The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1845-06-11

THE OREGON FERLING-THE COURSE
ELaL OF OUR PRESIDENT

iN'I onnSyN FkELING-THE COURSE
5 OF OUR PRESIDENT
II Y stated that the English were much surprised
that the bold and manly declsrs,ion of President
Polk, in his inaugural in relation to the rights Of
our country to the Oregon territory, should be re-
ceivcd 90 calmly by people 20 excitable as the
Americans. Yet, when the cause Of this calmness
fully understood, 4 will be perceived that this
versality, q. well the strength, of the popular
feeling IN relation to our rights Men who feel pet
iecily sure that they right are not easily moved
Inc declaration Of the President created no excite
ment here, because the public mind has been SO long
made up, and 30 decidedly in favor of our rights,
that the President but gave il ut,crance. Every
days events are msniisstng tina, there is probably
no question sgitated In country, since the Amer
lean revolution, upon which there was so clear a
conviction Of the glazing nature Of British assump-
tion, Az was emphaticslly remarked by Senator
Dickinson, Oregon e deemed as much ours as The
city and county Of New York" This may seem
strange 70 Rnglishmen; but Il 10 to be remembered
that the Americans are VIGOROUSLY reading peo-
ple They have for years been accommodating infor-
nation about their title TO the Oregon Numberless
have been the books Of travels which have teemed
rom the daily and periodical press in relation to
the Oregon country These have been sought after,
resa win avidity, and however unfounded some Of
the information conveyed may be, vet these narra-
tves have all served 70 fassen that calm deep con-
vct,on among our people which has become part
IL rooted
memories and all their associations When a peo-
pie have been 70 early educated with question in
which their country's rights may be involved II ia
not difficult to understand how calmly they receive
an unequiyocal assertion Of their rights, though il
may seem nsurpation 70 other nations, who have
rival claims. But we may add, such men,
KNOWING their rights, dare maintain"
TWAS remarked that the strong expression of Sir
Robert Peel on the Oregon question was received
throughout England with considerable excitement.
II is clear that the subject was being there as pop
ular question for the first time, and though il is
probable that ministers would be sustained, in an
extreme course, by Parliament, and the few thous-
should they change their tone and yield largely for
the sake Of peaceabe adjustment, il would not ex-
cite much ferment in England. The truth is, minis
tiers with the very lsrge majority, such as Sir Ro-
bert Peel has, in the House of Commons can feel
sure of being sustained in everything they may pro-
Peel carried the appropriation for the Catholic col
lege OF Maynooh against, A. il freely averred, the
public sentiment of England, shows the independent
power Of British premier on all questions, both of
foreign as well as domestic policy. BY the laws of
England, the members Of the House of Commons
hold for seven years, unless dissolved by the
Queen. When minister gets q house that obeys
his edicts he 10 in hurry to dissolve the old and
call new Parliament. This peculiar structure of
the British government enables an able prime minis
ter to act independently Of the opinion Of the great
but as they have no votes, their opinion is regarded
as of little moment.
Here, on the contrary--and therein lies the great
difference between the Oregon feeling in the two
countrics-the President, from the potency Of an
extended suffrage and the frequency of elections,
must be controlled by the public opinion Of the peo-
pie, which was not miltaken by the present Exec
utve, when he was inaugurated President of the
United States.