Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1845-12-13
TRUE POSITION OF THE OREGON QUESTION


TRUE POSITION OF THE OREGON QUESTION.
(rssx rmr DAIIs nrrIrIsrscra or DrcrxsEn 81
Our rs impression upon the perusal ofthat part Of
the late Executive Message whichrela.es to the Ore
gon negotiation was thai the PREsDENT had closed
the door 10 further negotiation on that subject that
after proposing certain boundary line 70 which he
was willing agree, and that proposition being de-
clined by the British Envoy, the President had
serted title TO the whole of Oregon based upon
irrefragable facts and arguments i" and that. Of
course, the Government Of Great Britain must either
succumb 70 this assertion Of exclusive right where
she had hitherto been admitted by every Admins
traon Of this Government 10 have certain rights, or
.sis, . ~ forces Wax, IA she end Of shs years mo-
ce Of cessation Of joint occupation seemed 10 be
inevitable consequence. For this result il would
appear, also, upon cursory reading Of the Mes
sage, that the President was ready. Our rights in
Oregon (which he had just claimed TO extend 10 the
whole Of t cannot he says al the end Of the years
notice, be abandoned "without a sacrifice Of both
national honor and interest"
The same impression which This part Of the Mes
sage made upon our mind, il has probably made on
the minds of ninety mine men in hundred Of all
those who have read it. Some Of our'contempo-
raries OF the press and among the most shrewd and
sagacious Of them, have, we observe, taken this
view of the Message In fact, by any ordinary
rules of Interpretation, il cannot upon the face Of
it, be construed otherwise.
1t may yet be observed, however, that whilst our
selves arriving at this conclusion on the first hasiy
perusal of the Message, there were some circum-
stances of forbearance in the Presidents recon-
mendations Of legislation concerning Oregon, and
the yet remarkable fact Of the omission of any
recommendation of such military preparation as
even the remote prospect of war with the greatest
of maritime Powers would imperiously have de-
manded, which made us feel that, although the tone
of the Message that Of defiance Of consequences
the President must know in his own heart that
there could not and would not be war between
this country and Great Britain about Oregon. On
a second perusal of the Message, this feeling on
our part ripened to something like conviction, upon
perusal of the following passage Of the Message,
altogether detached from what the President had TO
say upon the Oregon negotiation, though evidently
intended as qualification of what he did say on
that subject:
Our policy Is not only peace with Gf3, but good
WiH foaoards all the Po1oers Of the earth. While
I'VE just to all, we require that all shall be just
: to us. Excepting the differences with Mexico
and Great Britain, our relations with all civiliz-
ed nations of the most satisfactory character.
1t is hoped thar in this enlightened age these dit
'ferences may be amicably adjusted"
We could not, it is true, discern any ground on
the face of the Message on which to anchor this
hope; but il must have an anchorage somewhere
on some ground which the Message does NOT dis
close. It could not be wholly without foundation.
Upon what, then, did this hope Of " amicable adj
justment" rest?
Whilst yet meditating on this subject we met
with The Constitution of yesterday containing the
subjoined article bearing directly upon the subject
of our thoughts. Before inviting the readers atten-
ton to it, let premise, that the newspaper thus
entitled Is The Constitution, after having been pub
lished in this city for some twelve months or more,
was, week ten days ago, transferred to the
city of Baltimore, where it is now published. Ii
is, in politics, fast friend to the present Admins
traton, and that it enjoys well from the charac-
ter of its publishers their intelligence, its entire
confidence we have seen in the columns of that
paper frequent indications. Though that press is
removed from this city, we desire no further evil
dence than the following article that it is still deep
ly in the confidence of the Executive:
FROM "THE CONSTITUTION" OF DECEMBER s.
"OREGoN-THE EXECUTIVE
"he Of the Message in relation the Oregon nego
taton seems to meet with very general approval While
few Of our political opponents differ with the President in
some Of his conclusions they all accord him great ability
and admirable temper in s discussion, and all evince de-
termination to stand BY him in his assertion Of our naona
rights to that territory. This unsnmy Of sentiment Is gra
flying far above and beyond any mere triumph Of party
Differing upon questions of domestic policy in contest be
our and foreign Government we are bu, ON,
peopeone and ndvisbe The minor distinctions o mart,
and opinon-of Democrat and Whg-are merged in IN,
broad and comprehensive title Of American and all are AMI
mated by spirit, and determined 10 maintain IN,
honor Of the nation nvoIate The abruptnes 10 use nc
harsher term with which the pacific conciliatory pr
position Of Government treated by the British
Minister, and the negotiation thus broken off, has done
much to obtera,e all party asperies and distinctions and
effect this highly gratifying unanimty Of sentiment II
generally known that simultaneous with his determine
ton to make this proposonthe motives for which he
plains in his messagehe President selected distinguished
gentleman Of this State, peculiarly qualified by his eminent
abilities and great experience for the position Minister "a
England Possessed Of the views and intentions Of the Pre-
sden and pledged sustain them would have been his
duty to have urged and enforced the British Ministry the
AZ.