Newspapers / Carolina Watchman (Salisbury, N.C.) / Dec. 13, 1845, edition 1 / Page 2
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V1 'X t r . 4 . 4 - -i 1 ::j ; ' V the diplomatic Interference; 0- European . which, had been our'nnctent lally--lbe countrv which ha a common interest ivitb us in maintaining the freedom of ieseas L.tTin eountrv' which, liv. the eesSionlOl Louisiana, first onened.to usaccjess to the Gulf of Mexico-the country .with which we nave oeen every year uioiui..v.v ' nhd more el6selv the bonds of successful rcxas, as a' conditionof the recognition Of - 'her independence by .Mexico, that sne - would never join herself to the U, States. i AVc may rejorce lhat the tranquil and per vldln2 intiuencc 01 jioe Aiurriu uriucx- "commerce-mbst unexpectedly, andto our unTeigned regret, took part in an effort Jo - ::tVrex-rnt WnnexatioTirt a :to inipose; on ' . J pie of self-governmentiwas , sufficient to jefcat the purposes of British and French -intcrferenceand that the almost unani- - 'rhous -ofcc of. the people of Texas has gir i- . eh to that interference a peaceful -and ef J0ctiv'c rebuke.xFromHhis example Eu j .roDean covcrnmcnts mav'iearn now-vain dihlomatic arts and intHirncs must eveH ; rprove upon t his 4 continent, against that f" 4 system of, self-government which seems 'n&turup t'o'ur'soij, !atid AyhlclfLiviH ever ;rsisrfqreignrrijle r not 'doubt that a liberal and generous ;-; spirit will actuate rCngressjn all tbat concerns herJinterests J J ad prosperity, and It hat she will never . have cause to regret that she united her : lone star! to our glorious constellation. l regret to inform you that our relations ' Vith:Mexico.incu-your last session, Haye . tipt been of the amicable character which ' - it is our. d,esire to cultivate with iiH 'for--v, ti nations,1 On the si xlh day of M arch j In it, the Mexican envoy extraordinary and m iateri plenipotentiary to the U, States m ide a formal protest, in the, name of his , government, against the joint resolution passed by Congress, for the annexation which he- vinxcAns iu tun v ihh u b chosn to regard as a violation of the rights of jMexico, and, in consequence of it,' he demanded his passports. He was iriform- '" rdlhatthegovernmentofthe United States 'did not consider this joint resolutions as a ' Violation of any of the rights of Mexico, ! or l hat it afforded ; any just cause of of- '' ' fence to his government fbat the Repub "X liciof Texas was an independent Ioyer, f ovying no allegiance to Mexico, and con .. stiluting no part of her territory or right J fill sovereignty and jurisdiction. fHe was i alfoassured that it was the sincere de Kirjjeof this gbyernment to maintain with I tht of Mexico relations of peace and good , UnIrsfaridingVf 'That functionary, bowe- ych notwit hstandingl heso representations 1 aim assuratices," abrupt ly terminated his 3 mssion and snort ly- afterwards left the r" country. Our: Envoy Extraordin'arv and . . Jlnister Plenipotentiary to Mexico was --refused all official intercourse with that ,! government,' and, afteriemaining several! J months, by the permission of his own gov ' " er jiment, he returned to the United States. 1 1 . 1'lius, by the a1s of Mexico, all diplomat-' - 1 ic intercourse between the two countries 7 wj is' s u spe nd cd. ?, Since that time Mexico has, until rc ', ' cebtl; occupied an attitude of hostility to- . witnis tne 1 unuea oiatesnas been mar fchaUingvand organizing armies, issuing pf jclamations, and aVovving the intention t mo biakewar on the United States, either : by ian open" declaration,, or by invading ' j Tc ias. 1 Both llie Qongress , ,anc Conven - ttion of thepeople of Texas invited this - Government to send an army into that ter- ; rit ury; to protect and defend them against ( -J,thi 5 menaced '-attack. The moment the 4 terms of annexation, offered by the United ter became so far a part of our own coun- iry, ,as 10 make u our uuty 10 anoru suen -protection and defence. 1 therefore deem cu i proper, as a precautionary measure, to pwer a streng squadron to the coasts of Mexico, and to concentrate an efficient military force on the western frontier of j Texas-:- Our army was ordered to take j pojitjoh jnlhn conntry between the Nue-1 ces and tue Uei ixbrte; and to reper any invasion of the Texan territory which mijhfc be attempted by the Mexican for ces j Our squadron in the gulf was order ed t( t cb:opeira t; witli the army. But h ugH ou r af rny and na vy . we re ' pfaced ini'n6sitibn-lo Uent1:"ourowh. and t ho , rt4jpClVias,they;4'ere ordered to com- niipib act of hostility agaiust Mexico, un l t; Jess she declared war. or was herself the fC pressor by striking the first blow.v The y: resuTtjiius bceji, that Mexicohas made no ngressive fnovement, 7 and our military hikI ;ria val commanders have i executed, j! "their orders with such discretion, that the . peac of the two republics has;aot been V disturbed.' r-1 . v, lexas had.declared her independence, and maintainetl it by her, arms for more ? hKn nine years. r She had an organized gojvernment in successful operation during thjit: period. Iler, separate existence; as ani independent State, haifbeen j- j ha United; States and the principal 1 v Pciwersor Europe. ?i Treaties of commerr iiu n.ivj;aiio:i uau icn concluded with .lirf by different nations, and it had become lUinUest tq ihevVhoe. world lhat any fur , thfef attempt on the part of Mexico to con qikfjeri or overthrovvbeT" government, f wbuTd.be iii Vain. Even rexico' herself Jiad become Tsatisnted of. thisi fact Cand x --.Li . 't . " "... 1. j 'i.i:L . . . .u uisfc uib quesnon ot' annexation was P"das ; befof e the people of Texas, during lTiPst-summ the govcrnme"nt of Mexi c6 hy a iorraal act, agreedto recognise the 2dH5nce ofTexas on condition that , KrV.IT bf agrecmcnt to acknowledge the 1 pendence.of Texas, whether wilh H :.w rhoi!i ? ! :.?fnditlbn; is conclusive a lSras tsu fact ceded by Mexico lier- wai. .ana fcae naa no nsutior ntK:,. prescribe rcstrictions as to. the form of wards choose to assume. Put though Mexico cannot complain tf .up vnucuoiaicson uccouaioj me annex- 4- atiWibf Texas; If istobe regretted that se. rious causes of misunderstanding between the two coontriesrcontinue to exist, -crow. inr out of the unredressed injuries inflicted iv the MexicahthonUcs" an'd-pcoplc. ot the5 persons nno property oi citizens United States, 'through a lonsr series , of years. ' Mexico has admitted these: inju ries, but has neglected and vrefusedT to re pair them; Such was the 'character -of the wrongs, and such the insulte -repeatedly Wered td -"American citizens' and the American flag'Jby Mexico," in palpable Vi- otaiion oi tne jaws oi nations aim tue irea- ty between the two countries or tne tilth of,ApriT,"l83U that they havejlieenre peaieary orougni ro ine nouce oi congress by mv predcesisors. J As early as the 8th " ---- 1 a ' . . i - ' l- - : f ri of. February, 1837, the .'President of the United. States, declared in a message to Congress, that . the length of time since some of thelnjuries havfj been committed the repeated and unavailing applications for redress, the- wanton character of soiwi of the outrages upon the persons and pro perty of our citizens, upon the officers and flag of the United Slates, independent ot recent insults td this government arid peo- pfe by the bite Bxtraordinary Mexican minister, would justify in the eyes of all nations immediate war He did , riot hove-r, recommend an immediate resort to this extreme measure, which, he de clared, should not be, used by just and enerousnationstconfldingin their strength for injuries committed, if it can be honor ably avoided;' but, in a spirjtof forbear- ince, proposed that another demand be made on Mexico - for 'that redress, w h i c h had been so long and unjpstly withheld. In these views, committees of : the two Houses of Congress, in reports made to their respective bodies, concurred. Since these proceedings more than eight years have elapsed, during which, in addition to the wrongs then complained of, others of an aggravated character baVe been com mitted on the' persons and property of our citizens. A special agent was sent to Mexico in the summer of 1838, with , full authority to make another and final de mand for redressf The demand was made ; nn1 oAoii miiVi Inloiv e ii&oT -f in)n rv nuy with that view was concluded be tween the two Powers on the eleventh of April, 183.0, and was duly ratified by both governments. By this treaty a joint com mission was created to adjudicate andle cide on the claims, of American citizens on the government of Mexico. The com mission w-as organized at Washington on the twenty-fifth day of August, 1840. Their time was limited to eighteen months; at the expiration of which, they had adju dicated and decided claims amounting to two millions twenty-six thousand one hun dred and thirty nine dollars and sixty-eight cents in favor of citizens of jthe United States against the Mexican government, leaving a large amount of claims undeci ded. Of the latter, the American commis sioners had decided in favor of our citizens, claims amounting to nine hundred and twenty-eight I thousand six hundred and twenty-seven dollars and eighty-eight cts. which were left unacted on by the umpire authorized bythe treaty. Still further claims, amounting to between three and four millions of dollars, were submitted to the board too late to be considered, and vverejeft undisposed of. The sum of two millions twenty-six thousand one hundred arid thirty nine dollars and sixty-eight cts., decided by the bdard, was a liquidated and ascertained debt due by Mexico to the claimant?, and there was no justifiable reason for delaying its payment accord ing to the terms of the treaty. It Was not, however, paid. Mexico applied for fur ther indulgence ; find, in that spirit of lib erality and forbearance which has ever marked the policy of the United States towards that republic, the request wa& granted : and, on the thirtieth of January, 1843, a new treaty was concluded. By this treaty it was provided, that the inter est due on the awards in favor of claim antStfnder the convention of the eleventh of April, 183, should be paid on the thir tieth of April, 1843 ; and that " the prin cipal Lof the said awards, and the interest arising thereon, shall be paid in five years, in equal instalments every three months ; the said term of five years to commence on the thirtieth da, of April, 1843, as a foresaid." The interest due on the thir tieth day of April, 1843. and the three first of the twenty instalments, ve been paid. Seventeen of these instalments remain un paid, seven of which are now due. : The claims which vere left undecided by the joint commission, , amounting to more than three millions of dollars, toge ther with other claims for spoliations on the property of our citizens, were subse quently presented to thcMexican govern ment Jot payment and; were so far recog nised, that a treatjvproviding for their ex amination and settlement by a joint com mission, was concluded and signed at Mex ico on the twentieth day of November, r l his treaty was ratified by the United States, with certain amendments, to which no just exception could have been taken ; but it has not yet receiv ed the ratification of the Mexican go vernment. , In the meantime, our citizens who suffered great . losses, -and some of whom have been reduced from affluence 16 bankruptcy, are without ferried unless j their rights be enforced by their govern- i.uv. oucn a connnueu ana unprovoKed series "of wrongs eould never, have "been tolerated by the United States, had they been committed : by one of the principal nations of Europe. - Mexico was, howev er. neighboring; sister "republic which, foIIowingjDfOr exaninle.;had Rihivrt;K-f- jPchdericerand for. whose suceess and prpsperiijraii our ; sympathies: were early en I lSted-Thft United States were the first to recognise her incjependerice; arid 1 6 re ceive he r Jn to the; fami ly of hat iorisy knd have :ver" been desirous br cultivating with her a gbod understanding AVe have, therefore, borne the repealed, wrongs she has; comjaitted xtith "great patience, in the hope.:' that rft rRtnrriin-rSftnst rf i!it!r f woufd lUmately guidelicr cbuncilsi aid 'tbatwa might, if possible, honorably avpjd anvthrisH! collision' witK ber.5-: iVitbbu't the pre vibus autborirj' of Cbn rethExecunveJsiel lid povver lO-auopt pr emorco .ufl",' "i-" - ine.injunejvtj iiauMunivi v than he nreDarea io repei,.in& mi cir mu aggression on the part of Mexico.' After our army and nayy rnau remaineu on tne frontier- and coasts of Mexico; for many weeks,. without any hostile movement on fher parr, though ber menaces werecon- tinued, 1-tleemea u iiiijoriin.. lo-poiran endrif p5SsibIeto this state of things Vith this ?viewv I caused steps to be taken. in tbe month "of September last, to ascer tain distinctly, and in an-authentic 'form, what the designs of the Mexican1 gpve ment JTrewhefher ':was:.ileir;jn)en tion to declare war, ; orj jnyapTexa'vpr whether the v were disposed to adjust arid settle, in au amicable manner,- the pend ing dinerences between the two countries. On the ninth of November an official an swer was received, that the Mexican go vernment consented to renew the4 diplo matic relations which, had been suspend ed in March last, and for that j purpose were, willing to accredit a minister from lhaUnited States. With asincere desire to preserve peace, and restore relations of good understanding between theTtwo re publics, I waived all ceremony as to the mannerof renewingdiplomatio intercourse between them ; and, assuming the initia tive, on the tenth of November a distin guished citizen of Louisiana was appoint ed Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to Mexico, clothed with full powers jo adjust, and definitively seP tie, all pending -differences between the two countries, including those of bounda ry between Mexico and the State of lex- rrti t . t as, ine minister appomiea nas sec oui on his mission, and is probably by this time near the Mexican capital. He has been instructed to bring the negotiation with which he is charged to a conclusion at the earliest practicable period :: which, it is expected, will be in time to enable me to communicate the result to Congress during the present session. Until that re sult is known, I forbear to recommend to Congress such ulterior measures of redress for the wrongs, and injuries we have so long borne, as it would have been; proper to make had no such negotiation been in stituted. ! Congress appropriated, at the last ses sion, the sum of two hundred and seventy five thousand dollars for the payment of the April and July instalments of the Mex ican indemnities for the year 1844 : "Pro vided it shall be ascertained to tlie satis faction of the American government lhat said instalments have been paid by the Mexican governmentto the agentlappoin ted by the United States to receive the same, in such manner as to discharge all claim on the Mexican government, and said agent to be delinquent in remitting the money to the United States." " The unsettled state of our relations with Mexico has involved this subject in much mystery. The first information, in an au thentic form, from the agent of the United States!, appointed under the administration of my predecessor, was received at the State Department on the ninth of Novem ber last. This is contairied in a letter, dated the seventeenth of October, address ed by him to one of our citizens then in Mexico, with the view of having It com municated to that department. From this it appears that the agent, on the, twentieth of September! 844, gave a receipt to the treasury of Mexico for'the amount of the April and July instalments of the indem nity. In the same, communication, how ever, he asserts that he had not received a single dollar in cash ; but that he holds such securities as warranted, him at the time in giving the receipt, and entertains no doubt but that he will eventually ob tain the money. As these instalments appear never to have been actually paid by the government of Mexieo to the agent, and as that government has not therefore been released so as to dischargelhe claim, I do not feel myself warranted in directing paymenttobemadeto the claimants out of the treasury, without further legislation. Their case is, undoubtedl'", one of much hardsMp ; and it remains for Congress to decidewiiether any, and what, relief ought to bfe granted to them. Our minister to Mexico has been insirueted to ascertain the facts of the case from the Mexican go vernment, in an authentic and official form, and report the result with as little delay as possible. .My attention, was early directed to the negotiation, which, on the fourth of March last, I found pending at Washington be tween the United Stales and Great Brit ain, on the subject of the Oregon territory. Three several attemps had been previous ly made to settle .the questions in dispute between the two countries, by negotiation, upon the principle of coriipromise ; but each had proved unsuccessful. -.!-- 1 These negotiations took place at Lon don, in the years 1818; 1824, and 1826 ; the two' first; under the . administration of Mr. Monroe, and the last under that of Mr. Adams. The negotiation of 1818 having failed to accomplish its object, resulted in the convention of the twentieth of October of that year. By the third article of that convention, it was agreedthat any coun try that may be claimed by either par ty on the northwest coast of America, westward of the Stony mountains, $hal, together with its harbors, bays, and creeks, and the navigation of all rivers within the same, be free arid open; for the term of ten years from the date of the signature of the present con yentiorijt to., the vessels citizens. arid subjects of the two Powers j it being well underetro ment is4 not to be'eonstrued, to the preju dice of any claim which either of the two h igh contract i ng parties may hare jo any part of the said countryvsriorishallr it be taken to affect the claims of. ariy other Power ori State to any-- part of, the said country ihe, -only '-objefct of the highcon tractingparties ia that respect being, to f'precnt 'dipucsj. and difrerences among themselves. . s ; -' j ' -: The ae'otiation of 1824 v.'as productive of no result and " thflf-;. cohvcntioa7of ; 18) 8 was left uncbange'd. j ' Ir -r . " Vrhe negotiation "of -1820 having. also failed to'effect' a'n'abjustmentibjr' comprb rriise resulted in the convention of August the sixth, 1827. byrwhich it. was agreed id coritinuejn force, far'nn irifinitc period jthepro visions of ; the 1 third article of the con vention -of the twentieth of October, 1818 ;,and it .waSi furtherproyided,,ihat it shall be' competent, however, to either of the contracting parties, in case either shbuIdvthinkvfi,AtJariy:tirneJafie the twent ieth -of October 1 828onivirig lue notice of t welve mbnths to the , other con tracting party,lo annul and abrbgatejhis convention''; , and it shall, in such case, be accordingly entirely annulled 'and ' abro gated after the expiration of the said term of notice." In these attempts to adjust the controversy, the parallel of the forty ninth degree, of riorth. latitude had. been ofTered hy the United States to Great Brit ain, and in those of 1818 and 182G, with a further concession of the free naviga tion of the Columbia river south of that latitude. The parallel of the forty-ninth degree, from the Rocky mountains to its intersection with the northeasternmost branch of the Columbia, and thence down the channel of that river to sea, had been offered by Great Britain, with an addition of a small detached territory north oT the Columbia. Each of these propositions had been rejected, by the parties respectively. In October, 1843, the Envoy Extraordi nary and Minister Plenipotentiary ofthe United States in London was authorized to make a similar offer to those made in 1818 and 1820. Thus stood the question. when the negotiation was shortly after wards transferred to Washington ; and,. on the twenty-third of August, 1844, was formally opened, under the direction of my immediate predecessor. Like all the previous negotiations, it was based upon principles of compromise and the a- vo wed purpose of the parties was, to treat of the respective claims of the two countries to the Oregon territory, with the view to establish a permanent boundary between them westward of the Rocky mountains to the Pacific ocean' Accord ingly, on the twenty-sixth of August, 1844, the British plenipotentiary offered to di vide the Oregon territory by the forty-ninth parallel of north latitude, from the Rocky mountains to the point of its intersection with the northeasternmost branch of the Columbia river, and thence down that ri ver to the sea; leaving the free naviga tion ofthe river to be enjoyed in! common by both parties the country south of this line to belong to the United States, and that north of it to Great Britain. At the same time, he proposed, in addition, to yield to the United States a detached ter ritory, north of the Columbia, extending along the Pacific and the Straits of Fuca, fromjBulfinch's harbor inclusive, to Hood's canal, and to make free to the United States any port or ports south of latitude-rCess forty-nine decrees, which they anight de sire, either on the main land, or on Quadra and Vancouver's island. AVith the excep tion of the free ports, this was the same offer which had been made by the British, and rejected by the American rovernment in the negotiation of 1820. This proposi tion was properly rejected by the Ameri can plenipotentiary on the day it was sub mitted. This was the onljL proposition of compromise offered by the British pleni potentiary requested that a proposal should be made by the United States for "an. equitable adjustment ofthe question." When I came into office, I found this to be the state of the negotiation. Though entertaining the settled conviction, that, the British pretensions of title could not be maintained to any portion of the Ore gon territory upon any principleof public law recognised by nations, yet, in defer ence to what had been done by myprede cessors. and especially in consideration that propositions of compromise had been thrice made by two preceding administra tions, to adjust the question on the paral lel of forty-nine degrees, and intwoof them yielding to Great Britain the free naviga tion of the Columbia and that the pend ing negotiation had been commenced on the basis of compromise, I deemed it to he my duty not abruptly to break it off. In consideration too, that under the conven tions of 1818 and 1827, the citizens and subjects of the two Powers held a joint occupancy of the country, I was induced to make another effort to settle this long pending controversy in the spirit of mod eration which had given birth to the re newed discussion. A proposition was ac cordingly made, which was rejected by the British plenipotentiary, who, without submitting any other proposition, suffered the negotiation on his part to drop, ex pressing his trust that the United States would offer what he saw fit to call "some further proposal for the . settlement of the Oregon question more consistent with fair ness and equity, and with the reasonable expectations of the British government." The proposition thus offered and rejected repeated the offer ofthe parallel of torty nine degrees of north latitude, which had been made by two preceding administra tions, but without proposing to surrender to Great Britain, as they had done, the free navigation of the Columbia river. The right of any foreign Power to the free nav igation of any of. our rivers, through the heart toT our country, was one which I was unwilling to concede. It also embraced a provision tomake free to Great Britain any port or ports on the cap of Quadra and Vancouver's Island,soin b of.this pa allet ?Had this been a riVwuestion; coll ing under discussion for tb c first ti me,t his propositionwouldixiot haye been made. The extraordinary:and wholly ihadmissi ble demauds ofthe. British government. ?uid tbe: rejection of the proposition made in aeierence alone lo wnai naa peen cone by my predecessors, and the implied bbli- gatipu:whicb Iheir.acts seemed to Tmposeij auora saitsiaciory eyiueace wai uo-com "'v..f. . - . " . V 4..:..--. ' . - -, promise: which the United States ought to accept; Cart be eflVritpdr Wiih ihis rnn f Vict ion,tthe pronosi I ion - f nm nrnmlsA wl?ich had beep made and rejected, was, by-my.dtrecfion; subsequently withdrawn; ' wuuic Oregon lerntory asserted, and, as is believed, -maintained by 1 rrefragable facts and arguments. . ' .The; civilized iyorld 'will see' iri'these proceedings a spirit of liberal concession on the part of the Urii ted Stat esfland this go verrimerit; wil 1 bis reli e ved i from .all re sponsibility which may follow: the failure to settle: the -controvcisyvy ?;" '' : All attempts to cbmnrorriise having fail. ed, it becomes theduty of Congress to con sider What measures it ma b nrnrinr tn adoptfbr the Security' and prbtectiorr ofj hereafter inhabit Oregon, and for the main- icnance 01 our jusi uue 10 that territory. In adopting measures for this purpose, care should be taken that nothing be done to violate the stipulations of thb conven tion of 1827, which is still in Jorce. The faith of treaties, in their letter; and spirit, has ever been, and, I trust, will ever be. scrupulously observed by theUnitedStates. Under lhat' convention, a year's, notice is required to be given by either party to the other,.- before, the joint occupancy shall terminate, and before either can rightful ly assert or exercise exclusive jurisdiction over any" portion of the territory This notice it would, in my judgment, be proper to give; arid I recommend that "provision J be made by law forgiving it accord i rig ly, and terminating, in this manner, the con vention of the sixth of August, 1827. . It will become proper for Congress to determine what legislation they can, in the mean timeadopt without violating this convention. Beyond all question, the protection of our laws and our jurisdiction, civil and criminal, ought to be immediate ly extended over our citizens in Oregon. They have had just cause to complain of our long neglect in this particular, and have, in consequence, been compelled, for their own security and protection, to es tablish a provisional government for them selves. Strong in their allegiance and ardent in their attachment to the United States, they have been thus cast upon their own resources. They are anxious that our laws should be extended over them, and I recommend that this be done by Congress with as little delay as possi ble, in the full extent to which the British Parliament have proceeded in regard to British subjects in that territory, by their act of July the second, 1821, for regula ting the fur trade, and establishing a crim nal and civil jurisdiction within certain parts of North America." By this act Great Britain extended her laws and ju risdiction, civil and criminal, over her sub jects, engaged in the fur trade in that ter ritory. By it, the courts of the province of Upper Canada were empowered to take cognizance of causes civil and criminal. Justices of the peace and other judicial officers were authorized to be appointed in Oregon, with power to execute all pro- issuing trom the courts ot that pro vince, ana 10 - sic ana noia couns 01 recoru for the trial of criminal offences and mis demeanors," not made the subject of cap ital punishment, and also of civil cases, where the cause of action shall not ' exceed in value the amount or sum of two hun dred pounds." !- Subsequent to the date of this act of Parliament, a grant was made from the 44 British crown" to the Hudson's Bay Company, of the exclusive trade with the Indian tribes in the Oregon territory, sub ject to a reservation that it shall not ope rate to the exclusion " of the subjects of any foreign States who, under or by force of any convention for the time being, be tween us and such foreign States respec tively, may be entitled to, and shall be en gaged in, the said trade." It is much to be regretted, lhat, while under this act British subjects have en joyed the protection of British laws and British judicial tribunals throughout the whole of Oregon, American citizens, in the same territory, have enjoyed no such protection from their government. At the same time, the result illustrates the cha racter of our people and their institutions. In spite of this neglect, they have multi plied, and their number is rapidly increas ing in that territory'. They have made no appeal to arms, but havepeacefully forti fiedLlhemselves in their new homes, by the adoption of republican institutions for themselves ; furnishing another example of the truth that self-government is inhe rent in the American breast, and must prevail. It is due to them that they should be embraced and protected by our laws. Jtisjdeemed important tbat our laws regulating trade and intercourse with the Indian tribes east of the Rocky mountains, should be extended to such tribes as dwell beyond them. The increasing emigration to Oregon and the care and protection which is due from the government to its citizens in that distant region, make it our duty, as it is our interest, to cultivate; arnicable gela tions with the Indian tribes of that terri tory. For this purpose, I reconmiend that provision be made for establishing an In dian agency, and sjuch i.sub-agencies , as may be deemed necessary, beyond the Rocky mountains;-- o For the protection of emigrants whilst on their way to Oregon a gainst the attacks ofthe Indian tribes occubyingthe country through which they pass! recommend that a suitable number of stockades and block house forts be erected along the usual route between our frontier settlements on the Missouri and the Rocky Mountains, and that an adequate force of mounted riflemen be raised :to cuard . and protect tnem ; on their joU rney. v The immediate adoption of American citizens than British Jaws have Ions since done for British subjects in the ame rerruory 4. . ; A It requires several months Iq perform the voyage by sea" from the AtlantirStatcs tbj these recommendations ry congress win - "ji; if WOrld, the P; not violate the provisions of the existing the eii.iiag,,wumstanc lyreffon .anii.-nlthr.nrrK . - number of whab ships in the pLH rfew of them afford an opportrirtlVV?' changing: intelligence without trfiT between our settlements in that H? gion and the United States. aZ mail, at least once a month u 0 .5Qca the favorable consideration o( Cr Itissubmiftbd tbtheisdomofcS,es, to determine whether, at tK;. kjn Sress sion. and until after the expiratiS year's notice, any other measure, JLkJ?- adopted consistently with the convent ;1827,fbrthesecuriof1rrSSf governmemvand protection of ourS c in Oregon. That it will ultimately & and proper to; make liberal grants nfi-S to thetriotieninnpP WtM yations and dangers, lead the way throng savage; tribes inhabitirig the Vast wildi nessinterreriing.betweenVoUrTronUer tlements and Oregon, and: who cokivat and are ever ready fo defend the toil ri! I-"---- -wwwawt l Uli. Hfnin.4 . obtain such grants as soon-as the conven! Uon between the United States andGttrt Britain shall have ceased to exist, would U to doubt the justice of Congress ; but, w ding the year's notice, it is worthy of Job. siderationAvhether a stipulation to thi$ tr. feet may be made consistently with tb spirit of that conventionV.-- The; recoirimeridations wnich ltate 'madi as to t he T)est mariner of securing our rights in pregon, are submitted to Congress with great deference, Should they.iritkeir wisdonvdevise any mode better calculated to accomplish tile me'object, it i4ll meet with my beurty concurrence. At the end of the -year. notice, should Congress think it proper to riiake provso for giving that notic we shall have reacli. chi period when the national rights in f. egon must either be abandoned or final? maintained. That they cannot be ahani oned without a"sacrifice of loth national honor and interest, is too clear to admit of doubt." ' ; ;: p-r'J- ; Oregon Is a part of tne North Americaii continent, to which, it is corifidentlvaffirm. d,the title of the United States is the best now in existence, . For the grounds oa which that title rests. I refer you to the cor respondence of the Jate and present Secrt. tary of State with the British lenipofen tiary during the negotiation. The Britl&h proposition of Compromise, which voblf make the Columbia the line south of 41 degrees, with a trifling addition of detach ed territoty to the United States north of t hat river, and would leave on the British side two-thirds of the whole of Oregon ter ritory, including the free navigation of the Columbia and all the valuable harbors oa the Paci fic, can ne ver for a moment; be en tertained by the Uuited Stat es, without an. abandonment of theirjust and clear terri torial rights, their own self-respect, and the national honor. For the information of Congress. I communicate heTewith thecor respondence which took place between the two Governments during the late negotia tion.-. ' ;'-..';..;.,'- - The rapid extension of .our- settlement over territorieberetofore.upQCupjed i tta expansion of our principles, and our rising greatness as a nation, are. attracting the attention of the powers of - Europe ; and lately the doctrine has- been broact.ed ia some of them of a balance of power " en this continent, to check our advancement. The United States,sincerely desirous of pre Serving relations of good understanding with all nations, cannot in silence permit a njr European interference on the Nonh American continent ; and should anyuch interference be attempt edwill be ready ta resist it at any and all hazards. It is well knownicTtbe American peoplr and to all nations, that tbisGoyernmenthas never interfered with the relations subsist ing between other Governments. :Vc, have never made ourselves, parties tolheir wars or their alliances; we nave notsoaguc their territories by conquest and believ ing our own form of government to-be the best, we have never attempted to propa gate, it by intrigues by diplomapy, or by force. We may claim on this,continent like exemption from' European interfer ence. The nations of America are equally sovereign and independent with those of Europe. They possess the same rights, in dependent of all foreign J riteposition, to make war, to conclude.peace, and to rcgo late their internal affairs.; The people of the United States cannot! therefore, vie with indifference) attempts of JJuropeaft Powers to interfere with the independent action of the nationson this continent. Tbe' American system of government is entire ly different fromthat of Europe. Jealousy among the different sovereignsjpf Europe, lest any oneyof them might become u powerful for the rest, has caused them anx iously to desire the establishment of J they term the balance of rower. ; cannot be permitted torhave any applc tion on the North American continent, ju especially to the UnitepVSfatcs. We must ever maintaintbc principletbat the people of thu con tinent alone have tbetight to decide their oft destiny. ShouW any portion of them, consul ting an independent State, propose to unite ibe selves with our Confederacy, this will bet q lion for ihem and us to determine without MJ foreign interposition. We can never coose that European Powers shall interfere to ' P such a unton, because it might disturb tbe p ance of power" which they may desire to mr tain upon this continent. Near a quarter t ; century ngo, the principle was distinctly r. nounced to the World, in the annual message one of my predecessors, that 14 the Anen continents, by the free and independent condit which they have assumed and maintain v hericenrth not to le considered as subjects ? future colonization by anV European PwcF i 1 019 principle win nppij w.hu giuv .foe$. force, should any European power attempt w arid to slate xny cordial concurrence in " .- aorn ana souna poucy. 1 y-; j.et. priiiciple.eswciallyinreferencyoNortn ica,' is at this day but the prorinirgalion 1 c ir cy which 00 European Power should cner 1 - ' f-, .t ... --.
Carolina Watchman (Salisbury, N.C.)
Standardized title groups preceding, succeeding, and alternate titles together.
Dec. 13, 1845, edition 1
2
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