American Republican and Baltimore daily clipper. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1844-1846, 1846-04-13

Admiral for further orders. In short time
he returned with an ample apology. saying tina
as the vessel was so small he did not think sht
was an American vessel.
| From the London Times, March 1917
THE OREGON QUESTION IN ENGLAND-SE
| Ml-OFFlCIAL VIEW OF THE BRITISH GO
| PRESS.
In the way of concession and argument OF
| the Oregon question, little now remains to be
said or done by the British Government. The
strongest desire has been repeatedly EXPRESS ed
| on our side TO terminate this controversy. Our
case has been stated with such moderation, and
| our claims confined TO such narrow limits, that
nothing but extreme presumption, or rather a
! species OF hostile nfatuatlon, on the part of the
American democrats, could lead them to sup
! pose we could make any further abatement OF
our rights. We are in actual possession of ra-
Their more of the Oregon territory than we have
ever claimed as our own, because as long as the
Joint occupation lasts the concurrent rights of
both parties extend over the whole country.-
We have at our disposal ample means Of de-
Tending our rights W. have never at any pc
Rod III the history of our country, less reason
to recoil from a war; or to fear the result of a
contest with any power, but more especially
with the United States. Yet we, on cur side,
have strenuousIy and sincerely labored to el-
feet compromise We have not alluded to
the superiority of our maratme strength; from
misplaced respect for the American govern
ment, no use has been made of those blunt ar
currents to which alone they now appear to be
accessible; until at length we learn, with more
contempt than surprise, that Mr. Polk and his
advisers are embaIkng in a course which can
only lead, iGthey are allowed to persevere in it,
TO aggressive hostlities.
In our zeal for the maintenance ofpeace, and
our Difference for a nation with which we have
so much in common, we have gone so far as to
admit that their claim To the Oregon territory is
equal to our own, and to argue that a partition
is the tairest solution of the difficulty. The
Americans, however, are not to be satisfied UNI
til they convert this concessi n of part into a
surrender OF the whole. Their claim is, to say
the most oft, no better than our own, since they
themselves do not dare to submit to the arb
traton OF third party, knowing that the pub
lie opinion Of the world has already pronounc-
ed against it. Yet from this most imperfect
and controvertibIe clam they seek to extract
twice as much as we contend for-nay, they
raise their own pretenslons to absolute and to-
tai sovereignty, whilst they altogether annih-
late the rights we have practically enjoyed for
more than halt a century. Thus, in fact, tho
question i'll dispute has never been brought to
a true issue. The two quantiue. have not been
reduced TO common denomination; they differ
in their very nature; and whilst our posltlnn
not only admits of a compromise, but suggests
and requires it, theirs is utterly at variance
with the first principle of such an arrangement.
Mr.. Buchanan's last note says too mach, unless
indeed it says inadvertently what is the truth;
for the arguments by which he endeavors 10
show that the United States cannot submit
their claim TO arbitration, are equally cOgent to
prove that their claim will not admit even of
negotiations Mr. buchanan appears to forget
that the United States haze negotiated; that he
himself, by his last proposal, for the fourth or
hith tune comedies that point; that the House of
Representatives, by their second resolution
have in fact sanctioned the principle of nego-
tatlon, which is, IN other words, the principle
OF mutual concession. When the American
Secretary of State says he cannot do what the
manifest interest aud dignity of the two coun-
tries require, he must either mean that the Go
VeInment to which he belongs riN not do it, or
that that Government is acting under the COM
pulslon OF the party, excited to madness on this
question, which carried Mr. Polk S election
The practical question for US is to ascertain the
Intentions of the American Governments If
Mr.. Polk and his advisers are sincerely pacific,
they cannot but succeed: there is no obstacle,
no impeachment, no difficulty in the way, eX-
cept those which they have themselves created.
10 bring about war with us under such cir
cumstances, they must be the worst statesmen
III the world if they do not seek it, or the most
rash and unpIinciPled, if they deliberately IN
tend 1t. The time is, however, come when we
are forced 10 Judge of their real motives by
their conduct; and, as they have not encourage
Gu further argument, 1t may not be premature
to inquire into the amount of their forces
Weknow not what course Ir. Polk may in
tend to pursue after the notice for the abroga-
ton OF the treaty for joint occupation has been
duly gwen; and we shall await with more Gu
nos'ty than alarm the enterprises which may
be projected for the purpose Of eXpeIhng British .
SUBJECTS frem district where we happen to .
command the coast and the interior, the lndl-
ans and the forts The world is perfectly a.
ware tat EngIdnd is not the attacking party,
ana That we are content TO leave matters IN
O'egon as they now are. II the Americans
mean any thing, they mean to dispossess US OF
what we hold. Attic same time, if this intcn-
uon be avowed by the cabinet at Washington,
or It 1t be disclosed by vLtes Of money and var
like preparations which imply fixed determl-
nation to engage in this absurd and nagitlous
contest, no state is bound to wait to be attack
ed Mr.. Polk has aI;eady instructed the Amc
rlcan Minister in London to ask for an cxpla-
nation OF the activity of our dockyards His
own consc ence might have given it to him;
his own language has put US upon the Ceien-
sve; aud although the termination Of the con-
ventlon OF 1927 by notice is no caSus JsLti, yet
the disposition Indicated by that notice, and
the means which may be taken to carry that
disposition into effect, may hereafter furnish
ample ground of suspicion, of remonstrance,
and finally of hostties. A bold and manly
course on the part of the British government
will probably not be without good effect in