The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1845-12-08
guished author as sound and clear-sghted states
man, and as competent and faithful guardian Of
his country's honor and welfare"
"THE GOVERNMENT PAPER. AND THE STATE OF
THE OREaON QuESTI0Nb

/
| his country's honor and welfare"
1
1.-THE GOVERNMENT PAPER. AND THE STATE OIL
THE OREGON QUESTION:
The "National Intelligencer" Of this morning, hai
article under this caption, In which Il attempts Il
show that have mysifed the present state Of III,
Oregon question, and concealed from the public tn,
character Of Mr. McLane's instructions. Now, the
fact is, it is the National Intellgencer which ha,
mysti6ed the question, and not "The Union" VIZ
intended our contradiction, Ia our last paper, as q
general disclaimer Gas far we have any knowledge
of any instructions having been given TO Mr. Nc
Lane to renew the negotiations a. London. Such,
indeed, was the force of the expressions employ
ed; nor did suppose it possible for the most in
genous sophist to place different construction up
on our declarations. It seems, however, that the
"Intelligencer'' is pleased to attach an undue inn
portance to passage in the "Constitution," which
considered of too little consequence for us TO re.
publish. II is pleased to suppose, first, that we de-
signedy Suppressed this PASSAGE" and, secondly that
therefore Mr.. McLane was previously "already in
structed" to renep the negotiations at London. But
as specimen Of the refined myst6cation and diplo-
matte subtlety of the "Britsh organ,n we lay its
whole article Of this morning before our readers;
contenting ourselves with declaring, that this new
version of the "Nadona lnteligencer," las far as
we are advsed) is equally incorrect with the for
mer; and that, whatever be the ethics of the dplo-
matte school to which it belongs, the present ad-
mnistration uses no forked tongue.
From the National Intelligencer.
r IL L.
we know to be in the confidence of the Executive,
we endeavored, in our last number, to explain what
we believe to be the true posture of the Oregon
question, as between the Executive authority of this
country, and the ministry of the government of
Great Britain; arriving at the conclusion that,
though interrupted here, negotiation on the subject
between the two governments was not terminated
In this conclusion we fortified ourselves by quoting
passage of the Presidents massage to Congress- in
which the hope is expressed that this difference be-
tween the two countries may yet be "amicably adj
jusfed." Whoever maintains, in the face of this ex-
pres sion, that the President meant TO inform Congress
that there was an end to all nsgoiation on the subject
would make the President do, what in this case we
are satisfied he has not done
Keep the word Of promise to our ear
And break it to our hope"
The government paper, however, referring to our
coniectures on the subject, denies just enough to
satisfy us that substantially we have put the right
construction upon the very guarded expressions in
the message. The negotiation is still open, notwith-
standing the affected denial of it by the Union of
Saturday night, in the following terms:
No such Instructions as conjectured by us have been
to m such proposition In
donno expectation no idea formed here Of renewing
London the proposition Of our which has been
speculaons Of the National Intelligencer fall to the
ground
Our object as the reader will readily perceive, has
bon "a II, Toe IL -
formation as may not only be useful, but of the
highest moment to feow-citizens, in the present
apparently critical aspect Of the Oregon question.
Whether the instructions to Mr. McLnnc on this
subject were placed in his possession before he
went, have been since forwarded to him, is mat
ter of no consequence. If he instructed before.
hand how to act in certain contingency, there
no occasion to instruct him over again after that
contingency had occurred The "Unon" has with
held from its readers that passage Of the "Constitu-
ton" which is the key to the whole article, as well
as to the truth, and which has become much more
consequential by the fact of this suppression Of il,
.ha m 10 A.
Pro.idents dse,am,nafion 20 make rHs propoIiienthe
dent selected dstngashsd gsntieman q ls state sen
arly qualified BY his eminent abilts. and great expert
70, nc % a ste 70
sustsin them would have been his duty to have urged
q. IL s
Why, pretending to reply to US, does the govern
ment paper suppress this passdge? Is it because It 10
the policy Of the administration still to conceal
its hand, that the government paper, not being
able TO deny that Mr.. McL.ane is instructed, in
the contingency which has happened, to entertain,
if not to make propositions, seeks to evade the
question by assuming the negative on points which
are wholly uncssentialI If Mr.. McLanc was
already instructed as to what the President meant
to propose and what he was willing to accept; if
was made his duty, before he left the United States,
to enforce those views, should the occasion arise;
if in the language Of '.thc Constitution, he was
possessed of the views and intentions of the Pres
ident, and pledged 10 sustain Mem;' there can be
no doubt that the contingency which has happened
was foreseen, and he was instructed upon that
point also. And it may be perfectly true that there
is "no idea" Of renewing at London the PROPOSE
ton of our government which has been declined at
Washington" without being at all true, that, il the
British government should of its own accord, ex-
press TO minister at London willingness to nc
cept the proposition Of the United States, even with
some modification, our minister will not receive
such proposition, or, if he be not authorized to
accept it, refuse to transmit it home for the consid-
GRAFTON of his government
On this point we have, indeed, the direct intima-
ton of the "Constitution," which the "Union" has
not dcnied-and, we believe, ,oiH moi deny--that
"the British government, with every assurance Of
our sincere disposition to maintain peace, will have
an opportunity 10 Jake up the owe oranch, &C, ana
substitute for the remedy of the sword a fair and
equitable adjustment Of our rights"
Wearc happy to renew our congratulation to our
readers upon the conviction which we have arrived
at from evidence which we deem satisfactory, that
war, as a means of adjusting the difficulty with
England, is not within any rational calculation of
probabilities.
We are right glad, however, by the notice we
have taken of this matter, to have brought the gov
eminent editor to the following confession; which,
II examination of the state of this question had
resulted in nothing more important, would be suf-
fcient compensation for the trouble we have taken
"UNauEsTiossBLy, rEacE rs pEsrrABLr TO THE UNirEp
STATES but must be honorable peace; and would
rather have itself than sacrifice the rights and honor Of
BUR country"
Sound wing doctrine, this!
All we know is, that il is "sound american doc