Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1845-11-24
Che AuMrhburn 11ftsiuian.
.uo.,DAY. nor EuBER q. 1915.


"hi' lhe American government. through lis highest
Executive air. asserts It's elrat md " objectionable"
ght 10 the ~hoie ct Orrgan reaching To the 5iih de.
gree Ut Npffh latitude the British government with q,
gnai psltIveness dens the validity of our claim farther
ihan The Az degree. vefy wide G.tencei When
many years ago. an attempt was made 10 adjust the
punt ~ controversy by nrgaiuG and each marty found
II impossible Ia convince the other hy arvnmpnt and au-
'h"tI'y proposition made BY our government and
thrice r"'faed. 10 compromise The dilliculiy by split
ing ihe difference sometimes IA nilnrly say and
adopting The 49h degree tile boundary line between
The TERRITORIAL Possessions, in that qrasier Of The two
Countries This proposition the British government very
hn"is'y, IN our humble Judgment r,jecied and al last
e oofdlah Knot could neither be dIsentangle led cut
aHesy al Jo'ai occupation a,reed upon limited at
hfs To period Of years, but afterwards Indefinitely ex
tended and subject Ia be annued by ehel party al plea
'nfe on giving The other twelve months notice of lis in
leoion IN longer 10 be bound by it.
" hile Mr.. Clay Secretary of State, negotiations
m tins snhjec, were pendng; and from his letter OF
distractions IN oar .n Minister Englsnd that the sem
lenee is extracted which is emphaticaiiy quoted by
the Executive Journal IN Washington and transferred
10 the columns OF other Admnisfa ion papers in which
II Is sisted that Grea Britain eanno make ont even
eolorable lille any portion of territory Oh the North
!
Then, Gas he has done since The nor of the Senate
that the American tile To The whole If OREGON ns a.
aa'ns' Grta. Bnaln. valid one THIS citation of
MI Clay opinion Is obviously intended To Justify Mr..
Folks declaration that lle is "cIear and unones,ion
able" and 10 vindlca,e The apparent purpose Of The FIX
eeu'lve and of certain leaders his Parry To maintain it,
II necessary, by the sword But We beg leave 10 enter
nhr protest ssans Tins upauhorlzcd USE Of Mr. Claws
/ lnr in tba I.,,.
ton Of the superiority oC the American over the BRUSH
.e is contained. our Minister was authorized Ia RENEW
he pr position, which had been previously made by oar
government, and rejected Ivy that o( Great Britain to
compromise 'he controversy. by making the 1Qth degree
he boundary ne. And This elicr oi instruction WAS in
precise accordance with Mr. Benuns resolution submit,
ted To 'he L. y Senate the 9Th OF Febuary 1898. in
which It was expressly declared be expedeni for the
government Of The Uucd States to ,rea, i,h his l,ri
fannie Majesty, IN releruee 10 said claims and bounda
t's upon the basis oi separation Of interests and The
''e'idbi'shme" yhe Gry ninth degree Of north latitude
as" permanent bopidPy ba,reen them" II is Obvious
'trr'ot" that thee vide difference between the
Po'"on th'n held ~ Mr.. Clay and that now assumed
by Mr.. Polka difference as wide as ,b,, br,u.en
''ace ana war! Mr.. Clay insisted that our tile was
lo !" me oih degree; hut finding that the BRUSH 90
senenl was equally positive IN denying ur RIG hit be.
yond 'e 40 he proposed the 40 h. for the purpose of
paceahy settling. by what he deemed fair coppomse
question Of so much difficulty perplexity and pet To
The future peace Of the Two countries. Now unless
Mr. Polk inends accompany his assertion of the nm
questionable validity OF our title the whole of egon
ny similar proposition of compromise, he occupies
very ulhfr'n position m that OF Mr.. Clay. fhe says
all y OREGON or none" and turning deaf ear to all
| n IN iIi,na ,I, 4.
purpose oi sustaining our right. by the .'srong arm
oevety nrh OF territory that claim il is ,by ions tbs,
he not only differs irom Mr. Clay but from every Pre-.
sdent who has gone before him. who has undertaken IA
negotiate with Great Britain IN reference to tn. disn,,ed
territory likewise from every prominent S,,,.s
nan. including even Mr. Benton who has taken Oreyn
under s especial patronage for quarter Of ceo,n,v
who has expressed decisive opinion on the subject
We have deemed il necessary 10 say thus much If tho
quotation from Mr. Clay's letter of instruction-wbirb
though IL docs coincide with Mr. Folks declaration in
eierenre 10 the validity of the American title Il, tho Dr.
egun differs very widely from that penemau's i.a f,f
has been correctly Unexpectedly as 10 the most exre
orn' mode Of adjusting the controversy between The two
governments in relation 10 H.
W heh /. the wiser course. think there can bc no
hesitation In determining. For, even admitting lba, III,
posstsslo Of the whole uf Oregon important 10 us tho
Question star US in The face. Gao we conquer iond
can We retain 1t. If We conquer ~ Lei Mr. Calhoun an
swer In his speech TN the subject in lSi3 ref,,,,o
10 TIE comparative facilities approach by The iva
countries To The disputed territory he remarked th,,
pIeal Baln occupies point the western shore of
The Pachc almost directly opposite to the oregon Terri
Tory al the distance oi $500 miles from the month NJ Tho
Columbia iver, with Tranquil ocean between them
when may be passed over IN SIX weeks-while The dis
lance from New York over the straiohest and sho,,s
line is more than thirteen thousand miles reoni,,,,,
run OF eighteen thousand miles Of actual sa,llny h.
Stead OF six weeks. the voyage would require SIX months
o march a military iurce 10 the mouth of The Col,u
ba would require 10 days" As to the means of on,
ctnTatng force in that distant reghn, Mr.. Calhoun
said, that Great BrSin has "liunly planted her p,yy
er on the eastern coasi of China and il enabled =,
moderate expense. TO place slnng naval force At tho
mouth oi The Culumbla, -Mhe She las as formidable
body o men, as hardy and energetic MS any ON tins cnn
nsn IN the service OF the Hubs ms Bay Com,anv md
numerous tribes OF Indians under her control" -. nny
turn. (he connued) examine our means of concen,,,
From the tenor Of recent articles in the Orpan If tho
Executive. II Is possible, aier ALL the views ot The
Administration are not warl,he they were at one
tme supposed 10 be. That paper has very materially
q""ed The apparent meaning ui the phrase 'a of Or.
'g"h or n"ne' Irom whoa the leading presses of bath
pares had drawn such LEARNING augurles. The phrase
Mas used (as the ALI Gazette observes rather
IN Pich,cichni sersr. The Official Editor only meant
that our hhe To the "hale of Oregon good as our