Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1846-04-22
RICHMOND DAILY WHIG.
The Oregon Question.

personalities to the Notice resolutions as they
passed tho Senate, the National lntelligencer tru-
1y observes. are such, in great degree, IL not
absolutely, to defeat the deliberate purpose Of that
body in giving to them a shape so materially diff.
fereni from that in which they originally received
the sanction of n majority Of the House. What
was that purpose IL was, evidently, that the
Notice should be preiaced by an express declara-
ton, that, so far from intending it to be under
stood as an act Of defmee, its design was to al
tract the attention oi both Governments more en-.
phatically to the necessity Of renew. d exertions
TO adjust the controversy "AMIcABLy," as well ms
promptly. Ii was designed TO counteract the i'm
preston, manifestly produced in Great Britain
by the action Of the Executive, by the hostile spi-
rit evinced towards her by members Of both
Houses supposed to be in the Presidents conf
dence and to speak his sentiments, and by the
tone OF his Organ, that there was no possibility
of compromising the question, (the President him.
self having declared emphatically that ''satisfac.
foryeridence is Afforded thai No COMPROMISE rhich
the United States ought 10 accept, CAN BE EFFECT
Ed land to give assurance that the recognition
of the American title to SHE p ole OF Oregon"
would not be insisted on as a sine qua non-at
least If the opinion of the Legislative department
of the Government, thus decisively expressed,
could be expected to exert any influence, as 1t
certainly ought to do, upon the future action Of
the Executive. IL was this view of the subject,
doubtless. that drew TO the support of the resolu
tons nearly the entire Wing vote of the Senate
and which, as a natural consequence, induced the
arr party in that body, who, we repeat, are sup
II IS HI al
TO reflect his views, not only to vote against
them. but to characterize them as a humillatng
and degrading abandonment Of the lofty and pa
triotc position heretofore assumed and firmly
maintained by the Executive. 1t was this view
of the subject, sure, that elected from the
National Intelligencer, which had uniformly op.
posed the House resolutions as likely to lead to a
rupture with Great Britain, (although they had
been diluted by an amendment, recommending
continued negotiation" in opposition to the wish
es of the ultrdists oil that body.) the remark that
it regarded their adoption as 'hlghly suspicious to
the peace OF the country" It was the connection
with the Notice Of an expression of strong
anxiety to settle the controversy "amieabiy,
that dsspated, TO a considerable exicnt, the
public apprehension of a hostile issue, and caus-
ed the people to breathe more freely and ca
silly than they had done for weeks before. 1t was,
in one word, the defeat of the War party-for by
that term we do not think we need hesitate 10
characterize those who are opposed to cOmpromi-
sing this question, and who insist upon maintain
ing our title to every inch Of the territory DIS.
pute, up TO the Russian boundary-whch gave
buoyancy to public feeling, and inspired hope
that the caIamities Of war, notwithstanding the
critical condition of the negotiation, might yet be
averted. Without the qualification proposed by
the Senate, we are firmly persuaded that the "No-
tice" would lead to war. We hope, consequent
ly, that the Senate will unhinchingly adhere, as
VIC do not doubt for moment that il will. to the
form which in this matter is all-important 1t has
given to the resolutions, and thereby throw upon
the majority OF the House, consisting mainly Of
ihe Presidents friends the responsibility of the
failure if they think proper to incur it, to pass any
Notice at ala failure, in opinion by the
way, not seriously to be regretted; for, although
we regard the Notice, in the shape given to it by
the Senate, as wholly unobjectionable, if not de-
sirabe, yet, rather than its qualifying phrases
stricken out, we should greatly prefer its reJec-
lion altogether.
In this view Of the subject we are gratifed to
see that we are entirely sustained by more than
moiety of the Virginia delegation in the House
Of Representatives, with only one Of whom is 1t
our good fortune generally to concur in opinion.
The motion of Mr.. Owen TO strike from the first
of the Senate's resolutions the important words,
and Immediately directed to renewed efforts for
Z" the AMICABLE settlement off Hthe diGerences and
disputes in regard 10 said territory" and in lieu
thereof TO insert, "directed to the Importance of
a speedy adjustment" &c. and also to strike out
SO much OF the second resolution clothes the
PresiAeat- WiIh a discretionary" power as to the
time and manner of giving Ae-noiice, as we have
heretofore announced,J was adopted by a vote of
80 to s7-Messrs. Atkinson, Brown, Dromgoole,
Hopkins, Johnson, and Mcdowell, Of the VIrgl-
MIA delegation, voting in the affirmative, and
Messrs. Bayly, Bedinger. Chapman, HUBBARD,
Hunter, Pendeton, Seldom and Tredway, voting
in the negative. But the most important vote, as
most clearly indicating the opinions Of our men,
bers as to the ineIPedieDcy Of giving the Notice,
afte, IL had been thus Invested of its pacific and
discretionary features, is that upon the adoption
The resolutios itself. On this motion we fDd
them thus divided in favor Of the unqualified
Notice, Mo,srs. Atkinson, Bs0wn, Hopkins, John
son. Mcdowell and Tredway agaiast it, Messrs.
Bnyly. Bcdlnger, Chapman, Dromgoole, Hgbard,
Hunter, Pondlcton and Seldom. If we err in
opinion, therefore, in relation to the Importance
Of the form which the Senate has given to the
resolutions, or as to the mpolicy Of adopting them
without the qualifying language proposed by that
body, We have the consolation Of knowing that
we arc sustained by the better judgments Of
gentlemen, who, with every possible inducement,
aud doubtless with a sincere desire TO support the
policy Of the President have, with an indepen-
dence too rarely exhibited, indicated their dec.
ded disaPProya Of that policy, upon this delicate
and important question.
To the Polls!
Ngmfga M untusnNp iii a .