The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1846-02-19

settle the all-eSclllng oregon question.
The whole world Of nations and every ra.
tlonal man, cannot but see that we are left
far in the back ground by the refusal of
our Executive TO comply with one or both
of the proposed modes of orbirraion.-
From these proposals our President can
find no honorable ground Of retreat
What can be more fair, and honorable to
both nations, than the offer of the British
minister 10 his prefer of basis of adjusts
ment. He offers, ia behalf OF his govern
ment, to refer the question Of the equita.
bic division of the territory of Oregon, 10
the arbitration ofsome friendly Power or
State. This proposal Mr. Buchanan de-
cines 10 do, for the reason. slimsy indeed,
for he says that the question of tile to the
Territory, and not its equitable dirisSoa,
was the point 10 controversy. And fur
Their, tina! the submission of the question
Of partition would be an admission on our
part. of the British tile. How Uery slam
So, and degrading is this sublerfuge, al
this time Of day, when not more than six
months ago he acknowledged the British
right, by Il formal uftr to divide by the
40 h parallel. Consistency, thou art lru-
y a jewell both 10 private end national
concerns. This proposal being rejected,
The British plenip olen!ary, comes out with
another and still more liberia proposal, as
If intent BY all means in his power to sell
tie the deeply exciting question to our full
satisfaction, by presenting new plan Of
reference, which it would seem fully TO do
away the objections he has met. He now
proposes to submil the question o! tile TO
some friendly Power or State, or if it
would De more agreeable to The President,
he honorably proposes mixed commits
sion, with an Umpire chosen by common
consent or 10 Board of CiviIinns, to be
so appointed as TO bring all pending ques-
iioas to a satisfactory adjustment. Good
| Heavens, what can be asked for, more
fir and honorable and ask where can
our Presiden, find an honorable retreat
from This ground Of settlement! Il is ne
veriheIess rejected, by the miserable subs
terfuee known TO my readers. Secretary
Buchanan seems to think that both public
and priva'e arblrators, are apt 10 decide
TO please DO b parties, and make COM
promising award. For Heavens sake
what else do we want than to be pleased
on both sides. II is FOR every man to sat
isfy himself whether these reflections Of &
happy compromise are wise, or foolish,
were measures Of peace or war.
Oae thing seems sell evident, that much
OF the Oregon maneuverlng is to prepare
the Yves, 10 sustain Mr. Polk for another
election, even if he drives he country into
destructive war to obtain it, ask ,
where is the candid man Of any party, Of
sound sense, who does not now believe,
that if George Washington was now alive
and filled the Chair of Safe, or even Hen
ry Clay, with Daniel Webster as Secreta-
ny of STATE, that such prolfers as have
been made TO our Government TO settle this
vexed question, would have been elected
| for a single hour? For one believe thai,
they possessing the treaty making power,
the question would never have consumed
two months Of the expensive time Of Con.
gress, any farther Than necessary Tor The
Senate to ratify the doings of the Presi-
dent, thereby saving millions 10 our treas
ury. The British Cabinet would have
known that they had 10 deal with an hon
orable and honest man, as well as PRESS
dent, in Offering honorable proposals, with
the assurance that such proposals would
meet an honorable reception, and lorg ago
the strife would have ceased.
There are only three ways to selte this
plain question first, by negotiation -
second, by a reference,-and thirdly, by
war. If the two first fail, and the meas
ufes Of Mr. Polk are carried out BY Com
gress, the third is inevitable, and after
millions of lives are sacrificed, and mil.
oGs of treasures lost add sunk in the ocean
our cities burnt, and all other desruc-
ton that it is possible for two mighty ma.
lions to nAict on each other, by the dead
ly strife to see which can do the o'her the
greatest injury-lor neither could think of