The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-04-04
DECISION.

call for the adoption Of the notice. They call foI
preparation. They call for bold, prompt, and de
eidsd action. They complain Of indeeision--of
lons-sAndng proerastinstion--of unnecessary de-
lsy There are statesman in our country who seem
70 see spectre in every bush. They dsPrecste
war. They portray It's horrors. They apprshend
in the notice-n the movements OF the Executive,
as II the very way of bringing the question to a
hostile extremity was not the ndeeision, the vac-
laton, the shrinking ssnsbility Of our public coun-
sells. The friends Of the notice are not war men,
They look Great Britain firmly in the face. En-
srgy and frmness alone will make her SEN
sibls of the dangers which she will encounter, and
induce her to do US justice. We have talked oil
compromise for more than twenty years; and we
have talked in vain. Shall we again bring il forward
as the instrument Of negotiation Can we expect TO
bring her to her senses by this long-tried and al
most exhausted expedienR
For the last four months we have tried different
regimen, and 1t has wrought the most remarkable
revolution in her temper and conduct The mes
saxs spoke the spirit Of decided statesman. IL dis
csrded compromise, but t.spoke ofgiving notice-of
extending our jurisdiction beyond the Rocky noun
iains-of facilitating emigration-of establishing
mounted regiments, and Of erecting block-houses
II spoke in bold and firm language. The House
Of Representatives seconded its proposition. They
passed a decided resolution, by two-thirds OF
the House. England saw our purpose, and our
resolution. The tone Of her press changed in favor
Of compromise, accommodation, and peace. Tho
most distinguished press in England proposed set
tement ofthe question by boundary line which had
been at once rejected by England in 1926 Had the
other distinguished branch Of Congress only pursued
the advantage we had gained and adopted the reso-
luton Of the House by similar majority, who
can doubt the result Who does not believe that
England would have listened to the voice Of justice,
and that before this time the question would hav'
been in fair train for an amicable adjustment Blu
the horizon became suddenly clouded over Signs Of
division began to display themselves in the Senate
Of the United States. Resolution followed rssolu
tion--mors or less qualiked-more or less departing
from the decided tone of the House resolution
The members talked OF further delay. They talk
ed of compromise. They proposed to fetter the
constitutional functions Of the Executive Depart
ment by manacling its hands, and prescribing limit,
for the course Of the negotiation. Instead Of add
ing the moral force of the sanction of Congress by
approving the notice, and then holding the Presiden
to his own constitutional responsibility
that il an important proposition was made by Eng
land he has it in his power to consult the Senate
his constitutional advisers-and knowing, too, thai
he could not bind the country TO any treaty with
out the assent of twothrds of the Senate, tn,
effort has been made TO tie him down to certain
limits in the very first steps Of the negotiation.
The movement scarcely stops here. Our title to Ore
son deprecated in open Senate, within the hearing
of the British minister. The value Of the territory
too is deprecated Highly coored pictures are drawn
Of the immense power of Great Britain, Of the dan
gers Of contest, and of the horrors Of war. Can
any man believe, that these appeals are lost upon
the British minister and upon his government Does
he not faithfully report to them the course Of argu
ment which is employed in Congress-the tone
Of our leading men-the strong and alarming appeals
which are made to the fears of war-and against our
t,le-and against our resources-and in favor of the
military power of England Can any one believe
that these signs of division among US thrown
away upon the English---and that they have moi
contributed to produce the recent tone in the British
prints, and perhaps in the British cabinet
We see, are mortified to see, the delay which ha,
taken place in the discussion of,he question. We art
asked to wait for steamer after steamer, until thu
patience of our own people is exhausted and ther,
are reasons to believe, until procrastna,ion has
become the object Of rdicue abroad. "Wait for Tho
next steamer" is the constant cry Of many of our
politicians. "Let us hear how Britain views ou
measures Let us waittill we know how she likes tn,
notice-and what propositions she has to make.
"Thity days more" exclaims the orator o
Massachusetts---as if thirty days were to de
eide the question--as if thirty days were to de
tcrmne what England was to do whether she wa
to reopen the negotiation, or to see whether wer
to pass the notice!
Let us wait for the next steamer no Longer
in the spirit of the faltering Athenians il
the days Of Demos,henes, when the constar
question was, "What ia the news from Phil
Jpn Let US no longer "put 1.-The cart before tn
horse" Negotiation vii! not come until we Civ
the notice. Thu is the first step in the process
and when England sees that we are in earnest
she will then seriously consider what she is Il
do Pass il 1--WE respectfully suggest) withou
any formal compromise attached to il. Give tn
notice, without faltering qualification. This
what the very peace Of the country requires. II
what the people Of the United States, approving q
they do the measures lof the Presidents message
expect at our hands. But the clsmor is raised til,
it viii produce war. Say rather il is the most prof.
able means Of averting it, Mr.. Crittenden has gi
en- the true solution Of the operation of the notice
the preamble to his resolution, and il is as 70
lows
where's by the convention concluded the twentet du
Of o,ober eighteen hundred and eighteen between III
United s,atue Of America and the King Of the Unit,
Kingdom ofyGrest Britain and ireland, for the period
ten years, and Afterwards indefinitely exter d.d and
tnusd in force by another convention ofth, pertie
concluded the sixth day Of August In h, year Of Of
Lord one thousand eight hundred and tw enty-sevsn,
was agreed that any country that may ,be claimed
either party the northwest coast OF Anne RIGA westws
Of the stony Rocky mountains, con ,mony call
the Oregon territory, should together wit, u, hsrbo
e,y, and creeks and the navigation Of all rivers with
the zane b. free and open to the vrsseis citirens
subjects Of the two powers but without Judice TO
claim which either Of the parties night h.ve 10 any p'