The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1845-12-11
THE DAILY UNION.
From the New YORK Evening Post, Dec D.,
OREGON AND THE MESSAGE.


That part MIR. Polk'srcen, message which re-
laesto the Oregon question is censured 10 some of
he whig papers as clustering and offensive, and
likely prevent the pacific and advantageous settle
meht of the controversy There is not the least JUS
iice in this eensure. That portion Of the message
which relates to Oregon is most guardedy written;
and every sentence except perhaps that which rec
ommends donations of land to The settlers, bears the
marks of being carefully considered
The disposition among the American people TO as
ser claim to the whole Of The territory south OF
the 5ath degree OF latitude, has, of late greatly in
creased in strength, the commercial advantages OF
the northern part Of that territory become better
known. In the western States this feeling has risen
10 kind of enthusiasm; nor is it confined TO one
party. We hear that MIR. Corwln--popu|arly called
Tom Corwin-the new wing senator from Ohio,
man OF great reputation as debater, comes into
Congress a decided champion of the American
claim in its entire extent There is no doubt that IT
Mr.. Folks offer to settle the boundary with Great
Britain by taking the forty-ninth degree OF latitude
our northern boundary had been accepted, the
almost universal feeling at the West would have
been that of disappointment.
Yet there is nothing in the message to conclude
the American government against accepting even the
49h degree Of latitude frontier, in case the
offer should be made by the British government.
We do notsay that the proposition would be accept
ed; we only affirm that the message does not cut off
the cabinet from accepting it, That the proposition
cannot be repeated by our government, is clear
The British plenipotentiary has rejected it in the
most decided manner, as proposition not to be
thought of for moment, with the expression of a
hope shat some further proposal would be made
more consistent with fairness and equity and with
the reasonable expectation of the British govern
ment" What you call compromise, says the
British envoy, is no compromise at all; we cannot
even consider it. We call upon you 10 propose an
other. And here the negotiations cease
What then, shall be done' Our citizens have =
ready begun to emigrate TO Oregon, and demand the
protection Of our laws. The message advises that
this reasonable demand be Immediately granted.
Britain, more provident than we extended the pro-
lection of her laws her citizens in Oregon years
ago.
Our treaty with Great Britain contemplates that
the Joint occupation of the Oregon territory by the
two nations shall cease at some period, on previous
notice of twelve months given by either party. The
proper time for giving this notice our part is
festy when our citizens have begun to form settle
ments in the territory. The message very properly
recommends that the notice be now given, in order
that at the expiration Of the year the occupation of
Oregon may be no longer claimed by Britain a
right formally acknowledged by us.
Our citizens settled in Oregon will have relations
of commerce with the Indian tribes. 1t is as impor-
tant that laws regulating their intercourse with
the aborgines should be enforced beyond the Rocky
mountains as on this side of them. II is important
likewise to maintain friendly understanding be-
tween them and our people. The message, there
fore suggests the establishment of Indian agencies
in Oregon
To protect the emigrans on their Journey to Or
egon, the message recommends that stockades and
bock-house forts be erected along the usually
taken by them in the country between our frontier
settlements and the Rocky mountains. These forts
will be altogether within our acknowledged limits,
and can therefore give rise % no dispute. Even if
they were to be erected beyond the Rocky noun
ains, they would scarcely furnish juster of
complaint against our government than the forts al
ready erected in Oregon by the Hudson's Bay Com
pany-an association organized by the British gov
eminent.
The establishment Of a United States mail between
Oregon and the region east of the Rocky mountains,
we regard as a matter Of course.
But though the Recommendations of the message
are thus moderate; and although its terms seem
fully chosen so as to leave the administration at
liberty to deal with the controversy according to cir.
cumslances that may hereafter arise, we confess
that the information which it conveys in regard to
the negotiations has given the controversy new
aspect Of difficulty. Great Britain has repealed the
proposition totake the forty-ninth degree of latitude
for the boundary of Oregon in such manner that
it could not be renewed, even if our government
were disposed to renew it, She demands from us
a more favorable proposition, which will never be
made her; and in the meantime, she shows no dis
position to submit any proposal Of her own. The
negotiation is therefore, suspended, and is likely to
remain so
The question of most interest now is, whether the
settlement of the country by emigrations from
Of the Rocky mountains, which have now begun,
proceed while the territory Is yet disputed
without involving the two nations in hostile COLI
zion. If they can, the country will be colonlzed
with our people, and brought under four govern
ment as far north the extreme limit of our claim.
Those who 60 out from among US will never live
under any government than that of the United
States. Meantime the interests of the two nations
are so interviewer with the preservation of peace
that we may reasonably expect TO many causes
of mutual complaint settled between the two gov
ernments rather than resort TO the dreadful exrem
ity of war.
For that extremity the plan Of making donations
of land TO the settlers of Oregon should be reserved
That is war measure. A farm to every man with
u rife would cause the wilderness of Oregon to brs-
tie with rifles. We have already in the territory
some eight ten thousand inhabitants; but the offer
Of grants of lands in that mild and saubrous eli
mate would have greater effect upon adventu-
rous population than the law for the armed occupa-
tlon Of Florida, and give us in short time tewnty
thousand rifles beyond the Rocky mountains.