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About Oregon spectator. (Oregon City, O.T. [i.e. Or.]) 1846-1855 | View Entire Issue (Aug. 20, 1846)
"I HAVE BEEN TRUE TO THEE." I have been true to thee ! There' ' hope That stirs my soul, nor dreaming of Uio past; No place beneath the bright ethereal cope, But I have found thee as the tempest casta Its shadow on my eoul, before the blast Had overtaken me, I thought of thee, And still think of thee, a I ww thee last, When fond hope wliiF red to my heart that wo Should crow together life's tempestuous sea. I have been true I" thee ! though brightest forms Of human beauty i-pring up in my way, Yet ntill the llamo lit on thino altar warms And purifies my heart. Onwurd I struy, And wo the lover a nltnr-picco decay Unto some other idol turns his eyes, Forgetting that which o'er him held such sway ; ' And liook upward to the far-ofT skies, While thou vvnit'st for mc when Venus doth rife. I have been true, to then ! In summer eves, Alone, I sit beneath the clustering vino, And listen to the whisperings of the leaves ; I watch the stars whom angel f.ices shine, And think the mftest ones resemble thino ! Shall I not love thee when 1 reach the placo Where we shall makn our home ? Is there no sign ? Is there not left with each somo well known grace, By which love in each oilier wo may trace ! Yea ! I should lovo and know thy gentle voice, If I should pom thy lovely image blind ; No tones but THINK could made my heart rejoice ; None else its deepest cords could ever find .' Oh ! tell mo not that we bhall not still find Our ardent love to increase ; 'twero to inako The parent of our cv'ry good unkind ! Oh ! this thought would from our very soul take Long cherish'd hopes the links of our love break ! EXTRACT FROM THE SPEECH Of Mr. Bouxix, of Missouri, on the occupation of Ore gon, delivered in tho U. S. houw of representatives, Juuuary 21), 184.1. Having said thuslimcli of title, let us see if tho charge, so frequently reiterated during this debate, that this bill is a violation of our treaty stipulations, is well founded in fact. Tho bill simply provides for establishing a cordon of military posts five in number--nlong the route, to give security to the emi- grants of Oregon ; and one at the mouth of the Columbia, to protect their rights from invasion by sea. Itmlso organises a terri torial government, to give our citizens the protection of our own laws and institutions upon our own soil ; and guaranties the pro. tcction of the settler in his title to his land as soon as the matter of territorial right is settled, and the Indian title 3xtinguished. Now, sir, the treaty stipulates that the harliors, and bays, and creeks, and the nav. igution of all the rivers, are to be kept free and open to the vessels, citizens and subjects of the two powers, without prejudice to the claims of either party. What is there in this bill that controverts that treaty ? There is no proposition in it to close any drvenUcs of travel guarantied by it. Then, I ask, gentlemen, in what is the treaty infracted 1 Is it tho organization of government for the protection of our citizens ? Sir, if we have at any time been silly enough to establish a compact that deprives us of the power of pro tccting our own citizens upon our own soil, then it should bo infracted, cost what it may. But this is not tho fact ; there is nothing in it to militate against tho excrcrcisc of this authority. There is nothing in the bill to counteract tho treaty or alfoct it, unless England wishes so to regard it, and force a quarrel ; in which event, I say let it come. Resides, sir, we aro only pressing to do for our own citizens what she has long since done for hers give them tho protection of law. I'io treaty was originally made in IB18 ; and iml821 she passed a law in Par liamcnt extending the jurisdiction of Canada over this country, and providing for the or ganization of a quasi civil government with in its borders for tho protection of her citi zens; and are we" to bo estopped from doing tho same thing through a craven fear of her petulance or her power ? In every cssentinl material, she has, without title, without right of soil, done every thing proposed in this bill ; and yet wo hesitato-upon somo imaginary fear of tho infraction of treaties. If tho passage of this bill bo a violation of tho treaty, sho violated it nearly a quartor of a century ago. And it is time to ascertain whethor wo aro to bo restrained by her from giving laws to our own pcoplo within our own sovereign jurisdiction. Sir, tho passago of this bill is not an infraction of tho treaty ; and if England, in her grasping spirit for dominion, sees proper so to regard it, let her do it, and do it, too, at her own peril. Sho i Sinco delivering thia speech, an amendment haa been added to the bill directing notice to be given of the termination of the treaty ; which of course an nuls it by the legitimate means provided in the treaty itself. will not find in tho American citizen the down trodden serfs of Hindoston, who bow in submission to tho dismemberment of their country ; but a band of freemen, who will save it or perish with it. iut sir, wo are frequently told that Ore. gon is n most uninviting spot, a mountainous, arid nnd barren soil, and not worthy of a contest. I might meet this objection by say. ing that it was enough for us to know that it was our own, and national honor demand ed of us to preserve it from aggression. If it would bo valuable to England, it would be too valuable to us to submit to its dismem berment from tho republic. There aro other causes to render a country aluable, tlmn tho mere fertility of soil. Position to com mand to control tho destinies of commerce, give value in tho eyo of nations. What gives valuo to the barren rock of t.Jibraltur ? what gives value to the sterile island of .Mai ta? what gives valuo to that isolated island in mid ocean, St. Helena? Their militurv positions, commanding the commerce of the Mediterranean and the south Atlantic. So with Oregon. It is destined to 1k the key to tho commerce of the northwestern ocean ami tho Indies, and that gives value to the po sition. Hut QrCgon is neither the paradise the partiality of its friends Would paint it, nor the barren, rocky, and sterile region that its foes would represent it. It N, if thcro bo truth in the tales of its explorers, very like our own Atlantic slope on this side of the continent, only that nature there has worked upon n more magnificent scale, giv ing larger streams bolder anil higher moun tains, and more extensive valleys. It is the land of hill and dale; ofsnnw-capcl moun tains and wide-spread fertile valleys, inter spcrscd with lakes and streams as pure as the fountains of eternal ico from which they spring. It is the land where winter reigns eternal amidst the heights, but of a mild and balmy temperature below ; where gentle winds, catching freshness from the snow gin mountains, impart health and vigor in their sweep along the vales. It is the land where nature has stamped her impress in the most gi gantic form. Her mountains are bold, rug ged, and towering in solitary grandeur amidst tho clouds. Her rivers are upon a scale in most magnificent; the Columbia alone spread ing her tributaries over a vast terrritory of country, embracing in their extent over 1 1 degrees of latitudb and 0 degitus of longi tudc. Her valleys arc large, beautiful, and fertile the Willamette alone is as extensive in its area as England, with her eighteen millions of population, and utmost as rich as the delta of Egypt. It' is the land of i -tremes, combining all that is beautiful with all that is wild and romantic in nature; where, wandering amidst the flowers of sum mer, you may gaze upon the desolate re gions and rugged forms of never ending w in ter; the land whose mountuin fustneyses, like the Swiss Alps, gives a perpetual guar anty of security to her people. In a word, it, is tho land of rich valleys, barren wilds, mountain wastes, noble streams, and perpet ual fortresses of protection. This is Ore gon ; such as sho is, she is ours, not to bo yielded up to lold pretensions unsupported by title. In a commercial point of view, Oregon is of incalculable importance to this country, destined, from her position, to work revolu tions in trade, which now only enter into the daydreams of the enthusiast. The discov ery of tho power of bteam has lent a new impetus to national and individual enter prise; and wc may fondly anticipate that tho day is not far distant, when tho long cir cuitous route to the Indies will give placo to a more direct one through Oregon. The rich commerce of the Indies, wlioso trade made Tyre, ""Queen of cities," and reared Pdjknyra in the desert, is destined in tho prog rewulf events to rear a mightier cmoiium of cojmherco in Oregon, than Tyro or PuL myra in tho palmy days of their greatness. That rich trade, in tho progress of events, will find its way through the gorges of tho Rocky mountains into tho rich valley of tho Mississippi, to bo oxchanged for its surplus productions; scattering wealth, glory, and prosperity in its march. When that day comes, Oregon is tho flreat center of trade, and must control tho destinies of the com merce of tho northwestern ocean, and of In dia and America. That if it is to control our commerce, lot it control it in our own hands. Let it be subject to tho enterprise of Ijnir own people, and not of u foreign power, whose interest it would be to cripple, not ad vanco our prosimrity. Ilcsides, sir, our own security demands of us prompt and immediato action in occupy ing this country. If wo would not placo a foreign foo in impenetrable fortresses in our rear to guide, direct, and nnimnte the in termediutu savages along the lino of our frontier, to harass uml murder our people, ue must act, and act at once. England is not idlcin fortifying her possessions in Ore. I gon; unau we are ui.se, we win noi xuiit'r our.selvesXto bo amused with protocols, until die is prepared to make every pass in this Rocky mountains a new Thermopylae ami set us at defiance, it is more than idle to wait for negotiations. The people wiil not consent to surrender any ortion of that tor ritory wlu'eli is their own. and which is ho es sential to their further prosperity and securi ty. If we could, wiili eraen spirits, perpe trate the deed, they would never ratify it no never whilst they felt they had a conn trv at stake, and an arm to strike in her be half. The people have long regarded Oregon as ours, and have looked forward with bright anticipations to the day when the hardy pio. titers of the West, the advance guard in the spread of civilization, .should make the stars ami stripes float to the breeze on the shores of the Pacific. And they will not tamely yield to the sat nliee of any xrtion of it to a foreign owcr. They will do much to se cure t lie peace, harmony, and the good will of other nations ; but they will not even pur i base these blessings at the slightest sacrifice of national honor, or of lite soil consecrated to liheity. On this question, as on many others, the Kipular feeling has outstripped the tardy councils of tho nation, and has settled into a determination, which is irrevocably fixed, that Oregon must be occupied not to the disgrace, but to the honor anil glory of the republic ."N'hoy will not submit to have a hostile foe planted upon our rear, and the commerce of tho Indies intercepted from the valley of the .Mississippi, by the interference of foreign lowers uwn our own soil. De lay but enhances the difficulties tbnt gentle men sc m anxious to aoid; submission to the one wrong but arouses the cupidity of, the aggressor to perpetrate others; until for-1 bearance ceai s to lie a irtue, ami we are I compelled to act at last, and regain, with ' blood and treasure, what might have U-cn saved by manly firmness. Wo have deter mined the question of right, ami why hesi tate to vindicate it ? If we have bestowed upon England courtcsii s, which she pleads into concessions, the sooner they are with drawn, the better for the peace and happi ness of lioth countries. The people are looking with absorbing interest to the pres ent action of this House upon the question of occupation. They expect prompt and efficient action at our hands, in favor of tho rights of our own country. Let us not (lis apoiiit their hopes. Let us perforin our duty in rescuing from dismemberment that beautiful portion of the republic. Let us, by this not, demonstrate to tho world that we aro resolved to preserve its sojl from the desecration of a foreign flag, and our own honor untarnished by a tame submission to wrong. Let us at once, by the passago of this bill, lay the crude foundation of a re public in Oregon, which, it requires not tho spirit of prophecy to foretell, will one day give laws to tho commerce of tho northern Pacific, and rival the proudest States of an cient or modern times. This is what legal right, national honor, uml tho voice of the people uliko demand, and in tho sacred names of justice and patriotism will maintain, or, if such be their destiny, perish in tho at tempt. UtuiAT SwiMMttrn. Wo have heard of great walking und running, but never heard of a swimming feat equal to tho following : Oir the Sandwich Islands a man named I)rcs jumped ovor board from tho "Lon don Pucket," having taken from tho cap tain's knit his life-presorvor. On Saturday morning ho could just discern tho loom of tho mountains of Oahu. After swimming all day, at tho firing of the 0 o'clock gun ho was abreast of tho two men of war, in the outer harbor after getting upon tho roof ho tried to walk, but the surf and waves dash ed him along, und at the time of being pick ed up was nearly insensible having been in tho water thirty or more hours f llo re ports that ho loft tho London Packet on ac count of ill usage, and that the crew wore disorderly. Polynesian. From the N. Y. Sun, January :il. IH-tli. Appcnmu' of thing In Txitn. Wo may compnro Texas to a very young beginner in life, struggling on with limited means and credit, and suddenly brought in ns a partner in n great firm transacting u heavy business and with itmiietiHo resources. Every thing lightens up with him. Ho abandons the .shop for thr warehouse, tho coaster for tho packet. Texas is indeed a wonderful country ; strangers are taking it by storm, und tho early settlers a're making fortunes in selling their grants. Prom lias trop to Austin there are farms on eueh side of the road, and every prairie has two or threw farms on it. ' Tho city of Austin, which a few years ago was nearly desolate and forsaken, now teems with a busy multi tude, ami officers, soldiers, rangers, Indians, frontier men ami strangers, are continually urriving ami departing. The departments of the government are all organized, and the lund office is thronged with the crowd. The inhabitants of Austin never felt the conli. ilencc and security vthich they do at pres ent. New year's dny was eclcbruti d as a gala day at the capital ; the public oll'u i s were closed; the term of the rangers under Hays having expired, they came in for their pay and received their discharge, while re. emits for another campaign were enlisted. Visiting in Austin prevailed on new year's day as it does here. President Jones is at his plantation at Washington, but is looked for shortly to complete the mccssarv tiaus. fern of government. He may feel distn s. id at the result, but Texas will feel tluheu i lit of the change. To use the language of a corresH)iideiit of the N. O. Ihdta ' The day has dawned iiiler is coming out of confusion a thoic-un'd lires on her lulls now blaze as beacon lights to guide the over whelming imiltitude.s that throng even uve nue to her luxuriant prairies. The cabins rise like magic in every grove, and the pa triarchal families, with their crowds of men servants and maid servants, their llocks and their herds, are wending their way through the prairies, or gathering around their camp (ires by the road side, seeking the new hi. me. Prom present appearance, Texas will fill up with emigration more rapidly than any ol the Western Slati s has hen iofore done.' Living is tolerably cheap at Austin as far as the piodiicts of the colliltiy extend, bill colonials are high. The lauil oll'n e is well arranged, has authentic maps of the c muitry and civil clo-ks. Hi-xur, on the river San Antonio, is rabidly improving, ami exhibits more evidence of pro-qierily than it has since the war. The trade with the Mexicans of the Rio (Irande, which has been interrupted by the late heavy rains, is again reviving. Col. Hays encamped for one or two dnv son the bank of the Itio CI ramie, opiiositc the Presidio. The Mexican Commandant at that K,ist made no attempt to molest him, and a small detachment of Ins men mossed the river and purchased some provisions of the Mexicans on the opposite bunk. He met with no hostile Indians on his route, and saw no traces of them between Bexar uml tho Presidio. I.NCKCASK OK TIIK WKST. If the WCSt increased its xpulution by the decrease of the east, it would be a mere trunfer of iopu. lation ; but the east, although losing some of its residents by emigration, yet does not fall off in the aggregate. Ry the late census, wo have tho following returns in four states: Ohio, 1,732,8:12; Indiana, fciVt,:is!l; Illinois, 70.r,011; Michigan, :i01,2H"); the total in crease in five years has been 802,000. These four states have 40 members of Con gress at present, and if tho same ratio exists in IHfiU, they will havo nearly 70 members. The eastern and middle states arc almost statuary in memliers, while tho west is greatly on tho- increasor" In a few years, therefore, tho west will have the numerical force in Congress, unless a rash spirit in fa vor of war curtails their population as well as resources. In a war, whether on our northern or southern frontiers, thp west will bear its sharo of the battle. Largo armies on tho lakes towards Canada, and numer ous volunteers, down tho Mississippi tow ards Texas, would soon thin tho rnpidly increasing power of tho wost, und somo there aro who push on tho west in hopo of this result. Let them lookto it in timo. NewyorlSun, OCT Tho daily consumption of flour in tho city of Now York and its vicinity, is estima ted to bo 2200 barrels.