Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1845-11-29


Mr. Bentons resolution, declaring il expedient with
his Britannia Majesty for the boundary of 49, deserving
being entertained by grave body the Senate in $685.
and unworthy of all patriotic regard wise consideration in
ls45 Was our diplomacy at fault from 1918 TO 1928
Were the members of Mr. Monroes Cabinet and Messs
Rush and Gallatn such unripe propose com
promise of territorial claims ignorance contempt of our
rights These questions be easily and satisfactorily
swered by the American people, if they under the
deepest decisions in relation subject which false ap
peas have been made to their national pride and supposed
interests
But let be conceded for the argument that the
promptings OF pride should preclude arrangement the
basis formerly proposed by Government and that national
dignity has entered element the question, Great
Britain having repeatedly declined negotiate with that
basis. The alternative then is There is middle
gronndno debaable landon which the parties may meet
TO arrange their dispute. Now the point for invesga
ton, for sensible and practical people, surprising TO
be the alternative accomplish purpose efec
tuay by than by reasonable concession Can acquire
the uhO OF the territory by conquest, and retain by the
strength of arms Or would not he wise and
polite to accept OF large portion OF claim, without
counterng the hazard OF losing the whole There diff
fcuy with unpeudced inquirer and with calm judgment,
to these questions From the language Of the Union
infer that nothing less than The pho of Oregon will
tisfy national honor Then, If the sacrifices of to be
encountered calculation should be made To what
suits likely grow out of its contingencies II will not do
10 rush into hostes without estimate founded at least
on probabilities. Can we, then, conquer Oregon Can
retain it if conquer These questions be answered
by short and simple Of circumstances the ea
condition Of the and the geographical situation OF
the coveted territory The most orclbe statement have
this subject contained Mr. Cahouns speech
in lS43 in the Senate of the United States He remarked,
on that occasion, that Great Britain occupies point the
western shore of the Pacific almost directly opposite the
Oregon Territory at the distance of S, 500 miles from the
mouth of the Columbia river with tranquil between
them, which may be passed in six weekswhe the dis
lance from New ork the straghtes and shortest line
more than thirteen thousand miles, requiring run of
eighteen thousand miles of sailing Instead of six
weeks the voyage would require six months To march
military force to the mouth of the Columbia would require
l20 days. Somuch for the comparative facilities Of approach
by the two countries to the disputed territory.
With these superior advantages for transporting military
stores and troops to Oregon she has the language of Mr.
Calhoun, firmly planted her power the of
China, and being enabled, moderate expense, place
strong naval force the mouth the Columbia while she has
formidable body of hardy and energetic any
this continent the service of the Hudsons Bay Compa
ny, and tribes of Indians under CONTROL Such
the superior facilities of Great Britain for transporting
centratng and for offensive operation Oregon
Now, what of concentration for offensive hos
uties Mr. calhoun shall here speak. His reasoning will
meet with the ready acquescence of every adequate
geographical knowledge and military capacity
81 now turn to examine means Of concentrating OPP
posing force by land and water should become necessary
MAINTAIN our claim We have military naval position
in the Pacific Ocean Our fleet would have sail from our
shores and would have the line and double Cape
Hon In So degrees OF south latitude and, turning NORTH
the line and ascend latitude AZ NORTH order
reach the mouth of Columbia rivera distance from New
York (over the sraightes and shortest ne of than
l3, 600 miles, and which would require of than
Il, 900 Of actual sailing the usual route Instead of six
weeks the voyage would require six months speak the
authority Of Of the experienced officers attached
the Navy Department"
We therefore, could conquer Oregon and by parity
of reasoning if we conquered it, could only temporarily
hold It, The question of ability to retain possession remote
resolves itself into Of relative distance and of comparative
facility to concentrate naval and military the seat
| OF war But II may be said that if we lost Oregon we
should conquer Canada and that the conclusion war;
Il or eff
feet restoring Canada for Oregon keeping Canada if
renqushed Oregon. This opens of the subject which
had much do with the Oregon controversy than
appears the surface but have e ourselves time
day ounod the important train of reflections which suggests
PROM CHARLESTON g. Cd EVENING NEWS, Is.
The Washington Union has calculated at some length ts
assertion that there has been break the American
title to Oregon at the 49th degree admits that Gov
eminent offered compromise this basis from 1914 Is
1928 II comedies that is perfectly fair question to ask
In what and for what has happened that
our Government through quarter Of century, claiming
and holding good title up $40 40, has been willing to
compromise its difference with England by the line Of 49o -
The Union Processes resolve this question afms that
both the American and British Governments were ignorant
the fact that line had been under the treaty Of
Utrecht between the British and French possessions North
America and pesuming that such line had been
4go, concluded treaty in 1918 making the boundary be-
the United States and the British North American pos
sessions from the Lake Of the Woods westward the Rocky
Mountains II is added hy the Union that Mr.. Monroe
then American Minister a the Court of 81. James, who
brought into view this imaginary boundary line, msed
by old map in his possession Now veil of obscuity
does this portion Of diplomatic history, and inn
possible pronounce whether the line Of f9o
adopted the line Of separation between the French and
British territories in North America under the treaty Of
Utrecht The evidence that such line had been run IT,
however only negative Commissioners had been appointed
under that treaty make line il is doubtful whether they
met il is still uncertain whether they made
There four five maps made between 1851 and
1885, which the parallel Of 400 is laid down the true
line hut there several Of equal greater authority and
of anterior date, in which there is line ALL while the
standard works diplomacy equally silent the subject
But the sin Of ignorance charged Mr. Monroe should not
exclusively his shoulders The Union that Mr.
Monroe the first American who brought into
negotiations with England this imaginary boundary line
of the 49, while Minister at the Court Of St James in
1904 Why is il that Mr. Gallaiin and Mr. Rush. Mr. John
Quincy Adams Mr. Clay, Mr.. Benton and all our states
men and dpomasts should have been equally ignorant Of
the fact that line had been made by the Commissioners
under the treaty Of Utrecht and that they had taken nacc
rate maps their authority Giving the editor Of the
Union all the benefit Of this explanation what does estah
sh Ii merely elucdates the the line came 10 he
adopted when the boundary from the Lake of the
Woods to the Rocky Mountains and subsequently the reasons
for offering extend that ne as one of compro
mise, from the Rocky Mountains the Pacific Oceans This
does destroy weaken the force Of the fact that our
Government repeatedly altered 70 break title 49o
But there better evidence still that our title has been
broken by ourselves than any have yet offered What
virtue there may be in the explanation Of the Union
applies to claims Oregon solely under the French treaty
by which acquired Louisiana Ii has connexon with
claim under The Spanish treaty by which we acquired
Florida, tcH the ,ohok If HE Northwest Coast discovered
By Spain. If that claim the ground Of discorerp