The Arkansas banner., 1846-02-25
r.. Bue.ianan to .Ir. PqdenAam.
DEPARTMENT OF STATE,
 lNashinrtnn. Ath Eeh. l9tG.


 liAs proDm k oic hIajesty's envoy extraordinary T conse@s minister pienipotentialy, dated on the Yestfaa any nit, by which he again proposes a lird pog, pace of the Oregon question 10 arbilra- aifculis Under his present proposition, the Ills propose m of the arbitrator would not, as in his sentiment ~ ge limited in terms to the division of lgaed or | srriory between the parties, but would Ion hasap, l 10 the question oi their conflicting ae hoAgd There IS, however, a condition an nay yet Ee aJ 10 tls offer which exposes it to the IS nol tc d. objection, in point of fact if not in afnony so which was prominently presented in l@ iRopa 7aswer of the undersigned to MT. Pak aEais bi1 5m's last proposal This condition is, alr PakeplM !, if neither Party should be found, in fonsiden ooiaion of the arbitration, to possess q JAMES RI anlele title to the whole territory, there sD PAEEyR ad in that case, be assigned to each that = don of territory which would, in the ? 10 lh nion of the arbitrating power, be caied hNGTON bya just appreciation of the respective l, her B,a, 6s of each.2 If the government of the and mn d,ed aes should consent to all arbitration lonor to n oa such condition, this might, and pro State of o by would, be constructed into an intima aBner n if not direct invitation, to the arbltra- 21A M xmpdvide the territory between the parties. ing the Iee t possible for the President under any the 0re qansaaces, to consent to refer the subject me lrepf arbitraon the tite, and the title alone,
 eaehed from every other consideration, is will ake. only question which would be submitted. IS comm not confined to a single point, so strongis IL natural disposition of arbitrators to please has the oh parties, that i'll almost every instance, assuraneY heher of national or individual contro- D. srsies, they make a compromising award.
 RP Fe have memorable example of this in Bucu,y r last arbitration with q eat Britain. Not b II, dlh5tandng that the arbitrator, under the GTay l. fms of the submission. was clearly and eX- leslo o eity confined to the decision of which was lowe, e line of highlands described in the treaty ,sion D peace of l783 yet instead of pursuing eDeci ny range ol highlands whatever, he advised laDic NJ at the Iine should run along the bed of inBter ver, and actually divided the territory in oateos spute between the pafties by .the middle alnq4 ihe deepest channel of the St. ohn's.o nlej The undersigned might content himself, in era0a swer to the proposition, with a reference to be 21 a observations contained in his last note 10 desicD lf. Pakenham of the Sd ut In that, il taiej as plainl, Intimaed not only that there are eaai, Foher conclusive reasons of declining the ioa3l Exposition" independently of the one which fgml, had been prominently stated, but il was .eX-'
 hessIy asserted as the belief of the President, secrs that any attempt to refer this question 10 a d lint hlrd power would only involve il into new Ta laicaltes22 ?
 laden The undersigned will, however, proceed fi0g o state single reason which, apart from E be intrinsic difficulty ol selecting suitable refeg Hf5itfator as well as other conside ratioas liable that might be addaeed Is conclusive on the f sop nnnd oI the President against reference oi of Gf his question 10 arbitration, in any form YB which can be devised, no matter what may
 No, ti,, - pmpo Sovereign, citizen, or subject This reason oula s, that he does not believe the territorial l the rights of this nation to be proper subject lh4 for arbitration. IL may be true that, under de tI peculiar circumstances, if the interests at err stake were comparatively small and, if both he parties stood upon an equal footing, there l ea might be no insaperable objection to such h course But what is the extent of territory lMiM in dispute oil the present 0ccasion2 l. em- ae braces nearly thirteen degrees Of latitude
 along the northwest coast of the Pacific. and f6s stretches eastward to the sumntoi the Rocky { i mountains Within it's limits several pow h eFul and prosperous States of the Union may E v be embraced. IL lies contiguous, on thla [ N continent, to the acknowledged territory off TBcl the United States, and Is destined. at noI ns distant day, to be psopied hy our citi1eHs.- dS This territory presents the areaae through iSI which the commerce of our western States , lf can be proGlably conducted with Asia aud Q the western coasts of this continent; and it's I ma. ports, the only harbors belonging 10 the Un- Q, ted States to which out numerous Whalers aa and other vessels in that region can resott.- rdU And yet, vast as are its dimensions, Il con \ lalns not single safe and commodious har- m bor from its southern extremity until we a1- He preach the 49lh parallel of latitude.
 Itis far from the intention of inc under signed again to open the discussion of the @ conflicting claims of the two powers 10 the f
 Oregon territory IL is sufficient for hiln 10 P state the continued conviction of the Pres- T dent, that the United States hold the best title { In existence to the whole of this territory. 'nI Under this conviction, he cannot consent 10 | leopard for his country all the great interests
 involved, and by any possibility, however remote, to deprive the republic of all the good
 harbors on the coast by referring the ques-
 ton 10 arbitration.
 5E Neither is the territory in dispute of eqnal,I or nearly equal, value to the two powers.-
 Whilst it Is invaluable to the UnIled States, It IS of comparatively small importance to
 Great Britain. To her, Oregon would be rJ but distant colonial possession of doubtful I value; and which, from the natural progress
 of human events, she would not probably [
 long enough enjoy to derive from 1t essential
 benefits; whilst to the United States it would
 become an integral and essential portion of
 he republic. 'fhe gain to Great Britain she
 would never sensibly feel; whilst the loss to
 the United States would be rreparable.
 The undersigned is perfectly aware that
 such considerations can have no bearing !
 upon the question of the tile of either party.
 They are presented solely for the purpose of
 explaining the views of the President in his
 refusal to adopt any measure which should
 withdraw our title from the control of the
 government and people of the United Sates,
 and place it within the discretion ol any
 arbitrator, no matter how intelligent and re-
 l