The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-03-09

| II Is confidently affirmed, the title Of the Unite
States 10 the best in existence" Again, he denie
shat the British pretensons of title 10 Oregon ca
be maintained TO any portion Of the Oregon terrific
~ upon any principle of public law recognised b!
natlons." According TO these Arguments and thes
sentiments, We have nothing 10 fear. James X
Polk cannot consistently, and may not say, vii
not yield, any portion of our rights to Oregon; hi
heart Is too large, and his frmness stern for an
such miserable concession. The great example o
Jackson IN our late controversy with France, an,
with England Ibis day hi,ty-Ons years ago, when
amidst the thunders and flame Of war, lac proclaim
ca victory TO American arms, Is before him; and h,
will not fail, from impulse well as from duty.
emulate At. Great occasions call forth great quail
ties. Napoleon, in eight months, mustered an arm,
which surprised and sved the combined powers O
Europe. IL war is 70 come from the assertion o.
our "unquestionabie" rights, let us prepare to NEE
it as becomes a brave and chiyalnc people. lie
the powers Of the government and Of the country
DC brought into the fullest requisiuon; let our arm
be enlarged odd soxixorafed .siisfi- osganizss
and dnlled let our Internal and external marine b,
s~ned for ths contest; lot ali America become AZ
camp resounding with the preparations Of war
Such means are worthy Of the occasion and Of III,
crisis; by them, wisely systematized and vigor
ously exerted, we can make a demonstration Of ply
steal and moral power which will exat republican
ism 10 the eyes Of the world and crush the arrogant
pretenslons Of royal supremacy. Upon the classic
plains of Msrathon, Greece crushed the gOrgeou,
panoply Of Persia, and indicated the superiority
OF free over despotic institutions We are wisel
and stronger than Greece and wherefore may w,
not expect to emulate her glorious achievements
IT conflict shall come between us and Great Brit.
ain. IL would only be in such a conflict that the
sinews and strength of freemen could be fully dis
played-that the moral sublimity Of republieanism
would loom forth as PhGnix from the smoke and
thunders Of war.
II Mr. Polk has offered the 49h parallel as the ba.
ais Of compromise with Great Britain, why did he
do sol Not because, as some gentlemen have int.
mated he was in fact in favor OF that line but be.
cause as he says in his message the envoy extraor.
binary and minister nipotentiary OF the United
States authorized in lsi3 by his predecessor, to
offer the 49h parallel, and the free navigation ofthe
Columbia. In explanation Of this offer, he says in
his message:
Had this been question coming under discussion
for the first time this proposition would not have been
made The extraordinary and wholly inadmissble dsmsnd
Of the British government and the rejection OF the PROPOSE
ton made In Difference alone TO what had been done by
my predecessors, and the implied obligations which the
acts seemed TO impose afford satisfactory evidence that nd
compromise which the United States ought accept can be
effected With this conviction, the proposition Of compro
mise which had been made and rejected was by my drec
ton subsequently Withdrawn and title TO the yhols
Oregon territory asserted, and Is believed maintained
by irreing1ble facts and arguments
Having thus freed himself from the embarrass.
menis thrown around the question by the conduct
of his predecessors, he falls back upon his old po-
stion Of the raidiiy and ereiusirersss of our title
and recommends the notice now under discussion,
and such other measures NJ, IN the opinion of Con-
gress, may be necessary to give effect TO our title
and protection to our citizens in Oregon. In these
measures will cordially support him; nv onIv re-
gre, is that the President did not, after The abrup,
rejection Of the offer Of compromise by the British
minister, say 10 him: "Slr, we cannot compromise;
here let US agree TO waive the twelve months no
,ice, and terminate the convention" This would
have been a course consistent with the Presidents
opinion of our title and with the dignity and tenn.
per of the nation. Whilst l have thus expressed
my perfect confidence in the ability and patriotism
ofthe administration, Il is due 10 capdor 10 aver
that II Mr. Polk should yield upon this great ques-
ton after the repeated he has given to the
contrary, | will be greatly and sadly disappoin ted
Nor will be the only political friend who will
share in this feeling my constituents who poed for
him larger majority, perhaps, than any other
constituency Of equal numbers in the United States
will deeply sympathise in it as myself. And
may not say that the great body of the Ameri.
can people everywhere will do soi The records of
the great Baltimore convention would authorize the
assertion, | approach Mr.. Polk not as a courier
or Hanerer | ask nothing at his hands except
faithful and efficient execution of the pledges upon
and by virtue Of which he came into power. This
much have a right to ask and expect, and l there
fore call upon him, in the independence ola consttu-
ent and freeman, to fulfil them.
The Romans denounced as impious any man who
dared to the treason of Remembering the terri
tories of the empire. The same sentiment exists in
this country; and will, as the hand follows
the dictates Of the heart find the of fixing its
Cain mark upon those who may provoke its resent
ment. warn great men and small-those who as
pire and those who do MOTTO beware of the hostile
influence of this question. 1t is the great question
Of the age, and is pregnant with power to make
and unmake statesmen and administrations The
unbought and unpurchascabe masses will adhere
to il against war, against politicians, against ad
ministrations-they will never desert it. 1t is
their ques,ion--it involves their interests, and
strikes upon the chords of their patriotism and
nations ambition. No political intrigue can
arrest it-no artificial obstacle defeat it, 1t is
urged on by a power that knows no limits ex-
cept those which exhausted nature assigns to soar
ing genius and unshacked enterprise; its energy is
in free principles, and its triumph in republican in
stitutions. Its strength may be well illustrated by
an experiment recently exhibited, which will take
the liberty to relate. A spectator upon the banks of
the Potomac, saw a vessel galy and proudly sail
ing before proptious breeze-"she walked the wa
ters like thing of life;' for the moment ! was
charmed with her grace and beauty; far was il from
appearance that she was soon to become helpless
hulk yet in the twinkling of an eye the water rose
up around her in the form Of column projecting in
the heavens, and when it had receded, 10. she was
| laundering wreck. Need | say that the Oregon
question, arousng ard combining as it does the pre-.
JUDGES, passions, and interests of the people, pos
sesses combustible force sufficient TO blow up any
ship of state that may by accident design call that
force into ncton'-that it will be in politics wha
Colts submarine battery is in physicist
The Texas question defeated great leaders and
crushed old formulas. Oregon is still more potent.
| II is the Embodiment Of the great American princi-
pie of progression, extension, and expansion. II
has been powerful to kinde the smoulderng fires o.
the masses into bright and fervid blaze, but even
yet it has not reached its eliminating point. II is
the form of new impulse called into action by FIRE,
institutions operating upon the restless AND daring
spirit of the Anglo-Saxon blood. Glorious, divin,
impulse Let it exert its sway until the world shal
become a common republic, and mankind a united
brotherhood Away with the siren cry of conces
sion and compromise; memorable destiny interposei
her iron sceptre to forbid it. Shame! Why shoulC
we rscede to the 49th parallel while Britain adpances
to the same line. Who will proclaim himself tn,
advocate Of such measured
1t is said, however, that war will ensue, if we re
fuse to compromise by further concessions, at all
and that peace is worth more than all of Oregon
! but not without honor. Nothing is derogaed from
honorable peece--it should be cherished as ma
tional duty and Christian blessing. All that hal
been said Of its benignity and the beauty and gentle
i r d.. Z. 1.