IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) . signifie "A SUIVRE ", le symboie V signifie "FIN". Meps, plates, charts, etc., may be filmed at different reduction ratios. Those too large tu be entirely included in one exposure are filmed beginning in the upper left hand corner, left to right end top to bottom, as many frames as required. The following diagrams illustrate the method: Les cartes, planches, tableaux, etc., peuvent dtre filmis A des taux de reduction diffArents. Lorsque le document est trop grand pour dtre reproduit en un seul cliche, il est film^ A partir de I'angle supdrieur gauche, de gauche d droite, et de haut en bas, en prenant le nombre d'images ndcessaire. Les diagrammes suivants illustrent la mithode. 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 3p ^ CoUectLorv H( -6 !f * A SPEECH ot HON. EGBERT SMITH, OF ILLINOIS, ON THE OREGON QUESTION. DELIVERED IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 184G WASHINGTON : PRINTED AT THE OFFICE OF BLAIR AND RIVES. 1846. %<.l THE OREGON QUESTION. j in captiiriii'j: ilic Drilish pus't at llic anricnt town of IvasUiiskia, and C'iin|"llcd tlic I'rniJ.s of St. George to i;ivc place to the stars and stripes of our l)f;lov«;d j eonffdrracy. Hut fir the sa,',^ar,ity, tntcrprise, and I patriotism of General Clark and liis irallant nssoc.i- ' ates, one of tlic fairest and richest portions of tlii:-! rVio RpKolution reported hy tlic C(jnmuttec on For- eign Affairs direetin;:: notice of twelve months to be !i;ivcn to terniinatc the Convention with Great I'ritain for the joint occujiati(m of Oregon, be- inir under consideration in Committee of the Whole on the state of the Union: Mr. 8.MITII addressed the committee as follow;^: I Union mi-ht still have been a dependency of Great Mr. CiiAiriMAK-: In risinir at thislate sta-jeof the ' I^''"'i"i- ^ he people ot that re-iun .mdol the North- debate, on the proposition now before the commit- i we.-tern States will ever keep in vivid remembrance 'ee, I have neither the vanity nortlie eirotism to suii- I ''''"^t 'l"-y "Wf the blessmv^s of the liberty and free- pose that I can say much that is new, or that will 1 ''""' ^"''""''i t'"T '>"^\' "^".i"! t'» tl»e success of Gen- tle interesting to those who may hear me; and could I f,'''^' Clark's expedition. Tiiey ].arlakc largely of I be certain that llie resolution introduced by the ' " honorable chairman of the Committee on Foreign Affairs would pas.s this Hmisc without any amend- iiuiits, and ' t it would be followed by the pas- sage of appi riate bills to protect and seciux oiir rights, and tli' e of oui' settlers in Oregon, and all who are dispos' 'I to emigrate thither, I would con- lent myself with simply voting for all such meas- ures, and refiain from troubling the committee with a speecdi at this time. But as .some doubt seems to exist in relation to this matter, I feel it a duty I owe both to myself and to those who gave me a seat in this House, to express my views boldly iind fiarli'sshj nn this great American question. I agree with the venerable gentleman from Massa- clnisctts [Mr. Aiiams] and other gentlemen, who say that this is one of the most important questions which ever lias, or ever will, come before nn Ameri- can Congress. And, .sir, let me tell gentlov.on that such is the magnitude of this question, and so strong and deep are the convictions of the people ihrou^-hout the length and breadth of th' country, ihai the whole of the territory called Oregon (in- cluded within the parallels of 4:2'^an(! '14'-^ 40' north latitude) belongs to the United State. ; and that the settlement and occupation of that v;luable territory are of the utmost importance to ti.e prosperity and that spirit of ad\entiu'c which characterized the actors ill th;it noble enterprise. They know well, sir, the ]ierils and hardships incident to the .settle- ment of a new country, and to their defence against the depredations of a savage foe. Many of them, too, while fighting under the command of the im- mortal Jackson and the gallant Johnson, gained an exiierience that enabled them to bear witness that the tender mercy of the British and Indian warfare is cruelty refined; but, sir, they "ould hurl with scorn tVom theliigh places of ])owerrt(iiy public ser- vant who would shrink from the maintenance of the ritxltls and linnor of the nation, or from the de fence, to the very last, of every inch of territory which of right belong.s to us, even though it were a barren rock or steril sands. Our right and title to the Oregon territory has t'or years occupied tlio attention of our wisest and most enlightened states- men and jurists. They have spoken, written, and published the result of their investigations upon the subject, and spread them abroatl througlnmt the land. The peojilc have read and maturely re- flected upon this ([ueslioii, and they have deliber- ately decided that the territory is our.s, and should be (lefeiided, if need be, (in the language of Jack- son,) at the "cannon's mouth." The (lueslion of title has lieen so ably and fully harmony of the whole Uni(m, 'uid to the; perma- j discussed, that I will not go into an elaborate ex- nency of our republican form of government; that | position of it. As it is acknowledged by all that it will, like a mighty avalancli(\ overwhelm, or/io- j Spain first discovered the northwest coast of Anier- I'dically bury, all who obstruct or oppose the meas- ica, and as we. by the *' Florida treaty of l''eb- nres necessiuy for the consummation of this great ' ruary, l^i — from that ! discoveries Great ISritain lays some claim to thi.s beautiful and fertile cotuitry irrcstid from the mo- ! territory. And in doing this, I shall xtract from nopolizing grasp of Great I5ritain on the 4ih day of | the able reports of Mr. Cusliing and Mr. Baylies, July, 1778, by tha.. bold, daring, and chivalrous [ and the writings of other distinguished gentlemen soldier, George RogerR Clark, of Viririnia, and j wiio have examined thoroui'-hly the early liislory his intrepid follower,'^. These brave men succeeded i and Kettlemcut of this territory. I " Witlmut r<'l\ ui'j; upon l')o FniUr, and irivins; away »vcii tlw \(>yai;c of Maldojiaiio, %vc liavr aiitlii iiiic pi'ools tliiii '.'ahrillo (nr I''crr('lo) laid fxploic-d ti) latiiudi' V.P in i'A'\\ tl)ai Gali was at ;<7"^ .■)()', if not at 57'^ .■!!)' in i:)V>, ilml ilic S;iii AiiLnistiii wa.s at till' l)ay of San Vranri ^cd in l')!!."); that Juan di- l-'ura fiitrred tlic strait nov iH'arini; ins luuin' in l.')lt;2; and that, in ItiO'i, Viz- caino (that is, Martin de Aguiluf,) suivt'yi'd lliu coast of California as far tip as the river of A^ui- i hir. Bcsidfs which, tlio (muci- coast of California was ixplorcil iinnicdiatcly after the contj- est hy the orders of Cm-tcs mul of Mcnduza, to Cape ; IVIendiii.ino, and was rcpratcdly visited hy lli».' Manilla sliip.-: — to provide a port for wlnan tlie ; ex|)edition ot" V'i/caino was, in part, iiiidertaKi'ii. ' And upon these various discoveries, tind the . tiroximity of tiieir settlenientsi in Mexico, the ; Govenniieiit of Sjiain ]irocceded, in the course of the seventeenth century, "o make or authorize ! seltienienis in New Caiil'ornia, so as to acfjuire j all the territorial rii;lit.s liy whi(di any Eurojiean Government cmm' lias ol)tained original claim to ' sovereiicnty of the soil in Ainerii'a. j " Yet Great Britain sets np (daims of some sort , on the northwest coast, in virtue of the voya'^'-e ; of Sir Fraiii-is Drake, who lain. , in 1570, at a j point on the coast of California, eitlier in the bay of tSan Kraiii'isco, or more jn'ohaiily in that of i Bodeira, hut it is not w(dl settled wliicdi. Sir [ Francis Drake also apjTnaidied the coast in 42 or ; ■i'.i deirrees north, hut without landinir. Due of t)ie accounts of his voyoijp, indeed, (77(o World Encompnssrd,) fays ho went to 4iP north; hut this is incompiatiljie with other parts of the same book, and also with another of the old accounts, (Famons J-V)i/r/n-c.) They tell the story thus: On the ,'kl of June, Drake was in latitude 4iP; on the r)lh, lie made land in latitude 4',P; InU it had then come on cold and tempestuous weather, and he was comiielled to turn back, and so make a harbor in latiti de liS'-^ 31)'. These are the fii^urcs £;iven in the h;>ol:s. In addition to which, it may be stated that Ilackluyt places the limit of J)rakc's voyage at 43*^, and Purchas at 4(P; and that iieither Led yard nor ]l;u-ris carries him beyond the limit of Hackhiyt."— /)'(/(,;//c.s-;( lii'pnrt, p'. If). " Althoui!;li Sir Francis pretended to tiike ]ios- session of the country, and to call it J\hf ,1lbhm, this could amount to notliiii;^ as against Spain, the ]iric,r discoverer. Eiigh.md, by touchins; at New California, coidd nrit ac'[nire any ri^•hts whatever; for whatever ri^lit such an act may be deeincd by the Etiropean conveiitimial law to secure, had already been appropriated hy Spain-. And Spain i also proceeded to do tl!a^ whi(di Eni^-land did not j do, ivnd which, by the same European conven- tional law, is deemed the coiisumnuition of the inchoiiu; title gained by diflcovery: namely, the | formation of settlements in tlie country d'iscov- j ercd. To iwy iioiliiin;-, therefore, of the alisurd- j ity of claiiniiii^ litle for England as against Spain I hy the piratical acts of a jnofessioiial pirate — ■ such as Sir Francis Drake, in most of his cxpe- | ditions alont;; the American coast, was — to say I noihiiio; of this, if Sir Francis Drake had been a i peaceful, oral any rate a jvtst ex])lorcr in behalf | of Enu:land, yet, according even to the most liberal I of all the rules of inlernatioiial law applicable to j his case, liis acts in reality conferred on hia '■ ' Government no territorial rights wliatcver ii, ' America." ' , > * '• Don Juan Pcri'Z set sail from the port of San ' Ijlas, in January, 1774, in the corvittc Santiago 'with Esteiian Jose Maitine,', toi a pilot, having ' orders to n^'omioitre the coa.-a tVom Monleii y I" ' the (Jllih degree of north latitude. They ainhor ' ed in the Road of Noolka in August, ]774,^i/'.s< oy ' all Enropruns, and called it San Lorenzo. It was \fhur yeuifi uflituumh that Cook visited the same ' place, and called it King Ge(n-:rc's Sound." — llumlioldl. ,S\iHV. Esp. torn. i.p. 'VM. '•■ The year following, (177."),) a second expedi- ' lion sailed from San [lias, uhder the ( ders ol ' Don I'.runo Jleceta, Don Juan de Ayala, and ' Don.) nan de la Bodi'ga y Cluadra. The incidents ' of this voyage are known to English readers by ' the journal of the pilot iVhiurellc, published in ' I5arrinirtrojected a voyage of commerce ar-ii ' discovery to the northwest coast of America; at;tt '►Samuel Brown, Charles Biilfinch, John Derby,. ' Croweli Hatch, and Joliii M. Pintard, citizens of ' the United States, became associated with him ' in the enterprise. Two vesseb (the siiip Co- ' linnhia, commanded by John Kendrick, and ' the sloop Washington, by Robert Gray) were ' eqiii|)ped and provided with suitable cargoct= ' for traflic with the natives, and set sail from ' Boston in October, 17H7. This expedition wn.'-. ' regarded with much interest, it being the first 'attempt from the United States to circumnavigaif ' the globe. The Colnmhin arrived at Nootk;- ' Sound the HJtli of Septembei, J788, and tht ' Washington soon af erwards. Here they pro ' ceeded to collect furs. Wmie on the coast, (Jap ' tuin Gray, in the Washington, entered into, and ;s whatever ii. iln port of San rv. rti; iSiiiiti;ii;o :i pilot, liaviiiL: )ia Mniitcrcy t>i 'I'liry iilirlior isi, ]'il-i,Jirsl iij ircn/.o. It \v:if- i^'it(■(l tlie siiiiii ,'(:'s Sound. ■' — I. .second expcdi- ■r till; c. dt'i'.s of di' Ayida, and . 'I'lic iiii'idci'i.-- ;lisli ri'Hilrr.* Iiy le,- |iul)lislii-d in y cxjjlorid llu' tlic first to dis- iluialiia, wliirli -- llvmholitt, luiiu ;ui Pnwer tliat ape ljluni',0, tin ;;uilar, tin; fu'.st nnl)ia river, tin- he fir.st that dis- Liea, and tlic first any part vf the the fortij-nitilli ; tlie prior title covery and by CSC voyage.s are s, whieli so nii- liOj on his tiiird •cd the coast oC Blierinir'.s Strait: insh navigator.s, the ohlcr ones, r any right.s of oreover, Cook'hi lered, uere from lo not toueli the f connected with he posfse.s.sion of be more dis- larrcll, a distiH he State of Mas- ' eomniercc ara) of America; arxl di, JoliiJ Derby, itiird, citizen.') of ciatetl with him 1 (the siiip Co- Kendriek, and ert Gray) were !ui table cari;:oct= d set sail from expedition wot ; being tlie first I eircumnaviirati vcd at Nootk;; J788, and tht Here they pro the coa.7t, ("ap- ntered into, and ' sailed .«!c)me wav bold and iioblo course he jniisiied on ih(> Oreiron ([uestion. Tlio 1 ill of Dr. Linn met the same objection.s we now find ur^ed aiiainst the proposition niuler considera- tion — that it v/as inexpedient to letrislate—that it would excite the indi'j:nation of Great I'rit;iin, and that war v.-ould result: whilst, if we wmild only cea.se to leais'ate, and '.ro on settlim: the country liuietly, it would soon fdl into our hands. Mr. Reiiton, in answer t a some of the oljectious urcred apiinst the bill, and in defence (tf our title, said: " On one point there is unanimity on this floor, 'and that is as to the title to the country in que.s- ' lion. All airree that the lit!e is in the United 'States. On another jioint there is division: and ' that is, on the point of irivinir ofl'ence to Enu:lan(l ' by oranliii'j; the land to our settlers whi'di the bill ' |iroposes: on this point we divide. Some think 'it will ort'end her; some think it will not. For ' my part, I think she will t;ike olfenee, do what ' we mav in relation tf> this territory. She wanta ' it hers("lf, and meinsto quarrel for it, if she does ' not fitrht for it. I think she will take olfenee at ' our liill, and even at our discussion of it." Mr. Reuton further said: " I maintain that the passaixe of this bill, and ' tlKseirrants to tlie s(>t!lfrs,ean irive no just ■iroiuul ' of olfenee to Great Rritain: and this opinion is the ' v^'/itl-o- deduction from the unanimous opinion of ' this Cham'u'r, that the title to the territory is in ' the United Stat(\s." In conclusion, Mr. R'-nton remarked: " 1 i^o n"ir for vindicatiii'j: our rirhts on the Co- ' lumbi.'i. and, as the first step towards it. passini^ 'this bill, and niakinLT these irrants of Land, which ' will soon I'lace thirty or fn-fy thousand rilles bc- ' yond the Roclcy mountains, wlueli will l-e our [ ' ('(Ve'-ti'.e liei'cuia.tors." I Unijland will (bid fmit Vv-iih us, fl> wli.at we may — inere'v f ir enlliug in (jue.s'ioii the British riLiht / I 6 to tlip trrriioi'y; l,rt I,fi!r niu', niii not tolip ilotor- rcil liy any su'Ii (!t)n.^ii!! nitinns. 1 i]<> not know Imt \\v ni.i)' li,-uc ti) (i'jlit for diir ri'ulils; liut no flrciid of siii;li u ( i;!it-. .-i shall cvi ,• opuiMh; t'l i!( icr 1110 fV(nii u Ixilii a.-'scrtion uf our title I am in fa- vor of lliii nnssa'^c of a liill at tlii.-- sission, v.iili a prciuiililc, tli'larin;; l!ic title, to 1)C in tin; Fnitiil iStatcs. That tiilu will ln' (UTtiulcd anil maintained. I nin ready to i;i\(.' prc-emiiiion ri.^lits of land to settlers in On t;iin. Do this, and hardy anti eiiter- jirisitii: settlers will speedily emi^nite to tin? t. rriio- ry, and will jirov" themselves our hest negotiators. [ am au'ainst iirjrotii'ii.in ;u ti:li): that is a field in whieh (.'it::! llriiain has always ijeat y a. id nr.'es.-;;ty of tlic pre- ' amide lo the bill." Mr. Phelps, of Vermont., said: "As a meail)(;r of the select committee, he '[.should .say iluil he did not cuir-'ider the preamble ' In the 1 ill, when pressed by tlie cl,ainii,in, ver ints <• lie was v.nnii'^^to ret.iin it, on tie nere "or fe ' iniporliuit; Ijui ' tjround that it was lleee.s^nry lo siiiisfy tin: pulli' [fV,,, n ' innble, he tl)ouy;lil it better thai it should lie n - ' tained, than that any doubt should be created b\ ' strikiiiL; it out."' All the.s. di minil. Ent iiou- that the subjict had b( i n ih ' ball ll, and a nucslioii put on sirikin;;' out tin I'l' - [| i •.\crt -hose ■lie. • I • I I'CP"' stiiiLiiuslied tef.nators nmied in ad- Vj i miiiini;- that our title was clear and indi.-jiuiabh ; ^f ji„ tl:(;y were, howcM r, oiijiosed to the piiiimble o| n» p Dr. Linn's bill, chii tly becaiuse they ftared that it- (J, ^^ inseriii/ti miuht,in some dei;-ree, jirejudiee our liili i3J;(,i| by seiniiii'4- to expi'e.-s a (loubi on the ^idijea. ^qj^,', WheiRvir our title conies lo be I'ully examined . ^j .^^ all doubt oil the subject must cmne to an end ^q j, Senator Linn's bill |r,.ss<'d the Senate by ;i ^''yiunib lar^'e inajori'y. This fact, and the ai.;nnien;.- j^y,,.^, urii-ed in its fivor, are deserving,' of some eoiisid pQ,.|j. eratioii. [ will relVr to the eiiiineiit Senator iVom [ipi,,;. South Caii.lina, [Mr. Calhoun,] who made an „^^.^. (leiqnenl s|iee( ll ill opposition to the bill, beeaiisi JjQy,, he deemed it impolitic to ur^e our edaims tin J |p/|„/, Mr. Calhoun said that our title was so g-ood that Y^rJl|,! it .stood ill no need of a lidslij as.sertioii of it. He j^yirm <'iin(duded by sayin:;' that, if the bill were to pass, ■^^'^, ^ notice to (ileal i)iilaiii ouy;ht first to b(; i;iven ^y^^ While I lo not by any nieaiis approve all the jimn. cour.se of that distinjjjuished Senator mi this ipies- p^,,^, tion, I tru.st that he will yet be found (iomin- i ■ Ljke l!ie rescue, wliiUever maybe the linai thtermiiia Tj^y~^ lion of Co!i:;ress. wan I iniu;ht here induiuc in some comments on th-. q^,,. , course pursued by ceiiain u'enili men ed'tia'Souih ii, ^^. , this debate; but it is not my intention to (ditu-yi j^ members from the Sinilh or J\'vrtli, who see fit to ty,ii|' opjiose this notice, wiili ;i want (d" patriotism orde- gp^l votioii to what lluij deem the best interest ot' tlu \jx\A country. We have had too ininy prools, assiim \yQ (\ mg tlie substiintixi.' forms of noble and :,'eneron.- g^,,, deeds, of that devotion to the interests of ilie who' Union, to allow us to doubt their patriotism. A ml v/hauver course these ;;eiitlenien may lake liirr, 1 have full confidence that, if war shall come, they will not stop tluji to iiKpiirc the cause, but will bi found ill the front rank, defending; the r;;j,lits and the hoiior of oiir eoiiiimm coiuitry. I have inon charily for the honesty of those who diirerfrom im in oniniou than some i;entlemen seem to po.ssess; I believt' men may honestly ditl'er cm ijreat (pies- tions. Cut members from the West have becii charged u ith the design of niadlv driviiiic t!ie coun- try into a war wiili Great Britain by their >' west- ern furor, i)ray;;^adocio,"' lVc, ill pre.ssiiej; the ((las- tion of notice. Is it to be characterized as v;ui. lKj(istin;j; aiul hrnii-ii'i'idrrio to assert liere- that we ar^ ;ihle, rciidy, an.l wiilinu' to det'eiid our ri^'hls, botli in )ieace and in war.- Wiieii we say that wi; l)i.'iii.'\. and trust in the arguments uilvaiiced by (jur nego- tiators in ndalioii to our title to the whole of Ore ijoii, and declare our determination to aid in carry- niii- into eflect the recommendations of the I'resi- deiil in his Annual Messai^o, are we to be told i.ha' it is " uemauoo-uism.-" I wish to avoid w;u-, it' v, < can do so wiilioul emiiju-oinisinu; our rii;'his or oi,. honor; but sooner than wound either, 1 say i;ive m war, with ail ils liorrm-s. If we shrink iVom lie mainlemince of our rii^hts, iVom an ignoble fear o: war, we will si. iw ourselves luiwurlhy descend igno sidei and' men tlem that and Do I ad\ I tioii T lievi full' calli and trio thai ixis a\ we bly Ch sh( th.i afii tio pc( .' ilie rli;iirmaii, vcr. :;■ '" ni;iiii it, on tii' K i'> •'^iiiisly till! jiul'li. iil:J<'t lii'ul Iji 1 11 (1, .-llikilii;- nut llir pn- lliiil it .should lir n ■ •^litiiikl be cruati (i 1,\, lalor.s iiiiiifd ill ,nl- u- and iiuli.s|ii(!,ii,|( ; I'l till' prcaiiilili III L- ilii;y I'l ared thai i;.- c, |irrjudi((.' 1)111- till, uIh (III the suhjci t. ■ hi' t'lilly examined, t loiiiu to an end II' .Senate by a vi ly and the ar:;iinien;.-. niU' (if .some eunsid iiiiient ^I'lKitiir iVuiii un,] who made an n to the hill, hei iiiisc u<- our I'laims tlii.t h\i: wa.s .so e'ood thai ( as.-,ertii)ii oi' it. Ill ih( hill were to jia.s.^, 'il first to be i;i\en aii.s aitprove all thi V'nalor on thi.s (|iies- i'l; found coinim.;- ti. tliiJ Ji.ial deteniiiiia lie comineuts on tie dcinen ortheSuiuh ii, y iiilention to ehar^'i A'urili, who see- fit tn il of patriotism or dr- be.st iiiiere.st of tin many proofs, a.SMim noble and :;eneroii.- nlerests of the whoh heir jiatriotisni. Ami neii may take lurr, I var shall eome, they hi; ciiuse, but will b'l idini:,- the ri-hts and iitry. I liave mon c who difl'er from nu '11 seem to po.s.se.--s; I tiller on ii;reat (pies- he We.st have beeii :liy drivimr the coiin- tam by thi'ir ■• \\i,,s; in pressioLC tlie qia .s- harai:teri/cd a.s \;ui. L'rt here that we ar. end our ri:;lii.s, butli e .say that we beiie\ vaiieed by our nei;.i- the whole of (h; itioii to aid in carry- atioiKs of the Pre.si- re we to be tohl l.li.'e 1 to avoid w ar, it' v. ' n'4' our rin'liis or oi.: eithei", I .say i;-ive m. Ae jslinnk from tie n an i^-iioble fear !, ChainiiLUi, 1 believe to be our duty, and noiliing short of thi.s will s.ilisfy the I'ouiitry ; nothing h ,ss limn this will redeem us in the eyc-i of the v.-orld, iliis great (iue.-,tion, where is the beni tit of our ileiiiocratic. or renublnan form of iiovermneni - llow is it better than a monarchy.' Where i.s our boasted freedom.' Where is the popiil.ir will ol the masses.- And echo will tinswi r — ••Where?" Gone, sir; ;;;oiieI abused! viokued I irampled upon'. For myself, I have listened attentively to ihi' ,ii- gumeiits of the gentlenuai v, ho are in fa\or of de- lay, and opposcil to giving the notice now; and, so-, for the lit'e of me, i ciiimot see the truth of their eonclusion.s. If giving the notice to England is cause of war jioir, it will be cause of war if given next year, or at any future time. If England in- tends to hold on to any portion of that territory, and lu J'fj^ht for il, it matters not when we attempt to dispossess them, war will be the result. Itmtiy be true, that for the last two yi'ars we have been inereasinij; our population in Oregon taster than Great Hritain has; but such will not Ije the result ill time to eome, unless we adopt decided and en- ergetic measures to take and to hold |)ossession of the country. Whilst we are willing to negotiate, Eimland lias no fears of results. 81ie knows t"ull well that she can oul-negoiiate us. Take, for ex- ample, the noriheast boundary. Dut, sir, when they see that we claim ti e whole country, and come to believe that we intend at any tuture tinu- to takt; possession of it, they will teach us that we have gamed nothing by delay . The rre.-:ident recommends giving the notin -. and after iilluding to the three unsuccessful tUtempi- ihat luid lieeii nuule ijy the two Governments, in 1^1^, lr<:21, and 1^-Jti, to settle this question by comproinisi', he proceeds to .state: " When 1 came into olfice, 1 found this lo be tin ' sttiteofthe negotiation. Tliough entertaining the ' settled conviction that the Britisli pretensions of ' title ciaild not l)e maintained to any jiortion of ' the Oregon territory upon my principle of jiublic ' law recognised by iiation.s, yet, in deference to what • luul been done by my in-eilecessors,and especially ' in consideration that jiropusition.s of cmn-proiuise ' had been thrice made by two preceding Adminis- ' trations to adjust the liuestioii on the parallel of ' forty-nine degrees, and in two of them yieldin.; ' to Great Britain the free navigation of the Coluni- ' bia, and that the jiending negotiations had been ' cominenced on the liasis of ciniiiiromise, I deemed ' it to be my duly not abruptly to bi'eak it olV. In ' consideration, too. that, under the conventions of " lal^ and IdxiT, the citizens and subjects of the ' two Powers \w\d a joint occupancy of the coun- ' try, I was induced to make another cflort to settle ' tliis lonir-pending controver.->y in the spirit of mod- ' I'ration which had uiven birth to the renc'wed dis- ' (Mission. A proiiosition was accordingly made, ' which wi'sreje'ctiil by the Bi'itish rienip.)tentiary. ' who, wit'ioui subniiitinu- any other proiiosition, ' sullered the negotiaiion on fiis pan lo droji, ex- ' pressing his trust that the United States would • ofier what he .saw fit to call 'some further [irojio- • sal for the .settlement of the Oregon (|ueslion, ' more consisient with fairness tuul equity, and with ' the reasonable expectations of the Ih'iiish Gi ' eminent.'' The proposition thus oflered and re- •jected repeated the otler of the par.illel of forty- after the declarations we have se'nl abroad, in rela- ! ' nine degrees of north latitude, wliioh had been lUiuln by two preceding Administrations, hut v,-ith(.ut jirojiosing to siu'render to Great Brit.iin tion lo our claims to this country. Ifihe will of the people IS to be disregarded hi the adit'.stment of / 8 * ,Ta thoy Imil dorif. tlio free iiavipuion of t]\o f'n- ' liimliia rivfr. Tlir rijlit of any fKri^iirn Pnwf-r to ' the free imviirntion of juiy of our rivers, llir(iii;,'li ' ihr hi art of <>\\r fnuntry, wa-! 'inrovision be made by law for 'giving it accordingly, and terminating in thi.s ' manner, the convention of the sixth of August, ' 1S27. " It will become prf)per f(ir Conirress to deler- ' mine what leirislation they can in the nu'antime '• adopt wiilifuit violating this convention. I>ey(uul ' all ([uestion, the protection of our laws and otir 'jurisdii'tion, civil and criminal, ought to be im- ' mediately extendi d over our citizens in Oregon. ' They liavc had just cause to comidain of our long ' neglect in this particular, and have, in conse- ' (juence, been compelled, for their own security ' and protection, to establish a provisional L'overn- ' ment for themselves. Strong in their alh L'^iance ' and ardent in tlieir attachments to the United ' States, they have been thus cast upon their own ' resources. They are anximis that our laws ' should be extended over them, and I recommend ' that this be done by Ci>nc:ress with as little delay ' a.s possible, in the full extent to which the Hrit- ■ ish Parliament I'.ave proceeded in regard to Hrit- ' ish snbjei'ts in that territory, by their act of July ' '2, 1^21, for regulatine the fur trade, and fstiib ' iishiiig a criminal and civil jurisdiction witlui ' certain [laris of Xm-th Anierieu." Whilst, Mr. Chairnian, I do not consiih^- this jiarty rpicstion, but a gi-cat .Aimrican rpiisiion,! am free to confi ss tluU I do not like to see a .siii^'l' Democrat a'.:;ainst giving tlie notice, and at the ex (liration of twelve months, taking possessioii of tie country; for, disguise it a.s you will, all who op pose these measures will be tiromuinced by tie people to be mi the British side of the (|uesiioii .\n(i while I wmild urge- u]iiui the Whig side oi this Ilall, by tlie cmisiderations of patriotism and love of liberty which slunild actuate every Ameri- can freeman, to go for extendinir the area of free- dom over the whole of Oregon, 1 feel that all these considerations must operate with irreater force upon the Demoi'rniic portion of the House. The De inocracy |:elievc that tlie people have virtue and intelliu:encc enough to govern themselves, and that the Representative of tlie,peoplc is bound to obey their will or resign. Now, Mr. Ciiairman, I am convinced that Mr. Polk owes his elevation to the distinguished station he now so hmiorably fills more to his opinions on the Ti^xas and Oreixon questions than to all other considerations united. And, sir, in his election, I considi r that the people decided both these great (|uestions in the affirmative. What were Mr. P(dk's views in relation to Oregon? Let an ex- tract from his letter of the 23d April, li-i-14, written from Columbia, Tennessee, answer. lie says: " Let the fixed policy of our Government be, not ' to permit Great Britain or any other foreign Power ♦ to jilaiU a colony or to hold dominion over any ' portion of the people or ti'rritory of the United ' Slates." The President, in his Inaugural Address, r-ays: " Nor will it become in a less degree my duty to 'assert and H!«/)i/rtni, by all cmistitiitional means. ' the right of the United States to that portion of ' our territory which lies bcymid the Rocky moun- ' tains. Our title to the country of the Oregon is ''cliof and uniiucsliouahli ;' and already are our ' people peparinn- to perfect that title by oci'Upyinj,' ' it, with their wives and children." * * * "To ' us belong.s the duty of jirotccting them adequately ' wherever th.ey may lie upon our soil." But, Mr. Chairman, we are asked why this "hot haste?" They urge us to let thinirs remain as they (in — to "bide our time" — and we will get the wliole of Oregon. In answer, I have only to say, that those who believe in the right of instruction have no discretion in this matter. The sovereign people are calling upon their puljlic servants to .settle this vexed question, by giving notice to Great Britain of our intention to terminate the conven- tion of August 0, 1827, and to take active and en- erirclic, measures to in-otect our citizens and tn secure the territory. And if war result.s from this course, on wlunn does the calamity f dl .- Is it no- on the people.- Who fight the battles of our coun- try .= Who defeiul the" national hmior? Whose blood ami whose treasure have been poured on' like water, in times past, to defend the nation against the a'j-u'ressions of jiroud and haughty luigland : .\n(i whose will again be poured out, in the even', 'of war? The people's: yes, the thousand.^? whe ' re.nain at home in time of peace, ciuiotly and in- 9 I ui- trailc, nnd catiili juri.silictioii witliii rii." imt consider llii.s . MHrricaii qiKsiioii, I 'I like to see a siimlr Jitife, and at ilio r x ill!,' |>nssrssii,(, (if t||. Ml will, all wli.t o|, I'liiiipmu'i'd liy til. ' of th(^ f|iif'stii)ri I the Wliii; side ot ii« of patriotism and iMuati.' every Anieri- iir (lie ana of free- I r.;( I thar all tlie.-( li 'jrealcr foree upon House. 'J'he D,. lie havi: virtue and tii'iiiselves, and thai le is Ijound to obey eonvineed iliat ]\fr distiimuished statioi, vt; to his opinions on >tis tliiui to all other sir, in his election, I h-'d hotii these great What were ]\f r. 're-nn? L(..t an ex- '\pril, 1>^-}}, written iiswer. He says: rCiovernnient he, im; y other fon.'iirn Power I dnniinidn over any ritory of the United rural Address, says: ss decree my duty tu :'(mstitiitional means, es to that portion of nd the Roeky moun- !ry of t)ie Orei^on is ind already arc our at title by oceupyin^ CM." * * * <■ ilo m this luaitcr- I, sir, nm one of tlmse wiio bt lieve that the ".-irher .s4-cnnil thou'jiit of the people" is selilom wnmu'': and I firmly believe thiit tliree- fdurihs iif the pecipli^ of this nation, it' they cduld Vote on the resolution now under <'onsideration, wnulil be found Voting in lhr>atllrinative. J am not, sir, for ex' nding our laws overasin- irle incii of territory tluit does not belong to tis; and the aliernativf; of war would not deter me from going to the V(M-y last incli of wiiat is rightfully our own. rientlemen niay call this deniaLromieisni — bravado — L'asconarii' — brairiradocio — and what- ever else ihey may think beconiin'j'. I luu respon- sible only to my constituents and to my Gotl. I believe 1 know the svill of tiiose wiiom I represent, and I dar(' to do it, come what may. And as to Him who rules the destinies of nations and of men, I lalicve that He is on our side, and that He will bless and protect us as He has done in days that are [last. hlxperii'iice was the best liirht in whii'h to look at the fiUure. in all the wars we hav(^ thus far lieeii en^'aged in. He lias thrown His shield of ))rotection over us, and lib ssed our arms with vic- tory, ,111(1 I trust, if we are again compelled to ha/,- ard a war for tlie maintenance of our ri^^hts in Or- egon, we shall aL'ain experience liie same happy result. Conllemen all contend tliat ours is one of the best (Governments on earth. Is there, then, a man who enjoys the peace and privileges, tln^ happv'se- oirity and freedom which distiniruish the inhabi- tants of ibi.i land, who is not willinir to risk somt - thing to confer the same ble.v.rings on the thousands who now. and the millions w ho will lieienfier. in- h.ibit OrcLTon? He does not deserve the name of an Americiu) citizen if he would not. A man so selfish and so dastardly, ill deserves the rich blessings ho enjoys. 1 deprecate all idea of calliiiir tlii.s a party ques- tion. It should not be so considered or so treated. In my own State it is not a party question. Aly whii: colleague, m'Iio represents trulv the Wliiir population of the wesn rn States and Territories, is willing to i^o as far for f)reu'(ni as he who cfoes farthest. He goes for the last pebble that re- flects the liu'lit of an Oreiron moon. This ."^hows what th<^ fei lings of the great West are im this i|uestion. I iniglit adduce still stronger proofs. With the political party v.-itli whom I am in the habit of act- ing, the distinguished e-eiitlernan from iVIassachu sens has not heretofore been very popular. They consider him as an eminent and a profound siates- m:ui: some of his public acts they apphuid, but there are more which tliey disapprove; but now they say, with one accord, that if he continues liis present I'ourse in relation to our risrhts in Orecron, his life will terminate in ablaze of glory. With them, this is a (juesiion which overrides a'l others. It has been .said, however, that this strong feel- iiiL' aliout Oregon is assume,! for poliiicil efleci, and has been gotten u]! to aid the fortunes of a par- ticular candidate for the Presidency; in a word, I that the Uregoii question is neither more nor less than ;\ ;:re,u qursiion of Presiiji nt-makmg. This is not the fet lui'^ in the region from which I coiik True, in the West, no man would be elected a cor- poral who did not profess to go tor everv inch of (•reL'oii. For no other reason is this fierm:; cher- ished, tlian from a deiermination to niainlain our rights. All candidates and tin ir pretin.- ions sink into utter insii;nificaiice in comparison. We boast of beiiiu' the liillowers of Thom.as .Tef. fersoii; and, as such, we oiiLrhl to <:o t'or the -reat- ' est good ot the greatest mmdier. So hnig as tlw re I exists a doubt in our minds on this r|uestion. let I the people of Oregon iiave thr' beiu fit of that doubt. ' I implore ireiillemeii, bj' their rei-ard for the great priic'iples cif Democracy, to give their hearty sup- i piu't to this tiaily Democratic measure. I At the P.altiniore conviiition, resolutions wire ; passed imbodyin'_j the \iews of ila; Deinocratii j [larty throughout th<' land. Tiie f(dlowing is tin; one in relation 'o Oreiron: I "/'t.se/rfi/. That our title to the whole of the ter- i ' ritory of Ore::oii is clearand uii(pie.--tioiiable; tiiat ' no [lortioil of the same oilL,'ht to be ceded to Ei.g- i ' land or any other Power; and that tin; reoccupa ' tion of Oretron and the reanm xation of Texas at ! ' the earliest [ articable period, are great .American [ ' measures, w hich this convention recommend.s 'to (he cordial siqifiort of the Democracy ipf tin, I ' Union." I This resolution met the hearty response ot' tin, I people ill ..11 f(uarters of the L'liion. I could cite I tlie eemuTiiiUc to hundreds of public meetings re- ' spondii sr to the nominations made ;it Haliimore, ! and tiie i(;solutions jiasseil in relation to (.tregon. ' I will, howi \er, refer ooly to ihe c:reat latilication meetiiiix in the city of New York iiiinujiliately at'ier .VIr. Polk's nominatimi: , "licaiilvrd, That tiie title of the United States to ' ' the territory of Oregon being unquestionable, wc ' hold it to be the bounden duty of our Govern- \ ' iiuiit, as we believe it to be tiie semimrnt of tlie ' united Democratic piarty, tli.it this territory should [ ' be preserved entire and undividrd; ih.-it no part of ' ' it should be sum ndered to any I'oreitrn I'ower: ' ' and that early and eli'ectual ]n'ovisioiis should be ' ' made by law for its complete occupation, and for ' ' tlie |)rotection and security of our citizens now ' settled in and emiirriiting to it." These resoluiions imbodied ihe \ lews and o[iin- ioiis of the' great mass of the IDemocratic jiarty. and I contend should have some influence u[ion tlie Democratic portion of this House. I venture to say there is not a man on tiiis floor wiio has not r("ceiv( (I numerous letters ap]n-oving tlie grouiu! taken by the President, in his Message, on the (Trcu^on qiicstion. From those who are on the WIiIl'' side in polities, this aiiiirobation could not have been excited by the Pr(;sident's doctrine re- speciing tlie sub-treasury or the reduction of the t.irili". To what is this owini:.- It cannot be de- nied tl-..t it is owing to the bold, manly, and inde- pendnit ground taken in relation to the Oregon qiiestieti. Never, sir, iias a .Messaire of any Chief Slauistrate of this nation since the formation of the Government been more eiuhesiaslically applauded and apin-oved than has theannu.il Message of Mr. P •■ " ■ ■ ■ ■ ' ■ I lieve received the most decided testimony from my Whij cor.stituents, approving this! to tlie / 10 letter. Surely, then, it oughi. to liavc some biud- ma; iiifluciiee on tlie Democrats in this House. Ill re'j;;\rd to this measure of notice now l)t;fore the eomniittee, I presume it will pass in some form by !i lar,L;e majoruy. Gentlemen doubtless are ae- tuated by diflVrcnt motives: some, probably, will vote for it with a view to expedite negoiiaiions; others, because the abro^j^alion of ihc convention will remove an obstacle tiiat now prevents the adoption of important measures for the occupation of Ore:;on. Per one, I should prefer that those who are for com]iromisi m at lalitmle 41)^ would not vote for the notiei; at ;ul. I should consider it one of the irrealest calamities should the boundary be finally fixed at that line. Before I close my remarks, I shall touch on this subject ay;ain. Miudi has been said about our sleepina; on our riL:;hts for thirty years. Because, in 1818, 18i24, and If'X, jiroposilions had been made on our part to scttl(! the controversy by ado|Hin2; the forty- ninth degree, gentlemen siqipose thai we are bound to abide by those olFcrs now. But the circum- stances are very difTcreut now from what they were thirty years ago. The value of the country was not then fully known. Lei me ask gentlemen from New England what they used to think about Illinois, and other western States, twenty years since ? I>id they not then consider it a far-oiV coun- try, of little value, and inhabited by scmi-bar'ia- rians? Aot half the acts of barbarity and cruelty have been perpetrated in Texas and Oregon, which were charged as having been connnitted in the valley of the r^Tississippi. _ The people of the East ,and they l)elievcd then knew nothing of the West ihc thousand fiibtdous tales related of western bar barity. There is a vast dill'erence now. The value of tlic Mississippi valley is now properly appreciated. The change on the east side of the mountains is not greater than that wliich has taken place, to the west of them. At that time the value of Oregon was not known, its advantages were not appreciated. It was not then known that it was possible to open a communication by land from the Atlantic, to the shores of the Pacific. The ne- gotial(n-son our side were willing: to part with that on easy terms with the value of which they were not ac(|uainted. These considerations, whicli were then all-powerful, do not ojierate now. Great Britain rejected these oilers; and we are not now bound by what we otVered then. This question of title should be settled. We owe It lo otn- settlers in Ori;;(m, and to those who are prejiariug to go there. Thousands are making- preparations to go to tha.t eountrv, with tin' full belief that it is ours as far north'as C)P 4(i', and that our Government will as.scrt and maintain that right. Does any one liebevc that many of those wlio have souv, and who are preparinii- to go, would do so, if they sujiposed that the ciuintry , tory speedily woi was to be divideil between our Government and Great Britain r— the one Government on the north side of the (.'olunibia river, and the other on the south side' .Such a state of lliinus would, sooner or later, inevitably lead lo diiliculties and disturb- ances wliich would end in a war lietwee'ii the two countries. Then, sir, if war must come in the set- tlement of this ([uestion, it is latter that it come now than later. Mr. Chiiirman, I am o;>po-:ed to w.ir-. 1 depre- cate it; I consider it as a relic of the dark ages Would to God there was some otlier way of sei- tliiiir the disputes of nations. But this is the man- ner in which we are sometimes forced lo defend our ri;.''hts. \/hile 1 deprecate war as an enormous and a terrible evil, 1 do not consider it the greatest of evils. To what do we owe our present system of Government.' IIow has our repul)lic attained to its present magnitude r Is it not the result ol war.' Had our fathers tamely submitt( d to the ex- actions of Great Britain, what would now have been our condition .' They made greater sacrifices for freedom than we are now called on to make for Oregon. For liberty, tliey y)ledged their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor. All was jeoparded freely for liberty, and for the possession of a com- iiaratively steril strip of land, not near so fertile or valuable as Oregon. How long could peace be maintained, if our citi- zens were to settle on one side of the Columbia and British sulijects on the other .side .' I ask gentle- men to reflect on the probable conse(|uenc.es of such a state of thintjs. But, in reply, I hear it asked, how have we maintained peace for so many years on the Canada frontier.' There is no parallel be- tween the two cases. The one country is hardly worth )insse.ssing, much less fighting for; and yet how often have the most ihreatening diificulties arisen .' And how will it be in Oregon twenty years hence, when its population will consist of millions, instead of the handful of peo]ile who are sparsely scattered throuiijh it now.' Can srentlenien su))pose that two nations, such as England and the United States, can occupy so important an extent of coast, and a country that will some day show the largest cities in the world, without dantrer of collision r Collisi(m is as iiievitiil)leas that nii;-ht follows day. It will come: the spirit of our people will lead them rather to court it. Canada will one day come into this Union; and California, in time, will belong to this Government. This is destined t(i be an "ocean- bound republic." Yet I would not sanction tlu' takins: of any stc'p which Is not perfectly consistent with the observance of good faith. Bui this coun- try must ccnne to us in the very nature of thiiiiis. All I ask now is, that Congress shall extend our own laws over our own territory — a territory whicii seven-eiiihths of the peojile believe to be ours. We have heard stated, with much humor, what constitutes a " masterly inactivity." I will not say that all who are ojiposed to this notice are in favor of s)(f/i a " masterly inaclivily" as that described with so much force and efiTi'ct by the honorabit I uentleman from Ohio, [Mr. Stakkweatiii-.r:| but I I will say, that if gentlemen would use the same I mnsterhj'udh'ihi in defending our right lo Oregon ! as is manil'ested in obtaininu the floor to talk about it, the battle woulil be nobly fcnight, and the vie 1. A corpm-al's iiuard of British subjects woiild not be found in OreiiDii after the exi>iration of the twelve mmiths' notice. I will hero read an extract fnnn the sjieech ol' the irentleman from Virginia. [Mr. Bavi.v.] lie says: "The British attach no importance lo Oregon, ' except fin- the purpo.sc of tarrying on the fur- ' trade. That is in a rapid di-cline, and when it ■ 11' are ti turi'. Caiit; pcdit ( ' men 'hull ' milt ' and ' pea: 'for « a 1'. ' pie ' di;i ' con *plo ' disappears, the English wi!! di.-:aiipear with it iii ' Oregon, 11 of the dark af iliis statement: m a few yi'ars had made sad inroads nn the piotits "In connexion with the comjiany's estaldisli- of theccnu|tany. Whatwere they to do r Unwilling; ' meat at Nistpially, they haven larije dairy, several ; to apply t)pen force, tiiey Ixiimht hini out. The 'hiiiiilred head of cattle, luid nmom;; tiiem .seventy , facts only ijo to show that when an Ameriian of ' nulcli cows, which yield a lari^a- stiji)ily of butter talent and enterprise i^oes to settle in that country, 'ami chee.ve; they iiave also larire crops of whetit, 'peas, and oats, and win- jirepariiii,^ the i^round ' for potatoes. Thes<> operations nreeoiulueted by * a fanner and dairyman broiiijhl I'i mn Eimland ex- , 'pre.ssly to superintend iliese athurs. A few [n- ! 'dicUis are emjaijed in attendiiii; the liocks,and the 'company's servants are almost ( xchisively em- ' [iloyed as laiiorers. j " I have mcniioiied these a^ricultiu'al establish- . ' nienis as coimecti d with the iliidsoii Fiay T'cmi- ' pany, and they are in I'eality so; iiui as their char- • ter prc'ludes the'ir en2:ai;ii!u; in these operations, ; 'another company has Ikjcii orirani/.ed, under the ; 'title of the 'I'nu^ei Sound ('ompany,' the shares ; 'of which are iield by thi; ofHcers, ai^ents, and i ' servants of the Hudson Day Company, and its ■ ' otlicii's are exclusively chosen from anion:,' them. ' Dr. iMcLaui;hlin, l'>r instance, chief olHcer and : 'governor of Fori Vaiicimver, on the jiart of the ', ' Hudson Day ("ompaiiy, is also a director of llie , ' Pu'i,et Sound' Company, and has the entire man- ■ ' ai'vment of its concerns. His salary is fivt; hun- ' (li v(\ pounds. ' "The capital of the Pu^-el bound Company is ' five hundred thousand pounds, divided into shares ' of one Imndreil pouiuls each. Only two hundred 'thousand pounds ot'this have been jiaid in. The ' oper.-itions of this company are, in ciuiseiiueiice, ' l.u■^■e. 'l'he\' lieiian liy inaK'inn' lar:;e importations ' o|' stork from < 'alif irnia, and some of ilie best ' iireeds of cattle from En;;land. They iiave also ' <'ntered into farmini^ on an extensive scale, usin;:; ' as laborers the servants of the irudson Day Com- '|iany, who art! bound by tlieii- eontiacis ti do all ' iiianiKr of service, that may be rerjuired of them, ' evi^n to the Ijearin^- of arms. "I'his company have the supplyini:: of all the ' fats and .--tations of the Hudson Day Company 'on the west side of the American coiitinent, iiiid 'a!s) furnis!) the Russian ports with ;,'rain, i)utter, 'ami cheese; of tlie forniiT article tin; llussians 'lake about fifieen thousand bushels. It is also 'their int. niion, when ihfy shall have siuaceded ' in breedim; :', snllirifni ,sio('k of c itlle aial sheep, ' to exjim-i liide^j, horns, t!dlow,and wool, to I'ji:^-- •iM'.d.ni the return ships, whicii now ■•:<> h()me ' eiiapar;uively empty, as the I'urs occupy only a ' saiall portion of the capacity of the ship. In tins ' way it uKi; iie readily perceived tl;::t tliey will be 'enabled to i'ri\e a profitable trade, particularly ' v.hen il is i-oiislden J how little care tlie cattle re- ''H'ire in tlii^ territorv, in cinise(|i!ence of the U'rass 'and naliiral hay wh'vU the soil alfords at all .sea- Ibe pr ospec t id' the aiUanlaLreous re- • sons. It Is ' sail-; to be derived from ihe.a^ operations that ' lias indu^'eil the Hudson Day Comjiiuiy lo clian;;e ' iheii- tradia.^ establishments into " ' ral I 01 s." The scrvaii's of 'he H abandoni.'iL' t'.a; t'lir tradr on Day ( . I liu'iii,: oMipany are ; their a'teii- tliey immediately endeavor to enlist him in ilieir servi< e. In the case id' JVlc,\eil they succeeded, and he is now .i active partner in that company. Such is their policy. They are doin;:;all they can to ijet the country perinaiu ntly settled. To illustrate further the value of Oregon for ai,'- ricultural and other purposes, I will e;ive a few ex- tracts t'rom the Journal of Ca|iUun ypauldin;,%of the sliij) " Lausanne," in the year 1>-4I. In spe dxiiii; ot' the sitilemeiit at lAn't VancouviM', ;ind ot' Dr. McLanuhlin,ciiiel'a>;ent of the Hudson Day Cum - jiany, he says : "The Doctor has been \i ry siicci ssful in the in- ' troduction of domestic animals. He first brought ' a fev/ cattle overland from Califmaiia, and, as he ' seldom has ;my slaughtered, they have now iii- ' creased to al>out seven thousand in seven years. • He has also introduced slieep, .■•ome of which are > of the finest species of the iNIerino and Saxon ' breeds. I saw a Hock of one thousand at V'an- ' couver, the linest and futest I think I ever saw. • He has about two thousand at Vaie'DUver, and • thinks Oreijon peculiarly adapted for ^rowinu' ' wool. He iias also a laiLre uardeii adjoinini,'' the ' tort containiii'j; about fair acres, fillial with the • choicest fruits, viz; apples, pears, plums, cherries, • strawlierries, ;;ooseberries, currants, Ac, and ' vegetables of almost evei'y description." Spealcinu'' of salmon in the Cohimbia river, and all its Itranches, he says: "They are liu-rally alive uith saliiiou in tin ' summer months, whicli ascend to the t'ountain 'head. The 1 (Mupany take about niie tliousand ' I'arn Is per :,mnun, ilirei hundred of whieh the ' Doctor Liives away every winter to keep the In- ' dians alive. •' I have no doubt that ten thousand barrels of • salmon mi;;iit be taken from the Columbia and ' its branches, without at all diminishing' the stock, ' iii'li'pendent (if what is reiiuind for the support ' of tiie Indians. Salmon constitutes their princi- ' pal food, and no doubt ten tliousand barrels ari' 'annually taken by them. lnd( ed, the, whole 'northwest coast, from tiie (Jolumlda rivia' to till ' de;^rees, has (,'very river and brook tluit is deep ' eiioui;ii for a salmon to enter, filled in the summer ' si'ason. A gentleman, whusi' vc'racity is un- ' douiiied, t(dd me that In,' has seen Prazer's river, I ' in Dtiuct's Sound, for miles, so filled with them. ' ' (the water lu ni^' aliout three feel deep,) that you ! ' could not step without actually treadiiiii: on them. ! ' The salmon of the north, however, are not so ' laiae, fat, or fine, as those of the (^llum^ia river; ' tor those taken from this river are, n v doubt, the ; • best in the world. Some of them will wei;,;h fifiy ' pomuls: the avera'.;-e weii;-lit is aboiu eii;ateen ov ' t Weill y pounds." In siiealcinii- of '.he fur trade, he says: " 'I'iie Hudson Priy Company h;is an exrlu.^ive trade uorlli of the l,Tniteil monopoly of all the t'tir 12 Statrs, from Hudson's Bay on one side, to tlic Pacific and Ri'.ssian Ffttlcmcnt.s on tlic otlirr; and have a vory larfz;o nunihcr oPcnijiUiyres, wlio traverse this imincnso rruioii in every direetion, liaviii'^ posts or stationsail over the same: indeed, tlicy have spread a roni|)letn nctvorit throni;hout tlu; len;j;tii and lireachh nl' the country. As tin y iiave the fur trade entirely in their own hands, they hiisi)and tiieir resources, and only hrini^ out an avcrai^e quantity of furs cacli year: and wiien lliey become scarce at any one post, they remove from there, so as to give tiie beaver and other furs time to resuscitate. The company consists of eiu'lity meml)ers, or shares; ei<;iu of tiic stock- holders reside in England, and tl;o otiicrs in the Oregon country. Eacii diicf agent, and agent.s of cacii individual post, arc sliareliolders. The fur trade is entirely nuniopoli/.cd by this compa- ny; but not cmitent witli this, tlicy arc tnrnuig their attention to every othi r branch of business. For instance, they have talccn possession of al- )nost every eligi!)le spot in Oregon where tliore is a iralcr power, or a good site for fuctorhs; they have selected out the finest sites for farms; they have erected mills — both saw and (lour mills— with ca view of supplying the Sandwich Islands with liimber and flour, and the Russians at the north with flour and butter from their farms; they are in lact irrasping at ererything. They are now about eslai)lishing a post at the islands, as also in California; and a Mr. Simpson has been sent to both these places to efl'ect this object, their in- struction being to moiioj)olizc the entire trade of both places for the sale of English goods, lum- l)er, flour, butter, &c.; and unless our Govern- ment insist on our just rights, and drive them out of the Columbia, they will ceruuiUy succeed in (hiving all the American commerce fVom both the islands and California, as they have already done from the northwest coast. Their resources are immense, and their ambition unbounded. But, would tliey confine themselves to the region north of the United States, we should have less reason to complain, notwithstanding they an^ using our Just means — means that properly be- long to the people of the United States — to amii- hilatc our trade in the Pacific, while, up(ni the land, they are cutting the best timber, and im- proving the best soil in Oregon, besides having arrogiued to tliemselves the alnmst ex(!lusivc oc- cu] a ion of the Columbia river. Nor does this selfish grasping at all satisfy them; for they an- nually send a large party through the acknowl- edgecl territory of the United States to California, to trap beaver and kill sea-otter." Captain Spaulding, in the same jom-nal, after giving luimerous instances of the bm'barity and cruelty of the tra]ipers of the Hudson Bay Com- pany towards the huiiiins, and the inhuman and cold-blooded murde; i.'(Mmnitled by them, says: "Since then, as would naturally be expected, ' they (the Indians) had licen at enmity with the * whites. That these irresponsibhi servants and ' agents of this monopolii-ing Hrilish comp;iny * should be sufi'cred thus to murder, destroy, and ' rob these Indians, and eiu'icli themselves, through ' the neglect of our Ciovermnent, whose duty it is ' to protect these poor, defi-nceless, weak, and ' wretched beings, i.s what no man, as it seems to I ' nic, who has the blood of an American coursin {' in his veins, can or ought tamely to submit to. ] ' it not high time that our Govei-nment, after si j ' long a delay, shotdd arouse itself to the protectioi 'of lis own interests in Oregon? For, if it slei j ' but a little longin-, that valuable territory is cf.' ' tainly lost to lis forever. Give the English onlv ' the nortii part of the Columbia I'iver — let then: ' plan', ten guns upon Cape Disappointment, and all ' the navies in the world could not take the coni- ' mand of the river iVom them. The ca|ie anil ' Tongue point are two perfect ' Gibmltitrs'' on tin ' Columbia; and the Hudson Bay Cmupuiy hav< ' already taken posscssioit of the latter, as they ' have also of every other eligible sjiot on the Co- ' lumbia. " Captain Spaulding says it is the ]irevailing opin- ion in Oregon, tliat the grasj)ing amljition of Eng- land will not stop short of the ac(|iiisition of Cali- fornia, with a view of possessing themselves of the bay and harbor of San t'rancisco, the finest on the V l.ole coast of the Pacific for a naval depot, being accessible at all times for ships of any draught of water. In speaking of the colony from the United States settled on the Willamette river ninety miles above its mouth, he says: " It is the finest grazing and wheat country in ' Oregon. At present (lb41) it consists of about ' seventy families, who raise considerable grain, ' atid have about three thou.sand head of cattle. ' The mission last year raised one thousand bushels ' of wheat, and made butter, cheese, &c., enough ' fin" their own use. They have five hundred head 'of cattle and two hundred horses; and last year ' they sowed four hundred bushels of wheat, oni ' hundred and twenty bushels of peas, and |ilunteil ' a large quantity of juitaloes and vegetables of all ' descriptions. " Tlie extent of the country comprising the Wil- ' lamette valley, is about three hundred miles long ' and two hundred broad, interspersed willnavines ' of wood, generally in sulHcient quiintities for fuel ' and fencing. The land, in its natural state, is ' usually ready for the plow, and is producing from ' twenty-five tc forty bushels of wheat to the acre; ' and the climate is so mild, that the cattle subsist ' in the fields without fodder or sh(;lter of any kind ' being [irepared or provided for them through the ' winter. Salmon can be taken at the Willamette ' falls (which, however, the British have taken ' possession of, and compelled our people to build ' their mills at the falls above) with little lroul)le, ' fnnn May to September, in almost any quantity. ' I have no hesitation in saying that ten thousanii ' barrels might be taken jier annum. Probsibly no ' place in the world offers greater inducements to ' emigrants. Provisions might readily be procured ' to sup|Mirt one thousand emigrants at any time." I think, Mr. Chairman, that I have clearly shown that the honorable gentleman frenn Virginia was in error, in believing that Great ijiitain valued this country only for its/io's, and that tli(> territory is of imincnse value for agriculture alone. Of its commercial advantages, which have Ijcen so f'ully set forth by gentlemen who have priiceeded me in this debate, I will only say, that the most san- guine friends of Oregrii have not overnited these advaniages. and time will prove my lu'cdiction correct . til oJ trl ' 1 ' I ' i| ai ov It V; en V al th to lo 13 't r\n Ampriran roursi,, ttnniclyto.suliniitto. j' 'f Govcnimnu, afior s, i^eitwll'f.ahcprntectio, '■•^7"",' l''"i-, if it sle. , v;iliial)!e tcrritorv is ce- Give the Eiiirll.sh „n|v '"inl.ia i-iv,,T— let (i,(.,; JJ'sappnuitmeni.an.lali ''•iW Dot take tlic com- them Ti.e cape and ii^ct (.ibrulldrs' on tl,, on Bay Coiupiiiy haw 1 of Ihe Jattcr, as they •iigible sjK.t on tlic Co- • is the prevailing opin- pinganihition of Enjr- lic :ic(iuisltion of Cah- isossinn- them.sclves of ' mnoi.sco, tJie fniest, on '!<; for a naval depot, 'i-ship,sof'anv(lrau-hl the cohiny from tiu. Willamette river ninety ys: ^ uul wheat roimtry in ) It consists of about 3 considerable j^rain «and head of eattle' one thousand bushels clieese, d-e., eiioiit quantities for fuel Its natural state, i.s kI is producing- from t wheat to the acre- at the cattle subsist shelter of any kind '•them throu^di the 1 nt the Willamette Jiitish have taken '"'• people to build uith little trouble, nost aiiyf|uaiiiity. tluit ten thousand •ini. Probably no er inducements to cadily I „; procured ants at any time.'" It I have' clearly nan from Vir suinnit to the committee. I would ^ not have it understood that anythmj:^, from any cpiarter, would have any wei^dit with me, beyon'd I it.s own intrin.sic truth. I was, however, ;,dad to learn that the President liad refused to arliitratc this fjuestion; in this the jieople will triumphantlv sustain him. But I feel it to be due to myself am' I to my constituents, to declare, thatx-much as I ; Teiieratc the cliaracter and btandini; of our di:,tin- i -uished <"liief Ma^nstratc— if the oiler made l)y , limi of latitude 4!P as a boundary line had been accepted by tlie British JMiiiister, the penj.le of the j West would have d(>nounced the .act in .^uch term.-^ of censure as would have made all future Presi- : dents tremble. I req;ret exceediimly that Mv. Polk ever made this oiler. I have no doubt he was ac- I tuatcd in that offer by the purest and ijest of mo- i fives— in my judgment there are few wiser head.s , than his, or purer hearts; but lie allowed his sin- I cere deference for the acts of his predecessors to peril his own popularity. The offer, happily, was not accepted, and no very serious conse(|uence3 have ensued. Had it been accepted, tjiis Admin- istration would have been forever prostrated — as will any other that ever hereai'ter shall surrender a sin'i:lc mcli of American soil, the title to which i.w clear and umiuestionublc-