Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1846-02-19
Letters Of Albert Gailatin,
ON THE
OREGON QUESTION;
Ngw YoRK, January 9Th, 1876.

! hau Deen pioneer IN cOllectlng 1hct
and stating the case. The only material
within my reach consisted of the accounts q
voyages previously published, tincludipg tha
of Maurelle, in Barringions Miscelanies
1 of the varied and important information dc
rived from Humboldl's New Spain, and OF th
voyage of the Sril and Mexicano, the INTRO
ducton 10 which contains brief official &C
couat OF the Spanish discoveries. The state
ment OF the case was the best ! was able Il
make with The materials on hand and may b,
found defective IN many respects. Sine,
that time manuscript Journals of several q
the voyages have been obtained at Madrid -
New facts have thus been added: Others
have been better anayzed, and some errors
recilicd Arguments which had been only
Indicated have been enforced, and new view.
have heen suggested. The subject indeed
seems to he exhausted: and It would be diff
cult to add any thing 10 the nbIe correspon
dcnce between the two Governments which
has been lately published.
NJ nisteys charged with diplomatic discus,
slons are not, howeyer, IN those Official pa
pers intendcd for publication, to be consider
ed as philosophers calmly investigating the
question, with no other obiec, but to elicit
truth. They ere always, TO a certuin extent,
advocates, who use their best endcavors to
urge and even stra in The reasons that NAV be
alleged IN favor of the claims set up by their
governments and in the same manner to re-
pei, if not to deny, oil that may be adduced by
the other party. Such Official papers are in
fact appeals to public opinion, aud generally
published when there remains no hope 10
conclude for the present an amlcable ar.
rangement.
But, though acting in that respect as ad-
voca'es, diplomalists are essentially ministers
of peace, whose constant and primary duty is
mutually to devise conclliatory means for the
adjustment OF conflicting prelenslons, for the
continuance of friendly relations, for prevent
ing war, or for the restoration Of peace. 1t
has unfortunately happened that on this &C
caslon both Governments have assumed such
absolute and exclusive grounds, as TO Fave
greatly increased, at least for the present, the
obstacles TO an amicable arrangement.
1t is morally Impossible for the bulk of the
people of any coun!ry thoroughly TO inycstl-
gate subject so complex as that of the re-
spec'Ive claims to the Oregon territory and,
for Obvious reasons, it is much less under.
stood by the great mass of the population IN
England than in the United States. Every.
where, when the question is between the
country and foreign nation the people at
large, Imprllcd by natural and patriotic feel
Ings, will rally around their government
For the consequence that may cnsue, those
who are entrusted with the direction Of the
foreign relations ore alone responsbc.--
Whatever may be the cause, to whomsocver
the result may be ascrlbed 1t appears from the
general style of the periodical press, that,
with few exceptions, the people, BOTH IN,
Great Britain ana in the United States, are
mbued with the belief that the contested ter
ritory belongs exclusively TO themselves, and
hat any CONCESSION which might DO made
would be boon TO the other party. Such
opinions, II sustained by either Government
and accompanied by corresponding measures,
must necessarily lead 10 immediate collisions,
md probably to war. Yet, war so calami-
GUS in itself, so fatal TO the general interests
,t both countries, is almost universally de-
,recatcd, without distinction of parties, by all
he rational men who are not carried away by
heir warmth of their feelings.
In the present state OF excitement, an inn
Mediate am!cable arrangement Is almost
lOpeless; time Is necessary before tic Gov
rnmcnts can be induced to rCccdc from their
Xlrene pretensiun. la The mean whlc,
othlng, as II seems 10 me, should Tor The
resent be done, To aggravnle The difficulties,
r remove the only remaining barrier against
collision. n
The United States Claim a right Of sove
ciguiy oyer the whole territory. The pre-
cn3ons OF the British Government, 80 tar
3 they have been heretofore pxhlbned, /
lough not extending to cIalm of absolute .
~ ul pI
annot be admitted by the United States.
nd, if persisted IN, must lead tq = similar re-
nlt.
II the claim OF Great Britain be properly
nalyzed, II will be found that, although she
rs incidentally discussed other questions, Il
he in tact disrcgnrds every other claim but \
lat of actual occupancy, and that she re-
ards as such the establishment of trading
cioreS by her subjects. She accordingly
lalms participation in the navigation OF
lG river Columbia, aud would make that
vcr the boundary between the two Powers.
his utter disregard OF the rights ot dlscov-
". particularly Of that Of the mouth, sour
IS, and course OF a river, OF The principle Of
ontIguliy, and Of every other consideration
hatever, cannot DO admitted by the United
tatcs. The offer Of a detached deiencelcss
rrltory, with single port, and the rccipro-
II offers Of whit aro called free ports. can
1t be- viewed but as dcrlsory. An amlcabIc
by way Of compromise cannot
, effected without n due regard 10 the
aims advanced by both parties end 10 the
Jpedicncy Of the dividing lines &
An equitable division must have reference {
,l only To the extent Of territory, bat nIso To
. other peculiar advantages attached To !
ch portion respectively From aud lnclu.
ng FnCa Straits, the country extending
,rthwardly abounds with convenient sea j
,rts. From the I2d degree of latitude to ;
ose Straits, there IS but one port &c any i'm
rtance, the mouth OF the river Columbia: 7
ID this IL OF difficult aud dangerous access, ;
ID cannot admit ships OF war of large SIZE. =
~ important only a. port Of exports As 0
e Of common resort for supplies, or asylum, =
case OF need, for the numbrress American I
sscls engaged IN the fisheries or commerce II
the Pacific It would be almost usoless, u
en- n IN the exclusive POSSESSION " the 5
nlted States. II must also be- observed that r
g navgablc channel of the river, from its \
luib to- puge,'r island, IA according To- Van. c
nvCr, clorc along The noIthCrn shore. Great
ritaln proposes that the flver should BE- The y
undary. and that the Unucd States should n
content with the pusscs-lon Of iis port II .
crs, IN common with herself ] The really I
-- T.