Democratic banner., 1845-08-09
From the Missourian.J
THE OREGON QUESTION.
Nlnce nc TeXas nmeslIOn las bern


Since the Texas question has beer
satisfactorily disposed Of, the Oregon
question has become the absorbing
one. A few weeks ago. when tIc
rumor was started that the A9,h par.
aIIei OF latitude had teen accedeI t,
by our government, there was hit
one feeling in the west in regard Il
It, and that was, that such a treat,
should, with r2Genony, be kicked out
OF the Senate. II submitted To il i"l
ratification. The tscory Of AMER.
can institutions is. that official men
are the agents, not masters Of the
peopIe-that officers, Ike all agents.
are bound by the instructions ofthcir
principals; and il thew violate or dis
regard these, their acts aTe held to
be null and void. Il is time, If the
rumors about Oregon have any toun-
dation in fact, that not only the at
tcntlon Of our off rials, huI also the
attention Of the British ministry be
called TO this fact. Tie people them
selves declare and prescribe The da-
ties Of their servants, and we wish
our Officers to look carefully 80 their
Instructions, to see whether there be
any order to surrender JAM 81 de
grees in latitude Of our territory; and
we wish the English to look also. and
see what the instructions. are, Of tie
agents with whom they deal. for IT
may save them great deal OF uu
necessary labor. If they find that
the instructions are such as they can
accept, they can proceed to negoii-
ate, but if not. they can spare their
labor for it will all be in VAIN. The
day has gone by, when ministers and
cabinets can sit in secret conclave.
on their cushioned chairs, and take
the map of the world. and divide it.,
and prescribe such territorial limits us
to SUI, themselves. A power. IN
known 10 the ancient regimes, has
sprung u, which demands such ter
Itorial divisions as best 10 subserve
Is own interest; end that power Is
lie people. The advent OF the peo-.
Die has Mt only opened 4 new era in
he history OF the word, Lu; alao- u
cra in diplomacy. Diplomatic
Intercourse is not now carried on for
he purpose OF certifying a family on
he throne. or guaranteeing ancient
but to subserve the interests,
md ioriIiy ing the rights of man. Di-
1!omatIc acts, TO be held valid. must
ecure this. before they will be held
.od regarded IS binding. Would
he surrender Of the territory north
# the 49th degree Of latitude con-
luce to this end? We have formerly
hown II would nOt-we have shown
: immense Importance. THAT is. the
0uthern part OF IT, TO lis rs a naval
ta,ion, for the building and equip
lent OF ships, when in possession Of
We have shown that our
tile 20 the whole of il. IS clear and
nqueSrlpnabIc"-and that we never
.IIl surrender it, come what nav
We have not been isolated IN the pc.
ton we have taken-the western
rcsS, without almost any exception,
ave assumed the same position, and
lie eastern and southern papers, who !
ave spoken out. take the same view. I
here can be no mlstaklng public O. l
lnIun on This s~ubiect-it has been {
ypreSsed too unequivocaIly, both
rough the Presidential canvass, and
nee. In Missouri, the Democratic !
atchword was, Polk and Dallas c
and Texas" We say again, S
at the President and his Cabinet t
full instructions from the peo- n
c on this quesiion-Iet them heed q
en-. and Oregon is ours, with the n
'mmercial monopoly of the north n
We have seen a statement e
several papers saying that Senator $
.eese, Of Illinois. in 4 letter TO an o
meeting somewhere in Hi a
us, SAID that Col. Benton. as we'll d
Mr.. Clay, favored the 49th paral- o
Of latitude as our northern bound, "
V west of the mountains. If Mr.. Ii
ease made the statement attributed Il
him, we should like 10 know by "
nat authority he done 50. The Re b;
does no more that justice TO m
ii. Benton, when it expresses It's al
;belief in the statement, from the q
that such never have been his IN
,ws. We cannot speak authorize
ely, but we believe that Col. Ben
I will be the last mar that vii! con-
1T to yield an inch of any OF the III
VII