The Yazoo City Whig., 1845-05-30

and peaceful means Of realizing them are.
yet unexhausted, il is both entirely wrong
and unpardonably imprudent 10 appeal to
extreme and violent ones, that bespeak in
justice if our opponent be weak, (as in the
case of Mexico,) and risk, if she be strong,
as in the case OF Britain.
Under the rules of international inter
course which civilization has by degrees
brought about, there is scarcely any case Of
claim and cOunlerclaim where nation can
venture TO take the violent ground that she
ariU not negotiate. To do so is distinctly to
announce that, for other nations, all conflict
Of pretensons with yours must be intolera-
Bile; that you cannot be dealt with; that you
hold out TO all governments but the alterua
tiVes OF submission or uaF This being
once announced, the rest of the world will
act accordingly; no weak nation will have
any thing to do with you; or such will form
a general league against you, and as TO the
strong, they will. Of course, fight you on all
occasions, good or bad, small or great; for,
to compromise or concede any thing 10 "a
country, acting upon that principle would
be impossible, and every misunderstanding
would be al once a war.
can fight while the opponent of its claims
offers fair aud equal negotiation, and so
manilestly just as we'll as humane is that
rule, that il would seem incredible that any
man who was ever entrusted with public
questions should be ignorant enough to ad>
wise the contrary, or blind enough not TO see
the inevitable consequences, # that idea
were adopted which We heard repeatedly
urged upon the floor of Congress last ses~
sion by democratic" members, that ne
ought neUer TO negotiate!
10 set Up such notion is to revive, upon
the most gigantic scale, that old umpirage
OF private srights, the tDGger Of battle, which
never was seen exce2, in single era of
brute and barbarous force, and at which, for
It's shocking absurdity, the very children
laugh in the present age of reason and Of
humanity. Besides. should it not have oc-
Cured TO the persons equally valiant and
discreet who uphold such policy tha,, if we
adopt it towards others, they will all adopt
II towards us; and that, consequently, all Our
foreign intercourse must not only be reduc
ed 10 one of blows alone. but that even IN
this lncessant and universal war, we could
never settle any terms oil peace, nor the ar.
, lIcles of a capltulaton, nor an exchange ol
prisoners!
, Certainly, by way OF juslifying this mon
, s'tous proposition, these statesmen of the
Progressive Party took upon themselve II
: assert the remarkable historical fact that 10,
attOays lose by Hegotiation! That is 10 say
that the treaty Of peace WI h Britain in 1888
!, thai for the purchase of Lou siana, that oil
) Chem, that of Florida, aud all those nego
I TIA ed under The Jacksonian dynasty. were
disgraceful and disastrous bargains, thai
which war lself would have been far more
certain aud prof able!
We are, however, free to acknowledge
e that If we are TO have only such negotiation
y as many OF those appointed in these latte
days. be Progressive Democracy NAV be
right, and we had better abolish the heav,
e expense of our diplomatic service at once
4 But, TO return 10 the duty and the necessiIr
OF Regulating.
n II, in a question of adverse Retcnsons
/ a nation cannot decline The offer of a pence
O iul and equitable adiustmen, II follows, sill
more strongly, thai, once entered upon. shr
n must prosecute il TO the end, as long as tn
}. other party gives no evidence Of a mere in
q for known and fair cause. break off the trea
! ty: for nos only will the original duty Of
e peaceful accommodation still subsisi, bu
J. the parties will have bound themselves by
3 mutual pledge, in the positive act Of setting
@ on foot the negotiation. In a word nethe
can abandon it, unless for some serious caus
afforded by the other and preiudcing th
event, or else on account of some interrup
ton by third party, that affects your rights
OF conrse, when they have begun to treat
good faith and Justice binds both parties Il
forbear to do any thing with the view of al
tering their respective positions in the con
c trOVersy, or towards the attainment ofIts ob
it Iect, otherwise than through the negotiation
e they are conducting.
K All these are principles which it would b.
1, in vain for any one TO attempt 10 dispute
i and their application to this Oregon coniro
IS versy seems to Us just as strictly indisPuta
q BILE.
Il our claim was, originally, dispuiabl'
IS enough to warrant our consenung 10 nego
i tiate-and our entering into the negotiation
n bars US of all right 10 say TO the contrary
e then three things follow: either the claim o
ifl both parties must continue unaltered |; or one
il party must have goi some augmentation o
!. its rights; or Some third Power must have
! interfered. But the last certainly has no
happened; il must be, therefore, either the
!. 6rsl or second case.
!, If the FIRST, we can have no excuse fo
: not pursuing the negotiation; aud this, al
we have half minated, implies that it is Il
be left 10 It's fair course in the hands ofthos'
who are conducting it. Congress or Par
: lament must not publicly break into It fo
!, negotiations cannot be carried on in tha
J. way.
!, But ifit is the second case, and the CLAIM
Of one party has gained some addition, apar