New-York daily tribune., 1845-12-22
Oregon and the Chances ofwnr.

Oregon and the Chances ofWnr.
The responsible Editor of The Tribune having
been absent from his post lin Massachusetts, nearly
ell the past week. sczcs the first opportunity afford
ed him to return his hearty thanks to Gen. Cass
Grreverently modified TO Gas for his demonstration
of last Monday on the Oregon Queston-also
Messrs. Allen and Sewer for following his lead.
Hitherto whenever we have been mpelled TO point
out to the Country the rocks on which the Execu
tive, and still more the Total-Depravity Press,
seemed bent on running the ship of State we have
been met with vociferous camor OF Panic Pan
ic you are trying to raise War Panic when there
Ia no shadow of dangerl' Gen. Cass and Co. have
put stop to all this knavish clamor. They have
told the Country frankly that our Government iV
driving on rapidly toward War, and that we must
alter our tone or prepare 10 back it with something
else than words There is no rational, honest doub,
Of this. The President is trying how near he can
Craze War and yet avoid it, but the demagogucs
who taking the lead in Congress aim beyond
this. They mean War Gen. Cass means War.
Mr.. Douglasss bill means War. Mr. Sewer and
all who talk of the British the enemy, &c. mean
War. And all who advocate and vote for the ex
tension of our jurisdiction over ull Oregon up 10 81
40' either mean War, or they have not wit enough
to be trusted 10 go out Of doors. Thanks more
to Gen. Cass, Messrs Allen, Sewer &c. for having
SO frankly unmaskcd their battery, and shown all
who will look that they expect and pressing for
ward to War.
Yet we do not expect War to result The idea is
too horrible-too mons,rous. We have reason 10
know that the British Ministry are anxious to avoid
a War with u.s. and will concede as far as they
to preserve Peace We believe they have already
arranged informally with Mr.. McLane the basis of
compromise and final settlement Of the Oregon
Boundary. We believe they have selected
Minister to take the place of Mr.. Pakenham at
Washington and formally complete the adjustment.
We are sure that those entitled TO be well informed
in London on the 18th of last month considered the
settlement of the Boundary without War already
virtually effected. The news by the last steamer is
less favorable only in the evidence of increased
sitiveness and irritation on the part the English
People, who gather from The Union, Benefits
Herald, &c that our Government is bent on bully
ing them out of their rights on the assumption that
they dare not go 10 War, know we should fog them
could not do without our Cotton, &c and who begin
to insist that their Nation after resisting the might Of
the banded Continent welded by Napoleon, shall
not be bulled into surrender of its rights by the
windy valor of Gen. Gaines and the hec,oring
diplomacy ofMr. Polk. The tone of the Presidents
Message will strengthen and extend this feeling, yet
it will nevertheless be overcome unless Congress
precipitate us into War measures by wanton and
most untimely parade Unless War is sought on
our side for the sake of War, the preservation OF
Peace is morally certain 1t needs only that we be
cap hrn,l sertiny icht Int, pcin lie
position to concede something for the sake OF HUI
manity. We must bear in mind that Great Britain
has all to surrender in this case-,ha, while we are
not expected TO give up one foot of ground over
which our flag floats, the rival claimant is required
10 recede from extensive territories which she has
enjoyed and ruled for at least quarter of century.
Let US not attempt TO thrust her out by violence
let US talk more of our rights and less of arms
and all will yet end well. TO be sure, we take
the other course, but We think that hardly possible
to Christian men in the Ninetecnth Century.
The worst feature of the case on our side is the
hostility evinced to settlement Of the question BY
Arbitration. This is calculated TO prejudice the
world against the justice Of claim. The grounds
ON which il is based are not merely talacous-they
imply insult TO all the Governments OF Europe. Our
rulers assume that we could only submit the differ
ence TO a European power-that this must necessa-
rily be Monarchy-and that any Monarchy would
be prejudiced against US, and would probably refuse
10 do US justice. An these prctences are false and
iagran,y wicked We might refer either 10 Swis-
zerland, European Republic, TO Brazil an -Aneri-
can Monarchy, or 10 any of the hall dozen sis
ter Republics on our own Continent. Russia,
though despotism, has been our steadtast friend.
and has evinced its kindly regard by good offices on
Important occasions Her interests clash with those
OF England in both Hemispheres-with ours no
where, She stands opposed by position and feeling
hf'usa encroachments in Asia and 10 British pre-
tensions on the Ocean. France 100, is our ally, in
spite OF inc sratuious insults heaped upon her in
the Message and by Gen. Cass who ought to be the
las, man TO open his head agains, European inter.
meddling with the affairs of this Continent, He il
was who gra;uiiously intermedded with the affairs
OF the Eastern Hemisphere 10 excite French nonp.
lar jealousy agains, and thus defeat Treaty which
had been framed between England. France and OH.
or European powers for the efectual suppression of
the African Slave Trade. Is ii not enough for us to
be the champion and propagaor OF Slavery over this
broad Continent without covering i. with our Egis
in Africa also?
But even were il settled that no Christian Gov
ernment could decide controversy honestly. We
would cheerfnlly refer the matter in difference to
the Sultan of Turkey. Honesty in dealing and In
tegriiy in Judgment are characteristics of his
Ny son do no, cheat and lie like Christian, is
COMMON admonition in Mussulman households. He