Bloomington herald. [volume] (Bloomington, I. T. [Iowa]) 1840-1849, 1846-02-28
LATE DIPLOMATIC CORRESPOND
ENEE.

ENCEs
On thu Sd inst. the House Df Representa-.
,iyes adopted resolution calling upon The
Presiden. for ''any correspondence which has
taken place relative to On1on since his lsst
annual Message to Congress" In obedience
to this resolution, the President. on the Hh
inst, communicated such correspondence 10
Congress, from which the following facts ap.
pear:
On the 18th December last. Mr.. Buchanan
wrote TO Mr.. McLane, our Minister 10 Eng
land, requesting him to ascertain the true char
ac,er Of The present extensive warlike prepar-'
ations Of Great Britain. Under date Of Janu-
airy Sd, Mr.. McLane replied that he had been
informed BY Lord Aberdeen that Great Britain
was "obliged 10 look 10 the possibility Of
rupture with the United States" bu, that her
then present naval preparations had no refer.
ence TO that event, and had been commenced
before the relations between the British and
American Governments assumed the seriuus1
aspect they then wore. Mr.. McLaue express-
es the conviction that these disclaimers may
be the result Of policy, ard he lie not dis.
posed to ADM. ",hat the apprehension Or diff
calties with the United States had no share
iIs!n inducing these preparations" He believes
tha. in the event Of war, Great Britain will
endeavor to strike the heavies, blows at it's
commencement in hope Of shortening lis du.
| ration.
! On the 9th December last. Mr.. Packen.
proposed to Mr., Buchanan TO refer the whole
question Of an equitable division Of Oregon TO
tho arbitration Of some friendly sovereign or
State. Mr.. Buchanan rejects this offer under
the direction Of The President, because il does
propose to refer 10 arbitration the question of IT,
tie, but assumes the fact that Grea, Britain has
a valid claim TO part Of The Territory which
is the question in dispute. Mr.. b. declares
the acceptance Of the proposition would pre-.
vent the United States from claiming the " hole
country before the arbitrator, and that any at.
tempt 10 refer the question to third power
will involve it in fresh difficulties.
| Under date of 10th January, Mr.. Packen.
ham proposes ito refer to arbitration, not Gas
has already been propsed) the question Of an
equitable partition Of the Territory, Lu, the
question Of title in either Of the two powers
to the whole Territory subject, Of course, to
the condition. tina. if neither should be found,
| in the opinion Of the arbitrator, 10 possess a
complete title to TIE whole Territory, there
should, in that case, be assigned to each that
portion Of territory which would, in the opn.
ion Of the arbilra'ing power, be called for by a
just appreciation of The respective claims Of
EACH" TO ,h1s proposition the President De-
cined listening on the ground that the "condi.
ton proposed b. the British Minister would
be, in effect, an invitation TO the arbitrator 10
divide the territory 10 dispute. He declares
.ha. il the President could be induced 10 sub.
mi. the matter 10 arbitration. ",he title, and
the tile Alone" must be considered - reiterales
the declaration that arbitration would involve
the question in fresh difficulties and concludes
with the following jus, and patriotic Ian.
guage:
The undersigned will, however, proceed
to state single reason which, apart from the
intrinsic difficulty Of selecting suitable arbi.
traitor, as well as other considerations that
| might be adduced, ia conclusive on the mind
| of the President against reference Of this
question to arbitration, in any form which can
| be devised, no matter what may be the char.
acer Of The arbitrator-whether sovereign, cit
izen. or subject. This reason is, tina, he does
not believe the territorial rights Of this nation
to be proper subject for arbitration. l, may
he true that, under peculiar circumstances, if
the interest at stake were comparatively small,
and if both parties stood upon an equal footing,
there might be no insuperable objection 10 such
a course. But what is the extent of territory
in dispute on the present occasion? 1t embra.
ces nearly thirteen degrees IF latitude along
the northwest coast of the Pacific, and stretch.
o. eastward 10 the summit of the Rocky
Mountains. Within its limits several large.
powerful and prosperous States Of the Union
may be embraced. II lies contiguous, on this
continent. to the acknowledged territory of the
United States; and is destined, a, no distant
day. to be peopled by our citizens. This Ter
ritory presents the avenue through which the
commerce Of our Western States can be profit
| ably conducted with Asia and the western
coasts Of this continent, and its porte the only
harbors belonging to the U. States TO which
our numerous whalers and other vessels in
that region can resort. And yet, vast as are
its dimensions. it contains not single safe
and commodious harbor from it's southern ex.
tremi.y until we approach the 49,h parallel Of
latitude. . ~
| 1T is far from the intention Of the under.
| signed again 10 open the discussion Of the con.
flic'ing claims of the two powers 10 Oregon
Territory. 1t is sufficient for him 10 atafa The