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t'^jf^ 
 
 HO 
 
 IN 
 
SPEECH 
 
 OF 
 
 HON. J. D. CUMMINS, OF OHIO, 
 
 ON 
 
 THE OREGON QUESTION. 
 
 DELIVERED 
 
 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 1846. 
 
 WASHINGTON: 
 
 Printed at the office of blair and rives. 
 
 1846. 
 
Ouoe 
 
THE OREGON QUESTION 
 
 I 
 
 T'tie Rcaolution for tcrmin.ilinf: the Joint occu- 
 |irin<y of Orc;;on !)<!ii)<i; mi(l<r ronHuicration in 
 ('ommittce of t!ie Whole House — 
 
 Mr. CUMMINS addressed the committee as 
 follows: 
 
 Mr. CiiAinMAN: The resnlulinn rrportcd by the 
 ''ommittce on Foreign Ilrlatinns, nnd now under 
 '■ojisidoniiion, involves one very plain and distinct 
 proposition: Shall we, or shall we not, f^ive to Great 
 Britain tiic twelve months' notice, provided for by 
 the iil article of the convention of 1827, to termi- 
 (ifitc tiie joint use «f the two countries in the Ore- 
 f.'on territory? The rii^ht tr) 2;ive tliis notice is not 
 denied; it is n part of the convention itself; hut 
 the policy and expediency of ^riviiif; it now, and 
 the form in which it shall be ;^iven, if given at all, 
 crtnstitute the grounds of the present discussion 
 and differences of opinion. 
 
 The wide range which has been given to this 
 <lebate, and the momentous consequences which 
 have lieen so fearfully and eloquently predicted and 
 [lortrayed by gentlemen who oppose the resolu- 
 tion, if we can believe them to be sincere in what 
 thfy .say, should at least admonish the friends of 
 fhi.s measure to give to it that careful and candid 
 fonsideration which its importance demands, be- 
 fore it is adopted. If the giving of this notice will 
 le^d to an equitable and final adjustment of the 
 rights and claims of the two Governments in Ore- 
 gon, and the establishment of their territorial boun- 
 daries there — as I hope and believe it will — then 
 sir, the sooner it is given, the better. Most ques- 
 tionn diBcussed and passed upon in this Chamber, 
 
 1 ^'O.^'dl 
 
 arc of a domestic character, affecting only the 
 rights and interests of our own people. They 
 arc also of a temporary character, for the acts of 
 one Congress can be altered or repealed by the 
 next, as the friends of this or that cour.sc of policy 
 may be in power. Not so with Oregon. It is 
 stri'-tly a national question, between two separate 
 and independent sovereignties; it is a territorial 
 question, and therefore preeminent and lasting in 
 its n.iture; for, sir, the lines once run, the strikes 
 driven, and the monuments erected there, they must 
 unalterably remain as the landmarks of division 
 between the Republic and the Monarchy, the citi- 
 zen and the subject, the hereditary sceptre and the 
 ballot-box. 
 
 Mr. Chairman, the remarks which 1 shall make 
 on this subject will, in part, be in reply to the argu- 
 ments of the gentleman from South Carolina, [Mr. 
 Tloi.MEs,] who appears to mo to be the standard- 
 bearer of the opposition, and the defender of the 
 faith of *^ masterly inarlirily'' in this end of the 
 Capitol. In my judgment, he hasassuiiied as bold, 
 strong, and untenable ground.^ in favor of the claims 
 and pretensions of Britain, and against the rights 
 of the United States in Oirgon, as has the British 
 Ministry, or any of her diplomatic agents or politi- 
 cal journals assumed, since this question first came 
 under di.icussion between the two Govemmenta. 
 In his argument, that gentleman propounds im- 
 portant inquiries: Where is Oregon? — What 's i^' 
 — Of what value is it to us? I do not suppose that 
 the gentleman is a disciple of Diogenes, and now 
 for the first time has emerged from his philosophic 
 
till), to lif'liolil mill ciintrniiiliUc Or(;;()n. N<>, sir. 
 Orcfjnii is to him an old, niiil, iim would now apiu'iir, 
 nil iiiiwc'lcoino iiciniiiiniaiici'. 
 
 I'ut, .sir, wliciv i.s On i^on, and wliat is it? On;- 
 pnii i.H llial part of llir rs'oriii Antciii'aii continoir 
 \vliifli iit'S iiciwfci) til'; iMrxii'iin line, on iIk; 4:2(1 
 parallel of iiorlli liitimdf, and the ISiiwsian Imp, on 
 the parallt'I of.)}" '10' north laiiiudi;. It i.s hoimilcd 
 on the W('!*t by the I'licifir ocraii, and on the ta.st 
 by the Riiiky Mouniains — upon whieh iine it i.s, 
 the greater part of liir way, (loieriniiiou.s with the 
 other territories of the United Suites. It enilmiee.s 
 nhoiit nine huiidn d inile.s of the western coa.st of 
 tiiis coiitiiu'iit horderiii^ on the I'aeifie oicaii, is 
 <:f nil averau'e width ot' ahoiit six liimdred miles, 
 niid contains nhout four hundred thoitsand sr]uare 
 niile.s of territory. In extent, it enilirares more 
 territory tiiai) the "Old Thirteen Stairs'' on the 
 Atl.intic .slojie. Its elimati' is nmeh niihh'r, and 
 more genial than the <limaic in the .same lati- 
 tude on the Atlantic; its soil is t'ertilr. il.s streams 
 pure, its forests are aluindaiilly supplied with 
 the choicest timl)i;r; and, in short, it possrsst s 
 the elements of a gre:it and valuaiile country. 
 If wc do our duty in preserving and luainlam- 
 iiig our just rights ihrre, Oregon is tiestined to 
 be the home of millions of luijipy and prosper- 
 ous freemen, whose Ialjor.'< will he rewarded by 
 • he exuberant fertility of its valleys, and whose 
 llocks and herds will f<ed upon its ihousaud liilU. 
 A.s a means of our military del"enee, it. is a tower 
 of strength, boili by land and s<'a. It skirls one 
 whole fwnt of this Re|.ul)!ic, and hems us in on 
 the west, and entirely shiit.s us out from the Piicific. 
 It (Virnishes a!)undaiit .'supplies of timber, of which 
 to construct navies, and ^reat, capacious, and safe 
 bays nnd harbors, in which they can float in safe- 
 ty. To any country possessing skill, industry, 
 nnd enterprise, the possession of Oregon will give 
 the military ami ni.irine control and .sujvremncy of 
 the Pacific ocean and its islands, of China, the i 
 East Indies, and the western const of South Ame- 
 rica. 
 
 Should Oregon fall into the hands of Britain, 
 what security svould ymi have on your wesiini 
 frontier.'' What wouKl become of your exlensive 
 nnd valuidjh whale fislurics in 'he Pacific.' What 
 would become of your Cliiiia trade, now ,so pros- 
 perously carried on, and yearly iiicresising.- llow 
 would you resi.sl iht; milit-ary control that IJriiain 
 would necessarily exercise over Mexico, California, 
 GuRtcmala, Chili, Peru, the whole western coapt of 
 South America, the S'luili Sen isinnds, nnd the fn- 
 diaii tribes.' Sir, you v.-oiild be compelled to abandon 
 the whole to her dominion and power. But, sir, 
 of whnt value is Oregon to us in a commercial point 
 of view.' In my judgment, it is more important to 
 our commercial interests than any acquisition we 
 have ever heretofore made or can ever hereafter 
 make. There is not liow any maritime nation in 
 the successful possession or enjoyment of any part 
 of the Pacific coast from Bhering's Slrait.i to the 
 Cape of Good Hope. The whole remains yet 
 coini>arntivcly unoccupied .ind open to the first na- 
 tion that may secure it. Look upon your mni)s, 
 and what is our po.sition with icfi r( nee to tnat 
 quarter of the globe? This continent lies between 
 Uie Atlantic and Pacific oceans: it lies nearly equi- 
 distant and in the direct route between the continent 
 
 of F.urope nnd .^sia; and across this continent at 
 the same point must and will ere long be carried 
 the trade and merchandise pns.sing between Euro|)e 
 and yVsia. Let us, then, .siciire our just ri!,'hts in 
 Ores;on, and our territory will t xtend acro.ss thi.'i 
 coniinent, from sea to sea: on the east wiihio ihn c 
 thousand miles of Iviropc, on thj' wchI within foiii 
 thousanil mile.s of Asia. We h.ive now the com 
 mand of the coast on the (jnlf of Mexico, the Al- 
 laiilic fnun the llio CJraiide to tlie St. John's, ;» 
 distance of more than twelve hundred miles. l]\ 
 rivers and lakes we have water communication 
 along our northern and northeastern borders foi- 
 IwcKe hundred iniles. Oiei:iui will jivc^ us the; 
 command of iiiii<; hundred miles of the Pacific 
 coasts, and will enable us to command the com- 
 merc(! of that ocenn. 
 
 liCt Government but do its duty, let it quiet our 
 title to Oregon, and (xlend our lasvs and jurisdic- 
 tion over tiiat country for the protection of our set- 
 tlers there, and the industry and energy of the 
 pioneers will! will make their homes in the Colum- 
 bia valley will do the rest; they will subdue the 
 fi>re.Hi.s and convert them into harvest fields; they 
 will (lot the faei' of the country with thriving towns 
 and villages, and the waters of the streams of Ore- 
 gon will propel the machinery of our ingenious 
 nnd enterprisiiii;- artisans and manufacturer.s. The 
 enterprise of our merchants will build up commer- 
 eial cities on the magnificent, deep, iiiul safe har- 
 liors on the Pacific eoast iKu-th of the mouth of the 
 (Columbia, in which their shifiH and .«tenmers, to un 
 almost indefinite extent, can float in the greatest 
 security. 
 
 How long will it be before (he commerce of the 
 Atlantic and the Pacific will be connected ncrosa 
 the continent by the avenues of trade? How long 
 will it be before the iron arms of railroads wifl 
 stretch from sen to sea ? I have no doubt but there 
 are thousands now living who will witness the con- 
 summation of that magnificent project. Sir, it i» 
 practicable, and the magnitude of tlie interests de- 
 pendant upon it arc too great to be permitted to lio 
 dormant. The distance across this continent is va- 
 riously estiuial<;d at from .veveuieen hundred to two 
 thousaiid miles: take the greatest distance, and add 
 to it one thousand miles for curvitures and devia- 
 tions of a railroad, and you have a distance of 
 three ihousaml miles. Cannot that distance bp 
 overcome? Why, sir, ihe.'e are now in the United 
 States, completed and in successful operation, over 
 four thousnmrmiles of railroad, nnd as much more 
 projected, and large portions of it in an advanced 
 slate of completion. Do gentlemen doubt this? 
 The liistory of llu! past progress of our country 
 must remove all doubt on that subject. At the 
 treat'/ of peace in 1783, when our national indc- 
 l)endence was acknowledged and peace restored, 
 whai was our condiiion ? This Government waa 
 then feeble, its means exhausted, without com- 
 merce and almost without interiKil resources, nnd 
 with a populniion of nbout three millions. Whnt 
 is it now? What has it grown to be hi sixty- 
 three years? Its population is i-ow about twenty 
 millions. Its commercial marine is fully equal to 
 that of Great Britain, and more than double that 
 of all the other commercial Governments of Eu- 
 rope. For statistics, I avail myself of th«^ compi- 
 lutton of Oiioliiery which is suid to be correct; and 
 
 ■what does i 
 2,4'}f»,<l(l() t. 
 
 leaviii'.'; out 
 What is till 
 ( ioverniiier 
 'j:<!t,(l()(l In 
 Sweden. I 1 
 
 in L'J'.t:<,.v 
 
 ted States. 
 
 Mississipi 
 
 It was iinix 
 
 keel-boals \ 
 
 Wh.it is 
 
 I'car upon I 
 
 of comnier 
 
 the commi 
 
 li'W Indian 
 
 now' Yo 
 
 alone l'(Mir 
 
 Tiage of HI), 
 
 of the v;i!i 
 
 Rtruction il 
 
 steamers o 
 
 ihrou'j'h w 
 
 VVestcni v 
 
 If this, s 
 
 venrs, star 
 
 eility, and 
 
 il be with 
 
 with our < 
 
 next quail 
 
 where snli 
 
 by the sii:l 
 
 n'j:e, the er 
 
 of the Pae 
 
 become th' 
 
 nnd harbo 
 
 whose snili 
 
 jestic ;;teaii 
 
 bosom oft 
 
 the trade c 
 
 without a 
 
 does Grea 
 
 nnd comm 
 
 not yield i 
 
 long as sli( 
 
 of it. W 
 
 severed in 
 
 sinus to til 
 
 himbia,ai 
 
 The reaso 
 
 I'or south 
 
 mouth of 
 
 p;crous by 
 
 harbors li^ 
 
 claim, am 
 
 have sect 
 
 country, ' 
 
 lively val 
 
 reach the 
 
 in a I'riti: 
 
 tir )iroliili 
 
 Wiih ( 
 
 roads wi 
 
 world thf 
 
 coiuinerc 
 
 Europe t 
 
 close con 
 
 the East 
 
continrnl i\t 
 t; lie rurricd 
 iOtn Eiimpr 
 ii.si ri!;lit.s in 
 
 acrosx thin 
 within thnc 
 
 wiihiii ('oiii 
 )W th«> coin 
 ;ico, tilt At- 
 t. JiiIiii'h, i\ 
 
 mill's. l]\ 
 iniiinii'atidii 
 bonlrrs fiti 
 S'lyc IIS the 
 
 the riicifii- 
 d tlie coni- 
 
 t quifl oiir 
 11(1 jiiiisdic- 
 n ol (Mir set- 
 cruy of thr 
 theCohini- 
 Nuhdiie till 
 fields; tlipy 
 iviiiii: towns 
 nnis of Ore- 
 r iiiKTiiious 
 iiHTs. The 
 lip coninur- 
 ul .siife liar- 
 loiitli of the 
 imci-.s, toui> 
 llie greutcst 
 
 [lerre of the 
 ctcd across 
 How ioii^T 
 ilroads wifl 
 l)t but there 
 ess the con- 
 . Sir, it ia 
 nterests de- 
 nittod to lie 
 titient is va- 
 (Ired to two 
 [•e, and add 
 and devia- 
 distancc of 
 listanee h? 
 the United 
 •ation, over 
 much more 
 n advanced 
 Jo\ibt this? 
 nr country 
 n. At tlie 
 ional inde- 
 p restored, 
 iiment was 
 houl com- 
 lurces, and 
 Ts. What 
 ; m sixty- 
 )iit Iweniy 
 y equal to 
 ouhic that 
 nts of Eu- 
 thfi com pi - 
 »rrect;and 
 
 f "whnt does it show ? Foreisn tonnaije of Enffhuid, 
 '},4'}(t,(l(»0 ti>ns; of Iht: United Stales, 'j,4 I7,(l(l(» tons, 
 IfaviiiLV (lilt ilie tciniiMfie of our l.ikcs and rivers. 
 What is the comiiierciiil tonnaire of ollu-r I'jiro|iean 
 < iovcniiiients.'' I'Vanco has (!'}r>,(l(l(t tons; Russia, 
 'J:<<>,(M)() tons: [■)( nmaiU, '.^ry/Mrr. Ifolland, -'U.QHI; 
 Svvcdcn. I lH.0x!5; TiirKfy, l,?>t»a, amountiii-^ in all 
 to l,',".t.'{,r»Hi, oralioiuoiie-hiilf of that of the Uni- 
 ted Sillies. What, sir, wa.s the coininerci; of the 
 Mississi|>|ii and its trilmlaries only forty years ii;;o.' 
 1 1 was unknown to the world. A few canoes and 
 keel-lioHts were padilled and |)olcd aloriL' its shores. 
 What is it now? Unndreds of tloatinir jialaces 
 hear iipon its liosoiii more than ^ti()(l,(l()(),0(l(j worth 
 cf eoinrncrcial c(nnnio(liiies annually. What was 
 the commerce of your lakes forty years atjo ? A 
 i'W liidinn traders ahniy; the shores. Wiiat is it 
 HOW' You have upon Lakes Krie and j\Ii(hi;,'aii 
 alone (uiir hundred commercial vessels, with a lon- 
 riajje of H(),(HMI tons, earryini;: annually a commerre 
 of the value of 51,, ')l)0, 00(1, and in |>roi!r( ss ofcini- 
 structioii ihirly-four vessels more; of wtiich ten are ' 
 ste;imers of the first clas.'?. The.>ioarc the avenues 
 ihrou^'h which the a<?ricullurai prodiicts of the 
 Western valley pnss to market. ; 
 
 If this, sir, has heen our pro'/ress in sixty-three 
 vears, siartini: tVom a state of conifiarative imhe- ' 
 •■ility, and with hut (Uie sea ojieii to us, what will 
 It lie with the trade of tiie Pacific opened to us, 
 with our pre.«;ent means of advancement, in the 
 next fiuarter of a century to come ? That country, 
 when; solitude now reii^ns almost uul'roken save 
 l.iy the si<ihiii2^ of the winds, the whoop of tlie sav- 
 a'^e, the crack of the hunter's rifle, or the dashin<!: 
 <if the Pacific waves upon its shores, will then liave 
 liecome the home of (Mvili/.ed men. From its fiorts 
 and harhois will ^n forth a commercial marine, 
 whose sails will whiten every wave, ami wliose ma- 
 jestic .'UeaiiH'rs will ride triumphant on the traimuil 
 liosom of that ;j;reat ocean. We cannot expect tlial ' 
 the trade connnand('d l>y that ocean will he yielded 
 without a strui;;::le hy a(lver-<e Powers. Full W(;ll 
 does Crreat Hritain understand the military streiiijth ' 
 and commercial important! of Oreijon. She will 
 not v'ield it, rii^lit or wromj, to her natural rival, so 
 loni,' as she can hy any means rf tain it or any part 
 of it. Why has she so lonij and obstinately per- 1 
 severed in the assertion of her untounded preten- , 
 sions to the wli(dt> of the country north of the Co- ' 
 himbia, and to a Joint rii^ht to the use of that river? 
 The reason is obvious. There is not a i^ood har- : 
 hor south of the Columbia, tihI navi<,^atioii at the ■. 
 mouth of that stn^am is rendered un-^aft! and dan- 
 gerous by bars, shoals, and ('urrents. All the ^ood 
 harbors lie north of the (.'olum!)ia. Yield her that 
 claim, atid it is all that she, wants. She will then 1 
 have secured to In^rself the stronir places of the 
 country, and rendered the balance of it compara- 
 tively valueless to us. Our products c<)uld not ilu'ii 
 reach the ocean safely, exi'Cjtt throu^^h Uritish ports 
 in a P.rilisli province, atui subject to be incumbered 
 nr prohibited by such duties as she may impose. 
 
 With Oresron impioved, and connected by rail- 
 roads with the Atlamic, we will furnish to the 
 world the ijreat desidera'.um so loni; sou<j;ht I'or by 
 commercial nations — a direct communication from 
 Kiu'ope to Asia; and we will then Im- brouirht in 
 close communiiMtion with the (Commerce of ('liina, 
 Uic Eaat ladies, the v.-est coast of S(iuth Americii, 
 
 and the Pacific isles. Ciin Piii lin siil Q|,0()0 miles 
 iiround Cjipc I lorn, or •JT.IHH) iiroui!d the ('ape of 
 (iood I fo|ie, and succ(rsi'iil|\' i'i.|ii|ii le with us in 
 that trade whicli we can reach tVoni the wi stern 
 coast, by sl",ui) vessels, in 4000.' |[er\oyaL,'e will 
 NMpiire some ei'ihl iiionilis; ouis, scarcely so many 
 weeks. Who then will have the carrying' trade? 
 I'rilain will be compelled either to open a ]iass;i'ie 
 across the Isthmus of Darii 11, trade ihrou'/h our 
 works, permit us to have the carryimr trad(> or 
 be driven from the market. Sir, that ocean trcni of 
 India trade has been acfpiired and enjoyed by • ach 
 coiumerciid natiiui, successively, fr(uii the .rliest 
 a:res of the world. Cartha'.re. ( Jreece, Rome, Ven- 
 ice, Pisa, Ifeiioa, PortiUiral. Holland, have each, ii) 
 their turn, enjoyeil ii. Ivii^land now has it. Our 
 dcsiinv now oilers it to us. Will we ai-cept it? 
 Will we adopt and carry out such ji.sl and piiuleiit 
 measures of policy as will secure to us this irnal 
 and valuable field for c(uniii( rci.il ( nterprisc ? This 
 le:i(!s us to the c(nisidciatioii of another branch of 
 this subject. 
 
 The next rjuestion which |nTsents itself to our 
 consideration is: to whom does Oreiron, in whoh; 
 or in part, beloni:.' To t\\v Unit((l Slates or to 
 (freat I'ritainr What are our rii;lils in, and our 
 title to, Orei!:on? And what are the pr( tensions 
 and claims ofdiciit IJriiain tolhes:iiu( ? Iiv what 
 evidence are the riiihts, claims, imkI pr( tensions 
 of the parlies, respecliv( ly, yup|>(>rled or iirovtd? 
 And here nirain I must quote t'nuw ihe speech of the 
 ijentleman from South Carolina, [Mr. lioi.MF.s.] 
 who savs: " 1 deny, in toio, any rii:lit, any claim 
 ' to that territorv, <>r to (tiuj juirt or pami ihere- 
 ' of, that does not apply with etpial Hu'ce and etii- 
 ' cienev to ilie power ol" Cinal liriiaiir, and if I do 
 ' not, by as fiiir reasonini: as I can brinsr, deinon- 
 ' strate this position, I am wiiiiii'^ to ijive up now 
 'and forever any claim to lou:ic:d powers.'' Thi:i 
 makes llie issue between the parlies, and pre.'!ent^^ 
 the Iirilish vicv/ of the (|uesiio!i, in sul>st:inc(', and 
 almost in (Uv same wvu'ds. in which it was present- 
 ed by Messrs. Hopkins and Athlin',Moii. British 
 i'lenijiotenliaries, on the Itiih day of December, 
 lR."2f), when ne^otiatiiii: upmi, and (liscussinLr, the 
 British title to Oreijon, with the proper iiullioiitie.i 
 of the United Slates. They s;iy: '• Great Britain 
 ' claims no exclusive sovereiiriity over any portion 
 ' of that territory. Her ))resent claim, not in ro- 
 ' spect to any |ia'i-l, but to the whole, is limited to a 
 ' ritrht of joint occnpancy in common with other 
 ' States, leavinir the ri^ht of exclusive sovereignly 
 ' in abe^'aace." Every Briiisli Minister and diido- 
 matisl, from that lime to the present, has c(nilend- 
 ed tor the same [losilirni, that she h;i(l a Joint ri;jht 
 with the United Slates to the whole of Or(.\;ron, but 
 that neither Government had a s( parate rii^lit to 
 any ]iart thereof To this pro]iosilion I cannot 
 yield my assent. It is iiotTny ]iurpose, however, 
 to arjjue the title lo the whole of f>reu:on — time will 
 not permit, nor is it necessary for my present pur- 
 ]iose. I propos(>, however, to show that we have 
 a clear, perfect, and unencumbertal title to the soil 
 and sovereii^nty of a part of Orei^on. If I succeed, 
 l>y lair and le>i;itimate proofs and ar;imients, in do- 
 ing; so, I shall have met and overthrown the ])osition 
 of the irtaitleinMU from South Carolina, and, with 
 it, the iK'Sition assumed by Britain, for they are 
 identical. 
 
6 
 
 For tlic ptifjinsrs of nir nri^mnnnt, I Brlnct ilial i 
 rtiirl of ilic OiTi;(iii Ifiriti'i-y wliii'h liis soiilii nf' 
 Nootkii Snninl: tli;il is, mh imii Ii tlicrcot'aH In .s Ih;- 
 twf'ci) till' Mixicaii liiii' nt iIk' 4"Jil luiriillfl nf liili- 1 
 hiHc iinil Nuiitkn, wliicli i.s in I.iIiIikIp 41)'-' .'(.'>' , Ixiin; 
 T^'A'.V , (ir ill inn I (Ivr liuinlicd iiiiIcm ,\luiii; llic I'arifii- 
 coa.st. Mr. <.*liiiiniiaii, that we iiiny have n cltjir i 
 atiil (listint't vi)!\v oI'iIk' (|tirHtiiiii, allnw nx: to |)rt'- { 
 inisc, liy utaliiiir lli' fai't, llial up to tlio year IHO.'i, 
 there were five several :sover( iu'H ;iiiil iiKlependeiit 
 G<ivermiienlM wliiili eliimed to liave riirlit.-^ and iii- 
 tci'esls ill Orc'^oii; to wil: I'"iajiee, S|iaiii, lliiHsia, 
 Great IJrilaiii, and the United States. The I'laiin- 
 ftiit.s are now r<'dneed to t'le two ia.^t named. How, 
 wlieii, tnid hy whom, the riijhts of l-'raiiee, S|i!iiii, 
 find Russia were e\liii.:rnislied, and wlm becanif 
 possessed of tliem, I shall uliow in the pro^res.s of 
 my remaik'.s. 
 
 Our title to Oregon is of two kinds — first, that 
 wliich wo have in our ri::ht, liy diseovery, explo- 
 ration, and settlement; and seeomlly, that which 
 we have liy purchase from other (iovernmeiits, hy 
 whieli we have eonsolidated in the United Sttiles 
 nil the oiitstandin'.r claims to Oregon, except thu 
 pretensions to title liy IJriiain, thi' present nilvcrse 
 f.laiinnnt. 1 shall speak lirst of our h'reiadi title. 
 And what is it.- After the discovery of this ronti- 
 tineiit liy ('nhimlHis, in 1 ll>-i, CJreat l.ritain iuiil 
 Trance hotli aci|M:ied territorial ri<4:lits, inid plant- 
 ed Colonies upon it. 'I'he nriii.-~li p(i:sessions wrrc 
 on the Atlantic coast, nov,- eomposiiii; a part of the 
 Stales of this Confederacy, ( xtendin:; hy tlieir <diar- 
 lers from .sea to sea, and upon Hudson's May. The 
 French possessions were upon the .Mississippi and 
 in C;inada, alsi exiendini.; ind'li;iittly ucst and 
 northwest. 
 
 Tiiese claims ii'-'ssarily eonflicied. In 1714, 
 France and Kii.land c,incluili 1 a treaty of peace at 
 Utrecht, which ti>rmiii ited the wai then rasiini,' he- 
 tweeii them, and seltKd all their ditiereiices in Fu- 
 rope ixnd America. I5y the tenth article oC tiiat 
 treaty, it was le^reed that eommissioners should he 
 appointed to run ami eslahlish a division line he 
 tweeii their terriloiia! posse.'-sion- in Xortli Amer- 
 ica. Commissioners were apiioinied, who estah- 
 lished thai lii-e — c.imineiicir.tr on the coast of Lah- 
 raiior, tind ninninu' southwest to the Lake of the 
 Woods, npoii the 4'.)ih pamllel of latitude?, and 
 thence exlendin:^ west nlonw that piu-allel indefi- 
 nitely, which of course exieiids to tin- Pacifii- oi'ean. 
 This line divided the territories occupied liy the 
 Hudson's Hay ('ompany e'li the norili fro.m the 
 Canadas, and the Mississippi and l^ouisiana pos- 
 Bessions of France on the souili; aiid so lara.s these 
 Govermnenls were < onecrned, est ihlished ii line of 
 ecparalion hetween ihein, i,nvliii; to France all Hril- 
 ain's claims soiiih, and to Mritam all Franco's claim 
 north, of 4!P; south of which line Great Britain 
 could not c;o, or acquire any t< rrilorial ri:.;hts, after 
 that time, without, the consent of h'rancc, nor could 
 France aeipiire any territori d ri;;hts north of it, 
 without Hritain'.s cmiseiit. On the ri^d day of Feb- 
 ruary, IHO.'l, a treaty was concluded between tiie 
 United States and Franci',l)y which, for a valuable 
 consideration, h' ranee sold and ceded to the United 
 State.s all her i\lississij)pi and Louisiana posses- 
 fiions, upon this or the otlier side of ilie Ilocky 
 Mountains, and also maile us a party to the teiitli 
 article of the treaty of Utrecht, so tar us tliis terri- 
 
 tory is concerned, Tiic 4;>th panillrl became ilu. 
 H une to us, as ai^ainst the cl.uins of I5ritiin,as it 
 had before that time bei n to Fr.tiiee. ( ireal llritiun 
 does not pretend to h.ive iiad any valid < laiins west 
 of the Rocky moiintiiin.s in 171 i; she could ac(|Uiri 
 none .south or4!>'^afier that, asauTiinsi I'liince, un- 
 til lHd.'J, when we purchased, nor since that time, 
 a.s ti;;;iin.sl the United Stales, i\h the purchasers of 
 Fremdi rijjhl.i. This treaty, iinlependeni of terri 
 lori.il rights acijuired by it id' l''iance, mt^jht suc- 
 cessfully be ple)\d in bar to any llritish claims south 
 of 4!)'^, and would iheref .re estalilish the position 
 assumed, that we intve a clear, nil' iicuinbered, atid 
 indisputable title to so much of Oreiroii as is south 
 of 4!)^. Hut, Mr. Chairman, I lixed my point at 
 Nooika, a little north of 4I>", lo which 1 propose 
 to examine our tith;. And for tliat purjiose 1 shall 
 next conHider our Sjianish title. And what, sir, is 
 that title.' Spain was no party to tlu' tenth article 
 of the treaty ,of Utrci la, and was not thcrtlor< 
 airectcd or bound by it. 
 
 On the :2'2(1 day of February, \»\\), a Irealv wa.i 
 made III Wtishin^ton b(t\\een the United Slate.- 
 air.i Spain, by wliirli the iviiit; of t pain " soldiind 
 ' ceded lo the United Slates all Spanisli riijhts and 
 ' |>reteiisions east and north of the 4'.'d parallel of 
 'north latitude, and I'or himself, his heirs, iiii.l 
 • sue 'essois, he. renounced all claim to said terri- 
 ' tories forever." 'J'his treaty of purchase fixed 
 the 4:2d parallel of latitude tvs the noitheni boniid- 
 ary of Sptinish, now Mexican, toid the southern 
 boundary of the U'nittd States territory, and t;av( 
 to the United .States ail Spain's riy:hts in Oret;oii, 
 and (Ml the Pacific north of the 4f2d dei;re(^ of lali- 
 tude. What were the ri^jhts of Sjiaiii thus sidd 
 and transferred to the United States,' I will brielly 
 stiite lliem. Shortly after the discovery of thi.- 
 eoiitineiit, in 14'J~*, Cortez, for Spain, eoni(ucn d 
 Mexico, and Sjiain estaldished her Government 
 thereunder ti viceroyalty. Wiitn riuthin;; inon 
 remained in Mexico for Spanish eompiest, she be- 
 ijan to extend her search and exploralioiis north- 
 ward aloiiij the Pacific coast for new countries to 
 con(|U(;raiid seitle. I shall pass over many of tlu 
 earlier and more obscure dj.^eoveries of Spain on 
 the I'arific, coast, and mention those only which 
 are well defined, and upon which title can lie predi- 
 cated, and from wh.'-.;li terriiurial ri^i^hts can he de- 
 rived. 
 
 In l.'i4"J, Cahrillo was sent, wi'.h two vessels, bv 
 the viceroy of Mexico^ \\ ith instrNactions to explore 
 the coast northward, as far as p(\ssible, in search 
 of new countries. This expediliiMi continued its 
 cxplonition.s about one yetu", (Jabrillo died on the 
 voyas^e, and the command dt volvcd upon l^'erelo, 
 who (ixaniined the coast as far noi-th as the 4.'Jd 
 jiarallel. In 1592, the viceroy of Mexico, still in 
 lent on northern discov(;rics, sent Juan de Fucu, a 
 distiiii;ui.Nliril na"'iii;ator, to explore the northwist 
 coast and to discover the Straits of Annitin, (now 
 Fucti,) whicii wer(;.su}>posed lo coimeci jthe Pacific 
 with the .'Vtlaniic ocean. He sailed noi^h until In 
 reached a point between the 4Hlli and 49ili jiarai- 
 lels of latiti d', when Ik; came into a !ar^e inlet ol 
 the sea, in which he sailed, niakiny: explorations, 
 as he says, for twenty days. This was the Strait 
 of Fiica, which yet bi;ars the name ol'thal naviga- 
 tor, who, beyond all doubt, fir.-it discovered the 
 existence anil entrance to that strait. In 1G03, 
 
 'izcnino, 
 ir roast 
 774 Pere. 
 
 •4> on ill! < 
 
 iHtructioi 
 itiuidi , ;i 
 (jy, in the 
 le countr 
 ailed nori 
 ia return 
 3', he en 
 luBri,lriid 
 lay is nov 
 be fii'st na 
 Oinid, an 
 he name 
 
 In I77."», 
 Vfis si'iit n 
 tuiiid of 
 Xuinine t 
 )n his III 
 >Uces, an 
 Gii;:,;'nd 
 hat he luu 
 if the sain 
 vcre fouii 
 vlleli he a 
 'Oti sailtd 
 m Uuadr. 
 ned the CI 
 e| south, i 
 he mouth 
 t by renin 
 
 In thi'f--a 
 A'ho lii'd s: 
 
 .he schooii 
 
 IS the .")Hil 
 loiilhward 
 Hero, two 
 ■jy Mexico 
 equipped, 1 
 'or Spain, 
 ^et'lement 
 3n the Glh 
 (bund it en 
 1784; pos.ci 
 a|)d a settle 
 there until 
 At this 
 Pacific coi 
 that coast, 
 sole and e: 
 This clain 
 full exien 
 doubted bl 
 
 agiinst an 
 country. 
 
 H.ad Spi 
 1819, by V 
 iihpaired t 
 that slu' III 
 1790, of w 
 aOer. It i 
 dial title .s 
 0(1 r Spani 
 and which 
 h|<;hcr iij) 
 lifesciit pi 
 1 
 
•allrl lirc'uiif till, 'i/miiin, n .Spanmli iwivigalor, rnrcfully surveyed 
 ol' lint nil, as It IP cuist mI" (.'ulifiiriiin Id tin; 37lli imrallcl. In 
 
 ilii' ('i<iililart|mri 
 r\iiisi I'lancc, mi- 
 siiK'c that tiiiir. 
 In; jiurrlia.si'rH nl 
 |i(ii(|i>iii (if tt rn 
 aiii'f, niijjlit Hu<'- 
 iInIi cluiiiis.siiuili 
 
 f. < ircat IJriiiiiii 771 IVn/. was d( siiaulitii liy the viirroy dl'Mfx- 
 valid < l.iiins w<'.-<i vo im aiM;X|ilnriiij; tX(><;dilii)ii to llii' iiurili, wiili 
 imiiirii.ni.s to |ini(;«((l In tin (lOtli def;rcf ni' mirili 
 itiiudi , and tn t'Xplnru the coawt Riiulli to Moutt:- 
 ay, III ilii: .'ITtli dc^nxf, and to Uikt; po.s.vcssinii of 
 It iciuiitiy ill tlic name of ihcKin^ of S|);iiii. He 
 ail( (1 liortli to tli( ri'Uh dt.i^icc of laiiuuk, and on 
 is ntuiii siaitli !d(iii<; ilic coaHl, in Iniitiidi' 4!)" 
 3', lit' cnK red a ra|iaciou.s hay, luid remained 
 lisii tlie |M).sitiuii lj£ic,in.>diii;; wiili tlif niiiive.'-, fur sonu' time. Tiiis 
 fncuiiil)i:red,iiiid lay is now lalled Nootku Sound, and Perez w.t.s 
 eijon a.s in soiiili \xt fir.st iiavi^Nilor who ever saw or diHcovered thi.i 
 (ed my |ioiiii at ound, and at that time he took poiiisciitiioii of it in 
 vliieli 1 propose lu- iiaiiif ofliis .sovereif^n. 
 
 It purpose I siiall 111 177.'), Urimo Ilccela, in the service of Spain, 
 
 \iid what, sir, i.'^ vBs sent nnn'.i on an expioriiij; expedition in eom- 
 
 th(; tenth urlielf iinnd of the shi[i Santin;,'(S with inslniclioiijj to 
 
 as not thcrcfon xuniinc the coast to the (joth parallil of latitude. 
 
 )n his noiihward V(iyuj;e he landed at various 
 
 1!), .1 troalv wa« )Uee.«, and took |io:<scbsi('ii iu the num<' of lii.s 
 
 United Slale.s Gn;,', I'lid i:recled enisscs with inscriptions staling; 
 
 t pain " sold and hot lio had visited the places and taken pos.s(ssioii 
 
 anish rii^hts and if the same in the name of his sovereif,Mi, which 
 
 • 4rid paialii I of vere found liy Vancouver, a British navigator, 
 
 his heirs, and vjien he afterwards visited the .sume place .s. Ile- 
 
 ni to said terri- '.atii .sailtd north to the fjOlh parallel, and landed 
 
 pnrciiase fixed )n Uiiadra and Vancouver's Island, and exuni- 
 
 noithern lioiind- ned the coast of the continent from the 4^th paral- 
 
 iid the soulherii e) south, and disi-o\ered ihe current issuing frnni 
 
 riiory, and ;,'av< he miniih of ihc Columhia rivi r, hut did not enter 
 
 iy;lils in ()rei;oii, t Ly reason of the rapid i uncut, which drove him 
 
 2d de!.cree of laii- ;ack. 
 
 Spain thus .sold In the Fame year, Seiiors Quadra and Muiinlle, 
 •s.' I will hrielly vh<> had sailed' iu com)>aiiy witii llecctn, on hoard 
 iscovery of tlii.- .he sclioouerSaiitiai;o \isiied the coast i\s fir north 
 pain, con(|ucred IS the oHih parallel, and then explored il.e coast 
 ler Goveriimeiit iouthward to Califuniia. In Hfy, Martinez imd 
 n rioiliiuL; inon Hero, two Spanish comuKinders, were desjiatched 
 on(|iiest, she he- jy Mexico, in command of two vessels armed and 
 'orations north- equipped, with orders to take possession of Nootka 
 .ew countries to 'or Spain, and to erect and arm a fort, and make a 
 ver many of the settlement therein the name of the Kin^^of Sjiain. 
 ics of Spain on Dn the Cili May, 1789, Martinez entered the sound, 
 lose only which round it entirely unoccupied, us Perez had left iiiu 
 lie can lie prcili- 17H4; pos.ce.s.sion was taken, a fort eroded, armed, 
 i,i,'lits can he dt;- apd a settlement made, and tlie Spanish flag floated 
 
 there until 17'J5. 
 two vessels, hv At tliis time Russia had six .settlements on the 
 ■tioiis to explore Pacific coast, and French ships had also vi.-:^ited 
 ssiMe, in search that coast. At this time, also, Spain claimed the' 
 Ml continued ii.taoh' and exclu.sive sovereignty of tlie Paciric coast, 
 rillo died oil the This claim was too broad to he admitted to the 
 ed upon Kerelo, full extent it was made; hut it cannot w '1 be 
 loriii as ihc 4;jil doubted but, at that lime, Spain's claim was good 
 Mixico, still in agiinst any |jretcnsions of Great Britain in that 
 luande Fucu, a country. 
 
 '(• ihe uorthwi.'-i Had Spain, iu any manner, before the treaty of 
 f Anniaii,(no\v 1819, by which we acquired her title to Oregon, 
 lueciUiie Pacific impaired tluit title.' It is not claimed by nritain 
 d iioi^ii until he that sh? had, except by the Nootka coineiiiioii of 
 and 49iii jiani- 1790, of which I shall liave occasion to speak liere- 
 ) a 'urge inlet ol after. It is not pretended that we have impaired 
 ig explorutions, that title since we acquired it from Spain. This is 
 
 *T> " -■■ I .vv,. .,,.- , —m.'^ ....... ^ ,, V- n.-..!! i_*ii (_u. iL 11 <f IJI >.^[ flLIII . J, Ilia ii> 
 
 s was the Strait olir Spanish title, which yet stands unimpaired, 
 ; of that naviga- and wliich can with great force be carried much 
 ■' 'ereil tin hjghcr up the c — "' 
 In 1()03. present purpose 
 
 ii»*»j^.i- «... ...... 41 ..v.i. ..ilii i^n.,tiL ji.Fiii: uu i;aiiicu iiiucii 
 
 discovered tin hjghcr uj) the coast than it is necessary for my 
 11 1603, present purpose to carry it. 
 
 rait. 
 
 I I 8liall next proceed to present the title wc havo 
 I in our own proper right, by discovery, vxploruttoii, 
 I and settlement. 
 
 In 17f<7, Captains Cray and Keudrick, of I!o:<- 
 I tmi, .'tailed from that place for the iN'orih Pacific; 
 I llii; former coimniindiiig tlu- American ship ^Vah!l- 
 iiigton, the latter the Coluinbia. In llhH they 
 ! linidtd at Nootka. In Hi-^lt, tiray, among.U their 
 i discoveries and eX|ilorations, exjihu'cd the wlnde 
 I east coast of Clueeii ( 'harlotte'.s Island; alsoentered 
 I and sailed fifty iiiile.'^ thiouf^h the Sliiiils of Fuca; 
 he bein_'the first navigator wlio had tntered beyond 
 ! ihe nioiiih of said tiraits or .mailed in the same. In 
 I the fall of 1790, Gray and Kendriik exchanged \(s- 
 sels, and Gray tlier(. after commanded the (Jidiim- 
 j ilia, upon which vessel heju'oceeiied to China, and 
 ' from thence to Ho.slon. Kendrick reiuained in the 
 I Pacific, and shortly afti r sailed entirely through 
 1 liiv Straits of Fuca, and in 1791 mnchased from the 
 Indian chiefjt at Nootka several large tracts of land, 
 I and toidv deeds for the same. In 179,'l he was ac- 
 ! cideiiUilly killed ut Owyhee. In 1791 Gray again 
 j arrived on the Pacific coast, and during that year 
 I examined many of the inlets and jiassiiges btlv.'eeii 
 , the 54th and 5()lh parallels of latitude. 
 
 On the 7th May, 179"^, Captain Gray discovered, 
 
 1 entered, and landi d in IJuliiiicirs Harbor, iu lati- 
 
 I tilde 4(i'^ ,"jb',and remained three days trading v. iih 
 
 ! the native.'!. On the Hih of the same mouth he 
 
 ' disi;nvered, entered, and saili d some twenty or 
 
 I twenty-five miles u[> the Coliimliia rivtr, where he 
 
 I reniaiiied for several days, trading with tlie uatists. 
 
 Captain Gray was the first navigator who dis<'ov- 
 
 eied and navigated liiai river, and up(ui leaving, In.- 
 
 g:ive it the name of hi.^; ship, ((Columbia,) which it 
 
 yet bi'ars. 
 
 lie iit'tcrward.-v coinmuniiated to Vancouver and 
 Quadra his di:^covcri(s of 13ulfiiich"s Harbor aiul 
 the Columbia river, which was the first knowledge 
 they had of them, and iefi with Quadra, at Nootka, 
 charts of the same. 
 
 In lh04aii expedition was fitted out under the 
 Admiuistration of President Jeillrson, to cxjiloi(! 
 the principal branches of the ^Missouri river to their 
 s(nirce, and then to cross the Rocky Mountains 
 and trace to the Pacific some stream that would 
 alTord the most direct water communication across 
 the continent. Captains Lewis and Clarke were 
 commissioned to conduct this expedition. On liic 
 ]r)th November, 180.J, they landtd on the coast of 
 the Pacific, having traced the waters of the Colum- 
 bia from its source in the mountains to its termi- 
 nation at the Pacific ocean. Thev took po.sscssioii 
 of the country, encamped near tlie mouth of the 
 Columbia, and remained there until the 23d March, 
 IHOG, when they reiurned ui> the Columbia in ca- 
 noes, as far I'.sKooskook rivi;r,ex|iloriiig its shores, 
 and noting the large tributary streams which flow 
 into the Columljia. Iu 1811, John Jaco!) Astor, 
 of New York, entered the Columbia, sailed up it 
 about ten miles, and built F'or* Astoria, which he 
 occupied until ldl3, vvh( n, during the last war, it 
 I'ell into tin hands of Great Pjrilain. Its restora- 
 tion was provided for in 1814, at the treaty of 
 Ghent; and (Jii the Cili day of October, 1818, by a 
 written order of the British '"' '•iimenl, the pos- 
 session of Astoria was formally restored, and de- 
 livered by the agent of that Government to an 
 United States; the cross of St. George 
 
 iveretl ijy i 
 igeiil of the 
 
8 
 
 was lowoml.ftnd Iho utripcB nnd Htnrn flontcd nin'\n 
 over Aslorin. TliiM is mir Aiin'riran tiilc. Doch 
 il ^iv«: In iiH llic cxcliisivf Mrivf n'lL'iity ami ri^jlit of 
 Hoil in llif (!.tlninl)i!i v,ill« y ? Hy iiiKiii.iiiorml law, 
 n OcivtTiimcnt <an aciiiiirf litl<', in an un'»i'<u[)i('(l 
 lonntry, liy (li.scovcry, if it l»i; fnllowiil np in ii 
 miHoimlilf! tinif liy exploration and sciilenieril. 
 IIiivc wc brou^lit onrselveH within iliis rnle ? 
 (iriiy (liHeovercd in 17'J'i; Lewis and ("hokr' ex- 
 plored in iHliri; Astor founded a seitienient in iMlJ. 
 |)o not lliese events follow in a reasonalilc iitne 
 after each oilier, the remoieneHS and diHiriillv of 
 acr.esM of the roiuitry ''onnidered ? Can (Jniit llrit- 
 (lin hIiow as 'jood a lille lo the valley of the (,'o!iini- 
 biu? Sir, if she can, she has not doiif so. Wh.it, 
 sir, is the extent of the valley of the Coin ml lia? 'I'he 
 head waters of its southeast hraiii'hes reneh the 
 Mcxiean line in latitude 4j2"; the noriluveatiTii 
 l)raiiehe."» Nireteh to i")!^ 10'. Hut this carries the 
 nru;unient further than I proposed, haviie^' proposed 
 to aru;ue the title as far as the Nootka only. 'I'o 
 this I will add the tilh; of conti^niily. Oreijoii lies 
 eoterininnus with the whole western frontier of 
 the United States; it lie."» lictween Ui< and the Pa- 
 cific ocean. It hems us in on the entire western 
 frontier of tlie Ucpiihlic. It is hit,'hly important to 
 ns for a;^ricultiiral and (tonnnercial purposes. It is 
 alinitst indispcnsalile to us for our national defence 
 nnd safety. From I'ritaiii, the otln'rclaimnnf, it is 
 remote. She can desire it only for national a;;- 
 Kraiidizeniciil and the j)ride of empire. Site needs 
 it not for the naiionni salety or national existtMien. 
 If ihefe facts luiii'.; us within the jtriiiciples of title 
 "by eontiy;uiiy," as recoi^/iised l>y international 
 lasv, then upon that principle we claim it. Aiimv 
 me, .sir, to add one other evidence of title to (Jre- 
 i;on; I introduce it hy way of plea in i>ar to Gvi-n\ 
 Hritaiii. In the sixteenth century (treat Britain, 
 hy charters, granted to the colonies of Viri;iiiia ami 
 Massachusetts all land.s lyini; helween crrtain ptir- 
 iillels of latitude across this coiiiimnt, "from sea to 
 sea." All the territorial ri;;hls wkich nriiain then 
 had, rested in the colonies between tlielimiis men- 
 lioncd from the Atlantic to the Pacific These 
 diartcred limits embrace nil, or nearly nil, of Ore- 
 •;;on. In 177(5, these colonies were renels; in 17H;j, 
 they were victors, trentin;^ on terms of nnlioiial in- 
 dependence and national equality with their former 
 sovereign. By tiic treaty of llHli, Britain nc- 
 knowledgcd their indejiendcnce, and le''t them in 
 the full nnd j^cnceablc enjoyment of nil the territo- 
 rial rights, ns granted to the colonies by the char- 
 ters, without any reservation or exception. 
 
 The colonies to whi<'h these grants were made, 
 have since ceded all their territorial rights beyond 
 certain limits, to the United States, where the title 
 is now vested. The question now c,ome.g np be- 
 tween Britain, the grantor to the colonies, nnd the 
 United States, as assignee of the colonics who were 
 the grantees of Britain, under 'he hand and seal of 
 her King. Can we not, then, successfully set up 
 in bar of Britain's claims, the titles granted by her 
 King, signed, sealed, and delivered, in ]C,'>% nnd 
 1620, and by her ae:ain ratified and confirmed in 
 1783, against any claim she can now mnl^e ? By 
 lier charters she conveyed all the rights .'^lie then 
 liad, and by the same grant she estopp -d herself 
 from afterwiirds acquiring any further rii;hls in the 
 country, unless by purchase or by conquest, neither 
 
 of which «he now prrfrndfl to claim. I will ndr 
 Hir, one more muniment of title, niiil the lanl: . 
 is the title of the gentleman from Illinois, " incvi' 
 able destiny." 'I'liere is more in this nrgumfii' 
 sir, than appears upon the siirlacc. If, by pr)litic, 
 derelictions, arising either from political nmbitioi 
 seclioiiiil jealou.sies, cupidity, avarice, party ho.'- 
 tiliiy, forciijn attachmeiitHand toreii;ii iiiterestfl, w 
 should |os(- Oregon now, by inevitable destiny 
 will be recovered. Sir, nations, like men, pa." 
 throiiL'h iiif.incy lo the vigor of manhood, and thi 
 ilie decrepitude of hoary age. If we are true t 
 ourselves and preserve our glorious Union, win 
 our vast and fertile empire shall sustain its (it't 
 million of freemen, the sails of our commen 
 wliiii'ii ev( ry wave, and our navy ride triumphal 
 oil every sen, then, sir, we will win on (he battl 
 field what we may this day lose in the couni 
 chatnbfT. Thus will inevitable destiny give i; 
 ()reg<in. Upon these five several grounds I \>n> 
 our rivals in and title to Oregoti, and leavi; each f 
 him.srlf to decide upon the force and ellect of tl, 
 proof adduced. 
 
 Mr. Chairman, before I prnecfd to state ihccv 
 dence upon which Britain rrsts her claim and pr< 
 tensions in Oregon, allow me to notict one inqMii 
 tant fact, wlii.li is now a matter of hi.story an 
 cannot Ix- denied. It is tl . that in all the dipl< 
 matic discussions which have taken jilace betwei 
 the twoCJovernmenis in relation to Oregon, from tli 
 treaty of Ghent in |H|4, down to the year IS^t 
 Fiiigland b.ised her claims exclusively upon tli 
 discoveries of her niivii^ators. The Nootka coi, 
 veiitioii was never named in tluse diseiissions urn 
 Mr. Htish, the Ameri(!!ui Minister, introduced 
 in ).'-<2fi. In IHr>(J Britain changed ground; sh 
 abandoned her claims by discovery as the sol 
 grounds of Ik r title, and planted herself upon tli 
 Nootka convention. Ami why,sir,wasthischang' 
 The reason is obvious. The discussionof thisciue.- 
 tioii lead the Ministers of the two Governments i 
 trace back their claims respectively to their origii 
 in the log-books, daily jour lals, and contempor,i 
 neons writings of the several navigfitor.s upon whos 
 discoveries the title of the claimants must stand e 
 fall. Before this inve.stigation the British title fadti 
 away, and its inevitable overthntw was foreseen ii 
 her statesmen: the American title grew bright( 
 and stronger at every .step. The British negoiia 
 tors, to avoid defeat, in 182G changed ground, aii^ 
 look shelter behind the Nootka convention, upe 
 which the title on her .side i.s now mainly rested. 
 
 1 shall now )iroceed to state the claims and pn 
 ten.=iions of Britain to Oregon, as she has mad 
 them, durin;: the thirty years negotiation on thi 
 subje(;t, first by discovery and exploration of In 
 navigators, and. secondly, by virtue of the Noo; 
 ka convenlion. In the eiU'ly part of her negi 
 ti.-ition, and whilst Great Britain predicated h( 
 claims upo'i discovery and exploration, she con. 
 menccd with the voyage of Sir Francis Draki 
 Sir, what was that voyager On the the ISth >■ 
 December, l.')77, Drake .sailed from Plymoutl; 
 Ktigland, o.steiisibly for a voyage to Egypt, hu 
 really, as the sequel proved, on a predatory c.'i 
 cursion against the S|)anish settlements in Amer 
 ica. In September, ].'>7S, he arrived in the Pncili 
 near the Spanish settlements there, and after plui: 
 dcring tlieir towns and ships, and filling his vess' 
 
9 
 
 iiini. F will ndr 
 I'm! the lasl: 
 lllinnis, " idcvi' 
 II lIllH Mri;;iiirii II' 
 If, hy piilitic, 
 •nlili«al ninl)itii)i 
 iuiof, parly li(»> 
 <ii,'ii inlcrf'Nts, vi 
 vitiihic destiny 
 , liNc niin, )ms 
 iiiIhukI, ami tli< 
 '" w I' arc iriip t 
 lis Union, win 
 NiiHiiiin its lift 
 •Mir rnnimun 
 i<ln tiiiiniphai 
 n nil the ItattI' 
 in t\w cdiini 
 cMiiny c'lvv. \, 
 u;riiiuiils I l)a^ 
 ..j| if'avf! « iich fi 
 und ert'ccl of th 
 
 il to Ntatn tliccv. 
 cv riaim and pn 
 iitticf onr ini])(); 
 r of history nn 
 t in all the dipl> 
 en plane lietwcc 
 ()rcii;on,(Voni tli 
 1 the year isyt 
 isively niion tli 
 he NootKa co( 
 (lis(\iis.sioii,s iini 
 rr, intrndiicod 
 [■pd i^ronnd; sh 
 .Try as the sol 
 hrrself njion tl' 
 , wastliisi'liangi 
 »siono('thisque.< 
 Governnionts t 
 y to their orit^it 
 iiid <!ontenipora 
 iitoi-snpon whos 
 Its must stand d 
 Hritish title fadei 
 'Was t'orcsren h 
 
 i^rew l)right( 
 llritish iiCf,^oti;i 
 ged j^rnund, an. 
 onvention, iipn 
 mainly rested. 
 
 ! I'laims and pn 
 s she has mad 
 jntialion on the 
 ploration of Ik 
 tue of the Nooi 
 irt of her nego 
 
 1 predicated he 
 ration, slio com 
 Francis Draki 
 the the l.Sth i^ 
 roni riymoutl; 
 ; to Eii;ypt, hu 
 a predatory ex 
 ments in Amfr 
 (d in the Pncili 
 , and after pliii: 
 filling his vess' 
 
 with the spoils, in the fiprinjt of ITiTO, hf^'onclnded | nruto slrrnm that einptiml into the Slrnii« of I'ucn. 
 til ixtiirn home. I'lariiif;, if he yailed Hoiiih l)y ' ui laliliide i\P. Did (Jreat Mriniii ever follow no 
 
 Ma<;<'llairs Strait, the SpuniardH would inler<'ept 
 him, he .mailed northwcHt to ahonl the I'Jd de^rte 
 of laiitnde, when, l>y Htress of weather, he wu.s 
 driven hark to latitude .■K\ when h; landed in 
 Cilifornin, n fitted his vescel, n lo.iiin d till the 
 spriiii; of iriHtl, took posseHsion of and I'alled the 
 place .\ew AMiion, and in Septemher, I.Xl, he ar- 
 rived ill Kn;;laii(l. This is ilie .ucoiint of |)r;ike'H 
 voyai/e, as i;iven in l')H!> hy I'rainis Pretty, who 
 was with Drake, and which i:^ doulllle.s,^ correct. 
 II(! never touched the short! north of the .')i^th dt- 
 i;Tee, whirh is tw<i de'^rees south of our southern 
 lioiindary. 
 
 Enirlaiid does not now rely upon Cook'.; voy- 
 ai;c for title. In 177(1, two ceniurics aficrwanis, 
 th(! next ISriiish navi<;ator who a[>p< an d in the 
 Pacil'ic was Captain James Cook, who was sent 
 hy the Iiriii.sh t Jovernimnt on an exidorins: ixpe- 
 dition, with instructions to take possession of such 
 places as he mii:hi discover, whii'h li id not al- 
 ready lieeii " disriivrtil or visited" by oilier iiaiiniis. 
 .After a voyaire of near two years, in which he 
 visited Van Dieman's Land, N'ew'/ealand, Friend- 
 ly and Society Jslaiids, and other places, on 
 tlit^ 7ih of March, 17HH, he arrived oppo.site the 
 northwesi coiust of America, in lalilutle 44°. 
 
 the dtsioverieM of any of her iiavi:.;.ilors hy poH- 
 S'ssion and setiltmeni' If sin did, slie haii iieviT 
 to tluN d.iy furnished tl.r world witli the evidence 
 of II. The first setllemint ever made liy a Uriiish 
 Huli)e.'t %\ I -I of the Hocky Moniiiaiiii was made liy 
 .McKen/ie, in the year |f<Otl, whi 11, as an a;renl 
 of till' .Northwest l-'iir <'ompaiiy. he estahlisheil ii 
 triulili? post oil the 'i'aciicliee Teesi , ill latilnde .'>4^'. 
 'I'his IS the i'ritish title, mo far as it rests on dix- 
 covery I'V licr naviuMlors and Mdvt ir/ie.and these 
 are all she ever made. ( )f all the discoveries of each 
 iinlion I hase L'iven oiilv the outline, the dales and 
 pIfK'es, when and where, and hy whom they were 
 madf . Want of lime compels nit! to omit the 
 details. 
 
 Mr. CliMirmiu), a caref^il and accurate examina- 
 tion, nil analysis and comparison of the aiHheiitic 
 evideiicfs of the title of the iire.seiil claimants, as 
 the saiiK! is found in the loij;-liooks, journals, and 
 contemporaneous wrilniL's of the several navi- 
 irators and otheis who discoverid and explored 
 ill, It country, will fully sustain tlw ruth of this 
 proposition: that tli" Pwiiiaiors of I5iilain never 
 made an oriiiiiial di.sc,.,,ry of an important [inrt 
 of the territory in dispi ' . That her navij^alors 
 made exploralion.s • *" pi 'cts previously di.^covered 
 
 Thence lie .sailed north to .Nootka Sound, where and explored hy Spaniards and Americans, will noi 
 
 he landed in Ajail, 1778, remained there near ' ' ' ■ • ■' ■ ' - '- ;..:....i .i.o_ 
 
 one monih, refittiiiir his vissel, and supplyin:; his 
 
 he denied; hut iliat she i;\vT made ,iii ori-inal iIih- 
 covery of iinpculaiice in thu' territory, remaiiiH vol 
 
 Id l,e proved. 
 
 .Mr. Chairman, le' us next examine the Nootka 
 conveniioii; that lieiin^ liie other lirunc.li of iJritish 
 I'i.iinis. .And. sir, wl.at is this conveniion ' By 
 whom was it made.' And can any rijzlit or title to 
 Cook ((Mitinued his voya;,'e until tin; ifilh of Fel)- ; the sovereignly or the soil of Orcijon he derived 
 ruury, 177!), when he was killed l.y the natives at from or pri!dicated ii|>on it. It \s a convenrion en- 
 Owylwe, one of the Sandwich i.slaiids. Fn^'land tired into hy Spain ami 15riiain in 17'.)(l. 'I'he cir- 
 (iun ilaiui nolhiiii; from his discoveries, f)r the rea- cuni.^lances liiat sravt! rise to this convention, and 
 son that Pere/, on the part of Spain, had '-dis- which are hiiihl'- impcniant to its true interpretu- 
 d, visited,'' and taken [losscssion of Nootka, tion,are hiielly these: in 17.SH two trading vessels 
 
 ship with wood and >^-. iM-, and trailniir wiili th 
 natives. Cook took pos.-'tssion of liie place, naiucil 
 it St. Cieoriri '• May, and the cove, l''riendiy Cove; 
 thence proceeded north on his voyiu:<', hut made 
 no further discoveries in tlu! disputed territory. 
 
 le ifilh of Feh- 
 
 eoverei 
 
 in 1774, four years hcfort; Cook (!ver .saw it. 
 
 were 
 
 fitted oiit at Macao, in China, for a tradinfr 
 
 In 17«7, John Meares, who.se acts are iniiinate- ex|iediti<ni. Upon one of them, John Meares was 
 lyconiiectt;d with the Nootka convention, and will supercargo, in the employ of a I'ortuiruesc mcr- 
 he ineniioiicd hereafter, in the capacity :'r super- chant. Slu! sailed iiniler Portu^juese colors, was 
 cariro in a Portu:,niese trading ship, visted Nootka. ; comiiianded hy a Portiisjuese ca]itain, her passports 
 In 1793, Vancouver visited the Straits of Fuca. and .sea pajiers were made out in the Portutuicse I .n- 
 This was two hundred years after Fuca had dis- u'uau;e, and hy authority of a Portui^uest.' colony, 
 covered the f iiirance of tin se straits, and three ; the vessel and cari^o heloiiiriui: to Juan Cavello, a 
 years after Captain Gray had sailed into them tifty \ Portuiruese merchant. In 17k'^ this ship (Felice) 
 
 arrived at Nootka, on her tradinc; expedition, four 
 years after Perez had discovered that place. Mf.arcs 
 while there )irocured from Mariuinna, an Indian 
 chief, at Nootka, a^^rantof privileije to use a small 
 sj:ot of i;roun<l in Frieiuily Cove, upon which to 
 con,>iruct a small tradiiic; ves.sel, on condition, that 
 when he Id't, he ( Meares') would surrender the same 
 
 miles. 
 
 In 1787, Perlceley, then in tiie service of the 
 .'\ustrian Fast India f'ompany, saw the Straits 
 (if Fuca, hut did not enter them. 
 
 In I'l'VA Alexander Mi-Ken/.ie, an ai^ent of a fur 
 company, passed from Fort ('hippewayne soulli- 
 west across the (country, and discovcied the head 
 
 waters of the river Tacuchee Tecse, (now called | hat k to the Indians, v. illi any l(uildina;s he mif^ht 
 
 Frazer's river,) down which he and his 
 
 lloated in cantics two hundred miles, the _ 
 
 streams, passed hy land westward to the Pacific, | the l''clice was landed at Nootka, to huild the pro 
 
 where he lu'rived iii July, 1793, in latitude 5^^ Hi)' 
 From thence he returned hy land to Fort Chip)ie 
 wanj'c, whence he had started, making no other 
 dis(;ovcries. So little was known of this stream, 
 that, u[» to 1812 it was believed to he a branch of 
 the Columbia, when it was discovered to be a sep- 
 
 posed craft, and Meares .sailed south along the 
 coast on a tradin"; and cxplorim:; excursion. In 
 July followins, Meares returned to Nootka, and 
 ftiiind there two American ships, the Washinjrton 
 and Columbia, before mentionetl; also found his 
 new vessel, which was called the Northwest Ame- 
 
 I 
 
10 
 
 rii'a, ronstru.'lfd. Mmirs trmk upon his vrss-cl tlu; 
 furs lliut had hcen collected, mid sailed for China, 
 and fronn that time to the p rsenf , John Menres lias 
 never seen Nootkn Sound. Tlieotlier two vchsoIs, 
 the Ipliij^enia and Northwest America, spent tlic 
 foilnwinf!; winter at the Sandwich Islands. Mearcs 
 had promised to meet this ve.«.s('l at Noolka in the 
 .-prmjr of 1789, to pursnc their trade. 
 
 At this time, the Spanisii Government had be- 
 come dissatisfied with and jealou.s of the frequent 
 ai)p(;arance of foreign vessels on the Pacific coast, 
 over which she claimed to he the exclusive mis- 
 trea.s. She therefore commenced more vigorously 
 to prosecute her discoveries, and assert her rig;lits. 
 Early in the spritis; of 17Hi», in pin-siiancc of this 
 determination, Don Manuel de Florrs, then vice- 
 roy of Mexico, fitted out and despatched two 
 armed vessels, with the necessary implements for 
 settling and defending Nootka. These vessels 
 were commanded by Martinez and Hero, two 
 Spanish navigators, "who were instructed to pro- 
 ceed to Nootka to take possession thereof in the 
 name of Spain, to treat with civility any British or 
 Russian vessels that might come to Nootkn; but, 
 at all hazards, to assert and maintiiin the sovereiijn- 
 fy of Spain at that place. On the (ith of May, 
 1789, Martinez arrived at Nootka, took possession 
 of the place, landed his cannon, and other materials 
 for setilement and defence. On his arrival there, 
 he found the vessels Iphigenia and Northwest 
 America. They had arrived on the 20lh April, 
 178i), still sailing as Portuguese traders. He also 
 found anchored there the two American ships, 
 Washiiiirton and Columbia. After taking pos- 
 session, he informed the commandants of tlie ves- 
 sels lying there of his intentions and instructions. 
 They made no objections, but apjieared satisfied 
 with what had been done. Things remained thus 
 for about one week, when Hero arrived. Martinez 
 tlicn demanded an inspection of tlie papers of the 
 Portuguese ve.ssels, which was gratited; and by 
 the translation of these papers from the Portuguese 
 language, Martinez was informed that they Were 
 instructed to take all English, Spanish, and Rus- 
 sian vessels that were inferior in fon^e, and send 
 them to Macao, to be tried as pirates. Martinez 
 thereupon seized the Ijihiocnia, her officers and 
 crew, and was about to send them to San Bias, a 
 Spanish port, for trial, when the officers agreed 
 for and on behalf of the reputed owner, Juan 
 Cavello, that if they were released, and afterwards 
 upon trial condemned, the condemnation-money 
 fihould be paid; and accordingly they were re- 
 leased, and soon after left. In June, "the North- 
 west America returned to Nootka, and was also 
 immediately seized; but aHerwards returned to her 
 owners. It afterwards turned out that these ves- 
 sels, although sailing under Portuguese colors, 
 were the property of John Menrcs and lii.s asso- 
 ciates, British merchants trading at Macao; and 
 the piratical disguise had been assumed for the 
 Durpose of defrauding the Chinese revenues. John 
 Meares then left the coast, and arrived at Macao 
 the same year. These merchants, with Meares at 
 their head, fitted out another expedition, the .ships 
 Argonaut and Princess Royal, commanded by 
 Colnott and Hudson, two Englisli officers, and 
 sailed under English colors. On the 2d of July, 
 
 the Argonaut arrived at Nootka, and found the 
 Princess Royal tliere. Martinez demanded an 
 inspection of their papers, which was complied 
 with; and, upon inquiry of the intention of their 
 cxiicdition, was informed that they intended to 
 erect a British fort there, hoist the Briti.sh flag, 
 and lake possession, Martinez told them this 
 could not be done, as the place was already occu- 
 pied by Spain. A quarrel ensued; the Spaniard 
 arrested the commandant; seized the .ship, and sent 
 her to San Bios for trial. She was afterwards re- 
 stored by Ciuadra, on the ground that the British 
 commander was ignorant of the Spanish rijjhts. 
 Under these circumstances, the Nootka conven- 
 tion originated. Information of these difficulties 
 Iteing communicated to the home Governments, 
 England and Spain, a discussion of their re- 
 spective rights was commenced at London and 
 Madrid. In February, 1790, the Spanish Minis- 
 ter at London informed the English Government 
 of the capture, and requested that Government to 
 restrain her subjects from furtlier intrusion upon 
 the Spanish settlements; to which the British Min- 
 ister replied, he would not negotiate on the sub- 
 ject, unless immediate re.slitution was made for the 
 vessel v.hicli had been seized. This reply, with 
 the circumstances attending it, convinced Spain 
 that England had other designs. Tiic Spanish 
 Court became alarmed; and another note was ad- 
 dressed to the British Minister, saying that Spain 
 would be satisfied if Britain would command her 
 subjects to respect the rights of Spain in future. 
 
 About this time (May, 1790) John Meares, now 
 representing liimself to be a lieutenant in the Brit- 
 ish service, arrived from Macao at London, with 
 a memorial to his Government, on behalf of him- 
 self and his associates at Macao, who were also 
 represented as British subjects. In his memorial 
 he set forth that four British ships, with their car- 
 goes and crews, liad been seized at Nootka by an 
 officer commanding two Sfiaiiish ships of war, and 
 sent to a Spanish port for trial; also, that he hud 
 been dispossessed of certain houses and tracts of 
 land at Nootka. This information the King of 
 England immediately communicated to Parliament, 
 denying, at the same time, the exclusive rights of 
 Spain to the territory in dispute, and asking for 
 supplies to prepare for war. Negotiations were 
 closed at London and opened at Madrid between 
 the tM'o Governments. Meanwhile Britain was 
 making extensive preparations for war. She 
 equipped two large fleets, at a cost of <f 4 ,000 ,000. 
 Spain also armed. The ulterior designs of Britain 
 to wrest from Spain some of her American posses- 
 sions became manifest. The Spanish Government, 
 to avoid difficulty, proposed to submit the whole 
 matter to the arbitrament of any of the Kings of 
 Europe Britain might name, and to satisfy any 
 award that might, upon substantial proof, be made 
 against it, provided no inferences should be drawn 
 from this offer affecting the territorial rights of 
 Spain in America. This projiosition was accept- 
 ed by Britain as to the indemnity; but coupled with 
 the acceptance was a demand that Sji.iin should 
 admit that British subjects might fish on any part 
 of the Pacific const, and trade and settle on any 
 unoccupied part of tlie American coast. The Sj)an- 
 ish Minister proposed to admit the right to fish 
 
 and trad 
 coast so 
 was nji 
 proposes 
 
 of:u". 
 
 tion was 
 .vhich V 
 gotiatio 
 months, 
 to an 
 anxious 
 aniicab 
 of forty 
 armed 
 gr(.ss ot 
 and all 
 bloody 
 she mil 
 thillg^^, 
 than an 
 off the 
 some 
 Briii.'^ 
 he bad 
 toriiil ( 
 
! 
 
 11 
 
 mill trade in thr open son, but not to settle on the i ed of nny Imusps or lands nt that plarr. Quadr.i 
 (•nasi south of the 51st dep;ree. This pronositinn ' inf|iiirnd of tlic Indians if any lands had l)i'en sold 
 was njeeled hy the liritish Minister, wlio then \ to .Tol\n IVTcares, and tin y rrpiird there never had 
 proposed to divide the territory npon the ]iarallel liren. He next proeurcd the testimony of the 
 of :J1". This lieing; rejected by Spain, a proposi- i Anieriran captains, Gray and Inu:raliuin, who tes- 
 tion was then made to divide by the 40th parallel, | tified that tliey were at Nooika in 17SH, and also 
 .vhich was also promptly refused by Snain. Ne- : during all the difficulties between Martinez and the 
 tjotiations had now been continued about eight : IJritish traders in 1789; that they could converse 
 months, and at this point appeared to have ronic ; perfectly well with the Indians, and never heard of 
 loan unfavorable dose. All Europe had been i any purchase of land havins; been made by Meares. 
 anxiously watchins; the proj^rcss of this attempt at | Their testimony as to buililinc:^ was taken in wri- 
 ami<'able settlement. France had equipped a (leet i tin<r, is yet extant, and i.s as follows: 
 of forty-five sail. Beljrium and Russia were also | " On the arrival nf the Columbia, in the year 
 armed." British statesmen seeiuj; the fearful pro- ' 17H8, there was a house, or rather i hut, eonsisf- 
 ijres.s of revolutionary principles on the continent, ' insjf of roun'h posts, coverf:d with boards, made 
 and all Europe armed, they clearly foresaw the ' by the Indians; bu« this. Captain Douglass pulled 
 bloody conflict wliich would ensue, and in which ' to pieces, prior to his .«?.i!ing for the Sandwich 
 she must necessarily act her part. In this statt^ of | ' l.slands, the .same year. The boards he took on 
 things, she concluded it was better to make an ally j ' board the Iphigenia, and tlic roof he gave to Cap 
 
 than an enemy of Spain, and tliat she would put 
 otTthe settlement of title to the Oregon territory to 
 some more convenient season. Accordingly the 
 Uriii.^h Minister withdrew the y)roposition, wiiich 
 he had made fixing lines and boundaries of terri- 
 torial divisions. Negotiations were renewed with 
 
 'tain Kendrick, which w.is cut up and used as 
 ' firewood on board the Columbia; so that, on the 
 ' arrival of Don Mrrtin."/, there was no vestige of 
 ' any house reniaining." — Proofs and Illuslrations 
 to (hrenlimo^s Oj-fi-oo, /). 415. 
 
 Vancouver procured testimony of Mr. Duflin, 
 Spain, and in a short time the Nootka convention j a British seaman, who said he was with Meares in 
 was concluded upon, and, on the 28lh October, j 1788, and that, on the 17lh May, 1788, he (Meares) 
 1790, was signed by the Plenipotentiaries of the 1 purchased of Marpiilla and Callicum, two Indians, 
 two countries, at the Escurial, and Spain became j the whole of Friendly Cove, for which he gave 
 the ally of England. This, sir, is briefly the liis- | them some sheets of copper, and other trifling ar- 
 tory of the INooika convention. The next inrpiiry | tides. Meares's own journal, pages 113-14, has 
 is to determine the true intent and menninj^ of this ■ the following entry: 
 
 treaty by the ordinary rules ^. construction. Of | "A present, consisting of copper, iron, and 
 what nature is tliis convention? Is it commercial I « other jrratifying articles, was made to the cliicfs 
 or ttrritorial? What effect has it upon the ultimate j ' Marpiiilaand Callicum, who, on receiving it, took 
 territorial riglits of the [)arties? I shall only notice ; ' off their sea-otter garments, threw them, in the 
 so much of it as tends to form the issue I made, j 
 tluit our title to Oregon, south of Niotka, is abso- i 
 lute and clear. Our title north of that has been too I 
 
 ' most graceful manner, at our feet, and remained, 
 ' in the unaitired garb of nature, on the deck." — 
 Toj/ogf, ;). 113-14. 
 
 Not a word about land. And also, on page 114, 
 llie followinir: 
 
 «' Maquilla had not only most readily consented 
 ' to grant us a spot of ground in his territory, 
 
 often and ably argued to require any aid of mine. 
 The first and second articles of this convention 
 provides " that the buildings and tracts of land of 
 'wliich British subjects were possessed in April, 
 
 ' 1739, shall be restored, compensation made for i ' whereon a house miglit be built for the accom- 
 ' ships or merchandise of British subjects, which | ' modation of the people we intended to leave there; 
 ' may have been seized or taken from tliem in ] » but had promised us also his assistance in for- 
 '1789." The fifth article, and most material one, I ' warding our works, and his protection of the 
 is as follows: i < party, who were destined to remain at Nootka 
 
 "Art. 5. It is agreed, that, as well in the I ' during our absence. In return for this kindness, 
 ' places which are to be restored to the British j « the chief was presented with a pair of pistols, 
 ' subjects, by virtue of the first arti(;lc, as in all i ' which he had regarded with an eye of solicitude 
 ' other parts of the northwestern coasts of North | ' ever .since on inival." — Toyftgr, p. 114. 
 ' America, or of the islands adjacent, situated to j Wliaf, then, becomes of Mr. Duffiu's evidence.' 
 ' the north of the coast alr>\'idy o'ccufiied by Spain, ; Is it prcjbable that Meares, in 1788, .sailing as a free 
 ' wliercver the subjects of the two Powers shall i trader under Portuguese colors, would buy lands 
 ' have made settlements s-ince the month of April, i in the name of Euirland ? Meares's ov/n journal 
 ' 17c9, or shall hereafter make any, the subjects of contradicts Duffin,and shows that he never bought 
 ' the oilier shall have free access, and shall carry any land, but that he merely had the privilege of 
 'on their trade, without any disturbance or moles- building a vessel on a small lot of ground. In this 
 'tation." state of the case, Cluadra very justly maintained 
 
 (The sixth article refers to South America.) | that Meares never po.sse.ssed any houses or lands at 
 To execute this convention, Britain appointed ' Nootka. He admitted, that by the convention, 
 Vancouver and Spain Q.uadra, two distini^uished I England had a joint right with Spain to make set- 
 navigators. Tiicy met at Nootka in August, 1792, tlemi'iUs and trade north of Nootka, but not south, 
 each under instructions from his Government, ' After long negotiations, these commissioners could 
 but neither I'ul any description of the " lands or ! not agree. The case was referrcil back to their 
 houses" to be restored, or any evidence tliat Brit- I respective Governments, with the evidence they 
 ish sulyects had ever been possessed or dispossess- I had taken, for further instructions; having agreed 
 
12 
 
 thntNootkft should in the mean time he consiileicil 
 a Spanish sctticniont, and to romaiii in tiio jios- 
 Bcssioii of Spain. In OctobtM-, Vancouver left 
 .Nootka. In 1794, he a2;ain visited Noolka, and 
 found I]|-iii:adier Alva, a S|)anisii olTic.er, in pnsse.s- 
 sion and conmiand of tlie place; Cinadra in the 
 mean time havini; died. Vam-uiivcr ii.ivini; re- 
 ceived no furtlierinstriulinns fniniliisGoviTiiiTient, 
 he returned iioine in 171)4. Tiierc is no autiienii<'. 
 evidence lliat Nootka ever passed from tlie jios- 
 se.«!sion of Spain to that of Rn;;!and. Ik'Isham, 
 a iJritisli iiislorian, .says tliat the Spanisli fia^^ 
 never was strucl<, and ihat the torritnry was vir- 
 tually aliandonedl)y the En<;lish. What inlcri^ri:- 
 tation was p;iven to the convention hy British 
 statesmen after its adoption ? I,et them sj.cak for 
 thenisclves. (sharks .Tames Fox, opiiosini; the 
 convention, says: " What did we oUject to Ijcfore 
 ' the convention hut to the indefinite claims of 
 ' Spanish America.' Tliat ohjection still remains, 
 ' for the limits of Sjianish America were .still un- 
 ' defined." 
 
 " Thus we liad girrn up all r\e;ht to srttle, except 
 ' for temporary purj^oses, In the south of the Spmiif-h 
 ' settlcincnls, or in the intervals belii'cen them, if they 
 ' hapjiened to lie distant. We had olttaiiied an ad- 
 ' mission of our ri^ht to settle to the north, and 
 ' even tliat we had not olitained with clearness. 
 ' As Spanisli settlcmcnis were the only mark of 
 ' limits, s'lppose we were to meet with one farther 
 ' to the north than wo expected, and a disjuitf; were 
 ' to arise, whether it was new or old, it would 
 ' be some diiricultv to .send out our builders to de 
 'e,ide,"&e.— ;). 995. 
 
 What was the reply of William Pitt, then 
 Prime Minister of Ena;land, and the. defender of 
 the convention? lie .says: "Althouf,^h Britain had 
 acquired no new ri!,Hits,shc certainly had acijuired 
 new advautaijes."' Thus, sir, it will he seen that 
 Fox, Pitt, and duadra, put upon the ,'itli article of 
 that convention the same constructifin we now [)ut 
 upon it — the oidy true one its lanijuasi^e will admit 
 of: which is, that Britain had precludeii herself 
 from claimiiii^ any territorial rights situate to the 
 .south of the parts of said coast already (October, 
 1790) occupied by vSpain, and had secured nothini,' 
 but a joint right with Sj)ain to trade in the country 
 north of the most northerly Spanish settlements 
 on that coast, lea. -ing the question of sovereignty 
 ill abeyance. If, then, I have shown that there 
 was a Spanish settlement at Nootka on the 28tli 
 day of October, 1790, that John Meares liad " no 
 tracts of land or liouses" there to be surrendered, 
 and that the possession of the Spanish fort and 
 settlement at Nootka never passed from Sjiain to 
 Britain, the conclusion must follow that our Span- 
 ish title alone is good against Britain U[) to that 
 point — she, by the terms of the convention, hav- 
 ing relinquished all territorial rights south of that 
 place. If Great Britain had no title South of Noot- 
 ka in 1790, she has none now, she has ac(|uircd none 
 since; and we take up the question of title at this 
 time — so far as we rely upon our Spanish title — 
 just where Florida Blanca, the Spanish Minister, 
 left it in 1790. On the 5ih day of April, 11S24, a 
 treaty was concluded between the United States 
 and Russia, by which the division line lietween 
 their territories in Oregon waa fixed at 5 J° 40' — 
 
 Russia on the north, and the United States on th(> 
 
 ' .south, of that line. Theri, .sir, the rights (,f all 
 
 chiiinants in Oregon have been (jxtinguished, and 
 
 acquired by the Uniti'd States, except that of the 
 
 Knglisii; ami she herself has thrice graiUi-d them 
 
 ;\way to others, from whom wc have a< (piired 
 
 them. In the sixU'cnth century, she granted all the 
 
 rights she then had to iier colonies, and confirmed 
 
 the grant at the treaty of 17K;J. In 1714, she 
 
 grantt:d all to Fr.ance south ol' 49°, and wc now 
 
 own that. In 1790, she extinguished her claims 
 
 south of Nootka, acknowledging the right to be 
 
 , in Spain, and we now hold Spain's riirhis. Add 
 
 to these our own title by discovery and setilenient, 
 
 and by explorations, contiguity, and inevitable 
 
 destiny, and you have before you the Anii'rican 
 
 title to Oregon, which vests in the United States 
 
 : the absolute and exclusive title south of Ni>otka, 
 
 i and also the l>ctter title north of iliat point. Sir, 
 
 : wt! hold too clear and strong a title to Ore^jon to be 
 
 j bullied out of it, and too high and valuable a her- 
 
 ; itage there to be bought out. 
 
 Mr. Chairman, two things yet rem:iin to be brief- 
 
 ' ly consideri;d; first, our conventional stipulation.-j 
 
 ! with England touching Oregon ; and, sei-ondly, 
 
 ; some of the objections urged against the passage of 
 
 ! this resolution. Our conventional sli|mlations, 
 
 : what are they .' I will endeavor to show. At the 
 
 Ghent treaty, in 1814, amongst other important 
 
 national questions which were left unsettled, Wiis 
 
 I our northwestern l)()undary. Shortly after that 
 
 i time, negotiations v.pon that subj(>c,t were renewed, 
 
 ! and continued up to the year 1818, without arriving 
 
 ! at any satisfactory conclusion. On tlhe i20lh of Oc- 
 
 I tober of that year, a convention for the joint use 
 
 of the territory was concluded between the United 
 
 States and Great Britain, to prevent difficulty and 
 
 collision between the citizens and subjects of the 
 
 two countries who might inhabit that country, until 
 
 the question of tith; should be settled by their rc- 
 
 ' spective GovormneiUs: of which conveiitioa the 
 
 j third article is as follows: « 
 
 j " It is agreed that any country that may be 
 
 j ' claimed by either party on the northwest coast of 
 
 j ' America, westward of the Stony Mountains, 
 
 I ' sliaii, together with its harbors, bays, and creeks, 
 
 j ' and the navigatini of all rivers within the same, 
 
 I ' be free and open for the term of ten years from 
 
 1 ' the date of the signature of the present coii- 
 
 ' vention, to the vessels, citizens, and subjects of 
 
 ' the two Powers: it being well understood that 
 
 ' this agreement is not to be construed to the 
 
 ' prejudice of any claim which either of the two 
 
 ' liigh contracting parties may have to any part 
 
 ' (jf the said country, nor shall it be taken to aU'ect 
 
 ' the claims of any other Power or State to any 
 
 ' ))art of the said country; the o.ily olijcct of the 
 
 ' high contra(;ting parlies, in that respect, being to 
 
 ' prevent disj^utes and dilferences among thcm- 
 
 '. selves." 
 
 This convention of joint use continued in force 
 near ten years more of* fruitless negotiation; when, 
 on the 6lh day of August, 18:27, another conven- 
 tional agreement was made by the negotiators of 
 the two Gover.nments. By tin; first article of th ; 
 convention of 18:27, tin; third article of the con- 
 vention of 1818 was extended indefuiittty. The 
 second article provides that either of the contract- 
 
 m 
 
1 
 
 Siatns on i\^(^ 
 riiiliLs (,f all 
 
 IL^'uisllC'd, (liul 
 
 I. tli.il uf the 
 !;niiit(^d tlicin 
 ;iV(! ar([iiire(] 
 granted all the 
 nd coiifirmod 
 111 1714, she 
 I and \vc now 
 d iiir clahiKs 
 e ri^ht to he 
 riirlus. Add 
 1(1 sciilcnuMit, 
 lid iiH'vitahJe 
 lie American 
 United States 
 1 of Nootka, 
 '. point. Sir, 
 Oregon to be 
 iuahle a iier- 
 
 iri to he hrief- 
 I sti|)iilationd 
 d, secondly, 
 he |)as.sa2;e of 
 
 stipulations, 
 low. At the 
 er iin|iortant 
 nsettled, was 
 ly after that 
 ore renewed, 
 hoiit arrivinjjj 
 m; :2Uih of Oc- 
 tlie joint use 
 m the United 
 lirtk'ulty and 
 hjects of the 
 ountry, until 
 
 by their re- 
 iivei.tioa the 
 
 luit may be 
 ^vest coast of 
 Mountains, 
 , and creeks, 
 in the same, 
 years from 
 iresent eon- 
 subjects of 
 erstood tlial 
 ■iM'd to the 
 of the two 
 t'i any part 
 ken to allect 
 tate to any 
 bject of the 
 ect, beinjj to 
 iioni,' llicm- 
 
 led in force 
 itioii; when, 
 
 er coiiven- 
 i:;otiators of 
 •tide of th ; 
 
 if the eon- 
 ii;</iy. The 
 le contract- 
 
 13 
 
 ing parties can, at any time after the 20th of Octo- 
 ber, 1838, by j;^ivin£;the other party twelve montlis 
 notice, annul and abrop;ate tiiat convention. 
 
 The third article provides tlint nothing contained 
 in this convention shall be so construed as in any 
 manner to affect the claims that cither party may 
 have to any territory west of tlie Rock y Mountains. 
 This convention settled no territorial rights of sov- 
 ereignty or soil, but was a mere temporary ex[)e- ; 
 dierit; leaving by its own terms the (juestion of 
 territorial limits and title in abeyance. At)rngate ; 
 this convention, and in what situation do you place 
 the riglils of the United States in Oregon .' Sir, we 
 will then be restored to the enjoyment of our ri'^hts 
 as they were on the (Uh day of October, ]y]8, and 
 on that day we had not only the right of properly • 
 and the right of possession, but the actual posses- 
 sion. On the 14th day of February, 181^, it was ' 
 admitted by Lord Casilereairh that we had a riglit 
 to be reinstated in the [xissession of Astoria, and to 
 be the jiarty in possession while treating of the 
 title, and for whicn purjiose his written order was ; 
 issued; which was duly executed by delivering to ' 
 us the possession of Astoria and the Columbia on 
 the Cih of October following. But unfortunately 
 for American interest in Oregon, on the 20th of tlie , 
 same month this convention of joint use was made ' 
 nt London, without knowledge that Astoria had 
 been surrendered, and by which Great Britain was 
 allowed the joint use of all the country ehiimed by 
 Us west of the Rocky Mountains, together with the ' 
 harbors, bays, creeks, and navigable rivers thereof. ■ 
 Had Great Britain any rivers, harbors, bays, 
 creeks, or territory, there, for us to possess in com- ; 
 mon with her? No, sir. There was but one great I 
 river there, which drains all Oregon, and that is , 
 the Columbia. Great Britain admitted our right | 
 to the possession of that stream, and by her written l 
 order we obtained it fourteen days before this con- 
 vention was signed. Great Britain liad no harbors, 
 bays, or creeks, in Oregon for us to enjoy in com- 
 mon with her. Tlie convention, in its inception, 
 was altogether one-sided. Wc gave all, and got 
 nothing. Sir, I want this convention abrogated. I 
 desire to be freed from its trammels, and that our 
 Country be restored to the riglits she possessed be- 
 fore its adoption. What has been the practical 
 efi'ect of tliis convention r Wiiy, sir, it has brought 
 Us nothing but the bitter fruits of disappointment. 
 It drove our citizens from Oregon, and converted 
 American soil into a British province. It gave to 
 the Hudson's Bay Company the exclusive jkisscs- 
 lion of Oregon, and the undisturbed emoyment of 
 its trade and commerce for a quarter of^^a century. 
 It deprived us of the benefits of the rcstonuion of 
 Astoria under the treaty of Glient. It rendered 
 atill more complicated our difficulties with Eng- 
 land: it added new coloring to lier pretensions, by 
 lapse of time, and she now sets up against us that 
 by it we admitted she had rights in tliat country. 
 Sir, it has been the source of unmitigated evil to 
 diir interests in Oregon, and for a time destroyed 
 dl we had there, except our right to the country. 
 These, sir, are the fruits of this convention and 
 **maKlerly inactivitiy for a quarter of a century. 
 
 Mr. Chairman, we have tried masterly inactivity 
 long enough. We want no more of it. We now 
 Want a little masterly activity. Up to the year 
 
 181B, the greater part of the trade of that country 
 was in the hands of American citizens; but tho 
 uii[)rotected citizen, under the operations of this 
 joint-use convention and the withering influence of 
 masterly inactivity, was unable to withstand tho 
 encroachmcnl.s of the Hudson's Bay Company, 
 backed uj) and supported by the masterly activity 
 of the British Government; and thus the exclusive 
 possession and trade of the country fell into the 
 hands of that company. Since 1837, our Govern- 
 ment has turned its attention to Oregon. Our 
 western pioneers, encouraged by the action of Gov- 
 ernment, connneiu'cd as early as 18.39 to return to 
 Oregon. .As the measures of the Government pro- 
 gressed, the tide of emigration increased, until we 
 now have in Oregon some seven thousand citizens, 
 wfio have formed llDurishiiig settlemciita at Willa- 
 mette and Wallawalla, and claim our protection. 
 We can grant them no adequate, permanent, or 
 exclusive riijiits or lumie.', until this convention is 
 abrogated. But, say gentlemen, if you give this 
 notice, you will iiroducc a war. Tliat caa afford 
 no just cau.se of a war. It is a treaty stipulation, 
 and we have a right to exercise it at all times, and so 
 can Great Britain. But, say they, what will you 
 do then? Why, sir, we will extend our laws and 
 jurisdiction over ourcitizcns in Oregon, and throw 
 around them the sliield and protection of the Gov- 
 ernment. Can Great Britain com[iIain at this? 
 Certainly not. What has she done for iicr Hud- 
 son's Bay Company? In lG6i), King Charles 71, 
 of England, granted a charter to this company *o 
 trade on Hudson's Bay. This company increased 
 in power and importance, and stretched itself across 
 the northern region of this Continent. In 1819, 
 by the influence of the British Parliament, the 
 Northwest Company was united with, and now 
 forms a part of, the Hudson's Bay Company. On 
 the 21st day of December, 1821, by an act of Par- 
 liamem. Great Britain granted to this Hudson's 
 Bay Company the exclusive privilege of the trade 
 and commerce of Oregon for twenty years, down 
 even to the Mexican line, excepting from that 
 grant only the right of American citizens to trade 
 in conmion with that company, under the conven- 
 tion ; and by the same act .sue extended her laws and 
 jurisdiction over Oregon, estalilished her judicial 
 triliunals therewith civil and criminal jurisdiction. 
 In 1838, that privilege was continued for twenty- 
 one years more. Yes, sir; British laws liave been 
 in full force in Oregon, ever since 1821, and are 
 yet in full force tiicre. True, they do not attempt 
 to enforce their criminal laws against our citizens; 
 but the Hudson Bay Company found other means 
 just as efTectuai to drive our citizens out of the 
 country. Sir, our citizens have now returned to 
 Oregon, they demand our protection: and will we 
 give it? Yes, sir, we will; but wc will go no 
 further with our laW; whilst this convention ex- 
 ists, than Britain has gone. But, sir, two separate 
 and independent sovereignties cannot long co-exist 
 in peace in tlie same territory. Again, wc are ask- 
 ed, will you csUiMish your forts? I answer, yes. 
 We will estalilish a cordon of block-houses and 
 stockade forts, from tlie upper Missouri to the 
 Rocky Mountiiins, for the protection of emigrants, 
 granting prospective pre-emptions of lands to set- 
 tle, at each fort, that provisions irwiy be supplied j 
 
14 
 
 I 
 
 and wc will place there, our mounfed riflemen, to i 
 pro^c('t tlicm. Can Britain complain of this? No,' 
 sir. Wc are told she lias now thirty forts in Ore- ! 
 con, upon which floats the banner of St. George, j 
 Should our citizens settle and improve the coun- . 
 try, Britain cannot complain. She has nindo n ' 
 ficttlement at Pugct Sound, in latitude 47°, on the ■ 
 most inland arm of the sea, and which is destined | 
 to lie one of the greatest commercial emporiums I 
 in that cotintry. Sir, some gentlemen, who, but ' 
 a few weeks since were as brave as Caesar, when a ' 
 certain other territorial question was pending, whii-h | 
 has now been happily consummated, .«aid to the ; 
 helmsman of the snip of State, "»/Vc Hnus Cainarem ! 
 ff/m," and who were then ready and willing, not ; 
 •inly to fight England and France, for their interfer- i 
 encc, but to fight " the world in arms," have by 
 some unseen and mysterious influence, almost in the ! 
 twinkling of an eye, become the converts to peace ! 
 nud the alarmists of power. A change has come 
 over the spirit of their dream. Sir, for the last five 
 v.'ceks, at the opening of our session, every morning 
 a British lion has been introduced into this Hall, to 
 shake his gory locks in our faces, and awe us into 
 submission. Shall we take counsel of our fears, 
 and surrender at discretion ? Sir, that beast, pow- 
 erful as he may be, is not invincible. Had Sam- 
 son taken counsel of his fears, he never would 
 have met and slain (he beast, and won and wore the 
 prize of his achievement, or sipped honey from 
 the prostrate carcass of this monster king of the 
 forest. 
 
 Gentlemen hr.v-e not stopped here with their 
 pictures of to-, or. They have told us of the vast 
 dominions of British possessions; that the sun 
 never rises or sets upon her dominions; uo matter 
 in what clime, her banner floats in the breeze, 
 and the peals of her drum greet the ear around 
 the circle of the glolie. They have counted her 
 ships and numbered her cannon and her battalions 
 of infantry. They have told us she holds the strong 
 places on every continent, and the commanding 
 islands on every .sea; that Giliraltar, INTuIta, and the 
 Dardanelles, are hers; St. Helena, Good Hope, the 
 Indies and China, are her outposts; the Bermudas 
 in the Atlantic, the Sandwich and Falkland Ishnds 
 in the Pacific, were her resting places, within stri- 
 king distance of our shores. That she encircles 
 us on the north and east by the Canadas, New 
 Brunswick, and Nova Scotia; and, to appease her 
 rapacity for dominion, we arc now to give her 
 Oregon, and thus to shut ourselves out from the 
 Pacific, and hem us in on the west. Are lliese 
 the arguments of American statesmen, in an Amer- 
 ican Congress? No, sir, they arc the arguments 
 of fear. Yes, the very arguments the British 
 Government desire to hear. Create alarm and di- 
 vision at home, and encourage her obstinately to 
 press her pretensions : you accomplish for her 
 what she cannot accomplish for herself. You hear 
 no such arguments in lier councils; her advocates 
 and alarmists appear to be on this side the water. 
 Sir, is it possible t?\.t that rock-girt speck of an 
 "ocean isle," lashed by the waves of a northern 
 sea, can hold the world in chains, and the nations 
 of the east in fear and bondage ! That she has 
 power, will not be denied; but that she is invinci- 
 nle, cannot be admitted. The giant monster, clad 
 
 in his panoply of steel, was slain by the striplin;- 
 shepherd boy. Sir, what mean these arguments 
 of gcnthinen? Do they tend to prove our title or 
 dis{irove the claims of Britain? No, sir. Why, 
 then , are they used ? They are the echo, in words, 
 of the same arguments by which the British Gov- 
 ernment intends to force her demands, by the pro- 
 mulgation of her military preparations. They an 
 the arguments of arms, which silence the voice of 
 reason and coerce submission to unjust and un- 
 founded demands. Who ever knew Britain tn 
 negotiate on any important question, for centuries 
 past, without first arming, and promulgating to th' 
 world that she was armed? History doeu not fur- 
 nish an instance. Sir, how and by what means 
 has she extended her dominions? In the very 
 same manner and by the same means she now 
 seeks to get Oregon. Some straggling smuggler, 
 such as .T<ihn Meares, or some marauding free- 
 booter, as Drakc,eitlier by choice or accident, lands 
 upon some unsettled shore; remains a short timr 
 for temporary purposes of trade or repairs; he 
 takes possession of the country in the name of hi.-; 
 sovereign. No matter who has discovered or cx- 
 jilored the place before him, he returns to England 
 with a long and false account of important discove- 
 ries. England wants the country ; she makes a grant 
 to some colony or corporation; if their intrusion bo 
 resisted by another nation, upon better title, Eng- 
 land arms, and then proposes negotiation; but ii 
 her claim be too new and fragile at that time tn 
 bear investigation, or she is otherwise eiigagwl, a 
 final division of territory and adjustment of claims 
 is waived for the present. Some diplomatic con- 
 vention is proposed and agreed upon, by whicli 
 Britain is kept in possession, and in which art 
 artfully interwoven extensive terms and complica- 
 i ted conditions, to form the germs of future contro- 
 j versy. For, sir, it has become a maxim that Bri 
 ] tain never makes a treaty without planting in it the 
 I seeds of its own dissolution Time rolls on. Hei 
 claims, Ijy time and circumstances, ripen into what 
 ; she then calls treaty rights; she refuses to go back 
 of her conventions, plants herself upon them, in- 
 ' sists uptm the execution of their terms as she con- 
 strues them. If she cannot entirely monoiiolizo 
 the country, at some convenient time tor her slu 
 ! renews negotiations to settle boundaries, projioscs 
 I arbitrary and unfair lines as a compromise, with- 
 1 out regard to the justice or injustice of the origin 
 I of her claims. If her demands be not yielded lo, 
 she arms, publishes in her gtizettes that her fleets 
 are equipped, her garrisons supplied, the regiments 
 filled, and tlien shakes her trident at the world, 
 and demands a categorical answer, and thus co- 
 erces negotiation, and she dictates the terms of the 
 treaty, always being sure to have the lion's share. 
 She now attempta to make that experiment upon 
 us. Will wc submit? She has planted heivselt 
 upon the Nootka convention, and construes it in 
 her own way, without ever looking to the entire 
 want of any just claims to base it upon. In 1788, 
 Jolin Meares,a Portuguese smuggler, visits Nootkn 
 and builds a boat. In 1790 John Meares is chan- 
 ged into a British lieutenant, and his claims have 
 grown into "tracts of land and houses." In 1815 
 this claim luvs ripened into a national right, and 
 that too without either settlement or possession. 
 
s 
 
 15 
 
 liy the striplin;- 
 lese arguincms 
 ove our title or 
 fo, sir. Why, 
 eclio, in words, 
 he Britisli Gov- 
 iiis, by the pro- 
 ons. They an 
 rice the voice of 
 unjust and un- 
 new Britain tc 
 )n, for centuries 
 mulgnting to til' 
 iry doea not fur- 
 by wiint means 
 ? In tlie very 
 ncans she now 
 i,'ling smuggler, 
 maruudin;]; free- 
 r accident, lands 
 ins a short tinif 
 or repairs; he 
 tlie name of hit^ 
 iscovered or ex- 
 ,urna to England 
 portantdiscove- 
 be makes a grant 
 heir intrusion be 
 jetlcr title, Eng- 
 gotiation; but if 
 at that time tn 
 wise engagwi, a 
 stment of claims 
 diplomatic con- 
 upon, by which 
 (1 in which arc 
 IS and coniplica- 
 if future contro- 
 maxim that Bri 
 )lanting in it the 
 e rolls on. Hei 
 ripen into what 
 \iscs to go back 
 upon them, in- 
 rnis as she con- 
 .'ly mon(>i)oliz( 
 ime for her she 
 laries, proposes 
 npromise, with- 
 ce of the origin 
 not yielded to, 
 s that her fleets 
 d, the regiments 
 at the world 
 and thus co- 
 the terms of the 
 he lion's share, 
 speriment upon 
 planted henself 
 construes it in 
 iig to the entire 
 jpon. In 1788. 
 r, visits Nootkn 
 VIeares is chan- 
 his claims have 
 laes." In 181.3 
 oiial right, and 
 or possession. 
 
 In 1845 it h.is grown into a joint r'^ht; a tenantry 
 in common in an empire territory at nine hundred 
 niiir.s in extent, of which she now demands par- 
 tition. 
 
 Sir, the possession of a large part of the Brit- 
 ish empire was acquired by the terror of her arms; 
 and is held at this day by the same tenure; with her 
 metals in cannon and in coin she frightens the 
 timid and bribes the venal. Her long career of 
 national aggression has justly entitled her to the 
 appellation of " plunderer of nations and the rob- 
 ber of the world." Sir, I would not be so unwise 
 as to underrate the power of her arms or the dii)lo- 
 macy of her Cabinet. I would carefully study the 
 prowess of her achievements, the strength of her 
 arms, the history of her aggressions, the princi- 
 
 ()les of her policy, and the mode of its execution; 
 )Ut never, sir, no, never! while I had a country 
 of my own, or a heart to love it, would I become 
 the eulogist of her grealne.ss, the jiander of her 
 interests, or the apologist of her crimes. No, sir; 
 rather would I turn to the historic pages of our 
 revolutionary sires, who achieved our independ- 
 ence and founded our institutions, and learn frcmi 
 them the price of our national freedom, and the 
 true principles of policy to preserve them. Rather 
 would I contemplate the glory of our achieve- 
 ments by land and sea in the war of 1812. Rather 
 would 1 trace the growth of our ])owcr and the 
 perfection of our policy from that tune to the pres- 
 <'nt, and carefully examine and compare our pres- 
 ent strength with that of our adversary, and then 
 calcul ite the chances of success. It is alike un- 
 wise to exalt or depreciate the power of your ad- 
 versary, or vaingloriously to boast or cowardly to 
 disparage your own. 
 
 Mr. Chairman, one passing remark. Should I 
 ever be so unfortunate, cither by choice, accident, 
 or in obedience to the behcstof some superior lead- 
 er, as to find myself placed upon the nnti-American 
 side of any great national question, I trust I shall 
 never seek extrication from that position by avail- 
 ing myself of the aid of any of that ephemeral 
 ."spawn of venal scribblers, who infest every capitol 
 and pollute every paper. But, sir, some gof tlemcn 
 tell us this Is a President-making question. I have 
 but a .■'ingle remark upon that subject. If any of 
 the aspirants to the succession, or their friends, 
 seek })romoti'"' ♦o that high office by gambling 
 
 with the right.s of their country, or the integrity of 
 her soil, upon the political chessboard, they will 
 find the waysides of the road to the White House 
 streveil with dead politicians. The American peo- 
 ple will never by their auflVagcs elevate any man 
 to office, who won d promote his own personal 
 a^graiiJizeinrnt by abandoning or sacrificing the 
 interests of his country. Sir, we are told that thia 
 is a westi.rn question, and that western men com- 
 pose a war party. What advantage does the West 
 gain by maintaining our rights in Ore.gon, more 
 than the East.' None, sir, none. Nay more, the 
 eastern cities would be the largest gainers. When 
 the means of communication and the channels of 
 trade are opened up and established, connecting 
 the Atlantic cities vith those of the Pacific, and 
 these commercial points are bound together by the 
 ties of interest, of kindred, nnd of blood, will not 
 the commercial men of the East have a much great- 
 er iutoreU in Oregon than the agriculturists of the 
 western valley.' 
 
 Sir, the western people are a peaceable people; 
 they de.sire no unjust war, no war of aggression. 
 They full well know and appreciate the devasta- 
 tions and horrors of war, and also the blessings of 
 peace. They rejoice in the maintenance of that 
 peace; but, sir, it is not with the joy of fear. They 
 would forbear long and endure much before they 
 would destroy our peaceful relations with the 
 world. But they will never consent to purchase 
 that peace, dear as it may be, by a sacrifice of na- 
 tional honor or national interest. 
 
 Mr. Chairman, we say to those gentlemen, be 
 just, and fear not; ascertain clearly the extent of 
 our just rights in that country; demand no more, 
 take no less; "ask nothing but what is clearly 
 right, submit to nothing that is wrong." And we 
 say further to them, that the friends of Oregon 
 will never consent to barter one acre of it.s soil, 
 nor one tree of its forests, to which we have a good 
 title, for coiton-hogs or corn-laws, calico prints, cod' 
 fish, or fancy slocks. But should war come of this — 
 should the sword once be drawn — I would advise 
 my countrymen to throw away the scabbard, and 
 never sheath that sword until the last bloody 
 track of the British lion was blotted out from 
 American soil, nnd his last talon cut loose from 
 the continent. He is at best but an unwelcome 
 and damrerous neighbor.