PETER H. BURNETT. ister; and while I thought our country had the better title, neither claim could be properly called a plain, indisputable right, because much could be and was said on both sides of the question. But, while our title might be disputed, there was no possible doubt as to the main fact, that we had settled the country. When the managers of the company had arrived at the conclusion that Oregon must be inhabited by a civilized race of men, they undoubtedly determined to do all they could reasonably and justly to colonize it with their own people. These gentlemen were as loyal in their allegiance to their own country as we were to ours, and were prepared to go as far as enlightened love of country would lead them, and n.o farther. It is very true that the company, by expending the larger portion if not all of its large capital, could have colon- ized the country in advance of the Americans. But, what proper inducement had the company thus to sacrifice the property of its stockholders? Colonization was not its legiti- mate business. Why, then, should a mere mercantile corpora- tion waste its means and ruin its business to settle Oregon? If the settlement of the country was of national importance to Great Britain, then the expense should have been borne by that government itself, and not by the few subjects who happen to be stockholders of the company. Any one well acquainted with all the facts and circumstances, and who will carefully and thoroughly examine the subject, must see that the only motive the managers of the company had to settle Oregon with British subjects, in preference to American citizens, was one of patriotism or love of country. In a pecuniary point of view, the company saved more money for its stockholders by the treaty than it could have done had the country fallen to Great Britain. But while the managers of the Company, as British sub- jects, preferred to colonize Oregon with their own people, they were not, as enlightened and Christian men, prepared to use criminal means to accomplish that purpose. In the address of
