Weekly national intelligencer., 1846-06-20
THE OREGON QUESTION.
THE BRITISH PROPOSITION FOR IT'S
SETTLEMENT.

Many of our readers will have seen, through
newspaper correspondence and otherwise, before
this paper reaches them, reports Of the affirmative
action of the SENATE on the British proposition for
a settlement of the Oregon controversy, submitted
to that body for its advice by the PRESIDENT of the
United States We did not learn, in any authentic
manner the truth of those reports in time for our
paper of Saturday last; but we now have the
the Senate did, on Friday evening week, by
iorty of three-fourths of its members present. adj
wise the President to conclude Convention with
England for the adjustment of the Oregon question
according to the terms proposed by the Govern
ment of Great Britain and laid before the Senate.
If we are rightly informed, this proposition did
not consist in general heads merely of an arrange
ment but was, in effect, the full draugh of pro-
posed Convention, which draught was assented to
by the Senate without alteration.
This result, we doubt not, while it surprises
many by its suddenness, will still highly crafty
the great majority of reasonable and just men in
the country for il is understood that the general
basis of the proposition is to make the forty-ninth
parallel of latitude the boundary between the terri
tories of the two countries, from the point on that
parallel where the present boundary now termi-
nates to the middle of the sound or channel which
divides Vancouver's island from the continent and
thence along the middle of that channel, and so
Fuca to the Pacific; the navigation of this sound
or bay to be open to both parties and the naviga-
ton Of the Columbia river, up the main stream and
up its north branch to the forty ninth parallel of
latitude, to be free to the Hudson's Bay Company
and British subjects trading with that company.
On the whole as we understand it, England has
assented to terms not quite so favorable to her
as were offered in Mr.. GALLATIN's proposition
of 1927.
We doubt not that the arrangement will be
found TO be a just and equitable one, maintaining
the honor and securing the essential rights of both
parties and this is just what it ought to be- Rea-
sonable men in both countries will approve it, and
good men all over the world will rejoice that War
has been averted, and the amicable relations of two
great leading Nations have been preserved. Ger
tainly it is blessing of Providence upon all
mankind.
On Tuesday last, the President of the United
States sent to the Senate for its advice and consent
Treaty which he has concluded with the British
Minister, for settling the Oregon controversy, and
which is, we presume, in conformity to the terms
mentioned above.
When we look back and review the progress of
this question from the days of the Baltimore Con-
venton and its l-omened party resolutions, ira
cling that progress step by step to its present happy
termination, many important reflections fill our
minds For these we have now neither time
room, though they thick and crowding. We
stay our pen for the present. by putting one inquiry
to our readers and TO the country, and that is this
Were we wrong when, months ago, we snatched
the words from the mouths of political assailants,
and said, LOOK TO THE SENATE y