Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1846-02-20
THE ENQUIRER.
RICHMOND, VA.
Wednesday Morning, February Is, isie.

Wednesday Morning, FEBRUARY iS, 1910
The Wings seem resolved 10 stake the FOL
tunes OF their party upon the Arbitration question
The scheme was originally gotten up by The nc
iorious ]. Watson Webo. as appears from NJ
own disgusting selflauds,ions, and by dint
Aauery or cunning, be prevailed upon Mr.. Man
gum of The Senate, and Mr.. King OF Georgia
the House. TO father The iicieuy abortion. The
soon found out, however, that il would not e
down with their own party, and were smai
enough not 10 submit it 10 vote 10 The House
Representatives.
The Wing press, However, are still ieVen,n!
their arrows al The administration from tnis w"
err o. arbitration. They daily make 'ne.. C -.
morous appeals to the passions or inc ieai'
,eon,a 70 aha ndon an administration mat Wouie
rect,e.slv refuse fair offer TO aroilra'e ahc
thereby peril The peace OF The na'ion! lhey
lille understand the spirit of the American peo
Mo if lhey hope 10 alarm them into The adoP'
lion Of the principle of arbitration, which, at the
nresen, time, VIC regard as an insidions weapon
ao,;nst the safely and well-being OF Repuolican
;ns,;m,;ons Ii we now place our territorial
rights in the power Of Individuals selected oy
the crowned heads Of Europe and, from inc 'oiee
OF circumstances, necessarily prejudiced against
Republican institutions. We admit pfinciPie
whch would expose US to the continual inter-
ference with our dearest privileges. II we al
low our rights 10 our own territory 70 DC a'oHid'
red we encourage the holy alliance o. Eurote
in their attempt 10 establish "balance oil power
:, his continent, and our Republican form Of
Government may Of itself be a future subject @
arbitration. We should arrest the insidlous move
ment at the outset.
In the offer of Great Britain 10 arbi,ra'e the
Oregon question, we have nothing 10 gam, ana
mncb 10 lose. The very character OF The reia-
lions on tia, subject proves The Oregon suo'ec' 70
be most unfit for arbitration. While we haVe' ~
onr opjnion. a clear title 10 the whole county
md Tor a large portion OF it, no one disputes u
c.r.,, R,iain makes no exclusive claim 70 any
norton Of the country. She claims only by me
uncertain tenure OF joint occupancy. She IS IN
,he nosi,ion OF on! tenant BY Suferancs. We
have allowed her 10 remain in that altitude; ana
would il moi be a most extravaganza concession iof
rs now 10 submit, TO arbitration our o~n Wen e.
,ab,ished ,ille1 Ii We aIbilraie IN the case OF
England, strong power, why should no. we 40
rbe same with Mexico, weak nation, VINO sels
IN her claim 10 the whole OF Texas fet we
have no proposition Of this sort from those who
clamorousy demand an Arbitration win uie
powerful "Mistress Of the Seas.
The National IDtelligencer has taken me ieaa
in a.sailine the Administration fer no! assenunS
!, ,be tender OF arbitration Wiha self.saiisned
air i; ANNOUNCED Iumphan,ly that the course Of
~ Administration was sustained by he Union,
mo baltimore Sun, and he Richmond Enquirer
alone. This was before lie tide Ct popular ssh'i-
men, rolled back upon he CITY OF Washington.
The Union completely 's"amped" The premature
statements OF the lnteiigencer oy copious e.
tracts from Inc Democratic and neutral papers,
As far as We have seen, there seems 10 De outone
sentiment, On this subject in The Democratic
press. As specimen, re quote ths ioiio"ine
admirable views from one al the mos, respectable
Southern journals, he Augusta Georgia. Con-
e,i,u,ionalist il speaks tbe OPINION, We are SUR,
OF The whole Democratic Party II the Cn'on, aoc
Of many Of Inc ether pans, vino can see some
eooa 10 Democratic Administration
1--WE will moi indulge In extended comment
mon the question OF arbitration, at this time
Bul we are pro np, TO declare our most hearty
and unou,li6ed approval of the rejection of The
nronDs,1ions OF The British Minister. The style
In which il is done IS clear, explicit and decisive,
and The reasons given are such as we oci;eve w
m cutie satisfactory 10 our own counlrYmen, what
ever nav be h.ie eIsc, win the English. Ihey are
reasons which have rendered the people oil his
country very properly ayerse 10 Arbitration 10
general on any question, and more especially SO
70 arbitration uoon this question 10 particular
We believe thai this country could no, come OUT
OF an arbitration without being shorn OF portion
OF her territorial rights. Did she make her lllie
and her claim as clear as the noon day sur, Inc
result before the aroi.ra,ors would DC The same
We would be certain 10 lose b. The decision. Ia
every case o! arbitration between pations there
/. rieh, and a wrong side. Yet we bceve that,
In no case where an immense territory was IN dis
pute would the decision he entirely according 10
The Jus, claims OF the party in he right. bnt II
would Invariably Ne compromise, by which Inc
party in The wrong would gain an advantage, no
mater how preposperous lis pretsnsons might he
The more preooserous the claim, the greater
therefore would be The advantage. A roint OF
mino. consequence, We might be willing 10 see
referred, 70 save time and trouble But we would
most sirenuously oppose 10 case like The pre-
cent, a course which jeopards important rights,
and nigh, result in the preparation OF io}ustee.