Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, IA [i.e. Ind.]) 1839-1854, 1846-02-04

81 -''.0d Siaios Ought to accept can be
affected what mus. We infer Is his o,in;on =. IN
ne result of tho question? He certainly c,nno,
oisFe, II GFeat Britain will agree to n :, rea,on.
tionaiipromisc, that she will surrender upcond;.
Govcrnm'sclaim to the territory, and suffer our
whole OF It. take undispu;el possession of tho
tha' 40 oe'so'cs 'rstssence, thon. is irresistible.
the arbirament OF the@lion must be- settled bv
strengthened by his langui. This Inference !,
his message. in which he saJa another mr., IF
''At the end Of the years no..
gross think 1t proper TO mako provis.houd Con.
that notice, shall have reached PEI giving
the national rights in Oregon must ei,hcs .,ho6
baadoned or firmly maintained That they ~,
not be abandon without a sacrifice of both nh
,onal honor and interest, is too c!ear to admit Of
doubt
The opinion Of the President, then. is clear.
and undisgused, that if this notice TO terminate
tho joint convention shall bo given 10 Great Bril-
tam, we shall be compelled. n, tho expiration of
the year, to assert our claims TO Oregon at tho
poin. Of the bayonet. In this opinion folly con.
cur. When the Joint convention shall DO torminnt-
cd. must then, at all hazards. take possession
of tho country, and compel Great Britain, by
force, - abandon her p.etonsions. A war, then,
can only be avoided by Great Britain surrender
ing her claims. Have any reason to antc.
pate that she will do thisl If sho has refused,
upon negotiation, to mako any compromise which
our Government can accept, can wo believe that
she will be driven by monaco to an unconditional
surrender! The pride and arrogance which sho
has at all times manifested in tho assertion of
what she has claimed as her rights however thev
may be calculated to cAc 70 on our part feelings Of
indignation and hostility to her, vet fully show
that we have reason 10 count on her forbear-
ance in tho present controversy. Tho giving of
the notice, it is true, is not of itself war mea
sure. Had the notice been given by the Exccu-
tive while tho negotiations progressing. it is
highly probable that no injury could have resulted
from it 1t might. indeed, have led to an enrer
settlement Of the whole subject of controversy;
because, while it coald not then have given any
ground Of offence to the British Government. il
would have impressed upon the nogotators Of both
countries tho necessity of an carly and definitivo
settlement as the only means Of preserving peace.
Tho state of affairs. however, has materially
changed. The President has abruptly terminated
tho negotiations, and Withdrawn tho proposition
of compromise which he had made. alleging at
the samo time, that he had only made thu, pro-
position in Difference to the opinions and nets Of
his predecessors, and ogains! his own convictions
OF right.
At the same time he recommends to Congress
to give the notice, as the preparatory stop to tho
| assertion Of the claims Of this Government, not
alone to the territory rs far north forty nino
but to the whole Of the Oregon ierritory-to the
Russian line, at fifty four forty. He distinctly
informs US that. at tho expiration Of tho year, we
must either firmly assert rights to tho terrific
ry, or abandon thom altogether. The plain and
simple meaning of this Isl that, at the expiration
Of the year, wo must take possession of tho whole
Of the country, and drive tho sub Gets
Of the + n & ; h G ov ont from every
part oft. At the same time, tho discussions up
on this question, both in Congress and through
tho public pross, conducted in a spirit of self
lauda,ion and boasful eulogy Of ourselves, and of
bitter and vehement donunciation against Great
Britain, calculated to excite feelings Of recipro-
cal hostility between tho people of tho two coun-
tries. If this notice is now given under these
circumstances. with tho avowed declaration
the part Of our Govornment that il is intended as
preparatory measure to this assertion of our
claims to all of Oregon-w,h tho angry passions
Of the people Of both countries stirred up into
mutual haired-can hope that negotiations
will DO rcncwed9 Can We fatter ourselves into
tho belief that wo can so operate upon tho fears
Of Great Britain as to extort from hor by monaco
that which she has refused as a proposition Of
compromise! If she has refused the offers which
we have already mado, will tho assertion of a
determination on our part to force her into q SUBJ
mission to our demands, induce her at TO
abandon her prctensions! Sir. cannot, for
moment, believe it. l am rresissib!y lod 10 the
conclusion, that tho giving Of this notice, at this
time, in tho mannor and under tho circumstances
in which it is proposed to give it, will efiecually
closa the door all future negotiations. and oavo
this controversy to DO settled by the stern arbit-
ramont of the sword. BY this measure we shall
"cry havoc, and let slip the dogs of war; to des-
ola.e the country. II may not be difficult to got
into a war, but it may be extremely difficult to
ge, out Of it. After years of fighting, after the
sacrifice Of millions of our treasure, and tho lives
Of thousands Of our citizens. shall still, be COM
pellod to settle the controversy by by negotiation.
May not negotiation DO successful now rs iheD,
and would it not be good policy to exhaust tho
means of diplomacy and negotiation, before We
resort to harsher or sicrncr ncasufess
But. Mr. Chairman. ifibis question must bo ul-
,imateIy settled by the sword-if to secure our u
rights in the Oregon territory j: is necessary thos
we should engage in with Great Britain,
would ask are in condition to commence
war at this sime7 Does no. every consideration
of prudence and discretion require that we should
make some preparation before we commence hos