Wheeling times and advertiser. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1839-1849, 1846-02-18
THE OREGON CUES TON
A LETTER FROM WILLIAM C.. RrvEy,
OFviRGINiA, roA FRiENDlN WASH
INGTON.

INGroN.
cAsrAk niEL. February 5, lea6.
NV DraR SrK: VIZ rns ProrLx have been
contemplating with no small degree of anxiety
he progress ot the discussions at Washington
IA the question Ut OREooS. Withdrawn en-
iwly irom political pursuits. and without the
desire again 20 engage in them, 1
ave, nevertheless, ssa gpod citizen. not been
'ble Ia sseei mys,if inuo indiaer renee To what
- nearly concerns the interest and happiness
d our rosnmon country. Though a passenger
only. cne may be allowed q natural feeling OF
Tor the sststy Of the ship la which
the lives fortunes vi US all arc equally EN-
IL can no tongrr b. disguised. whatever lit
tie occasion there Is Tor II ian the reason and
nature of things. that the question OF Oregon,
from the extreme grounds on which IL has
been played by the temeriiy at politicians, Is
in gnnat danger of becoming a question oi
Peace OF War. War with the most powerful
nation of ,hs earth Tor n terra incegaiia of
undetermined ownership, To which an ALSO
iwte and e~rclusiue title IN the United States
has long been denied. while our equal right tn
settle aud occupy 1t with other nations il un-
rr~ervedly admitted, Is too grave a coniingcn.
cy, however lightly il may b. deemed OF by
the oraiors at Washington. not TO awaken all
the attention ofa sober and thinking people.
To them II SEEMS. in the first place. consider.
ing ihc vnstly superior power OF ono ot the
parties on ,hst element Ivy which only the
country in dispute (sepsrated M il Is IRON us
BY an almost inicrminablc desert, Attending
uothing Tor the Subsistence of an ARMY can
be approached with an adequate military force,
that to provoke a war Tor IL in the present ma
val and military disparity of the two Powers,
would b. the certain means of losing the very
object Of the contest; while, IL things b. left
10 the silent aud natural operation oi time,
aided by legitimate and judicious measures OF
policy, the territory must soon become a
peaceful and undisputed conquest 10 the en-
terprise of American emigration.
Boo,less and fatal as the war would be in
regard TO it's immediate object. its cslsmitous
operation on all the great interests OF the ma
,ion II II hardly m the po er OF language TO
describe. Commerce. agriculture, navigation,
would at once feel it's wither ring effects. in
bcing excluded from their accustomed bsunts,
or deprived Ot their most profitable markets.
The noble cities on our -esboard, the great
emporium of trade and the proud monuments
of American industry aud wealth, would bc
exposed tn almost certain devastation BY the
immensely superior and overpowcIing steam
marine of oar adversary, with ali ts improvcl
.engineTy of destruction. The best blood Of
gallant countrymrn would b. poured out
like water upon a hundred battlefelds. The
hard earned substance OF the people would b.
from them iof the support pi a vide
wasting contest OF ilimi,ablc duration. A
load OF debt and taxation would b. enisiled
poslrrity. Every schemc III socitl aud
political amelioraiion would he arrested amid
the cIsngor al arms. Our Institutions, de-
foS the security oiiiber,y and the inter
rsls OF peace and humanity, would b. exposed
la a new aud dangerous blast from the sum
mary ussgcs and stern esigcncies of war; and.
In short, American Improvement and dcvci-
opeinent, In oil their branches. would recsiye
a re,rogmde check, from which a century
would scarce sutilcc 10 restore them.
By some, | am aware, IL " thought altogc-
slaes snsxrgsshx IN Ae<s{sBHSs<UN4e~WNs~Sz
sarrpoa me slightes, pretsace perfectly blind
md Indifferent 10 consequences; aud that a
var, with England especially. is always vel
eoine to the national ~pmjudices. and a certain
pa ssport 10 popularity Tor those who promote
aud advocate II. Others there are, I lear, who
wi'hon, a, AL pariici, s,iug In these scniimenls
are withheld from boldly aud msnfully oppo-
sung them, by The idea that whoever dsres
avow himself the advocate of peace becomes
the doomed and ine bic victim OF popular
fNN"s ~ w hfrr ttds%r ~ N1tlttl ldHA
81 my humble Judgment greatly mistake the
feelings of the sound and by lar the lsres,
mass of the American people. The psople
desire peace. They know how Intimately
connected IL n with their we'll heing, the faif
rewards OF their industry. the prosperity of
their families, the hsilowed associations Of
the domestic si,sr. Ii is fhry who psy the
cost of war. bear Its burdens. i..eI its ssrri6ces
IL Is no less TO dishonor their humanity and
intelligence TO suppose that they cherish M
christian and incapable resentment aesins,
the land OF their fathers, from which We have
derived our own ieeborn spirit, and the whole
circle al Our moral social, and political char.
acterlsiics. They know full well il is through
our nc inheritance Of Aaglo-Saxon freedom
~ AoSoSeScn energy anil enterprise that
We are oil that we are-preseniing in the
eyes OF mankind an example OF progress and
development hitherto unparalleled i'm the
history OF the world. II we have had quarrels
with England, they nave been nobly a senprd.
aud a noble nature disdains to brood vindic.
u'ely over the past. Rather would they look
uPon England and America, ia the language
OF Edmund Burke's admirable letter, ,e n,
rfaskiin at the close of the Revolutionstv
contest, rs 'ihe two branches" of the ora,
Angio-Saxon family, destined hencefo,wsnI IN
eSait their common ancestry, language. litera.
tnSe, and 'elgisn, by q generous ri.slry in the
huinsnizing arts OF Peace and ~scicBse. and tbe
mutual intcrehSoges Of a friendly and BENEFICIAL
commerce
" any politician, then, should suppose ,hs,
he - TO gain popular favor hy i%nciting an AN.
necessary war with Englana, I've viii In nav
opinion have committed a grievous mistake
he statesman who will sccaTe to himself ,he
largest share Of the general confidence and re-.
sprct' y he who shall strive mos, str%ennously
70 preserve TO thc nsiton The dressings Of peace
aud who, IL wsr shall come in spite o1 III -.
efforts 20 avert iL, will h. found staudino ,,as,
hnnIly by lns country in Der hour Of need
History hes read to "a some instructive lesso,s
on tbs subject which have not been lost unon