt the sy.strrus tli.it govern tin; moral world art! not uu- likc tliosi' iluit L',(iv('rn iIk- plaiirlary. dillVTiii'; in lliis, ilioui^'h, lliat iht! orliitH of the moral, lliouuli as variform, are not as nnaltnral)l<\ The orlnl lins; over the 1? liores of 111'- PMri:|^,,il„,„,^_ „C various dimcnsionH, thnt could Iji> innd linvofiilicr, while, if snffm'iousfjcntlpnirn hpre :, and spri-adinu; i(„0„i ,,(Ii.,. lively tiniilovt'd in our harliors, Imys, ' ' uulsui'h wil_^ ,^, ,|„, iiiou'ihs of our rivers. Tin; Hritlsh ll.tt, )y il few yearjij^ I,,,,, .nmv, is pan^tllcd out around the L^lola: lo tsflf over tho^ ^^'iroli'it hir intcrcslM, and cannot he withdrawn iiical limits of -N'ylihont i,..,iiiincnt liazard of loss at the points from ihe sniyrci, can f^^j^cU uxla-u. I see no cause iu all tiiis for trepi- niii an (diject n{,M|,|li(,i|. ^vc linve met her liefore on sea and on hen; are so many ^jj, undir circumsiances much less auspicious, ■riiice the lar^'e pr yfM ,ut oui with our swords an undyini; fame. Our naniifactureof coii^.,i,t |„i\ y, though small, carried the American active and exleie^j,, ;,, inumiili throu'^h the seas, to bathe his s well as of em|i,j^i^ i,, hiieriy's siuiliuht, while he, in his nji- vuids of luT suhjc^lji.^l ili;;ht, ho're away the tallered caiunss upcju j ofllie i'lni^lish (iovernnient has no settled hounds, erce, iVoni which ^hiil, [\^,. \[„n reposed, a trophy of victory , in i and her revolutions and <'on(iuests for the last ren- leak. Our army of citizen soldiers, loo, tauiiht 1 tury serve ni demonstrate her pow<'rs of exteii- l that lialtles were hest fouj;hi a.id won liy [ sion, by the correspondini^ duninution of the s of combustion ihc arm that I'reedom and liberty nerved I'or the j spheres of the systems ilml revolve in conti;.rnous the falliiej; of the conie^t, and that the (i;lory of victory is more com- i space, and whoie political aial conmn?rcial viiali- e blow of her svpl^t,' when enjoyed b)' freeuinn. * ■ ' ' - ' ' •' ' - ' ■ her anta:;onisl, J^|,-, ,spealv('r, I would like to ^ay more on this h the ruins of lie part of ili.j suliject, but the tnne allotted to me iiy the destiny that n mh: of this House admonishes me to hurry on. ini; less could aicj^f^ | cinl'ess tliat I have been pained loliear some ss. Hut suppose gatiti,., II,., I li,.,-,' desirini; no definitive action on uirlity spirit may |liig .ssity, if t Sir, my heart ihrnhlinl a w:u'iii response to lh;it i ' not the duty, which now drvolvis on that ;;i'eat : tri'ilir, declai-atiou, coniinu- tVout one who has li\ ' Power, wliicli Providence has made the centre of and ticf-'d with tlwit U'-Me l)i\nd of patriots that i,m ' luiiity and source of orilt-r to i!ie whole peninsu- ' hirlh to this I'epuiilic, imj^arled to it that vital: 'la. Britain, which nowholil.j tin; sceptre, sue,- ! and viwr that command tlie love and admiration - ' etssively wielded 1,'y so many harharous conqu- i-- ! all who can apjireciate t!ie lilierahty of her priii ' ors, is tiie jiacifier, the ttniter, in a word, the I jiles or tlie snlilimily of her destiny. Sir, he see ' supreme >rovernor of 1 iindnstnn.' " ' ed to he the only rcmainiii'.!: one of that iri'oup \V'ho, I ask, after tliis recit.d of [irinciplea that j intellectual eoiisti llations that fhono in times u'l' dictate the aciioii of the Priiisii (.('overmnent, will ; Ijy, and threw a lustre upon the history of ih. fiuoio her opinions (ui morals, humnnity, and re- own country and of the world, that tiiue, niUTireu li};ion,in the discussion of a <|uestion lilce this, and stances can obscure or ileturny. Sir, though i especially when she is deeply iiiiere*:ted in it, and rava'^vs of time are visible in the pidsieil hand t!, themunnerof its seitler.ieiit.' JVo American, 1 hope. ' v/as raised in attestation of our ri;:ht ti> Oresj'i Who that has witnessed her hyjiocrisyin lakiii;; and the spriiy of the political Jordan lie had jiass the chair of morals for thi! world, to letUiire Uiissia i with otiier woi'lhies that were no more, still w on her cruellies upon the Circassituis, .h'riuice on | white upon his locks, yet there beat in thatbosi her barbarities upon the Al:;eriiies, and the United j on this 'piestion an American heart; ay, sir, it ji: Stales upon her Inst for acjiuisition iind her slave i sates with a v.-armlh that was imparted to it by i fjystem — wliilst tit the luomcni of its delivery sl\o fire that fell upon it from the altar of lil>erty, wastcnriin;; iVmn Central America the " Musijuito which he inid (he fathers of the Constitution wi .shores," ruttinu; to nieces the iroopfi of Ciwali.c;, j shipped toirether in days ironcby. May its c^eii ]iossessinu: herself of I]')rneo and Cliusan,nnd]>ro- heat be imparted to the hi.'arl of every man in paring for the conquest of Puniaid>,to ciuupletc her ]iower over Hindostiin — could respect her profes- sions of abhorrence forwimt slie denoiuinates lust for power mid acquisition? That Government seems to have adopteil Sir Robert Peel's notion, that political morality is a matter of ireonrayihy; y man in ti IIou.sc, and to tlie lieart.i of the whole Amcric jic'inle! Sir, I fancy that I hear the jirojile of thn W( res[)ondin;,' to the sentiments utiered by thtitvem ttble man — that tin; m!;;-hly heiu-t of that p;r(J "■iantesa has bc'^ur. to pulsate with a double viml that the laws of ri';,iit dejiend upim latitude iiiid i luid that I hetir the echo of its throbs across t lon'j;itude; innl \\\u{ in Ihr Eir,! IiuUis llwij arc uUo- gctlier susjundcd in juvov of the Compuii'j. And now, Mr Spealcer, let me turn the txttention of this House to the history of the lliidson'.s Bay Company, to show the cio.se and .sfrikiui; analo;;ies Alle^hanios. Yes! I fancy tliat 1 see y:!itheri; upon her brow a tempest of imli::;nation, that w- burst uixin the devoted hc^ads of any set of me in- party, that wmild defeat tlic consummation li the measures before the House for the full occuii| between it niul the Ea.st India Comiiiuiy. 'I'ho tion of Urc',;on, and the jirolcction of our citizri: Hud.son 's Day Compiiny was chartered in the reii^ii or that would surrender one. foot of our territe. of Charles the Second, ;v,-5 a tr.'ulin'j,- commercial ; there to sntiate the cupidity of Great Pritain. .'>:; company, and its boundaries were fixed by thi- her sons woulii ])refcr nitdvinu; the territory noi sources of the strctuns that emptied into the- bay of forty-nine decrees their buryiivij-niround, rfitL' of its own name. Where is thai Company now .' I than seal, by its surrender to buy peace i'vi -^ Why, it has transported ;uul transplanted itself j England, the iniarny and dernal disjjrace of tlir^ west of the llocky mountains, on the shores of the I coiuitry. They ask nothiii'j; but what is jii; Pacific, far bevond its original location, and lia.' dotted ouvtcrn'tory with some thirty fortiticatioiis, .and is now, backed by the Government that g-ave it vitality, conte.stin;^ with thisGtAcrnmciit for the title and empire of the whole of the ()re2;on terri- tory, and is perhaps fhi.s day whettins; the Indian .scalping-knife and grinding- their tomahawk.s to drench our own soil with the innocent blood of our unprotected citizens. Thus you perceive that Brit- ain lias, through the instruincnttdity of this com- fiany, thrust herself into our territory, refuses one half of it to compromise rii;;ht.s she never had, and will not submit to anythiiu'; thitt is wroii^ She offers t'nc noble bosoms of her sons, nsj living, unconquerable bulwark, to protect thccotii, try and our right.s. She asks the boon at tl hand.s of this Government of rearing aloft the sin: luul the stripes, and planting them on every liill-ii and valley in Oregon — ay, sir, on the shores of ti ; mighty Pacific, there to guard them with her n blest sons,aiul there to let them wave in triiimi _ till the glorious principles of liberty and Chri.';:^ anity shall Jiave begirt the world, and consumni" ted universal liberty, civil and religious, to man. nvcnon.'! nmw, . take |l^^J.s( ssiiiii dj' j IH visilcd U|iilll III' III! wo. Niiliinit liiii at lirr ihniitH? Si