1843.] DEBATES IN THE SENATE OF THE U. S. ON OREGON. 387 



results. In any case, whether or not war should ensue, the ques- 

 tion of the possession of Oregon could only be decided by nego- 

 tiation ; and if, at the end of a war, the United States should 

 obtain all that they here claim, it would be but a poor recompense 

 for the evils and costs incurred. With regard to the policy of 

 accelerating the settlement of the territory west of the Rocky 

 Mountains, by American citizens, Mr. Archer coincided nearly in 

 opinion with Mr. McDuffie ; he considered that territory as of 

 little value to any nation ; the part near the coast alone contained 

 land fit for agricultural purposes, and there were no harbors which 

 were or could be rendered tolerable. The United States had 

 seven hundred millions of acres of land east of the Rocky Moun- 

 tains still vacant, of which a large portion was more fertile and 

 salubrious than any other lands, wherever they might be, even in 

 Oregon ; these should be occupied before the population could 

 with reason be urged to establish themselves in the latter country. 

 In conclusion, he had no objection to the extension of the juris- 

 diction of the United States to the Pacific, in the manner proposed 

 by the bill, or to the erection of forts on the Columbia, if they 

 should be found necessary ; or to any other measure which might 

 be taken, pari passu, with Great Britain, not inconsistent with re- 

 ciprocal stipulations ; but he should oppose the provision respecting 

 grants of land, not only for the reasons already given, but also 

 because it would tend to defeat the very object of the bill, namely, 

 the ultimate possession of the country west of the Rocky Moun- 

 tains by the United States. 



To the objections thus made to his bill, Mr. Linn replied at 

 length, displaying considerable ingenuity of argument, particularly 

 with the object of showing that all which was thereby openly pro- 

 posed had been already done in a covert manner by Great Britain. 

 He dwelt on the great importance of the Oregon countries, — on 

 the vast extent of lands on the Columbia and its tributary streams, 

 which were said to exceed in productiveness any in the states 

 of the Union, — and on the number and excellence of the harbors 

 on those coasts, the use of which was imperatively required by 

 the American whaling vessels employed in the adjacent ocean, — 

 on the facility with which travel and transportation might be 

 effected across the continent, by means of ordinary roads at pres- 

 ent, and by railroads hereafter ; and he produced a number of 

 letters, reports, and other documents from various sources, con- 

 firming all these statements. Finally, he appealed to the honor 



