could?_" * * * * * * "I shall lose as much as any one in a war--_I
do not mean in property_--but I have a wife and children, and I
love them with all the heart and soul that I possess. No one can
love his family more than I do mine unless a stronger intellect may
give him more strength of affection; and my family will be exposed
to the merciless savages, who will as ever become the allies of
Great Britain in any war. But still, sir, my people on the frontier
will press on to the mouth of the Columbia, and fight for Oregon.
_I am not sure but I will go myself._"

The feelings of the female Sims, and all the little Simses, on reading
that last sentence! We shudder to think of it. Sims, however, has made
up his mind that the exploit is no great matter after all.

"It was said that the route to Oregon was impracticable, and that
it was beset with dangerous enemies, and that we could not send
troops over to Oregon, nor provisions to feed them. _Now, sir, we
of Missouri can fit out ten thousand waggon-loads of provisions for
Oregon, and ten thousand waggon-boys to drive them, who, with their
waggon-whips, will beat and drive off all the British and Indians
that they find in their way._"

The peroration of this harangue is, perhaps, the funniest part of it
all, but want of space compels us to omit it. We let Sims drop with
great reluctance, and pass over several minor luminaries who are quite
unworthy to follow in his wake. Now, ladies and gentlemen, we are about
to introduce to you Mr Kennedy, a _Democratic_ representative from
Indiana--a _very insolvent_ Western state, and a celebrated "British or
any other lion" tamer.

"Sir, (says Mr K.,) when the British lion, or any other lion, lies
down in our path, we will not travel round the world in blood and
fire, but will make him leave that lair." * * * *

After this mysterious announcement, he enquires--

"Shall we pause in our career, or retrace our steps, because the
British lion has chosen to place himself in our path? Has our blood
already become so pale, that we should tremble at the roar of the
king of beasts? We will not go out of our way to seek a conflict
with him; but if he cross our path, and refuses to move at a
peaceful command, _he will run his nose on the talons of the
American eagle, and his blood will spout as from a harpooned wha