The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1845-12-12

i's e,nsiifaiionsl agent There y ~ bravado n hs
ang nars. hks si of r~s IN reference 10 this same
question, when he hsaEgsd N Parliament Of his will,
pfepsfatloa ssd abl,Y 10 maintain British rights in
oreroa, ard was s1sisiasd BY those cheers on all
sides ~ ~ hoeas' xhieh have Often since been
Fing ~ oar ears ~ thsir eis-Aflantie echoes. On
the contrary. ~ ne constitutional embodiment Of
The exscstse function u he baiioaA aggregate and
forssseng me Possbls sltaais consequences Of any
eoarse he night siopt, ne selects thai which he
deem. due TO he na,lenal ehsrsssss. and knows 20
he eansiassn, with the nsuonal conviction Of right
and wh his own also; and, IN the calm dignity Of
Conscious ssice Submits the issue thus made TO th
people. his eonsiiivsBs. confident a, once Of their
VII and their alsiy 10 sustain him In pushing the
argument ofh 10 saoee.sful conclusion"
The New York Sun says
"The gsasvsi oAarsef0 OF the message In good
bo,h w relation style sri manner ], il perSpieu
ous Without aiming Al effect and every principle Is
elearly laid down.
"Eseythieg in relation To Oregon Is laid down In
the message IN proper spirii--pAcihe, bu, firm
reasonable and Justly yielding, vet xeslously guard
ing our admitted rights. The President, with great
llbenlily, offered 10 divide Oregon equally with
Great Britain. This has been declined by tie Brit
in cabinet, very mueh think TO the surprise Of
their own people, and Of Europe generally, who al
ways have been impressed with the belief that we
insisted upon rights up 10 81 degrees 40 minutes
We claim % that point but proposed Ia divide a ~
This places the 0ass protaadi upon Great Rfiisin,
and fully iustihes the proposition Of ierminslns the
joint occupancy"
So much for the neutral journals. L., us now
bring forward liue wing evidence, TO dispnye the
charge that Mr.. Polk is a selfish 'demsgogne, rra-
dy 10 sacrifice the peace and happiness Of The ooun-
try 10 his ambition and love OF power The last
Mariinsburg (va.) Gazs;te--a ihoroue h-going Wing
papcr--is filed with able and patriotic articles in
defence Of our tile to the whole Of Oregon, and IN
q al and ulat
rejoice that this wing Virginia paper has sacrificed
It's party feelings, and ranged itself with the Nor.
folk Herald, on the American side Of this truly
iionai question. We have room but Cor q few short
extracts;
"Upon the Oregon question, he (the Presidency
speaks as AN enlightened American should speak,
he is for peace but not dishonorable an inglo-
rious peace. We disirus, Mr.. Folks party in Con-
gress, hut We, we commend his spirit and remarks
upon the Oregon question 10 the consideration Of
his counirymen they are patriotic firm, honorable,
peaceful, and .7merioan They will find hearty re-
Spouse in the bosoms ofthe people. We look upon
the Oregon question a national question, and not
party issue; and we are, therefore, happy to find
ourselves though opposed TO the President politi.
caly, enabled TO meet with him in heart and soul
upon this purely American subject"
The editor then reviews our claim to Oregon, as
based, LIST, upon the purchase from France; 2Jly,
the cession from Spain; 3dly, the discovery Of the
Columbia river by Capt, Gray; and, 4thly, the oc-
cupancy by the Pacific Fur Company Of the mouth
ofihe river, and the establishment Of forts and ira
ding posts; TO which may be added the principle Of
contiguty. He then quotes from the condensed ar
gument Of John q. Anams, on the 23d July, 1923,
and arrives at the deliberate conclusion hat our tie
lie to that region of country Is clear and unqussiion-
able"
The editor proceeds, with warmth and distinct
ness. (The italics are his own:)
1--WE deny that the Oregon question is now, or
has been, in any sense Of the term party CUES
tion in this country. With us, il is NATIONAL, an
AMERIcAN question. The parties TO the controversy
are the United States upon the one side, Great Brit
ain upon the other And il the present chief magis.
trate Of the Union and his official organ, have taken
the american view Of this subject, it is what Henry
Clay and his official organ would have done, IN like
manner, had he been President. Wo betide that
Chief Executive functionnry Of this nation, who, in
controversy between this country and foreign
power, shaIlbe found basely surrender the rights
and territory Of the American people. Better, far
better, would il be for him that mill -sone were
tied around his neck, and he cnst into the fathomess
abyss, than TO face the and universal hiss that
would accompany the exhibition Of such treachery.
"And we here defy the production Of one eminent
and distinguished in 7msrean history, who has
ever, in the correspondence ofdiplomacy in the halls
Of Congress, before the people, denied our title to
the whole of that territory 1t is true there have been
eminent and patriotic men who have been willing,
Tor the sake OF peace. 10 compromise Will ITcot
Britain at the 49th parallel of latitude; but Amer
lean statesman can be cited who has questioned
our title up 10 the southern limits Of the Russian
possessions in latitude 81 degrees Certain il is that
our title is no better to the 49h degree than it is to
the 54th degree OF latitude II oil rests upon the
same grounds.
"God forbid, that there should be war between
two such civilized and enlightened nations ms the
United States and Great Britain But II all the con-
stituted powers of government shall assert our
title to Oregon part Of this confederacy, and i
for such assertion of our title, Great Britain shall
lend her myrmidons upon our coast we are prepared
to say again that will stand by The gorernmen. d
our country, come veal or come woe.
"But few in the country, of either party have yet
turned their attention this question; and we feel
but little hesitation in stating il opinion, that
when this subject shall be fully canvassed before
the people Of Berkeley (as it soon must be) tina,
there will be found an overwhelming majority to
take their stand by the side OF THEIR COUNTRY II,
this controversy"
| The New York Commercial says the Oregon
question is treated sin more satisfactory manner
than anticipated" Il adds
| "The title of the United States is insisted on,
but not so as 10 make future notifications impos-
sble Entertaining the views Mr.. Polk does OF
that title, we do not how he could have said
less From his representation it appears that very
fair propositions have been repeatedly made by the
government of the United States--proposons, the
equity of which do not question: even under the
conviction that neither power has exclusive title to
any part Of the terri,ory-and that these have been
at once rejected"
In regard to the decided opinions Of MIR. J. q
Adams we have the following testimony. The
Washington correspondent CT the New York jour
nal of Commerce writes
"Mr. Adams, it is said, as well as other wings in
Congress, are now prompt, and decided IN their de-
carations that they will not concede an inch--(as
| Mr. A. says not a minuie)-of the territory. unless
Great Britain should concede to the right TO ac-
quire and possess the CALIFORNIA;"
The Baltimore Suns correspondent says;
"The feeling Of Congress. in regard to the Pres
slen,'s message, has been manifested in general
disposition to support the Executive. The declara-
tons of Mr.. Adams on this subject are important
and have not yet been fairly stated. Nothing, he
rays, would induce him TO submit TO any compro-
mise by which any part Of Oregon should be alb
breviated, but an agreement with Great Britain, by
IL III IN tlts