The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1845-12-28


The Oregon Questionable. Calhoua-A Sparkling
Statement of the IVhole Business as it stands, and
otthe Certainty Of Compromise upon the line Of
Fiuty-nine
We are anxousy awaiting the news from Eng,
land. We anticipate an echo from the Presidents
Message, warlike, indignant and offensive. The
question oil peace or Wharf.-The two alternatives that
are now trembling in the balance, and which Less
than the weight OF the Vandafs sword, would de-.
termine for the scale of blood-may we'll be die.
cussed reflected upon, and talked over, as tho pa.
ramount question Of the times.
Negotiations are suspended MIR Buchanan has
received no intimatlons of the disposition of the
British Government 10 accept the overture of the
administration submitted last August and rejected
Mr.. Pakenham Is awaiting response from Lon.
don to his late dispatches, and the instructions a
to- his future course. We are from credible init
nations, however, Impressed with the firm belief
that the administration has not fallen back upon
54 40 as the utmatum OF pusiion-but that
there ls yet reservation OF acceptance Of tho
propositions rejected by Mr.. Pakenham If the Bri.
tlsh Government should now accede.
But how stand the people of the West They
absolutely astounded, after the official o.ganio
dealals OF the rumor, to read In the Presidents
message that the line of 40 had actually been propose
ed by our Government and still more astonlshed
al the Opaque presumption Gf the British Minister to
claim even more than that The democratic wes-
tern representation in Congress, are unqualifedly
committed, pledged and devoted 10 the expulsion Of
British authority from the whole Oregon ter
iiory 10 the Russian line. Meantime, the Brit sh
and American divisions OF the territory, from locsl
arrangements, are divided by the Columbia river :.
The Hudson's Bay Company is the absolute mo.
narchy on the northern bank, while the American
settlers the south side, are but waiting some fur.
ther accessons from emigration to open the war for
the disputed soil, without further consultation OF ne
EQUATIONS or acts OF Congress. There is scarcely
- midi h.
tween the Hudson's Bay Company on the north, and
our citizens located on the south side, and from the
system OF ntrlgLes, bribery, corruption, coercion,
employed by the former to the suppantinQ of the
latter that peace can be maintained one wear UPON
the principle OF inacten between the supreme aufho.
rites OF the United States and Great Britain Our
emigrants IN Oregon, citizens OF the United States
will hold the general government responsible for az.
sisance in any rupture their part with the Brtish
authorities, and relying upon our cooperation to
their support In such an extremity, they will be the
less scrupulous IN their calculations of their own inn
mediate means OF defence.
Now we will suppose that by common consent
there is an armistce between the high contracting
parties upon this vexed question, suspension OF
the contention automatically and legisatively.-
Next spring live thousand emlgrants will pour
through the sonth pass into the valley of Oregon;
hardy western men, full Of the resolution to settle
where they please south OF $40 They will openly
resist the ingenious devices OF the Hudson's Bay,
through which they monopolIze the trade of the
country and the command ct the Indian tribes.
squabble Will ensue between some audacioua
Hoosler who will have squatted on the north side,
and one OF the subordlnaes OF the British authori-
ties-the Hoosier Will be punished by imprison.
meni, and released by posse commitdf4s from the
other shore. rifles in hanG--a man or two will be
killed, and the contest which is to shake the globe
when the strife shall have commenced, as with the
OF earthquakes, may be dated from that
hour. How remarkable, in after history, will the
consequences from this rifimg inc dent
appear How strange that mere personal squab-
bic between two men, one In sky-blue hunting
shirt snd the other in a red coat-a sqiabbe between
two obscure personages, in the midst of the wilder.
ness, two thousand miles from the frontiers OF civis
Izsiion, and iourteen thousand in the route from
England, should result in the shock OF arms.
which is TO sh Ike the rotten dynastIes OF Eu.
rope 10 their oundations-extnguish the ~.
premacy OF Great Britain; 10 create another re-
publican revolution in France, and, perhaps another
Robesplerre; which is 10 str mp the embers OF iber-
~ in Austria and even IN Italy, overtuning The al
liars oi the Vatican, and baEisnlng the Pope TO the
OF Africa. SPAN, too, will participate in
tie general g,.sNlN, and Portugal cannot escape it.
Holland viii be submerged in the same wave.
Prussia WILL perhaps, again open the gates OF Ber-
lin 10 the onward march OF The uls, and the Enc
pcror Nicholas, seizDg tae occasion oil tne general
dIscord, will pounce upon Turkey, and, eve the
smoke shall have dlssipated, Will issue hls official
protocols from the Southern Palace Of the Char, on
The banks OF the Dardanellcs. The Pdche o Egypt
will, meantime, proclaim an independent sovereign
~, extending from the Nile 10 the BosphoTus. The
land will be enyeloped in fire, and the ocean will
swarm with pirates. Turning to our own co.Ilnsnt