Mobile register and journal., 1845-11-22
For the Register aud Journal.


THE OREGON QUESTION.
retrospect at the facts we have collected in the
course of the examination we have made. enables us
To declare the following conclusions. The dsco,e
nv Of The Columbia river made by American
citizen. This discovery, by the laws of nations,
did not confer right, and hardly clam on the
Territory of Oregon. The expedition by Lewis and
Clarke fact Of higher chai acter and stteng them
ed The fra nature of the claim under the discovery
of Gray The settlement Astoria fortified our claim
The remuneration of Spain and the acknowledge
ment ol the AZ degree southern boundary to
tho ocean, added force To il. The convention of
1873, by which The 49th parallel was recognised as
a boundary for one thousand miles or more, over an
unoccupird country, and the agreement 10 hold sew
era degrees above and below jointly ind equal
terms, estops Great Britain from saying her title is
clear and ncontroverlible; and gives an i,npos-
ing character to our claims-a character receiving
Confirmation by the occupancy and use OF hundreds
Of our citizens for twenty-seven years since. On
the part of Great Britain find tina, before the in.
dependence Of The United States was secured her
navigators exploring that coast. That her
government INDICATED the national rights on ii be.
fore Gray's discovery was m4de--procuring from
SPAN The concession Of rights of fishing to enter,
to land and make settlements, on any unoccupied
portion of it, We find that the natives above and
below the Columbia, had sold parcels Of territory to
her people. Since the discovery of Gray her large
trading companies having sesnoral rights, have
made settlements, built forts, engaged in heavy com,
mercial enterprises on the COAT That for twenty
a
te,ms BY the two governments, and hundreds OF Bri.
fish subjects occupy the lands. II Great Britain
had said to uA must quit that country, her title
is clear and inconroverlble, we should answer no.
We must be driven from il. How then can we ex-
poet that proud and powerful nation tamey and on
the first demand to take that cowardly Counsel
Are we in "A situation to ask it, when have
thrice offered to stop at the 49th degree! when
the remoest mountain spring Of the Columbia river
does not reach within degree of the northern line
OF the disputed territoryl IL Great Britain had as
sumed any ground by which the senslbility OF our
nation could be wounded, we might plead that as a
Justification Tor terminating The present condition Of
things in that cosntry. IL she hid manifested any
exclusive undermining disposition in regard to it,
if she had displayed supercilious, scornful esti
mate of our claims, might he prepared forcbly
to vndicate them. The very contrary has been the
CAGE.
The American negotiators lear Witness to the
sincere, honest and truth loving spirit which has
been evinced in the negotiation.
The ingenuity finer Statesmen, even now seems
to be taxed to find the means to avoid cos-
ion this question. We are in favor of main.
tanning 10 intercourse with Great Britain great
deal OF punct iousness; to exact observance and
consideration for all rights. We are not dispos.
ed yield TO any, not the least of her arrogant de-
mands. Ia this case are forced to say that we
have nothing TO complain Of in her conduct II is
| lhis-lhs most espec;aly-that makes the present
appearances Of difficulty revolving to our feelings
| II there shall he between the two countries,
the consequences will fall upon the American people
The world will see-and see it plainly-thal the war
has been one Of our seeking. 1t will see that our
government has done nothing to avoid il, but every
thing to provoke ill., That we have sought the occa-
sions-we have invented the causes. This consde-
ration will destroy the strength of our position-it
will rob Us Of half our power,-shoud we be success
ful it will strip us Of all the glory.
We shall not attempt TO make any estimate of the
losses that such collision would OCCASION As the
war would have no cause, we do not see where il
could end. Founded on no principle, it would ter.
inmate in blind fury. An unreasonng and frantic
spirit would animate the people OF The two countries
The spirit o. evil would preside over it, The effects
upon the Southern States would be most disastrous.
The conservative principles we have sought to in
Tho nr tIa
be obiterated. The barriers we have sought to in.
terpose TO check power and to preserve the public
liberties would be thrown down. The material in
terests of our people would be Frustrated. We know
not what good Providence may educe from the Ca
lamies Of such II war, but to mind il presents
source of pure and unmixed evil for these Southern
States.
Now, we will not support the measures proposed
by the "Unon." which we hresee will terminate
in this collision. We sslemnly protest against the
effort 10 make this party question. We slernly
ana solennIy rehuke the efIpri remove this ques
lion from the of the public funclionares into
conventions aud clubs. We reprobate as unwise
and understandable The appeal to the passions o.
party men. When country is called meet a
foreign enemy, let the whole country be addressed
Let rs go in with one heart and one spirit. We
want no whig wars, nor democratic wars IL we
must have them, let them be the wars Of the Ameri-
can people We conclude, by repeating TO the
.'Union," il must expect no assist ,nce from this
quarter in playing any Fantastic tricks" on this sub
ject. Our people will shed their last drop of blood
upon just occasion-their purses will be open TO
the government when our rights mperilled by
foreign aggression. Ia this case-on this subject of
Oregon-in the view ofal the facts-the "Union',
may expect. If a war is occasoned by any precipi-
tate or nconsiderale conduct, that the excavations
of the people will fall down upon The governuient.
~ PENDLEToN. +
MAcKEREL FisHERY.-We are not bad of
IN the mackerel fishery AS il feared We should
he from the failure hist year. The Gloucester Teie-
graph States that instead of II 900 barrels as last