New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1845-06-06
The Oregon Question.


TO that But lie, any man attempt to act consistent
ly On the principles of Peacc-et him really en-
deavor to prevent War by removing or d-sipaiin.
the causes Of Wsr-and he is sure TO raise bor
nets nest about his ears.
Why do nations ever plunge into the horrors o.
War! No, because the mass Of men have any ab
stract love for buchery, still less for being butcher
ed, however il may be with individuals Bot la
tons are lured into war on two grounds first, con
victon in thu breast Of each that il is rtght, or
secondly that il is stronger than its adversary, and
10 is sure Of easy victory, and may revel in plum
der and glory.
But how can each Of two nations be induced to
believe that it is right in controversy terminating
in War; Is human Judgment ~ deusive that what
10 black on one side OF an imaginary line appear
white TO those on the o,herl We answer No bu'
Aejudgment has no far piay. Men are too prone
TO believe their own geese swans bat this tendency
could b. withsood and coun,erac,ed if Governments
were upright and historians journalists and popular
orators honest But they are too often not above
wsrping or coorne the truth; and thus misleading
those less informed than themselves. For instance
A President finds himself sinking in popularity, or
Secretary of State is ambitious OF ngratisting him
self with the preparatory TO race for the Pres
idency: What course 30 inviting TO either "a TO get
40 controversy with some Foreign Government
This will Withdraw public attention from their do
nestle mismanagemcnt or personal foblcs' II VII
identify them with the patriotic feeling OF the couu
try and enable their pariizans 10 brand oil who as
cent from their course arstocra;s cold 10 the ap
pesls of National Honor and guilty OF Moral Irea
SON. The ignorant and unreaectlng, hearing Only
what 10 deemed the National side OF the question
and not scanning this very carefully, are oi
course easily excited and honestly attached TO wha
II deemed their own side. The dissolutc and
prnciped gladly escape from their own sense o.
degradation and the reproacb Of ,hosc who know
them, in tempest Of popular excitement the thrift
less and destitute consider that War opens great
lottery in which they may gain and cannot lose
The timd yield to the momentary phrenzy and
either swell its chorus hold their peace the Gov
eminent finds itself borne up On resisilcss wave
which covers all ts dclinquences and errors and a.
sures il Of IMMUNITY and unlimited power; II is en-
couraged To insist the last ota of It's claims and
take measures to enforce them; and the end .
w ar. cuCn ~ suD~tdulihliI il' ViSH VI H''7'
scenes of Wholesale Murder from which Humanity
recoils in horror while Christianity brands them VIII
her sternest reprobaion. Just think OF one OF ouI
eight dollar aday Chapains reading with proper
emphasis Chrst's Sermon on the Mount 10 q Con
gress about to declare War take Military posses
sion Of somc disputed territory or General reading
l. Corinth. XIII. to his army drawn up for BATH
-. IL 4.
last three years, the exhibition OF every evi
passion which has melted Man to imbruc his hand
in brothers blood from the day of Cam TO the pre-
sent In the first place, il utterly, mady wronl
10 agitaic the matter in Congress at ALL Every thnc
was going on exactly ~ those who are so anxiou'
10 secure all Oregon must have desired Our pco |
pie, who but few years since had scarcely footing
in Oregon, were pouring over the Rocky Mountain |
BY hundreds, not opposed but welcomed by the Brit |
ish there and not asked to submit British authority
They were covering and settling all the good land
without red coat in the whole territory they wcr,
organising their own Government and taking III, |
best of care of themselves without costing us far
thing. Five years more Of simple inactivity on the
part of our Government, would have settled tn, |
whole business. 50 far as the habi,ablc portion \
Oregon was concerned; for the Hudsons Bay Com |
pany and their trapping business would soon hav, |
been run out by numerous body of Farmers. Blu |
our demagogues wanted some staple for a new ~ |
element of popular prejudice and in an evil houi |
Oregon was pitched upon Congress has for year |
been sedulously importuncd to terminate the JON |
Occupation and proceed to take formal possession |
Of the whole territory and, though without cnr, |
success yet the agitation was found SO profitable |
thai the Polk Convention at Baltimore last May SAW
ct to resolve that right TO the rhote of Oregon
y clear and indsputable and TO be enforced "a
speedily as practicable. This sentiment was par |
TALLY reechoed by Mr.. Polk in his Inaugural; aud
hence the present state OF the question.
Now, we do not believe there is one impartial "a
tional being on the face of the earth who
fu review Of the facts in the case would express tn,
opinion affirmed in the Baltimore resolutions II,
might say that our right TO the whole was stronger
than that Of any other power, or tina, the greater
part Of Oregon is of right ours but say that "a,
sAoie, up to n lat 5aS 40 is iadisputabiy ours h,
could not At most. he could but claim the whole |
valley Of the Columbia; but TO make out for
ssdispsfob,e claim to the region of Frasers River |
which was explored by British subject over hall |
century ago. and has been settled upon by British
subjects nearly forty years, while we have never
had settlement ON its whole course to this day
beyond the reach OF honest perversity.
Now. how many Of our people would delibera,el. |
prefer War with Great Britain TO settlement Of ,hi,
controversy such terms us AN impartial power |
should judge just and honorable TO both parties p
Ii any. let US know who they are. But Il our PEG
pie would really choose to settle the matter AMIGA !
bly, (as we undoubtngly believe they would what |
possible good can come from setting up extreme |
pretcnsons. and denouncing the British claim At
rogant and absurd Is no, this manitesiiy comph. !
eating the question and increasing the possibilities
Of War; If our journals tell their readers tina, We |
Of rgh, should have the whole, do they no, teach |
them to condemn and dcnouncc as craven or trcacl-
ercOus whatever Executive or Minister shall agree |
70 take less than the whole They may say. as the |
News virtually does. We ought to have all but |
VIC will b. content with what is South OF ls, 49S =
but the rough and tumble fellows will improve upon l
bv saving " an Orrcon Is m yhtfully ours. and vo