Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1846-05-01
THE OREGON QUESTION.

The London Daily News of the 4lh inst,
has the following article in relation to the
O,ogon question.
"Thc hope was not to be entertained that
the present American Executive would con-
sen, to refer the Oregon dispute to arbtra-
lion. That Executive evidently does not
look upon il is question OF right. |, may
have good opinion of its country's right
Bat it has moreover the fixed opinion that
the possession Of the Columbia river, that
great outlet Of the Middle States to the Pa
cli,. is a point Of vital importance to the IN
ion in its future interests, power and devcl-
opmcnt and TO its mastery Of the Northern
Continent. Impressed with this, although
it puts forward the plea Of right, it forbds
that right to be questioned. The American
Government evidently stands upon ground
higher in its own estimation than right-,he
vital interests Of the country. At the same
tine, il sees that the river aud the territory
in di,pltr can never be of the ninety ninth
par, of the vilnr II ENGLAND that il must he
to Dhc Uuj'nd Sta'c.. \al II con.ilrfs, r..
lrr+ih,sr Interest," rllu 'i.r rights clutti0"A
in tr'ti.>. of the srorr auj r..rorrnf ohrr
rlu,r "bJ signed diem C., .,uriy AorV bpr
ii'n.
il.rr IS mo- usc, iarr t.u., of amy loa,ot
til .ws of ,i.hts, or If discussing tbrm.
Warn rpr tm.tirlp G vctnmrn refuses al
alp,mnior. - ,juu, t'il il +, NOT Upoo ri,b'
tlir II h,~.> :.s RS lives. The un>,,ss inn g.
Ihn Coluu,, is worth var, aud 80 - III va
Their run tnr risk Of that var than crdr III,
rive. This is the po>lino, and tie -
gument Of the American Government which
we can no longer NEE, by pleading rights
Indeed, we think il would be at once scnsi.
Bile and dignilird for our diplom,liss to state,
that they would no longer advance any ques-
ton of right 10 government, which, by re-
iusing all arbilrage, sets aside all such qups-
ton 4; and that hcnceforlh their sole effort
would be how to avoid war, by the English
cedmg all that could be coded. consistently
with the national interest, IN order to meet
and satisfy the unreasonable and unri.h,eous
demands of the Americans.
There may in this be some lowering in
dignity, and certain lowering down in the
national pride. But deprccaling all wars, we
deprccate more than any other, war with
) the United States; and this, not only from
community of origin, and tongue, and IDEAS,
aud commerce, in the past, but hccause, even
in the present, i, would he war carried on
ayainS, us by our own blood, our own sons,
our own s'urws. Fifty thousand emipran,S
yearly leave our shores for the Uuird States
each with some wealth, and alinuI all will,
strength and youth. And 1t is with coun-
Try, into which is thus transfscd our best
! blood, and our surplus life, that we are to %
I to war. And thai war, vino are the FIRST the
rhirf, the mo formillhlr rnnhatan,s, whom
r we are 10 encounter aud kill English sea.
d mru-mrn h1rn, nurlurrl, ilulh, amongst
5 rs, even 10 their fnrmii able ART of seaman.
u slip and naval strife, aud "n,icrd from us nv
: the natural cause Of the higl, price of labor
! America. Surely a war with such foes i.
civil war,
5 There may be in these considerations ne
good aud valid rcnsln for sacrificing The solid
, interest aud profitable rights of his country
Bat there is reason here, why we might make
sacrifice of pride without di,honor. II the
, possession Of the Columbia, or the right to
I navigate il be essential to any great inlercs
! OF trade, To any WISE prospect Of c0loniz
, ton, or even 10 preservation of necrsSa-
! ~ balance of power, let MS insist upon it,
Bat if, in realty, we cannot hope TO direc
thilher any portion of the tide of cn,gi atior
: - if our sole interest be the trade in furs
! which must disappear before advancing agr
/, culure-lf the population of the upper par
, of these streams must be A merican-lct u
not persist in either perpetually iulruding ,o