The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1845-03-14
~ y H7iFfom the Philadelphia Ledger.
s MORAL TREASON. s''lt

f'' pCIlAib IhEhOOlNs i
With those Americans unworthy of
tile name, who deny onr right. to, Ore-
gon, and defend the British c.ainl, we
shall use no ceremony. We regard
such advocacyof aforeign government,
and denunciation al our own, in d case
where all the evidence Of right is On
one side, as moral treason. If such ad-
vocates have examined the case, they
sin in spite Of knowledge. lfnot, they
exhibit traitorous hearts in hlindIy and
ignorantly taking for granted that their
country is wrong and its enemy right.
And when they urge the power Of the
enemy as reason for yielding TO his
unjast claims, they are quite as much
entitled to contempt for their coward
ice, as 10 execration for their treason.
This language may seem harsh. But
1t is uttered considerably, as we make
no compromise Of dutyto our country,
no terms with its domestic enemies.
The lecturer exhibits his profound
ignorance Of the law and the facts, in
charging our government with ''igno-
rance or something worse" in the Ore
gon question, saws that no man in his
sober senses can believe that Britain
will tamely permit US 10 establish our
laws over all Oregon. He says that
Britain ''has repeatedly claimed and
maintained rights in this lerrIlcry be-
fore the whole civilized world, has ex-
ercised undis,urbed authority in it for
more than fifty years" What elevated
patriotism! What profound knowledge
Of the subject! We admit that Britain
has repeatedly claimed and maintained
"righ,s" IN this territory, if right and
aggression are Synonymous. II claim
ed, by virtue of discovery by Drake,
who never saw the territory, and being
a pirfte, whose lite was due to the glib
bet OF any, civilized n ton, could have
conferred no right if he had. 1t claim
ed by convention with Spain, which
ex oressly reserved all territorial juris-
diction, and subsequently ccded all
such right to US. And it now claims
by similar convention with US, a con.
vention which expressly denies to it
any such jurisdiction. And Britain has
':maintained' rights in this territory
How? 1t maintained the convention
with Spain, by encouraging its subjects
to settle there; and by force Of arms in
its war with Spain, which began in
1903, and continued till 1909; and by
IN alliance with Spain against Napolc-
on from 800 till 1918, during which
period, Spain, contending for existence
at home, had no leisure to examine and
resist the encroachments ofits ally in a
distant colony; and by force of arms
against US in the war of 1919; and by
the convention Of 1919, which merely
allowed Il settlement to its subjects, has
violated by military occupation and
legal jurisdiction; and by our careless,
short-sighted, uustatesmanike, unjusti-
hable Indifference to the characteristic
peridy and rapacity Of the British 60
vernment. In short, ,,hese British rights
in the territory, which are rather
wrongs, have been maintained by Bri-
tlsh force and fraud, and permitted BY
American blindness. And now, when
our eyes are at last opened domestic
trait ,rs setup these British.aggressions
as rights against us! y i.a4 @s 30
And no man in his sober senses will
believe that Britain will tamely permit
us to resume our rights! The lcctur-
er says that Britain, having expended
more than fifty millions Of dollars, fifty
years ago, in preparing to redress an
alleged wrong to one Of It's subjects in
this very territory, would not, at this
day, with pride and power apparently
undiminished, permit the whole terrific
ry to be taken away, and its subjects
to be consigned TO a foreign jurisJic.
ton, or forcibly expelled from their
homes. This means that as Britain
would not submit to right, we must
submit to wrong; for British pride must
not be wounded, and British po yer
must not be 'defed. We admit that
Britain did spend large sums in aquar-
rel with Spain about Oregon. But the
4 protection off British subject was the
pretence, the ultimate acquisition OF
the country the secret motive. No
careful and enlightened reader Of histo-
Try can doubt the promptitude with
which British rapacity pursues the
weak. But are we weak? Must we
tamely submit to wrong because Bri
tain is proud, rapacious and powerful
Having beaten this ruffiin and robber
4 among nations, once in childhood and
again in youth, we have little to fear
ininanhpod, especially when our adver.
sary, like a gouty old London banker is
II blonted and feeble with disease, and