The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1845-05-02
OREGON.
THE DEBATE IN PARLIAMENT.

reports of the debates in Parliament on the 9TH OF
April, on the subject Of President Folks declaration
in his inaugural address, that the title of the United
States to the country called Oregon is clear and
questionable."1 Seldom have the records of parlia-
mentary discussions exhibited more unequivocal
signs of excitement than those which appear in the
proceedings of both Houses on that day. Lord
Clarendon, formerly ambassador in Spain, who in
troduced the subject in the House of Peers, pro-
nounced the Presidents declaration extraordinary;
and as evincing ga studied neglect of that courtesy
and deferentlal language which governments are
wont to observe when publicly treating upon
international affairs" Lord John Russell, Secre-
tary for the Colonies under the wing administration,
and now one Of the principal leaders Of the oppo-
sition, maintained shat the President had thus
taken the question out Of the ordinary course Of
diplomatic relations and that the Oregon territory
should not ''be yielded to what he must call a
clustering announcement on the part Of the United
States" The cautious PREMIER Sir r.. Peel, express
ed his deep regret that, whilst negotiation going
orwth the American government on the subject, "the
chief executive Of the United States in public adj
dress, should contrary to all usage, have referred to
any other contingency than the friendly and satis
factory termnation Of those differences" Lord
Aberdeen, the Secretary for Foreign Affairs, within
whose province the whole matter lies, was less ex-
cited, or rather cold and evasive in all his OBJ
servations, contenting himself with defending the
course Of the ministers in general TERMS which by
means satisfied the opposition journals Of London;
and led the Morning Chronicle, the organ of Lord
Palmerston the late Secretary for Foreign Relations,
TO talk despondingly about s'more Ashburton capit-
ulations."
In the course of this debate, the grounds of the
conflicting claims to Oregon were exposed the first
time in Parliament. We must beg leave to remark
that Lord Clarendon said just enough with regard to
them to show his utter ignorance Of the whole mat
ter, and even on many other points germane, on
which persona in general are well informed. Lord
John Russell had been evidently crammsd for the
occasion, from Falconer's pamphlet on the Oregon
question, which he recited with few mstakes--his
errors and omissions Of facts being for the part
1--WE say it with all due respec clearly the result Of
calculation. Whether the debate was continued or
not we are as yet uniformed, as the steamer which
brought the latest news left England on the day af-
ter it took place. No motion was offered; but the
general tone Of the answers from the ministry SEEM
ed to indicate that the subject would be allowed to
rest.
These discussions in the British legislature have,
as already said, excited considerable attention
throughout the United States. Our newspapers are
everywhere filed with speculatons to their mean
ing and probable consequences We see no reason
to regret that the public mind should thus have been
strongly directed to the subject Of the most inn
portant which has yet been brought before the
American people; and we gladly embrace the OPP
portunity thus offered for presenting what con-
slider the just view of the case.
In the first place, with regard to the proceedings
in Parliament, careful examination seems to show
that they were merely the results Of party
manGuvrc. Something was wanted by Lord Pal
merston and his clique of ex-minisers as an excuse
for annoying Sir r. Peel and Lord Aberdeen; the
Presidents message lay in their way and they took
it. Thus Lord John Russell attained an opportuni-
~, never neglected by him, Of displaying his histor
ical knowledge, cheaply and without fear of reproo
and Lord Palmerston was enabled again to vent his
spleen on Lord Asbburon, for efecting the concln-
sion Of the Maine question on better terms for Eng
land than he had himself offered to accept. The
enthusiasm, Of which the British journals say SO
much was probably ARTIFICIAL and, unless we are
much mistaken, the whole matter has ere this given
place to some other a6ordinga new fulcrum for the
lever Of party movements.
With respect to the alleged improperly of the
Presidents declaration that our title to Oregon is
clear and unquestionable," we must say that it is
an extraordinary allegation on the part Of gov
eminent which acknowledges, in some degree, the
right Of the people to be informed on matters con-
corning their vital interests and it would have pro-
ceeded with more consistency from one Of the des-
potic nations Of Europe, in which political affairs
are exclusively in the custody of the sovereign and
his ministers. The charge becomes still more
strange, when we see that declarations equally
strong with regard to matters in negotiation, have
been made by British soveregns in their messages
to Parliament, Notwithstanding the proverbial eau
ton and studied indistinctness of expression of
those documents Without going beyond the his
tory of the countries now in question, we find King
George Sd, in his speech to Parliament of May S,
1880, respecting the seizure of the British vessels
by the Spaniards at Nootka Sound, speaking Of the
satisfaction which is so unquestionably due,n and
detailing his military preparations for securing it,
while negotiations the subject were at the same
time in progress in London as well as at Madrid.
communication from European sovereign 10
his subjects is, however, no model for an address
from an American President to his fellow-citizens
on entering upon the discharge of his arduous and
responsible duties; nor is he to be deferred, OH
such occasions, by the rules and observances re-
quired in diplomatic discussions, from the frankest
and boldest expression Of his sentiments nor is he
restricted from openly using his exerons and inAu-
ence to carry out the views on any subject, which
he believes to be advantageous TO his country, by
the circumstance that negotiation is in progress
with another nation on the same subject. The
residents declaration is no novelty. The claim of
the United States to the Oregon territory has been as
serted and maintained by their government for more
than thirty years, founded upon just principles of